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corrodedseraphine · 1 year

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dos oruguitas | #1 stupid caterpillars

pairing: eddie munson x fem!reader

chapter summary: For most of your lives, you were convinced that nothing could separate you. You and Eddie against the world. However, the world did not give up, throwing worse and worse challenges at you. TW: tiny mention of blood (reader cuts her hand), mention of death, heartbreak

the story is also avaliable on ao3

masterlist | eddie munson masterlist | general masterlist

song that I used: Sebastián Yatra - Dos Oruguitas

another story! The first chapter is just about some importnat events from Eddie and reader's past, the real plot will start in chapter two, but I felt it was kinda important to mention these things first! I hope you will like it! The feedback is highly appreciated here 🥰 Also huge thank you to @i-me-mine for prereading and checking if everyththing is okay, you are amazing ♥

"But we don't want to go to bed yet!" shouted Eddie pretending to be offended.

"Tía, por favor!" you said grabbing the woman's hand and sending her a puppy dog look.

"I know what you're doing, little bug, you're not going to soften my heart by talking to me in Spanish." Mrs. Gómez laughed quietly. "Your dad and your uncle will kill me if you're sleep-deprived tomorrow morning when they get home from work. And I don't think we want that, do we?"

"Ughh, fine!" you replied, and together with Eddie you went to bed in his bedroom. While Wayne and your dad were out on their night shifts, your neighbor came in every night to take care of the two crazy kids. The men were always shocked at how she managed to control the two of you, who were like a ticking bomb. Sometimes they had the impression that you listened to her more than to them.

"Tía Beatriz?" asked Eddie as he covered himself with a blanket.

"Yes?"

"Will you sing to us?"

"And what would my caterpillars like to hear?" she chuckled.

"You know what!" you giggled.

"As long as you sing with me."

" Dos oruguitas... " you began without needing much encouragement. Singing lullabies has always been your favorite part of the evening.

" Enamoradas! " Eddie added quickly after you. Mrs. Gómez, to Wayne and your dad's satisfaction, has always woven a little Spanish into your daily conversations. Your small and receptive as a sponge brains always assimilated every new word without a problem, especially when all the songs she taught you were in that language. Over the years spent under her care, the two of you became almost bilingual, and it's no surprise that later in high school it was the only subject in which Eddie always earned good grades.

Dos oruguitas enamoradas Pasan sus noches y madrugadas Llenas de hambre Siguen andando y navegando un mundo Que cambia y sigue cambiando Navegando un mundo Que cambia y sigue cambiando

Dos oruguitas paran el viento Mientras se abrazan con sentimiento Siguen creciendo, no saben cuándo Buscar algún rincón El tiempo sigue cambiando Inseparables son El tiempo sigue cambiando

Ay, oruguitas, no se aguanten más Hay que crecer aparte y volver Hacia adelante seguirás Vienen milagros, vienen crisálidas Hay que partir y construir su propio futuro

Dos oruguitas desorientadas En dos capullos bien abrigadas Con sueños nuevos Ya solo falta hacer lo necesario En el mundo que sigue cambiando Tumbando sus paredes Ahí viene nuestro milagro Nuestro milagro Nuestro milagro Nuestro milagro

Ay, mariposas, no se aguanten más Hay que crecer aparte y volver Hacia adelante seguirás Ya son milagros, rompiendo crisálidas Hay que volar, hay que encontrar Su propio futuro

"And now good night mis oruguitas " She kissed each of you on the forehead and left the room turning off the light.

"These caterpillars are stupid." said Eddie after a while. "If they love each other they should never split up. Never."

"I dunno, Eddie. Dad says life is hard, maybe they had to do it?" you replied looking at the ceiling.

"How can life be hard? Like math?" he mused. "But even if math is difficult we help each other with it together." he added after a moment.

"Maybe those caterpillars weren't best friends like us?" you asked turning sideways, facing him. "The song says they will come back together as butterflies," he said.

"If they're going to come back anyway, why leave at all?"

"You're right, they're stupid." you concluded. "We are smarter, aren't we?"

"Let's promise each other we'll never be as stupid as them and we'll always be together." he extended his pinky finger in your direction.

"I promise." Without hesitation you grabbed it with yours.

6-year-old Eddie didn't know what the future held for him. All he knew was that he wanted to always have his best friend by his side. Unfortunately, fate, as always, likes to play tricks.

If you had to choose your best memory it would definitely be on the podium. You would give anything to return to carefree evenings of singing lullabies together.

Now, ten years later, staring at the gray tombstone, you didn't know if your cheeks were wet from tears or rain. You didn't care, because the pain you felt in your heart was indescribable.

"I can't believe she's gone." you howled. The lump in your throat barely allowed you to breathe let alone speak longer.

"She will always be with us." said Eddie grabbing your hand.

"I miss her, Eddie."

"I know, so do I." He himself was unable to hold back tears. "But she will always be with us, in our hearts." He hugged you tightly.

"We have to go now." said Wayne walking up to you with your dad. "We'll be back tomorrow, I promise."

"Goodbye, tía Beatriz." you whispered and looked one last time with eyes full of despair at the neat GÓMEZ inscription on the marble slab.

The night after the funeral you spent locked in Eddie's room singing all the songs she had taught you sobbing and getting drunk with the bottle of vodka you had stolen from your dad's cabinet. When Wayne found you hunched together on the bed in the morning, he did nothing. He knew he should, but seeing you lying cuddled up together, he didn't have the heart to wake you. Your back almost melted into Eddie's chest, his one hand was under the pillow and the other hugged you tightly. Your fingers were lightly intertwined, and there were plenty of tissues lying around you. You had just lost the woman who had helped with your raising from the very beginning, the talk about drinking alcohol before the age of 21 could wait.

When Eddie woke up he felt his whole body go numb, only after a while he began to feel the pain that was literally everywhere. Opening his eyes slowly, he squirmed as he tried to adjust his vision to the dim light coming from his left side. Slowly he turned his head toward its source. It was a small bedside lamp he associated with your desk. It was not your room, though. As his gaze ran downward he noticed how an IV was embedded in the bend of his hand, even lower was your hand holding his. You were sitting right next to the bed strangely bent over a chair, asleep. A book lay on your stomach, and the thumb from your other hand served as a bookmark. He began to look around further. He was in the hospital. Why was he in the hospital? Only after a while did the events of the previous day begin to occur to him. The Upside Down, the bats, your and Dustin's screams...He had survived. He didn't know by what miracle but he survived. You had also survived. You were by his side now. He felt tears coming to his eyes, he had no idea if it was from pain, shock or any other reason, he just wanted to cry. He involuntarily squeezed your hand waking you up.

"Oh my god Eddie!" you said immediately reacting to the sight of his open eyes. "Don't move, I'm going to get a doctor!" you blasphemously ran out of the room. He didn't even have the strength to show his displeasure that you disappeared so quickly.

For the next hour, the doctors and nurses harassed him with all sorts of tests and questions, and he felt much more tired than he expected when they finally left him alone. Fortunately, they gave him painkillers that made his pain relatively bearable.

"I called Wayne's work, his boss said he'd let him out early today, so he should be in in about an hour and a half." you said as you walked back into the room and sat down in the chair again grabbing his hand. He turned his face slowly toward you, feeling terribly weak, but he didn't mind. He knew that with you he could be vulnerable. "I don't know if I want to kill you or hug you now." you said pressing his hand to your lips and kissed gently.

"I had to...protect you." he whispered.

"I thought I had lost you, Eddie. I thought you were gone." Not holding out, you began to sob.

"Sorry..." his voice was barely audible.

"I don't know what I would have done with myself if you hadn't woken up." The despair on your face was breaking his heart, he didn't realize he had started crying himself until you got up from your chair and leaned over to wipe the tears from his cheeks. "It's okay to cry." you said. "Cry as much as you need to. But I beg you never to leave me again." He would so much like to reach so your cheek now and return the favor but his hand seemed too heavy.

"Can you...hug?" he asked without taking his eyes off you. His eyes begged for your closeness.

"I don't want to hurt you Eddie." you said sitting down next to him on the edge of the bed.

"'I'm fine, not hurting, please." How could you disagree? As gently as you could, you helped him lift himself up and sat embracing him with your arm, his head fitting perfectly into the gap between your arm and your head. You placed your one hand where his heart was to feel his heartbeat and grabbed his hand with the other. Reminders that this is not a dream at all. Feeling your weight by his side, the boy felt safe. He was possessed by peace. Home. he thought, smiling slightly with one corner of his mouth.

"Not going- not goin' anywhere." he muttered and used all his strength to raise his pinky finger in your direction, which you immediately caught with yours. Now your hands lay just above his heart. "Song?" he asked feeling his eyelids slowly getting heavy.

"Which one?" you laughed quietly.

"Y'know..."

"Dos oruguitas enamoradas, pasan sus noches y madrugadas..." you began quietly at the same time moving your hand to his hair and began stroking it. Your quiet singing filled the room, with his eyes closed he imagined that instead of a hospital bed you were lying as you always did in his trailer. Whenever he thought of safety and home the same scene appeared before his eyes. Always the same way cuddled up on his bed together humming lullabies before going to bed. Damn anyone who would only try to say that you are too old for them. There is nothing better than lying in your arms and listening to your quiet, warm voice and soothing touch. He wished he had the strength to tell you, but sleep was much stronger, momentarily cutting him off from reality.

Noticing that he was asleep, you stopped singing and kissed him on the top of his head. "I love you, Eddie." you muttered into his hair. That night you promised yourself that as soon as he got better you would finally tell him that love on your part was not entirely platonic.

"Eddie? Steve? Do you copy?"

"Sup Wheeler?" Eddie asked while chewing on a slice of pizza. When they heard that this time, instead of a movie marathon together, you wanted to spend a "girls'" night with Robin and Nancy, they decided to spend a "guys'" night at Gareth's garage with Jonathan, Argyle and the guys from Corroded Coffin.

"Can you come get Robin and y/n?" asked Mike.

"What happened?" asked Steve. "They figured they couldn't have a good time without us?" he smirked.

"Uhh...I guess they drank too much wine? Nancy passed out on the couch and the two of them are sitting in the garden right now and crying." Mike definitely didn't know what to do at that moment.

"Wait- Are they crying? What the hell happened there?" Steve's amusement quickly turned to concern.

"I have no idea! Can you just come get them?" he sighed exasperatedly.

"We'll be right there." Eddie said.

When they arrived you were still sitting in the garden on the grass. You were hugging each other and an already empty wine bottle stood between you. The night silence was broken only by the sounds of your sobbing.

"Hey! What happened?" Steve quickly ran over to you, followed immediately by Eddie. At the sight of them you burst out crying even more, and they only looked at each other even more confused. "Are you hurt?"

"No." replied Robin for the two of you. You were certainly not physically hurt. You could say that when Nancy dropped out of the game the topic of conversation with Robin descended into very private matters. You didn't even know when she was crying into your shoulder because of Vicky, who doesn't reciprocate her feelings, and then you admitted for the first time to anyone about being in love with your best friend.

"C'mon, what happened?" asked Eddie for the second time.

"Nothin'," you muttered into Robin's shoulder which you clung to.

"I'm pretty sure it's somethin' since it brought you two to tears," said Eddie.

"Nobody loves us!" Robin snapped. "We're like two hopeless losers."

"I love you Robin!" you said lurking. There was far too much wine in your bodies.

"And I love you!" she replied. You weren't able to count all the I love yous you said to each other that night, however, it wasn't the kind of love you were now crying over. It was a friendly sisterly love.

"Aren't you forgetting someone?" Steve chuckled. You both lifted your heads to finally look at the two boys in front of you.

"I think they need to be reminded, Steve." Eddie added.

"We love you guys." Steve removed himself next to Robin.

"We love you both very much." Eddie took up a passing seat next to you.

"Not that way, dingus!" Robin groaned.

"I know, but that doesn't change the fact that we still love you." he laughed, and then both of them trapped the two of you in a big shared hug.

"Time to go home, you drunks." Eddie said after a while.

"You're a drunk yourself you...drunk!" Robin replied, which caused the metalhead to laugh even more.

The road passed you in silence. First you drove Robin to where Eddie and Steve escorted her all the way to her bed, the next stop was Steve's house and finally your trailer where he entered as if he was at his place following you to your bedroom. Tired and sad, you threw yourself right back onto the mattress.

"You okay?" he asked laying down next to you.

"Yes." you muttered into the pillow.

"You're not very convincing." You knew he was smirking now. You could hear it.

"I'm unlovable." you whined.

"That's not true." he said. "Hey, look at me." He put his hand on your shoulder and gently pulled you to the other side, but you resisted. You didn't want to look at him now. You also didn't want him to look at you, even though he had seen you in a much worse state many times.

"Okay... no looking." he sighed. "A lot of people love you y/n." he began gently stroking your back. "I love you, your dad loves you, Wayne loves you, Robin, the kids, even King Steve loves you! Who would have thought?" he laughed lightly. You, on the other hand, were not laughing.

"But you don't love me the way I want you to love me." the words came out of your mouth faster than you had time to realize.

"What do you mean?" he asked puzzled.

"Nothin' ugh!" you banged your fist on the mattress of the bed. You felt too irritated to talk to him about you now and face rejection. "Can you just sing to me?" you asked already more calmly.

"What would you like to hear?" he asked embracing you from behind.

"You know very well what."

"Of course I know" He laughed again and began to sing about the two caterpillars from whom the two of you were supposed to be smarter. But were you really?

"I can't believe that this time next month we'll already be in Indy." Robin said, smiling. You were lounging by the Harrington's pool on deck chairs taking advantage of the last days of warmth. "Have you thought about what to do about staying yet? My offer still stands, at least I won't have to look for some stranger who wants to live with me."

"I don't know, Robin. It's not that far at all, I could take the train to come to classes every day and come back..." you sighed. "Won't you miss it?"

"After all, we're not going to the end of the world, we can visit them or they can visit us every weekend, together we'll be able to afford a bigger apartment, so even if they wanted to visit us with these little shrimps everyone would fit in."

"But-"

"Okay, no more pulling the wool over my eyes. We both know who is the reason you don't want to move out." She sent you a communicative look.

"Just- We've been inseparable since we were kids! We see each other every day, I can't remember the last time there was any extended break between us, he's my best friend and it's hard for me to imagine that he'll suddenly be gone."

"Are you sure we're talking about friendly feelings here?" she raised an eyebrow.

"Oh Shut up! Even if, then what?"

"It's that you should finally tell him about it!"

"I will tell! I was going to do it today when we get home."

Eddie was late as standard. However, none of you suspected that this evening he would also introduce you to the reason for his delay.

Still sitting on the deck chairs, you laughed with Robin as you watched Dustin and Will shooting each other with water pistols in the pool. Jonathan and Nancy were sitting across from you, while Steve and Argyle were guarding the grill and the rest of the kids were playing in the pool. Suddenly you saw Eddie's van approaching the driveway. Gareth, Jeff and Simon were the first to jump out, followed shortly after by Eddie. After a moment, a girl came out from behind the car, and with a quick step she approached him and intertwined their fingers. You were not prepared for this sight. No one was. Everyone watched in shock as the couple approached you. Eddie was saying something, probably introducing her to everyone, but your heart was too loud to hear anything. It was ringing in your ears, the girl offered you her hand, you shook it smiling nervously.

Three hours have passed. You felt bad, you felt uncomfortable, suddenly all the joy you had in you has disappeared. All of a sudden the amount of people around you has become overwhelming. Three hours have passed, and you still can't remember the girl's name. All you can do is watch as every now and then she sneaks little kisses leaving traces of her blood red lipstick on Eddie's face. His hand on the cut of her waist, the moments when he whispers something in her ear and makes her giggle. She is beautiful. The most metal girl you have ever seen. The most metal and the most perfect for Eddie, who loudly compliments her every now and then in front of everyone. Argyle offers you a piece of meat straight from the grill but you are not hungry. Steve asks if you want something to drink, which you also refuse. Despite the fact that you ate only a light breakfast today you don't feel hungry. In fact, you feel nothing but a strange unpleasant feeling in your stomach. There's too much. Everything is too much. Taking the opportunity that no one is paying attention to you you go home straight to Steve's room. The blinds are still shut, you quickly walk over to the window to close it and muffle the happy sounds from the garden. The sight of the two of them did not disappear from your eyes, clenching them tightly you took a step forward without noticing the shoes lying next to you. Stumbling over them you lost your balance, in panic you grabbed the dresser, but this did not stop your fall. Along with you fell a glass vase shattering into pieces.

"Nonononono, shit..." you began panickingly picking up the pieces. The bigger one cut your hand leaving a small blood stain on the carpet.

"Y/n?" you heard Steve's voice. He stood in the doorway looking at you in shock.

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry, I tripped and tried to catch something-"

"Why are you crying? It's just a vase." You didn't even realize you were crying. You automatically raised your hand to your cheek when you felt pain on your palm. You forgot about it. Now the blood was also on your cheek. Embarrassed, you thought you must look comical.

"Shit, you're bleeding. I'll be right back, wait."

"Steve-" you said before he could leave.

"yeah?"

"Can you go get Robin, please?"

Without a word he jogged off downstairs and returned a moment later with everything he needed to take care of your cut and a friend at his side.

"It's too late." you said when you saw her. "Too late." She was quickly on the floor beside you.

"Let me see your hand." interjected Steve. Without a word you handed it to him. While he was engaged in patching up your hand you cried into Robin's shoulder. "I think you're not just crying over a broken vase..." he said after a moment of silence interrupted by your sobs. "You don't have to tell me anything if you don't want to, just remember that you can count on me." He squeezed your hand gently when he finished.

"Thank you, Steve." you said quietly. "I don't want to go back there."

"We can stay here." Robin said. "I bet Kind Steve has a super comfortable bed for us to lie down on." she said with a smile wanting to comfort you.

"It's pretty comfy, but in the guest room I have a TV and an even bigger bed." he said. "I'll smuggle you some movies and food if you want."

"Why is there blood on the carpet?" the voice of Max surprised you.

"Something happened?" El quickly stepped out from behind her. "Why are you crying?" she asked. "Are you hurt? Are you in danger?" she asked looking around the room for a potential threat.

"No, nothing, calm down." you said. "I tripped and broke a vase." you pointed to the shards of glass.

"That's why you're crying?" she still had trouble understanding others, so she was always barraging you with questions. You couldn't blame her for that. You were proud of how she was always eager to learn everything and try to understand.

"No, that's not why." You shook your head. "But don't worry about it, please."

"It's because of Eddie isn't it?" interjected Max crossing her arms over her chest.

"Did Eddie hurt you?" El immediately asked.

"No, he didn't." replied.

"But he brought a girl here. And that hurts her."

"That girl is pretty." commented El thoughtfully.

"Yes, she is very pretty." You nodded, feeling another wave of tears come to your eyes. Seeing this, understanding appeared on Jane's face.

"You...love Eddie." she said slowly.

"I was blind for a month and I could still see how much you loved that idiot." commented Max.

"Max!" Steve hissed.

"What, he's an idiot if he prefers to sit there with her now!"

"Can I hug you?" a sudden question from El silenced them.

"Of course you can." You opened your arms.

"That girl is pretty..." she said hugging you tighter. "But not like you. You are prettier, and very warm. She is cold, I don't like her." She and Joyce developed a system that allowed her to talk more easily about her feelings about other people. When she said someone was cold, she wanted to let you know in a gentle way that she felt uncomfortable around that person.

"She looked at us as if we were intruders, she didn't say a word to us from the very beginning." Max rolled her eyes. "She really thinks we're kids that Steve has to babysit and that's the only reason we're here, when Jonathan tried to tell her we're part of the group too she laughed at him!"

"Okay, enough." Robin said. "Together with y/n I'm not going back down, you can stay with us if you want, but that's the end of this topic."

"Deal." The girls smiled broadly and the four of you moved to the guest room. Spending the rest of the evening there and falling asleep isolated from everyone.

The weather matched your mood. Heavy drops of rain pounded the roof of the trailer from which you and your dad slowly carried the cardboard boxes under a little canopy. Your dad borrowed a small truck from his workmate so that he could easily transport all of yours and Robin's belongings straight to your new apartment in Indianapolis. Eddie was awakened by a knock on the door of his room.

"C'mon son before it's too late!" Wayne entered after waiting a moment. "Oh." He was surprised to see that his nephew was not there alone. Fortunately, the girl next to him was still sleeping. "Sorry, I didn't know you had a visitor." He said almost in a whisper.

"Well, now you see." Eddie sighed. "What's too late for?" he asked sleepily, wiping his face with his hands.

"I thought you wanted to say goodbye to y/n before she leaves."

"Where is she going?"

"To Indianapolis?" asked the man clearly confused.

"But she starts college in a week."

"That's why they're leaving early to get the apartment ready." Did Eddie not know anything? Wayne had actually noticed a huge lack of your presence since Eddie started dating Samantha. However, he didn't know it was that bad.

"She'll probably help Buckley and come back, I'll see her later," he said.

"Son, she and Buckley girl are moving out together. You really didn't know?"

Suddenly there was not an ounce of sleepiness in him. He quickly got to his feet, put on the pants that were on the floor and ran to the living room window, from which he had a view on your trailer. The sight of the pile of boxes next to the front door took his breath away. What was going on? You were supposed to stay here in Hawkins and commute to Indianapolis by train. What changed and why didn't you tell him anything about it? Clenching his fist, he tried to control his breathing which was becoming more rapid and irregular.

He pulled on a sweatshirt that hung on a hanger next to him and stormed out from the trailer. He didn't care about the rain, it was boiling inside him. Immediately behind him with a quick step walked Wayne.

"Can we talk?" he said through his teeth, stopping in front of you. Not expecting his presence, you stood like a stone staring at him with big, surprised eyes.

"It's alright, kid. We still have plenty of time, a little break will do us good. I'll go make myself and Wayne some coffee." Your dad said and they both disappeared into the trailer.

"Come on." said Eddie grabbing your wrist and dragging you back to his. "What the fuck y/n?!" he asked irritated when you found yourselves in the living room. "Are you moving out?!" You didn't answer anything, which upset him even more. "You were supposed to stay here! You already had everything planned! Why didn't you say anything?!" he was raising his voice with each word.

"When was I supposed to tell you?! We hardly see each other at all! We don't talk!" you exploded feeling that his anger was unfair.

"And whose fault is it?! You're the one who suddenly started skipping all the meetings without even saying why, and now this! You just wanted to leave like that without saying a word!"

"Is it really so bad that I want to finally move on?! Everyone is slowly starting to put their lives back together after everything that happened to us! Everyone moves forward, you move forward! You can't expect me to stand in the same place all the time and just look at everything from the side! You have no right to do that!" There have been arguments between you and Eddie, but they have never been as serious as now. You never raised your voice at him. You never yelled at him like you do now, a yell that caused a sore throat and waterfalls of tears running down your cheeks.

"Why can't you move on here?!" he too finally began to shout.

"Because I can't! I can't! Be-because-"

"What the hell guys?" a sleepy girl's voice interrupted your shouting match. She was standing in the doorway from Eddie's bedroom dressed only in his T-shirt and underwear. The sight of her in this place and in this condition was like a critical blow. The final nail in the coffin.

"Nothing." Eddie snapped. "Just go back to bed, I'll be back soon too." Feeling your heart break in half you looked him straight in the eye.

"You're putting your life together, Eddie. Let me do it too." you no longer shouted. Now your voice was filled with pain.

"You are the one who is breaking our promise, y/n." His lower lip began to tremble.

"You're right." you said, not quite believing it. "It's my fault, I'm sorry." You took one last look at your best friend. Your Eddie, whom you had come to love more than anyone else over the years. The anger on his face disappeared, only sadness remained. A shrill sadness and big eyes full of tears. Right now, in his home, where you shared many amazing and happy moments together, a scene of separation was playing out. Two caterpillars who were always supposed to be together somewhere along the way lost their common direction ending up on a road where you can't see the connection. They are forced to go their own way alone.

When he didn't speak for a long while you turned around and left. When Wayne and your dad saw your tears you lied that it was because you would miss them. Not wanting to worry you even more, they pretended to believe you.

Your first night in the new apartment should be exciting. You should enjoy the new beginning. You should have enjoyed moving forward, but you couldn't, feeling that your adventure had a missing piece that nothing would be able to replace.

"Come in!" Robin exclaimed as you knocked quietly on the door to her room. Without a word you sat down on the bed looking around the white and so far empty walls. "What's up?" she asked sitting down next to you. You looked at her unable to get a word out. Pressing your lips into a thin line, you shook your head. You couldn't say what was happening. Words couldn't describe how you felt. "Hey, it's okay." she said like she was reading your mind.

"Can I sleep here today?" you asked quietly. The fact that you didn't want to be alone right now was the only thing you were sure of at that moment.

"Of course, my mattress is much more comfortable than yours anyway." she laughed. "Do you need anything else to make you feel better? We can watch some movie."

"No." You sighed.

"I can sing you a lullaby, I remember you once mentioning that it calms you down." In truth, you appreciated her efforts, but it wasn't a good idea. Lullabies were something yours and Eddie's. Only yours. At least that's what you thought. An unwanted thought ran through your head as to whether he was singing them to her, too, and you squirmed at the thought. "No more lullabies, Robin. Never again."

Since you left, Eddie's life began to turn upside down. One of the positive things was that he got a job at a music store and was able to occasionally earn extra money as a mechanic from a local garage. The work was well paid and enjoyable. Even his co-workers seemed to be friendly to him.

Unfortunately, that would be enough good things. Less than a month after you left, Samantha left him without a word. This made your absence even more unbearable.

Your goodbye wasn't one of the best, after your leaving you didn't call once, so he didn't do it either, explaining that you didn't leave him the number to your new apartment, but he knew it was just a poor excuse, because if he had just asked everyone would have given it to him. Robin often came over on weekends, but you didn't do it once. When Steve and the rest of the team went to visit you he never had the courage to ask if he could join them. All he did was occasionally ask your dad how you were doing when they saw each other. The man, however, always answered only with short sentences that everything was fine. You, on the other hand, avoided any talk about him at all costs, and over time everyone began to respect this and the subject of Eddie was not brought up in your company.

Months passed and he still could not come to terms with how your fate had turned out. Unfortunately, the biggest shock was still ahead of him when, getting ready for work one morning, he heard a loud knock on the door. Wayne, eating breakfast, sent him a questioning look, to which he just shrugged his shoulders and went to open it. He found no one there, looking around he didn't see a living soul. Only when his gaze traveled downward did his heart died. He grabbed onto the doorframe to keep from falling over. A rather large cardboard box was lying at the doorstep.

"What's this?" asked Wayne approaching from behind. The contents of the carton also almost knocked him off his feet.

The younger Munson slowly knelt down to pick up the piece of paper with the message with a shaking hand.

When I found out, it was too late. She has no name. -S

He watched in disbelief as the little eyes began to open. Little chocolate button eyes. Just like his. There was a baby. A little girl wrapped in a blanket lay quietly in a cardboard box looking at her dad's pale face.

taglist: @i-me-mine @phantypurple

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gothamsfinestdummy · 2 years

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Let’s take some time to appreciate Joker from Dark Nights: Death Metal because I love his long indie girl hair.

I made him my profile pic for a reason, your honor.

#the joker #the joker with long hair!!#love it #he should grow his hair out more often #dark nights death metal #dark nights death metal joker #appreciation post #also I adore the ‘you’re doing a bang up job ma’am!’#I love J so much #thank you Mr Capullo #you and your work are cherished

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thegeekerynj · 4 years

Text

All Death Metal Review (And nothing from Sweden!)

Death Metal: Trinity Crisis One Shot

Writer: Scott Snyder Artist: Francis Manapul

‘And who are YOU supposed to be? I’ve faced enough Dark Knights that no Batman scares me anymore!

Ha! Then it’s a good thing I’m not a Batman! I’m his MOTHER!’

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Sweet Christmas! That took me by surprise!

Harley kissing Jonah Hex, that was really sweet, and gods awful creepy, and kinda gross, after the exchange, and some thought…

This is it, Gentle Readers… the Beginning of the End of the Beginning of… Oh, crap, now I’m lost… This is where the story starts rockin’!

The Gang’s all together, and the Black Lantern Bat has determined what they need to do.

The plan? Split up, naturally. That AL-ways works…

When we left them in DM #3, the Lanterns are protecting the Home Base, and taking out the Crisis Energy Antennae on the Earths left in the known Universes, The Flashes are off and running through the Speed Force, trying to find Metron, and stay ahead of the Bathattan who Laughs, while the Trinity (Superman / Antilife, Black Lantern Batman and Warden Wonder Woman) along with Swamp Thing, Harley, Hex and Jarro, head for Castle Bat, to gain access to the Crisis Earths, where the Crisis Energy is being harvested for Perpetua.

**WHEW!**

Getting into the Castle involves getting past an army of Dark Knights… and we have a bunch of real winners here!

Bat Monday - Salomon Grundy in Bat ears, I could have busted a gut laughing, until I thought about what kind of weapon a zombie with Batman’s training could be, and shivered…

Kull, the daughter of Batman and Wonder Woman, corrupted by the Dark Universe…

Ark, the living embodiment of Arkham, with all of the knowledge and abilities of ALL her worst inmates…

Chiroptor, the amalgam of Batman and Chemo (Great Elder Gods!!)…

And the Pearl, Martha Wayne, in the equivalent of HellBat Armor, complete with her iconic pearl necklace.

This is a real mindscrew for Batman, and the panels depict it, most intently.

One nice thing about Scott Snyder… he is consistent about tying up loose ends. Once we are in Castle Bat, we find out what happened to Barbatos, the Big Bad from Dark Nights: Metal. Not that we were actually wondering, since we got Perpetual, and the Batman Who Laughs, but, like I said, it ties up the package nicely.

Then, we are introduced to the character I have been most happily waiting for… the Robin King, and his Utility Belt of Death!

Gentle Readers, this is the story we have been waiting for, the chapter which tells us what the Heroes Plan of Action is, and where the story has been going, for over 40 years. You see, the opening page of this book tells us where this story began… with Marv Wolfman and George Perez, and Crisis on Infinite Earths!

Not to spoil too much, but Crisis, Infinite Crisis, and Final Crisis, ]well… they have all played a part in getting us to this story. It seems, the “Crisis Energy’ has fed Perpetua while she was trapped within the Source Wall, and, now, she wants it all, so she can recreate the Universes in her image.

Great job, if you can get it…

I can’t say enough good things about this story and artwork, as Snyder and Manapul have put together a really tight, hard hitting bottle / lead story, bringing us to the next step in the saga…

Jeebus on a popsicle stick, I hope no one lets me down… that will hurt!

Out of 5🌶 🌶🌶🌶🌶.5

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Death Metal: Multiverse’s End #1

Writer: James Tynion IV Artist: Juan Gedeon

‘Mr. Rabbit?

Yes, Young Lady?

Thank you for saving me.

What a kind thing to say! It was so scary out there, and you stayed so brave. I don’t think I could have done it without your courage.

You’re really, really soft.

I use a special carrot shampoo.

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Once upon a time, about a million, bazillion years ago in cranky fat man years, somewhere around 1982, Roy Thomas and Scott Shaw! brought Earth-C into the DC Multiverse, the earth of anthropomorphic animals… yes, they brought Super-Hero Cartoon Animals to the Super Hero Universe.

Our introduction to this Earth was Rodney Rabbit, a comics writing and drawing hare, who created the Just’a Lotta Animals comic by day, and was Captain Carrot, a Superman-esque rabbit, who got his powers from super charged carrots, when danger struck.

But, I digress… because I got really excited!

So, we have teams on the 6 Earths, each Earth holding a tuning fork, focusing the psychic pain energy of the population to Perpetual, powering her attempts to recreate the Multiverse in her image. The Earths in play, Earth - 3 (Crime Syndicate), Earth - X (Nazi Earth), Earth - 29 (Bizarroworld), Earth - 43 (Blood League World) and Earth - 50 (Justice Lords Earth) are all worlds of pain and suffering.

Their energy is the right flavor for destroying, and creating.

The heroes, organized and led by the Green Lanterns of Sector 2814 (Hal Jordan, Guy Gardner, John Stewart, Kyle Rayner, Jessica Cruz, Simon Baz), are working to take down the Antennae before the energy can be fed to Perpetual to power her Cosmic Undoing.

So, teamed with the Lanterns, we have Hawkgirl, Kid Flash (Earth-22), President Superman (Earth-23), Wonder Woman (Earth-6) and Captain Carrot, all hellbent on stopping the respective Antennae.

The problem… Each Earth’s inhabitants have been laced into the antennae, to directly feed the psychic energy to it..since the energy is effectively terror, well, what better way to induce some? Of course, this isn’t the only problem to be contended with…

Leave it to James Tynion IV to come up with a way to make a villain creepier than the Batman Who Laughs… How, you ask? Well, take the true polar opposite of Batman, and make him realize HE IS what Giggles says he is, and you have an interesting new ballgame.

You see, while the Batman who Laughs is the Ultimate CORRUPTED Batman, Owlman is the Anthesis of Batman, the purest EVIL to the Batman’s GOOD. And he plans to make sure that he continues to be the True Opposite…

Gedeon’s artwork is rough, but considering the story being told, and the pain portrayed by the characters, it fits, perfectly. Some times, I see Joe Staton and Nic Cuti in these pages, a little cartoony, but that’s not a complaint… The story concentrates a bunch on Guy Gardner and Cap, so, it seems to fit (and the art is reminiscent of the ‘A Guy and his G’Nort’ storyline from 1991).

All in all, a very good story, and a fantastic use of a truly underused treasure.

Out of 5🌶 🌶🌶🌶🌶

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Speed Metal #1

Writer: Joshua Williamson Pencils: Eddy Barrow Inks: Eber Ferreira

‘Hey, Flash Family, Is it true a Flash has to die in every Crisis?!’

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And the levels of snark from the Darkest Knight have reached Epic Levels!

The first three pages of this issue give us a rehash of everything having to do with Wally West, since the beginning of the Rebirth Era, from Barry pulling Wally out of the Speed Force, to Barry and Batman finding the Comedian’s Smiley Face button embedded in the Batcave wall, to the events of Heroes in Crisis and Flash Forward.

The action picks up as Barry, Wally, Wallace and Jay leave the Batman’s Vault, in search of Metron’s Chair, with the Darkest Knight hot on their trails.

In the Speed Force.

With the Darkest Knight’s presence corrupting the Speed Force, Barry and Wally bickering the entire time, I’m reminded of why I hated the post Crisis Flash… Wally wasn’t mature enough to wear the mantle of Barry’s fame.

Sure, he had the speed, he was even faster than Barry, but he was still the same jealous little kid inside, the one who needed to be patted on the head, the one who couldn’t get on with the Titans, even though he was probably the most powerful of them.

He was just an immature kid, and here, Williamson dragged that all into the foreground once again.

All so Wally West, the King of the Redemption Arc, could have another Redemption Arc…

Sorry, that did me in.

The rest of the story is pretty good… the art is wonderful, the Jay / Barry / Wallace interplay is really kinda neat, and all the Black Flashes… well, I’m a sucker for Death icons, so a mass of Death Speedsters, well that’s fun with a CAPITAL F!

But, did we need another Wally gets to whine story?

Sorry, this wasn’t the finest arc of the Death Metal Saga.

Out of 5🌶 🌶🌶🌶

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Death Metal #4 ‘Shot In The Dark’

Writer: Scott ‘Scream King’ Snyder Artist: Greg ‘The Muscle’ Capullo Inks: Jonathan ‘Bloodied’ Glapion

“So, ever wonder why you never see A Harley Who Laughs’?’

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And, that Gentle Readers, is the crux of one of those puzzles about this series… Why don’t we ever see more twisted versions of the Villains who infest Earth Prime?

The Robin King (this is the character who rates SECOND on my memorable Characters list, especially with his own One-Shot—— Who’s First?? Time, Gentle Ones in time…) puts the explanation out there, and it is very simple.

And worth the read… But, I digress.

So, Issue 4 picks up with Sergeant Rock describing what has been happening on Earth - Prime, and we finally get to see who has been carrying him around… AMBUSH BUG! Yes, the character that made the Fourth Wall more transparent than an open Anderson window has been carrying Rock around as his own personal narrator…

Which, if you know the Bug, is a joke unto itself.

So, here we go, the ride is picking up steam, and we are now following 6, count’em SIX, separate story lines. A guy could get whiplash, or Bullwhip or some other third rate character… But, I digress.

We have the Trinity storyline, the SpeedMetal storyline, Multiverse’s End, and the Lantern Storyline from the last issue, the Justice League / Legion of Doom story… am I forgetting anything?

Oh, and of course, the Robin King.

Where to start with this… I guess the simplest place to start is the artwork.

Greg Capullo’s pencils are absolutely wonderful. For anybody who it's to watch the process of drawing I want to watch so he's got a really wonderful touch I recommend Greg Capullo’s Instagram site. As he's drawing pages for these books, he posts the pencils as he finishes pieces of the process . Normally, he has six or seven photo panels showing exactly what he's been doing. In man cases, this involves crowd scenes, with extensive detail. His work is beautiful, it’s easy to see why he is such a sought after talent.

Jonathan Glapion’s inks on Capullo’s pencils are comparable to Austin on Byrne, and Janson over Miller, Janson over Colan… Enhancing, and not hiding the intricate detail rendered in the pencils, adding that last flash of lightning to bring it all together. The balance struck between them is almost organic, a constant growth between the two, bringing them to levels bordering on the true Classic Art teams of the last 50 years.

I do not make these comparisons lightly

Now, to the story. Scott Snyder is powering a roller coaster with a rocket sled. The coordination between the different aspects of these stories is both intricate and daring. With all the different aspects of this story spinning like plates on sticks, Snyder juggles the plot lines, and what is left to him by the myriad of writers as Emmet Kelly did in the heyday of Ringling Brothers.

His deft touch, and subtle influences are balanced by lace covered sledgehammer blows, leaving the reader reeling, and wanting so very much more.

Scott Snyder, much like Tom Taylor, has pulled out all the stops, cut the brake lines, kicked out the jams, insert favorite euphemism for creating a high speed, non-stop mad ride to Hell!

And, much to my wallet’s chagrin, I am very happy about it.

Now, as it crosses to other books, and other writers pick up the reins, I am sure Snyder will still be the whip hand driving the story, not allowing some of these writers to go too far astray (unless it’s Tom King… then, well Woo Hoooo!)

I can’t say enough good things about this story, or the team creating it. I’m beginning t feel a little biased, but, what the heck.

Out of 5🌶 🌶🌶🌶🌶.5

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Death Metal: Robin King #1 ‘The Robin Who Would Be King’

Writer: Peter J. Tomasi Artist: Riley Rossmo

‘Aw! Come on, this is the fun part!

Get up and let’s FIGHT!’

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Games, within games, within games…

So, the Batman who Laughs wasn’t infallible.

And the Robin King is going to be the bigger threat to the Darkest Knight than any combination of the Trinity, Flashes or their cohorts.

At least, that’s my takeaway from this issue.

We continue the story of the Robin King, as started in the Tales of the Dark Universe one shot. Bruce has grown up, and grown into his sociopathy, and genius. He has used the family fortune to get all the training necessary, and to accumulate all the tools, to begin his reign as the true Evil Overlord of Gotham.

Utilizing his accumulated weapons, he has taken out Commissioner Gordon, Firestorm, Animal Man, Adam Strange Blue Beetle (Ted Kord), and the Red Tornado, all in truly spectacular and extraordinarily grisly fashion.

While the Black Hole Implosion for Firestorm was a particularly well thought out death, I think, so far, the ‘Mortal Coil’ Death, for the Red Tornado was the most imaginative… making his powers totally uncontrollable, while moving him closer to his ultimate dream, to be a real person, before his form totally destroys itself from the stresses of his own speed.

Marvelous! Fantastic! Gross!

Enter the Batman who Laughs, with the proposition to make the Robin King special, one of his own…

But, he’s a Robin, so, off to the Groblin Pit he goes!

Hence, his mistake, and possibly another chink in the boiler plate of his plans… since Bruce Wayne is NO Robin!

Peter Tomasi’s scripting for this issue is simply remarkable. The creep factor he brings to this iteration of Bruce Wayne is almost eviscerating. Reading this was painful to my eyes and psyche, feeling the levels of insanity drip off the page, and scratch across my mind like a little bird’s unnaturally sharp talons.

He really hit all the horror factors.

Then, there was the artwork for this story. Riley Rossmo’s artwork set the mood for this story. His shattered pencil / inks style, which can be distracting, was integral to telling this story. It allowed the Reader to view this story as if it were playing out in Bruce’s mind, its all the fracturing being how he is viewing the world.

For me, this story has been the highlight of the series… thus far. I am anticipating this, which is near the midpoint of things, is setting up the Wednesday Night Episode…so, -

Tune In, Gentle Readers!

Same Bat-Time

Same Bat Channel!

The Best Is Yet To Come!

Did I neglect there is a B-story, with Signal, Spoiler, Orphan and Red Robin taking on Quietus, the amalgam of Batman Ras’ al Ghul and Duke Thimas, from another Dark Universe, written by Tony Patrick and drawn by Daniel Sampere?

This story brings in a plot line for ‘What’s happening for the Other Bat-Family Elements’, as they try to find their way through Castle Bat’s myriad streets…

I am guessing we will start to see more of these stories.

I am completely fine with this, rather than having to recap things later…

Out of 5🌶 🌶🌶🌶🌶.5

#dark nights: death metal #DC comics #Batman Who Laughs #Scott Snyder #Greg Capullo

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ufonaut · 4 years

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What do you think about Batman 48 (Snyder, not King), you know the one where they meet on the bench?

i mean, it’s definitely not the worst thing snyder’s ever written (hard to top metal or, yknow, faceless joker) and back when i first got into batjokes & hadnt read enough to form my own opinions yet (thank god thats over) i found some potential in the whole joker as the average lake loving pedestrian concept but at the end of the day i genuinely don’t find snyder’s writing style engaging regardless of the actual concepts and the characterisation is still. off

this is entirely subjective but one trap many writers and especially snyder fall into is dialogue that doesn’t sound like anything an actual person would ever said. no person has a four min speech with no interruptions and no trailing off in casual conversation! and yet every single character snyder’s ever written does! essay-dialogue bubbles are annoying to me personally and there’s no ideal blending of writing and art as youd see in, say, a king/gerads production

(i also think capullo’s bruce is irredeemably ugly but oh well)

another trap is, of course, the characterisation. even as a nobody working in a butcher shop, snyder’s joker is still Dangerously Mysterious, All-Knowing, Hiding Something. these aren’t things a pre-joker or post-joker or whatever you wanna call it should be! i don’t want joker to be More Than A Man, the reason why tkj is so enduring and still up there with the ultimate joker stories is precisely the fact that this is just a man, pushed to the brink. that should be the point of joker! the very limits of what an ordinary man can take! he’s not meta, he’s not special in any way, he’s nothing if not profoundly unlucky! mr scott “joker’s heart releases a deadly toxin because im a goddamn idiot” snyder fails to see the value in stories having any hint of humanity, despite the fact that the amnesia stuff would’ve been the perfect scenario for that

conclusion: not monstrous but not good either. an instant fresh start for batjokes could be interesting, sure, but i prefer people growing and owning up to their mistakes

#DOES ANYONE REMEMBER THE AVERAGE LAKE LOVING PEDESTRIAN JOKE POST #THATS STILL SO FUNNY #anyway when moore called joker 'eminently mockable'#thats MY joker #anon #ask

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comicsnsuch · 5 years

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Tales from the Dark Multiverse

Hi! Thanks for finding this tumblr. The plan is to share and write about comic books, comic book art, other things that interest me and such, thus the name of the tumblr. Maybe you share some of the same interests, or maybe you’ll discover something new.

I’m going to try to post as frequently as possible, but that frequency will vary depending on what real life is like week to week. On slow weeks, there will be more stuff, on busy weeks less. You get it. Hopefully if you check in now and then you’ll find some new content.

I work (worked?) in a comic book shop, but as I have been recently reminded, due to the COVID-19/Coronavirus epidemic, I am non-essential. Thanks State Government! Always good to have a self esteem boost!

Anyway… I love comic books, reading them, talking about them, (thinking about) making them and so on. Always have, always will. I wanted to have an outlet for sharing that while I can’t be in the shop doing it face to face with customers and random strangers.

I’ll be writing short reviews for what I’ve been reading, new stuff, old stuff, posting pics, etc.

Feel free to comment, but please keep it friendly. Assholery will not be tolerated.

To start with I just finished reading all of DC Comics Tales of the Dark Multiverse one shots.

I made this in MS Paint!

These started coming out in 2019 and the last one was released in early 2020. The idea behind each is Tempus Fuginaut, a sort of Watcher type character for the DCU (who I think debuted, or at least I fist remember seeing in the Sideways ongoing, a Dark Nights Metal spin off) observing the multiverse and introducing a story that takes an important moment in DC history and asks “what would have happened if things had gone differently?” DC’s version of What If? in a nutshell.

That’s Tempus Fuginauts big ol’ head in case you were wondering

As the “Dark” in Tales of the Dark Multiverse might imply, these are not happy stories.

The first one shot that was released was Tales of the Dark Multiverse Batman Knightfall by Scott Snyder and Kyle Higgens with art by Javi Fernandez.

This was probably my least favorite of the five issues. Since the “No Justice” mini series event I’m over Scott Snyder. I feel he has so many ideas rattling around in his head that he begins one story, gets too excited about the next one and leaves you underwhelmed with the current arc but dying to read the next. (That being said I of course checked out Batman Last Knight on Earth, having read his and Capullo’s entire New 52 Batman run I didn’t want to miss their “final” word on Batman, but have not read his just wrapped run on Justice League which I hear was quite good).

I read this one right when it was released a few months ago, so my memory of it might not be the best.

This one centers around the Knightfall event where Bane breaks Batman’s back and Jean Paul Valley/Azrael takes on the role of Batman. In this reality Bruce never recovers and Jean Paul remains Batman becoming Saint Batman, a Bats Azrael mash up. Javi Fernandez does a great job on the art and Snyder loves chopping people up.

Gross.

Definitely worth the read if you’re interested in it or are a fan of Batman or just the Knightfall era. If you grab this series in collected format it’s not so bad that I recommend skipping it, just not my favorite from this batch of books.

Next up is Tales of the Dark Multiverse Death of Superman by Jeff Loveness with art by Brad Walker and Andrew Hennessey. I really enjoyed this one, it was a good quick read and had a nice arc to it. One of the better issues from this series if you’re asking me.

Right after Superman dies defeating Doomsday in the Death of Superman story arc, the rest of the Justice League shows up, literally as the blood is drying.Ten seconds too late. Lois Lane blames Supes’ death on the heroes for not being there to aid him.

She makes her way to the Fortress of Solitude and thanks to the Eradicator gets herself all the powers of Superman. She then goes about dishing out justice, with extreme prejudice, to the villains the heroes normally let the revolving doors of the DC justice system handle. This involves a couple of great scenes with Batman and Lex Luthor. Loveness nails the dialogue and the character arc he puts Lois on is great to read.

Walker and Hennesey do it again!

There’s more to this story than I’ve put here, but I don’t want to say too much and ruin your enjoyment of it if/when you read it.

Special shout out to the art team of Brad Walker and Andrew Hennessey. I feel like they don’t get enough love. They killed it on the Demon Hell is Earth mini, and from what I can tell are crushing it on Detective Comics. Dudes can draw. Spread the word!

Then we move onto Tales of the Dark Multiverse Blackest Night by Tim Seeley and Kyle Hotz.

This one was a bit wordy, but a lot of fun! I would put this one in the middle of the pack.

Seeley brings together an interesting bunch of characters including Sinestro, Dove, Lobo and the New Gods! The plot is a little complex, but basically after the Color Corps lose the battle against Nekron in Blackest Night, Sinestro is looking for a way to undo the damage done and becomes a pawn in Scott Free’s plot to do the same.

Give Seeley a Lobo book or a Hawk and Dove book, or a Mister Miracle book!. He gives each character a unique voice which makes their joint travels through the plot that much more fun to read.

Kyle Hotz’s art in this issue reminds of a 90’s Image Comic in the best possible way. Lots of detail and cool poses. I also see a lot of Bernie Wrightson in there with Hotz’s heavy use of black and the sinewy musculature of the characters. The book is worth the price of admission to see his renditions of Dove and Mister Miracle.

kewl!

I’m glad to see Hotz working more or just seeing more of Hotz’s work. I don’t know if he fell out of the industry after drawing the original The Hood mini for Marvel with Brian K. Vaughan, working with Eric “The Goon” Powell on Billy the Kid’s Old Timey Odditys, doing art on Carnage Mind Bomb and more I’m sure ( I just can’t remember it all), or I just wasn’t paying attention to what he was working on. If it’s the later, shame on me, if it’s the former, welcome back Mr. Hotz, you’re crushing it and I look forward to seeing more from you. Check out more Kyle Hotz work by following him on Instagram @kylehotzcomics.

Let’s not neglect the oft overlooked inkers! I’m not sure who inked what, but on a guess, Dexter Vines and Walden Wong brought a smooth, cleanness to the proceedings with lots of nicely tapered lines. Again just guessing here, because I don’t know for sure, but Danny Miki used a finer line bringing a scratchy-ness the others didn’t but also amazing detail and clarity on some of the portraiture in the later half of the book.

Who’s next? Why it’s Tales of the Dark Multiverse Infinite Crisis!

This one may have been my favorite. When the original Infinite Crisis series came out it was a period where, due to personal lack of enjoyment, I wasn’t reading much of DC’s output, but I did read the Countdown to Infinite Crisis one shot this issue takes as it’s jumping off point. After having read this issue, it makes me want to go back and read Infinite Crisis. I would say that’s the sign of a good issue.

In this alternate reality Blue Beetle, Ted Kord, kills Maxwell Lord instead of vice versa, making himself the head of Checkmate. He then goes about trying to prevent the coming crisis. It’s kind of a tale about absolute power corrupting absolutely, it’s also an underdog tale about getting in over your head.

Sorry if these images aren’t the best, I’m new at this!

James Tynion IV does a great job catching you up on any old DC continuity plot points you may have forgotten or never knew about in the first place.If you’re reading Tynion’s current run on Batman, or his work on Detective Comics and Justice League Dark, you know he can handle a complex plot like this and does a great job condensing it all down to a single issue. Aaron Lopresti and Matt Ryan handle the art and they do a great job. Always happy to see Lopresti’s name on a book I want to read.

Bonus points: You can never have too many Ted Kord, Blue Beetle comics, especially when Booster Gold pops up, even if only momentarily.

If this series leaves you wanting more Blue and Gold action may I direct you to Booster Gold (2nd series) #32 thru about 38ish for some quality comics.

Final one, Tales from the Dark Multiverse the Judas Contract!

I’m not as old as my writing may imply so I had to read the Judas Contract in collected format about 20 years after it was originally released and after having seen it on many a fanzine’s (Wizard) best of list. When I finally got to read it I wasn’t super familiar with the Titans of the era and already knew the big twist in the story, so it just washed over me without any great effect. None of the shock that someone who was reading it fresh in the 80’s might have experienced.

I ended up liking this twisted take on the Judas Contract much more than when I read the original. “Sacrilege!” I know, I know, but like I said there was no surprise when I first read it, while this one zigged instead of zagging multiple times and kept upping the ante in scale.

Kyle Higgins and Matt Groom do a great job reinventing a classic that I’m sure many people had high expectations for. This was a fun faced paced tale. I enjoyed the hero moments Dick Grayson and Wally West were given. Like the Knightfall one shot Higgins co-wrote with Snyder there’s no shortage of dismemberment and disfiguration, which is neither a plus or minus in this situation, just thought it was worth noting.

Tom Raney handles the art chores here and he does a fine job. Some of the figures seem a little squat, and their heads are too big in certain panels. Could I do better? No, so who am I to say anything? I just noticed it, here and there, it took me out of the flow of the story every now and then. That’s all. Big fan of his work on Stormwatch and Outsiders with Judd Winick. I also hear he’s super nice, so if you’re ever at a convention where Tom Raney is, seek him out!

They seem squat, right?

It’s worth mentioning these books are all done in DC’s prestige format and are extra long at about 48 pages each. All covers are by the fantastic Lee Weeks. A nice way to spend the afternoon.

There’s the first post. A little longer than I thought it would be. If you made it this far, I hope it was clear and you understood what I was saying and I hope you liked it and want to return for more.

Until next time!

#batman #justiceleague #teentitans #titans #greenlantern #superman #darkmultiverse #whatif #dccomics #dcu #dcuniverse #comics #comicbooks #review #comicsnsuch #spiderman #avengers

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aion-rsa · 8 years

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INTERVIEW: Scott Snyder Explores Poison Ivy’s Roots in All Star Batman

SPOILER WARNING: The following interview discusses major plot points from “All Star Batman” #7 by Scott Snyder, Tula Lotay and Francesco Francavilla, in stores now.

Scott Snyder is the self-professed luckiest dude in comics. While the superstar writer has undeniable talent, it’s his ability to tap top artists as creative collaborators that ensures nearly every one of his releases is an industry-wide event.

For “All Star Batman,” his latest from DC Comics, Snyder has assembled what he calls a murderers’ row of artists to illustrate Batman as the Dark Knight faces off against reimagined versions of some of his greatest rogues, including Two-Face, KGBeast, Mr. Freeze and this week, Poison Ivy.

RELATED: Batman #16 Is Uncharacteristically Funny – And It Works Wonderfully

Following issues drawn by John Romita Jr. and Jock, Tula Lotay illustrated “All Star Batman’s” main story, with Francesco Francavilla delivering the art for the backup featuring Duke Thomas and the Riddler.

Snyder discussed the events of “All Star Batman” #7, as well as the personal joy he feels working on his new series with such an incredible group of artists. The New York Times best-selling writer also shared how “All Star Batman” is very much a continuation of his run on “Batman” with Greg Capullo. Snyder also teased upcoming projects at DC Comics, as well as new creator-owned titles, with Francavilla.

CBR: When you were writing “The Wake” for Vertigo, we discussed your love of science and how sometimes, real things that happen in nature are often times stranger and more compelling than anything that can be dreamed up by a creator. In “All Star Batman” #7, you’re telling the story of Poison Ivy and her study of dendropharmacology – using trees to develop medicinal drugs and possibly, bioterrorism. Why do you feel grounding these villains in the real world makes for such a scary threat to Batman and the rest of the world?

Scott Snyder: I try to write these stories for myself. I obviously keep the young readership in mind too, and try not to write NC-17 craziness but at the same time, I am trying to make the villains – and Batman himself – speak to personal fears and fears and anxieties that are in the air right now. The best way for me to do that is to make these villains very real. I am afraid of that intersection of speculative science and real science. [A place] where you can’t quite tell when things are just off the rails from what’s really happening.

Every one of the stories in “All Star Batman” has that theme in it. The technology that Mad Hatter uses in the next issue speaks to something that Harvey mentions back in the first arc where he talks about a lens that, when you wear it, you can look out at the world and skin things the way that you want without affecting any superstructure. Your wife is a different person if you want. You can see your car differently if you want, but it’s still there. You just don’t know what the objective truth of it all is unless you switch back to clear setting.

In that way, every story from Freeze to Ivy to Hatter and then to the final story in “All Star Batman” #9, all speak to different technologies or phenomena that could end the world in some way or another. That’s why this arc is called ‘Ends of the Earth.’ In a lot of ways, it’s one big story about the fragility of the world right now from an aerial view without getting too political from any one side. The mystery keeps coming until “All Star Batman” #9 where it culminates. It’s a large story about the demons in the air.

And those “demons in the air” are something that we often talked about during your run on “Batman” with Greg Capullo as you also wanted to ground that series in real-life threats.

Yes, that’s right. And we’re doing that again here. Each one of these stories shows Batman a different way that the world could end. The first one [with Mr. Freeze] is through natural cataclysm. There’s an ancient spore that is released from the permafrost. Even though it’s Freeze’s plot, the idea is that Freeze says that this will happen soon enough once the permafrost melts, which makes it this inevitable international calamity. The second story with Ivy, even though she’s not doing this, there is this mention of these terrible biological weapons that can be pulled from this tree. That fear is baked into the DNA of the story. And the third issue, “All Star Batman” #8, really shows the complete collapse into subjectivity. It’s this idea that you retreat to your own world, a world of your own making, so deeply that the world itself collapses around you but that’s okay. And the fourth one brings it all together in “All Star Batman” #9.

I really love this series. I love this arc. It’s the most fun that I have had in superhero comics, I think. As much as I adored working on “Batman” and loved working with Greg and can’t wait to work with him again, there is always a heavy pressure on that series, namely “Batman” proper, because it has to hold up so much of the line. I always given tremendous freedom and I am still very, very grateful to DC for getting to do those stories. But there is still this propulsive quality to this machine that has to keep moving. It’s always in conversation with itself, and there is not a lot of room to experiment and try different things and slow it down. It was wonderful for six years, but for me, to get to do this now, feels so invigorating. It feels like when I started on “Batman” – I had all of these new resources. I love them equally as jobs, and again, I can’t wait to work with Greg again, and I wouldn’t trade any of it for the world – it was the best ride of my life – but I don’t miss the intense pressure of being on the main book.

Your rogue for this issue is Poison Ivy and while she’s never been as romantically linked to Batman as Catwoman, there is certainly a high level of sexual tension and even compatibility between the two characters. What is it about Poison Ivy that attracts Batman? Because he often tries to redeem her when they face off, and in this story, he even says that he’s come to the desert to save her.

I think Poison Ivy is a completely redeemable character, and I think he relates best to her through an appreciation of science. She is a brilliant scientist who has done groundbreaking research and she was so determined to get her point across about the importance of exploring the wonders of the natural world that she has almost turned herself into a villain or a monstrous version of who she wants to be but it doesn’t mean that she isn’t an anti-hero a lot of the time.

I think that she’s interesting to Bruce because she exists very low on the scale of villainy out of the people in his Rogues Gallery. If there is a long spectrum from 1 to 10, Joker would be 10 – completely irredeemable and black – and Ra’s would be about a 9.5. [Laughs] Ivy exists a little bit further along than Selina, but not as far as Freeze, not as far as Penguin and not as far even Harley [Quinn]. There is camaraderie there, where I think that Batman, who himself could be seen as falling on that same spectrum to some people, sees a connection with someone like her. She has a mission and a purpose that she believes in, but is just too tunnel-visioned about it to understand the ways in which she has overstepped and become sort of the villain of her own story.

Let’s talk about dendropharmacology, the science that Poison Ivy has mastered. I love this idea of studying the trees and their possible medicinal properties by taking the tree back to its beginning, from bark to pith. You describe it as a form of time travel, but you’ve also told this story with Poison Ivy from front to back. Why did you make that choice for this character and this story in particular?

The nature of Ivy’s research is slowly working backwards from the bark to the outer and the inner rings of the tree and finally to the pith to find the most medicinal properties in it, because the greatest potential for discoveries lies at the very pith of the tree. The idea was to tell a story about the girl who begins at the darkest, roughest part of it, the bark, which is incinerated after being blamed for this plague and then take it backwards to this moment of wonder that started it all at the beginning. And I also wanted to use that as a parallel of the journey that Ivy goes through even if it’s just in a very small, echoed way in the issue too.

I was not overly familiar with her work but I must say, Tula Lotay did a superb job on “All Star Batman” #7.

Oh, my God – I can’t even tell you how much I love her as a person and an artist. I am so honored and grateful that she agreed to do this one with me. It’s one of my favorite issues that I’ve ever done, visually. I really hope that I did it justice.

To me, between Jock doing Freeze and Tula doing Ivy and what Camu [Giuseppe Camuncoli] is doing next with Hatter, I am just so grateful and so lucky to be working with this murderers’ row of artists. No one on this series other than Jock and Francesco [Francavilla] on the backups is someone that I have worked with before. For me, getting to work with everybody from Declan [Shalvey] to [John] Romita to Afua [Richardson] and the people coming up like Sean Murphy and Paul Pope, it’s just so exciting and just so invigorating. I hope it comes across in the pages. It’s some of my favorite stuff that I’ve done. I really want to say thank you to the readers for being so supportive and making the book competitive when really, all I am doing is have a good time with my friends and show readers why these villains and why Batman are so potent and interesting and awesome right now.

It’s not like I forgot about your run on “Batman,” but with Riddler featured in the backup and specifically mentioning “Zero Year,” I was reminded that these aren’t Elseworlds stories or starring a Batman from another Earth in the Multiverse. “All Star Batman” is in continuity, and everything you did on “Batman” is in play.

Oh, yeah. It’s there too for sure. There’s going to be mentions in the next arc after this arc about things that happened in “Batman” with Greg and me. There is a mention of the final machine that Bruce was working on. There is a lot of stuff coming up, especially in the event that I am doing with Capullo that looks back and walks through that we seeded into our run that we didn’t get to explore so we are building that into this story, as well. That run, in some ways, is a closed book in that writing that issue [“Batman” #51] was such an emotional experience. Getting to finish and say the book will forever be done in terms of, “You did it,” and, “You finished it,” and, “You made something that you are proud of with somebody that you love and a team of people that you love.” There was that feeling that you can’t really ever describe.

At the same time, it’s a living part of the conversation that I am still having about Batman and his mythology with myself and hopefully with readers. [Laughs] Certainly, all of those thoughts and all of those ideas about what he means and what he represents here in “All Star Batman” is a bit different for me than from “Batman” because I no longer feel tethered to Gotham. Tom [King] is working so heavily in Gotham, so I can take Batman out of the city. By not taking him to Europe, like Grant [Morrison] did, and because I have such a love for Americana and American folklore and history, it’s been such a freeing experience to set him on these epic stages against these classic villains. I love that aspect of it. “All Star Batman” has this different feel, and yet at the same time, a lot of the material that we were exploring in “Batman” comes back to bear in this series.

Finally, I have to ask you about Francesco because, damn, he’s good.

He’s alright. He’s alright. He’s an up-and-comer. [Laughs] You have to understand, Francesco and Jock were the first big superstar artists that took a chance on me when I was nobody, for “Detective Comics.” I still remember begging them both to do that story, and they were both immediately awesome about giving me a shot. They will forever be family to me. I just spoke with Francesco yesterday on the phone, and it wasn’t even about work. It was just about family stuff, but also stuff that we are going to do together in the future for creator-owned and at DC, as well. I love him dearly, and again, I am in awe of what these people that I am working with are able to do. I am the luckiest dude in comics.

The post INTERVIEW: Scott Snyder Explores Poison Ivy’s Roots in All Star Batman appeared first on CBR.com.

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riddle-me-ri · 2 years

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He has a crush on another villain henchwoman. She is arguing with her boss in the next room and he hears a slap sound. When he goes to find out what happened Y/N is touching her red cheek looking shocked.

For Riddler BTAS, ZY, YJ, Arkhamverse

A/N: protective Eddie, protective Eddie, protective Eddie. I’m so here for it. Also for these scenarios I’m coming up with a villain of my own, and it’s all the same bad guy, and he’ll just be referred to as “boss” via the reader, cause I can’t come up with an original villain name nor do I wanna use some of the other rogues cause I don’t want anyone to think I’m implying anything about that rogue (albeit I know none of them are opposed to hurting anyone, but no one they cared about or that was close…well to an extent..I’m just gonna drop it rip)

Also, so sorry uhh this scenarios slightly deviate from your set-up Pati, I just didn’t want it to get too repetitive lol but the idea and the reactions are still there

Trigger Warnings: strong language, abuse, and violence. If this sorta scenario is triggering, please disregard!

Riddlers x F!Reader - You Shouldn’t Have Done That

Arkhamverse Riddler:

The loud slap from behind the door made his blood run icicle cold.

In his mind, all the times he’d been slapped, punched, choked, and beaten by Batman played back in rapid succession. He will never admit how much those assault hurt him or how much the trauma genuinely effected his psyche. As much as he’d like the idea of someone holding his face or caressing him, he knew he’d likely flinch away in fear of being struck again.

Now, that, that is probably what you are experiencing. He refused to have that mental and physical damage happen to you too.

Edward twisted the door knob until it was about to be yanked off the hinges. Until he quickly recovered and began picking the lock.

He could hear you start crying softly from the thin door, but he had to remain focused.

The door slammed open. You were on the ground, your back leaning against your boss’ desk. Whimpering, curling into yourself in the fetal position. Your boss looming over you with some proud smirk on his face.

“See? This is what happens…WHEN YOU TALK BACK TO ME!”

When Ed finally took in the scene before him, all he saw was red. “You won’t DARE want to find out what happens NEXT IF you HIT HER AGAIN!”

Your boss jumped and spun around to the direction of the voice.

“R-R-Riddler…what the hell are you-”

“That’s Mr. Riddler to you! Back away from her IMMEDIATELY! I promise you will regret what happens if you disobey!”

“What? Her?” Your boss started chuckling. “C’mon, she ain’t worth–”

“Just goes to show how imbecilic your working cranium ACTUALLY is, and just how little you truly know…if not nothing. GET OUT!”

Your boss was fairly new to the underworld, slowly trying to climb the ranks higher and higher. He had yet to come across any of Batman’s iconic Rogues Gallery. He never planned on it. Plus no one wanted to be part of Riddler’s games if they could avoid it. Your boss ran past Ed and out of the office, but not before Edward planted a tracker on your boss’ coattails.

The lump in his throat got bigger, his heart beat faster, and his cheeks reddened when you gave him a soft thankful kiss for the rescue.

Capullo/Zero Year Riddler:

You were a sniveling mess. You kept trying to dry up your tears that were still falling. As you rubbed your nose along your sleeve, there was a slight sting to your cheek.

Your boss was an asshole but you would never have thought…you didn’t even do anything wrong. You didn’t even “talk back.” You were just asking a question.

As you made your way out of the building, officially putting an end to this shit day. You were taken aback by a man wearing a gratuitous amount of green.

“Hellooo..” Edward was leaning against the side of his car, wiggling his fingers at you.

Oh, shit. You forgot you were going on a date with him after work.

Ed stood up from his car and walked toward but could tell something was off.

“Hey, what’s the matter–I haven’t even said any–”

“Don’t!” You cut him off, “please, just don’t not today..”

“I’m sorry…I-I we’ll have to make a rain check..”

You tried to walk past him and catch a cab, but he pulled you back.

“Ed! Please…”

You looked up at him and were shocked to see a rather stoic look on his face. He was examining your cheek, no doubt still brightly red with some lingering finger marks on it from the strike. Then bright blazing green eyes stared into your own.

“I-It’s fine.”

“Who?”

You shook your head. Ed started walking straight towards your building.

“Wait–Ed! No!”

“Don’t worry, I’ll be back. Just stay here.”

You reached your hand out in a feign attempt to stop him, but he was already walking straight into the building.

A few minutes go by, before you know it a flood of people start screaming and running out of the building. You’re still standing by Ed’s car. Startled and confused in all the hysterics surrounding you.

Something about Riddler…something about gunshots and the boss man…

Edward strolled out behind the crowd, swinging his cane and whistling a happy-go-lucky tune.

“C’mon honey. Let’s get your face cleaned up and I’ll treat ya to dinner, huh? I may even foot the bill this time.”

BTAS Riddler:

Edward was anxiously shuffling on the balls of his feet. He’s never felt this way about anyone before, but he wanted to make the proper steps to court you. A good place to start he figured was leave a bouquet of flowers on your desk, with a sweet note attached to it.

However, as he made his way to your office, he rudely bumped shoulders with a taller, scruffier looking man storming out of your office. Ed was annoyed, but tried not to make a scene for your sake, as he opened your door to your office.

Only to find you in your chair behind your desk. You were weeping, tenderly patting your reddened cheek. You look up at Edward who stood there speechless. Hurriedly, you tried to wipe your tears and fix your uniform.

“E-Eddie…um..w-what a nice surprise..I um…sorry, sorry. I’m a little out of sorts at the moment.”

“Y/N…darling, d-did that man who just left..”

“Edward, please!” You jumped from your seat to meet Ed in the middle of your office. “H-He’s my boss…I…I’m okay..”

“No, you’re not! No one has the right to harm you! Whether it’s your boss or the Batman!” Ed declared. He handed you the flowers and began making his way out your office.

“Eddie, please.” You put a hand to his shoulder which made him stop to look back at you.

“Please…just…not here…hm? I need you here with me, please?” You sniffled.

Whatever rage was flaring his green eyes softly simmered as he looked at your soft tired face. His death grip on your door knob slowly dropped. He grabbed the hand that was on his shoulder and brought it up to his lips and kissed the back of it.

“Of course, darling.”

The next morning at work.

“Hey, what happened to the boss?” One of your co-workers asked.

You stopped from getting your daily coffee to eavesdrop.

“I heard the Riddler put him through the ringer, literally fried the boss man’s brain. He can’t walk, talk, nothin! Reduced to a full grown infant!”

You couldn’t help but smirk behind your cup at the news.

Young Justice Riddler:

Edward was not always one for confrontation, especially when he knew he would be outnumbered and/or outstrengthed. If he could talk or weasel his way out of something he absolutely would.

However, when he saw you get struck by your boss. Sure he was frozen in place but not nearly as long as he usually was.

Ed never was great at hiding his feelings for you, and this next move solidified that notion. Removing any sort of doubt you may have had left.

“You shouldn’t have done that!” He threatened your boss.

“Oh, yeah? And what’re you gonna do about it, sonny?” Your boss asked, condescendingly, looking between you and Ed. “Bitch deserved it.”

“No she didn’t!” Ed snarled. “But you deserve this.”

“Eddie?” You asked softly as you scooted over to the side of the room he was on.

He pulled out a small device that looked like a small remote control from his jacket pocket. Before your boss had a chance to let out another smart quip, thousands of volts of electricity left the small remote control and landed on various parts of your boss’ body. Especially his face and head.

Edward held the button down, sending more and more volts to your boss’ nervous system.

“Eddie!” You shouted.

You saying his name broke him out of his reverie and he released the trigger. Your boss plopped to the floor like a dead weight. Every now and then he was twitching.

“A-Are you okay?” Ed got down on your level on the floor and looked over your wounded cheek.

You took his hand in yours and smiled softly at him. “I-I’ll be okay, especially with you around. Thank you.” You leaned in and gave him a kiss on the cheek.

Now there were two unconscious bodies on the floor.

#ri writes #the riddler x reader #edward nygma x reader #arkhamverse riddler x reader #zero year riddler x reader #capullo riddler x reader #btas riddler x reader #young justice riddler x reader

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gothamsfinestdummy · 2 years

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Smiling because Greg Capullo tagged his Deadly Duo art with BatmanJoker and when you click on it, it’s basically just another batjokes tag. We love that

#the joker #batman #batjokes #mr capullo. thank you for your risky moves. prevent dc from slaughtering you sir

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gothamsfinestdummy · 2 years

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Imagine if Greg Capullo posted art of Joker on the first day of Pride Month, that would have been both funny and pretty rad.

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gothamsfinestdummy · 2 years

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found your blog while i was first getting into the batjokes fandom and its just been a joy to follow ♡ i wanted to ask what’s your favorite official batman and joker designs currently? hope u have a nice day!

Heya!! Very sorry for getting to this one so late. I'm so so so glad that you love my blog, that means the world to me. Hope it continues to be a joyful follow to you <3

Regarding your ask, I have a few favorites! Starting with Jonker, I've always been deranged about Joker's design in detective comics #569-570. He. Is so. Hhhhhhh.

Look at him. I literally made a whole post foaming at the mouth and rabidly screaming about how much I adore him. He's my favorite, your honor. Also he and his henchman here have so much chemistry.

Another Joker design that I also want to eat up like a delicious meal is his Death of the Family design. I know that a lot of people aren't really a fan because of the body horror, but I am a slut for that stuff, so I dig it tremendously. I remember he was all I ever drew for a good two weeks. Greg Capullo, I applaud you yet again for your awesome work (and Scott Snyder for the idea in the first place, of course).

Enrico Marini's Joker designs are also very lovely and I adore that he goes outside of the box regarding his makeup and outfits. Soooo awesome. Very big fan of the playboy bunny fit, lol.

He's just a head, but I am ADDICTED to Joker in LKOE, I cannot express it enough. I want to shake him around in his jar so BAD. (And the fact that his pupils aren't fixed points of hatred?? Deranged about that)

OKAY I CANNOT SHUT UP ABOUT IT ANY LONGER, ENTER THE BOMB SHELTERS. GOD.

LONG HAIRED JOKER MY BELOVED. Specifically Greg Capullo's DNDM design. sighhhh.

He needs to grow his hair out more often. Mr Capullo, if you're taking commissions, sir...

Okay. Anyways.

Here are some other designs that I'm also obsessed with:

With our lovely Jonker out of the way, let's move onto Bruce!! I'll be honest, I don't have as many favorites with him as I do with Joker (because honestly there isn't too much of a variety from what i've seen), but I do have some!! For example...

This HAS to be my all time favorite design. I'm just so in love with the purple. I find it hilarious that even his rogues commented on the purple. Mr Capullo back at it again. Just love how he draws him in general.

I also really love Bruce's DNDM design!! (yowzah, more than one DNDM favorite??) Addicted to the spikes. He just looks even more badass than usual.

I also like it when his cowl has absurdly long ears, it's super funny to me. The all black and yellow with glowing eyes look for lego batman (the one everybody is familiar with, lol) is really cool.

There are likely more designs out there that my brain isn't registering at the moment, but if I come across more or think of some others, I'll update via reblog.

Thank you so much for the ask, anon!! It means a lot to me. And again, very sorry that I got back to this so late. I hope that you're doing well, too. Stay safe out there!! <3

#ask #anon #thank you for the ask!#the joker #batman #sorry about the awful and incomprehensible writing lol #little obsessed hahaha

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aion-rsa · 8 years

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Rebirth of Cool: Snyder On Defrosting Mr. Freeze in All Star Batman #6

SPOILER WARNING: The following interview contains major spoilers for “All Star Batman” #6, on sale now.

Scott Snyder has delivered some masterful stories since he arrived at DC Comics six years ago for the start of his now epic run with Batman. So much so that the publisher now has the New York Times bestselling writer teaching its next generation of talent for its DC Writers Workshop. Snyder’s latest effort involves a prose-style approach for “All Star Batman” #6, which features art by his long time collaborators Jock (“Wytches,” “Detective Comics”) and Francesco Francavilla (“Detective Comics”).

While the story — featuring a terrifying Mr. Freeze and his equally chilling army of Dreamers — certainly stands apart, it’s actually part of a longer story arc, called ‘Ends of the Earth,’ which will also include classic Batman rogues Poison Ivy and Mad Hatter.

In a conversation with CBR, Snyder discussed the reason Batman understands Victor Fries’ ice-cold ideals and why his ultimate goal separates him from other supervillains like The Joker and Ra’s al Ghul. Snyder also shared how stories and arcs are generated for “All Star Batman” with a specific artist in mind for each one and then constructing the action and adventure around his or her strengths to showcase the art and the collaboration.

CBR: I’ve been a fan of your work on “Batman,” “American Vampire,” “The Wake,” “A.D.” — “Wytches” was a little too scary for me, but this might be my favorite thing that you have ever done. Powerful, powerful stuff.

Scott Snyder: Thanks, man. It’s one of my favorites to be honest. I’ve been thinking about it a long, long time. It was one of those ones that was a joy to write, especially having Jock and Francesco [Francavilla] doing the art. Those guys are like family by this point. It was really one of those experiences where I was like, “I wish comics always worked this way.” [Laughs] Everyone contributed ideas and everyone was going back and forth. I’ve been really lucky with that experience on “Batman” with [Greg] Capullo, and it becoming easily that sort of relationship. And it worked the same with Rafael [Albuquerque] on “American Vampire” and Jock on “Wytches.” I am lucky in that regard.

When you can do a one-shot like this with Tula [Lotay] or Giuseppe [Camuncoli], I am getting to know them from the beginning and there is a tremendous excitement about that. I can’t wait for you guys to see “All Star Batman” #7 and #8. They are two more of my favorites. I completely stand by them as two of the best things that I’ve done. But it’s also a different sort of challenge because you’re getting to know an artist from the start. And that’s exciting. It’s like a first date. That’s what keeps me young as a creator. And then there is also a tremendous sense of freedom to work on something like this with Jock and Francesco, because I know them so well. I can push boundaries in my own writing in ways that only happen when you have a foundation of trust that has been there for a long time. And with Capullo, we just talk in shorthand now. “If you do this, I can try this.”

And you did try “this” in “All Star Batman” #6, because this issue is done in prose with no word balloons or classic comic book narrative. I love the prose approach. Is that something you want to do more of? Because it’s also a part of “A.D.”

I don’t know. [Laughs]

What I am trying to do with “All Star Batman” is make every story unique to the villain and the artist. The reason that this style felt exciting for this issue is because it gives it this almost other-worldly, distant, remote, kind of glassy, analytical feel. It feels “under glass” in some ways for me, to hear the story narrated in third person prose as opposed to the immediacy that comes with dialogue and captions that’s often done in the conventional way — that felt right when you’re telling a story about somebody who is trying to restart the world and is living up in the permafrost. Especially when it’s this kind of final battle between these two characters that is centered around these two forms of death: the hot death of passion, and the cold death of hopelessness and cold paralysis. It just felt right for Mr. Freeze.

The next issue takes place in Death Valley, where there is no plant life whatsoever, and in that way it’s hot and stifling and empty, so there is no narration whatsoever. It’s all just dialogue. And the final issue of this arc with Mad Hatter, I’m totally spoiling everything but that’s okay, which takes place down in the Delta, Batman is trying to prevent himself from believing what the Mad Hatter is telling him so the narration becomes a maze and something that attacks him. He actually climbs through it at one point. It’s a completely different approach to the writing for me, which is thrilling. That’s what I meant by saying I get to bend my own style of writing and challenge myself in each issue of this series. It’s harder to do when you are telling a story with one consistent artist like “Batman�� with Greg as much of joy that series was.

The Robert Frost poem at the start of the issue is haunting and really works for Mr. Freeze and his seemingly endless attempts at cheating death and saving his wife, Nora.

I remember reading that poem in school. The way “All Star Batman” works is that I have ideas about all of these villains, like Hatter. I wasn’t going to spoil it right now, but why not. [Laughs] With Hatter, I wanted to know what kind of madness is really interesting for right now. Is it mind control? I think I’ve seen it. What’s interesting to me is the way in which people clamor for subjectivity – remaking the world as they want to see it. I hinted at it in the first arc when Harvey, as a young boy, says, “One day there is going to be lenses where you skin the world however you want.” The super-structure of the world will be there, but if you want there to be dragons in the sky, you can. And that’s kind of the madness that Hatter offers in a way that I think is pretty scary.

The point that I am trying to make is that I am trying to reconfigure each villain in a way that’s scary to me personally and represent anxieties that I think are present in the zeitgeist now. The real joy with “All Star” is being able to do that stuff and move issue to issue, while still making one big story, while also making every chapter feel unique. I have a notebook with ideas for each villain, and I’ll approach an artist and say, “Who do you want to work on? What’s your feeling?” The only stipulation is that it has to happen outside of Gotham, and I try to construct the story in a way to showcase the art. In that way, it’s a real different sort of thrill.

We talked about Two-Face when “All Star Batman” launched, and discussed the impact Tommy Lee Jones’ portrayal in “Batman Forever” had on the character. I have to be honest — it’s hard for me to think about Mr. Freeze without thinking of Arnold. I am wrong?

By force of will, I have definitely expunged those images [from my mind]. [Laughs] But seriously, the only way to write these iconic characters is to imagine them as your own. Mr. Freeze has these blue veins, he’s seven-feet-tall, he’s extremely creepy, he’s pale. He’s like someone who walked out of the frozen past. He’s very scary, with red eyes behind the goggles. I see him that way, the same way that I see Harvey, with his face almost molten on one side, black, with blood coming out of the cracks. Making up your own version in your head is the only way to feel ownership of these characters because they belong to everybody and it would be really intimidating otherwise.

This interpretation of Mr. Freeze is certainly not Arnold – he is freaking scary. And his latest attempt at saving his wife – and humanity – includes awakening those who have chosen to be cryogenically frozen. He calls them Dreamers, but this is more like a nightmare scenario.

Exactly, but there is a fantasy there, too. That’s part of what’s interesting about the character. Two-Face says, “Look at me! I can turn back and forth from evil.” There is something liberating about not having to follow the restrictions of social norms and become the person that is all id. But for Mr. Freeze, for all of the nightmarish sadness that forever surrounds him, he needs diamonds to stay alive. He also doesn’t have to fear death. He’s trying to bring someone back from death and exists in a subliminal state somewhere between life and death. The idea of cryogenic preservation is that you can go into ice and be reborn, eventually. You can come out of the ice one day. There is something wondrous about that. That’s partly what I was trying to get at here – the notion that his plan is not just diabolical evil. There is a kernel of something wondrous in it as scary as it is.

If I am reading this right, when Batman sets off on this adventure, it appears that he is actually traveling to Alaska to save Mr. Freeze, not just stop him. Is Mr. Freeze different than other Batman rogues in that Batman feels that he can actually reason with him because there is some humanity left in that cryogenic suit?

Completely. I think all of Batman’s villains exist on this interesting scale. The Joker is black. He is the one character that Batman doesn’t believe that there is any redemption for. He is not supernatural, but the embodiment of evil. There is no glimmer of hope in that black hole of a person. And then there’s Ra’s, who is maybe an inch up from that, and then all way up through the Penguin up to characters like Poison Ivy and Catwoman, who exists in this real grey area. I think Freeze exists below that, in a darker place, but is something that is quite redeemable. Batman understands his motivation. I just think that Fries is ultimately selfish. He cares the way that the dad in “Pet Sematary” cares. He’s obsessed with the possibility of brining back somebody that he lost. And in doing so, he will hurt anyone that gets in his way to make that happen. And he becomes sort of an abomination of love. And Bruce is someone who will sacrifice anything for the greater good. And I think he sympathizes with what Fries is going through and but ultimately see it as a perversion of it all.

When I spoke with you and Jeff [Lemire] about “A.D.,” I asked you about taking a magic pill that guaranteed life extension and staved of death. And you said, no way, mostly because of your loved ones. I assume you are not lining up behind Walt Disney and Ted Williams for cryogenic preservation either.

[Laughs] I worked at Disney World, and there were always rumors of Disney’s frozen head being somewhere in the park. I think that notion has always loomed large for me – coming back from the ice and how freezing preserves. Meanwhile, you have the idea of the cradle of life with a caveman coming back to life. I think ultimately, the thing that is fascinating to me about all of these theories about life extension or being cloned or being uploaded, there is this weird thing with being out of context with your own life – being alone, being away from the people that you enjoy yourself with and care about it. There is something much worse about that than just being gone. As terrifying as being gone is, the idea of waking up to a world that is entirely alien with no relationship, nothing, to me is a different form of purgatory. There is something there that is almost enticing because you get to go on in all of these forms but then there is something cold and worse about it. You have to be careful of what you wish for – the underbelly of all of it.

“All Star Batman” #6 is available now.

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DC Comics: The 15 Biggest Moments of 2016

DC Comics endured yet another year filled with recalibration and revelations. The publisher underwent a “Rebirth” to restore some semblance of sense between the pre-“Flashpoint” era and the New 52, while still keeping the new continuity intact. The product? A year of mind-games, clues and hints as to what actually caused all this fragmentation within the DC universe and just how cohesive it could be if put back together.

RELATED: Marvel Comics: The 15 Biggest Moments Of 2016

Fans also saw the beloved Trinity being pushed to the limits, mentally and physically, with character deaths and returns sprinkled all over their precious pages. With the Justice League and Suicide Squad embedded in an even bigger spotlight due to the burgeoning DC cineverse, creators churned out some pretty monumental moments that truly defined and dealt with DC’s legacy and evolution. Without further adieu, CBR brings to you the biggest DC Comics jaw-droppers from 2016!

SPOILER WARNING: The below contains spoilers for multiple DC Comics titles.

THREE JOKERS

“Justice League” #50 from Geoff Johns and Jason Fabok was one of DC’s most action-packed comics. It wrapped “Darkseid War,” which saw the Justice League barely overcome a resurrected Darkseid, under the control of his daughter, Grail. In the aftermath, a recovering Batman revealed crucial information on the Joker, which he found out before this fiery finale.

In Issue #42, while imbued with the universal knowledge of the Mobius chair, Batman inquired into Joker’s true identity and finally revealed to Hal Jordan that there wasn’t one, but three Jokers. Theories are that the three correspond to different phases in Joker’s career: one resembling the Golden Age Joker, the other resembling the ’70s and ’80s-era Joker, and lastly, the modern one from Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo. Multiple Jokers would explain why he’s always cheating death, why his past is so vague and why his personality shifts so much from silly prankster to psychopath. Fans are eager to see more of this mystery unveiled in 2017 because of the impact it will surely have on the Batman mythos.

DARKSEID DIES (AGAIN)

“Justice League” #50 delivered another emphatic Darkseid death. This was his second demise after the Anti-Monitor and Flash/Black Racer infusion killed him last year in Issue #44. This time, Johns and Fabok scripted Grail as her father’s murderer. With the Anti-Life Equation extracted from the Anti-Monitor, leaving Mobius behind, Grail used it to weaponize Steve Trevor to kill the powerhouse. Eventually, she took back the Equation and merged it with the Omega Sanction (taken from Lex Luthor) into the son of Superwoman and Mazahs (both of the Crime Syndicate), reviving another iteration of her father.

She held full control over this Darkseid and used him to pummel the League. However, her Amazonian mother, Myrina Black, realizing her daughter was becoming a tyrant like her father, urged her to cease her lust for war. With Wonder Woman restraining and calming Grail via her lasso, Myrina beckoned her daughter to rid her slave of the Equation. An emotional, repentant Grail obliged, with her Omega Beams piercing through both her parents, removing the Equation from Darkseid. It was all part of a stormy finale that revealed Superman’s ill-health, Jessica Cruz as a Green Lantern, Lex ruling Apokolips and Wonder Woman’s twin brother.

SUPER SONS BRAWL

“Superman” #10 offset all the dark and gritty clouds that covered the Rebirth era with something a bit more fun in the shape of a pint-sized super-brawl featuring the sons of the World’s Finest. Peter Tomasi and Patrick Gleason constructed a lighthearted story of Batman’s son, Damian, kidnapping Jon Kent, Superman’s (pre-New 52) son, after becoming concerned that the latter couldn’t control his evolving powers. Batman immediately chastised Damian upon finding out, only for a peeved Superman to come crashing through the Batcave, angry that Jon was whisked away without permission.

As both fathers worked out their differences and began testing Jon’s DNA for abnormalities, the kids apparently reached a truce through Alfred and their love of animals. However, Damian’s constant antagonizing brought a truly hilarious moment that saw a fed-up Jon punch the volatile Robin in the gut for his insults about the youth’s emerging powers. They ended up scrapping only for their fathers to break it up with looks of disapproval. Jon’s punch was certainly a laugh-out-loud moment that sets the stage for their “Super Sons” book, slated for a February 2017 release.

THE DEATH OF CAPTAIN BOOMERANG

“Suicide Squad” #2 threw us for a loop when it took Captain Boomerang (Digger Harkness) off the table at the hands of General Zod. Fans were shocked that Rob Williams and Jim Lee scripted his death, especially after the Rogue’s breakout role in David Ayer’s film. On a mission with the team under Rick Flag’s watch, Squad members Harley Quinn, Deadshot, Killer Croc, Katana and Enchantress infiltrated an underwater facility housing a cosmic artifact.

After locating their prize and picking up a new teammate, Hack, they found out that it was a portal to the Phantom Zone. Stunned, Flag urged his team to get away as they were in over their heads. However, before a prying Boomerang could escape, Zod promptly dispatched him via heat vision before revealing himself to the Squad. It ended up being a temporary removal as the character returned in Issue #8, thanks to Hack, who revived him from digital entrapment during a prison breakout and riot at Belle Reeve. It was a sigh of relief for his cult following who thought his newfound popularity fell on deaf ears.

THE DEATH OF LOIS AND CLARK

DC swung for the fences when they killed off the New 52 versions of Lois and Clark, making way for the classic versions to take center stage again. The New 52 Superman exited in Tomasi’s “The Final Days of Superman” arc in “Superman” #52, when the icon died from kryptonite poisoning, surrounded by friends and the pre-“Flashpoint” Superman. He exploded and turned to ash, simultaneously emitting energy bolts that powered up both the New 52 Lois and Lana Lang, making way for “Superwoman” #1.

However, Lois’ stint would be short-lived as artist/writer Phil Jimenez killed her off in the same inexplicable manner. She also turned to ash instantly while fighting off a Bizzaro-Superwoman clone belonging to Lex’s sister, Lena; aka, Ultrawoman. On perishing, she hinted that she saw the dead Clark and that she finally understood why he died, leaving Lana alone to carry the mantle. With this Lois dying, the pre-“Flashpoint” Lois decided to take up her identity. It was a bold move to take two big players off the chessboard in this way, but with another Lois and Clark present, fans were already looking to the next chapter (and honestly quite happy to have the return of more familiar faces).

THE “DEATH” OF TIM DRAKE

James Tynion IV and Eddy Barrows delivered quite a stunner to Tim Drake fans, without even following through on killing him. In “Detective Comics” #940, the Bat-family took down Batwoman’s father, Jacob Kane, and his rogue military operation, The Colony. Tim, aka Red Robin, stops Kane’s fleet of weaponized drones by reprogramming them to target himself instead of innocent Gotham citizens. A wounded Tim survived the first strike, only to discover a second unstoppable wave that seemingly destroys him, leaving his staff alone behind.

However, the issue’s big twist is that while he is injured, he is alive, transported to a cell at an unknown location. There, he’s confronted by the same hooded stranger we saw in the “Rebirth” one-shot who’s also been keeping tabs on Superman in “Action Comics.” The mysterious entity, Mr. Oz, cryptically says that because Tim had been “reconnecting threads that could not be reconnected,” he needed to be taken off the playing field. It was a painstaking moment to see Tim expressing hope that his allies will find him, with his fate appearing very bleak as everyone is grieving. It’s hard to come back when no one’s searching for you, though we suspect we’ll see him back in action soon enough.

MAX LORD RETURNS

In terms of being the ruthless megalomaniac we’re accustomed to, Max Lord has remained relatively low-key post-“Flashpoint.” Leading Checkmate, he did battle Brother Eye and the new O.M.A.C., but it’s “Justice League vs. Suicide Squad” that sees him return to his despotic ways in grand fashion. The former League benefactor assembled a third team, filled with villains, and all sharing the objective of taking out the stalwart chief of the Suicide Squad, Amanda Waller… by any means necessary.

It’s exciting to see this conniving attitude once more from the man who once put a bullet through the head of Ted Kord, the original Blue Beetle. He rounded up Lobo, Emerald Empress, Doctor Polaris, Johnny Sorrow, Rustam and Eclipso, to get to Waller, even if it means going through her Task Force X unit or the League themselves. The cold, cruel and bloodthirsty manner in which he broke his team out from The Catacombs prison, using his mind control to turn the guards on themselves, showed that he means business. We can’t wait to see how Joshua Williamson and Jason Fabok craft Lord’s new mission, which, ironically enough perhaps, involves “saving the world.” We’ll believe it when we see it…

I AM SUICIDE

“Batman” #12 by Tom King and Mikel Janin shockingly elaborated on what the arc “I Am Suicide” truly meant. It wasn’t in reference to Batman’s makeshift Suicide Squad that attacked Bane’s Santa Prisca base to extract Psycho Pirate, but rather, a confession to his teammate, Selina Kyle (Catwoman), who was being transferred to Arkham Asylum for allegedly murdering 237 people. In a letter, he told her of a childhood trauma, confiding that he resolved to dedicate his life to crimefighting, only after attempting suicide via razor blade.

It was his way of showing her that there was hope to be reborn, with the admission painted against a backdrop of Batman overcoming an army of attackers. It was a daring revelation by King that spoke volumes of the eternal struggle raging within Bruce Wayne, overcoming despair to find a real purpose. It also showed that he was just as invested as Selina was, in fighting for her life and her very soul, adding another dimension to their complicated love story. The breathtaking visuals made the experience all the richer and continued to show the caped crusader in an inspirational, if decidedly more human light.

INFANTISEID

In “Darkseid War,” every issue raised the stakes, with Issue #50 being the most provocative. It’s not often we see Darkseid killed, let alone twice, and then used as a pawn, but Grail managed to play her father like a fiddle. She manipulated the Anti-Monitor, Crime Syndicate, Steve Trevor and to some extent, the Justice League, in aid of achieving her goals. That comes as no surprise, given how focused she was since Myrina escaped Themyscira with her and raised her as an instrument of war.

In a twist-filled finale, Grail finally grew compassion and understood that she didn’t have to inherit her father’s destructive ways, releasing him from the grasp of the Anti-Life Equation, seemingly at the cost of both her parents. However, she escaped with Darkseid, who was reduced to an infant, and in the closing scenes, was seen soothing him. She told the child how she intended to raise him so that he has a second chance, away from his destiny to conquer and rule with an iron fist. While Grail promised to love him, the cutaway showing the child’s glowing-red eyes was ominous to say the least, hinting at just how much of Darkseid’s power — and demeanor — the child retained.

THE THEMYSCIRA LIE

Greg Rucka and Liam Sharp delivered a game-changer in “Wonder Woman” #11, wrapping “The Lies” arc. Diana’s journey to self-discovery came to a screeching halt as she found out what had been haunting her recently. It was revealed that the Themyscira trips she’d been making in the past were to a fake one and upon discovering the real island, it turned out to be abandoned and derelict, leaving her clueless as to who put up this facade that kept her in the dark all this time.

She and Steve Trevor were left baffled at the run-down, low-tech state of the real island. It was a heartbreaking moment that dealt her a huge blow because of how important it was to her heritage and eventual destiny. In reality, Wonder Woman’s never had a homecoming until now and it’ll be intriguing to see how she traverses across dimensions to try to find the fake Themyscira she’s familiar with and the Amazonians she calls family. With the mirage revealed, fans can’t wait to see what is actually going on, and just who has been messing with the routes whenever she tries to go back.

BRUCE WAYNE RETURNS

Following the Joker’s “Endgame,” Batman was taken off the table, with Bruce being reborn without his memories or crime-fighting skills. James Gordon was then installed as a police-sanctioned Batman, with a high-tech armored suit. However, Scott Snyder brought Bruce back as Batman, reinvigorated like never before. His body was fully-healed and it was indeed a rebirth as he even boasted a cocky sense of humor.

In the issue before, Bruce broke the hearts of his girlfriend, Julia, and Alfred, by stating he wanted to download a copy of his brain back into his body: a contingency plan he always kept in case he died. Alfred didn’t want him erasing his life of happiness, finally, just to go back to the cowl. Jules, on the other hand, eventually got the process started, as she knew the city needed their guardian. Issue #50 saw his return, in a quippy exchange with Bat-Gordon, as he began his retaliation for Bloom’s assault on the city. Bruce stemmed the threat and a hospitalized Gordon would go back to his old job, inspired after realizing just why vigilantes needed to operate outside the law.

GREEN LANTERN HEAVEN

“Hal Jordan and the Green Lantern Corps” #10 told some of the most stellar stories Robert Venditti’s written since dabbling with the mythos. His current “Rebirth” arc saw Hal return as a Green Lantern, forging a new ring from his own will. He was also literally changing into energy, becoming willpower itself after going on the run with the Krona Gauntlet to take the blame for all the Corps’ misdeeds. Re-powered, he ended up fighting a rejuvenated Sinestro in a battle that seemingly cost both their lives, which led Hal to the Emerald Space, aka Green Lantern heaven.

Rafa Sandoval beautifully illustrated Hal’s inspirational meeting with his successor, Abin Sur, as well as emotional moments with deceased Lanterns. It featured heartfelt messages from Katma Tui to John Stewart, and from Tomar-Re to his son, Tomar-Tu, reinvigorating Hal just before he was plucked back to the land of the living by the White Lantern, Kyle Rayner. This issue also offered immense fan service to any Corps fan, setting the stage for Hal to lead an assault on Larfleeze, who had imprisoned the Corps that disappeared and whom Hal was searching for at the end of “The Lost Army.”

SUPERMAN RETURNS

When the New 52 Superman died, he had help in his final mission from the pre-“Flashpoint” Superman, who was living in hiding with his wife, Lois, and their son, Jon. In passing, he made it clear the world needed a Superman and the old-school version decided to take up the mantle once more. In Tomasi and Gleason’s “Superman” #2, he found himself in full, public swing; clean-shaven and back in uniform, just like the good old days, helping out a uranium-powered submarine and its crew.

After he realized that there was no regeneration matrix in the Fortress of Solitude to bring the New 52 Superman back in this universe, vintage Clark knew that it was up to him to replace the hero, not just in Metropolis, but with the Justice League, too. Seeing him take flight and assist like a true boy-scout was both nostalgic and endearing in a way the character hadn’t been in some time, enhanced by how he used the task as a lesson to teach Jon about being a superhero. It was an incredible moment not just for the character, but for DC Comics, as the old Supes triumphantly donned the cape and emerged out of the shadows for truth, justice and the American way once more.

THE WATCHMEN COMETH

Speculation has been rampant that it’s Doctor Manhattan who’s been tinkering with the DC universe all this time, taking a valuable 10 years away from it to create the New 52. While that’s yet to be confirmed in the comics, the “Rebirth” one-shot planted a lot of seeds and colossal moments indicating that the “Watchmen” universe did indeed have an integral hand in shaping things. Johns wrote off Pandora, who many believed was responsible for the era after “Flashpoint” in a manner similar to how Manhattan killed Rorschach, more than suggesting it was his semi-divine hand that had something to do with the soft reboot.

Also, the issue showed Batman finding the blood-tainted smiley face button associated with the Comedian, as well as an ending that depicted what appeared to be Manhattan conversing with Ozymandias while fixing a watch on Mars: all signature stamps of Alan Moore’s epic. Other hints include Manhattan (allegedly) obliterating Owlman and Metron in “Justice League” #50 in what seems to be his distinctive style of dispatching enemies, as well as Mr. Oz’s monitoring and potential manipulation of Superman, not to mention his kidnapping of Tim Drake. With Johns teasing at writing some “Watchmen”-related stuff in 2017, prepare yourselves for even bigger shockwaves when the truth comes out.

WALLY WEST RETURNS

Wally West’s return was one that made grown geeks cry. Taken out the equation after “Flashpoint,” the “Rebirth” one-shot saw him trying to find a tether back to the present reality and away from the Speed Force. He first haunted the Batcave before journeying to the love of his life, Linda Park, but she too had no memory of him. Unsuccessful in finding that anchor point back, he had an emotional last-ditch interaction with Barry Allen. Barry finally remembered Wally and pulled him back into current continuity, with Wally revealing that some omnipotent being — believed to be Doctor Manhattan — warped their reality into the New 52.

Both embraced in a tearjerker moment that had fans rejoicing at the sight of seeing the Flash duo united once more. Wally was younger and wearing the Kid Flash costume, but was clearly relieved to be back to try to fix things. Later, given an upgrade in costume, he’d continue to find clues in “Titans” as to who’s been toying with everyone’s lives. What his return really represented, however, wasn’t just someone to help solve a lingering DC mystery; it offered promise that DC’s universe can be fixed, reshaped into what it should rightfully be.

What do you think was DC’s biggest moment in 2016? Sound off in the comments!

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