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momachan · 1 month

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"Bernard, wait, let me talk. I'm really glad you got home okay. I was relieved. And I've been doing a lot of thinking. About that night, and I-- I don't know what it meant to me, not yet. But I'd like to figure it out."

DC Pride: The New Generation (DC Cultural Anthologies (2021). Tim Drake Special. "Sum Of Our Parts."

#dc comics #dc pride #dc cultural anthologies #tim drake special #batman #dc robin #tim drake #bernard dowd #detective williams #future state

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mask131 · 2 years

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A guide for reading The Sandman: Part 1

People will discover the television series and want to read “The Sandman”, the original comic books.

Some people are already reading “The Sandman” and are getting a bit confused about where to go with oh-so-many titles, extensions and expansions.

And some people already think they read all of the Sandman until they discover a new issue they never heard of.

Well this guide is here for you! A small guide to explain the reading order of The Sandman, what to expect and where to go!

Part 1 will be dedicated to the original Sandman series, aka the “main story”, the “main series”, the original numbered issues going from Sandman 1 to Sandman 75 ; the original series running from 1988 to 1996.

This series is divided into “volumes” (of course, those didn’t exist originally as the series was published issue after issue, the volumes were collected afterward - but each volume corresponds to an “arc”, a “step”, an “episode” in the wider story). The volumes in The Sandman actually alternate between volumes that contain a full story (basically “arc volumes”), a neat and clear story with a beginning and an end that together form the main story of Sandman ; and volumes that I would be tempted to call “expansion” volumes or “illustration” volumes - volumes that do not contain one overall story but rather a series of small stories, scenes, vignettes, “anthology” volumes whose role is to expand the world of the Sandman, and make the reader learn more about aspects or backgrounds of several characters, elements or details of the “arc stories”.

Volume 1: Preludes and Nocturnes (arc-volume)

Contains issues 1 to 8. Preludes and Nocturnes is the start of The Sandman series, and what corresponds to the first half of the first season of the TV show. It is the story of how Dream of the Endless was imprisoned by a human wizard, the damage this imprisonment caused, and Dream’s quest to find back his items of power: his pouch of sand, his helmet and his ruby. Preludes and Nocturnes is quite noticeable, in comparison with the rest of The Sandman, as being HEAVILY relient on the DC Comics universe, with a lot of references to the DC Universe, its super-heroes and super-villains (something the television series massively avoided in order to be easier to access to newcomers).

Volume 2: The Doll’s House (arc-volume)

Contains issues 9 to 16. Corresponds to the second half of the first season of the TV show. Another “arc volume”, this story is the one of Rose Walker, the discovery of her past and her quest to find back her missing little brother ; but it is also the story of Dream hunting down missing dreams and nightmares that left his realm to dwell into the world of humans ; and it is also the story of the mysterious “dream vortex” and of the disasters it can cause - three stories that in truth are mingled together in one mystery.

Volume 3: Dream Country (anthology-volume)

Contains issues 17 to 20. The first “anthology volume” contains four separate and different stories. Three of them are related to Dream: they each explore a different facet of him (Dream the lover, Dream the deal-maker, Dream the world-changer), and they each talk of the different powers of dreaming in itself (inspiration as a blessing and culture, Dream’s influence on culture and reality...), plus expand the world of The Sandman to other “levels of existence” (such as animals and fairies). The fourth story is around Death, and is basically exploring an obscure DC heroine (well, she had become obscure at the time of the publishing. It was something Neil Gaiman did a lot with “The Sandman”, and it was what made the comic book famous: he kept searching and hunting for the coolest, and yet most obscure and forgotten characters, heroes and villains of the DC Universe and “resurrected” them here to give them decent role and proper storylines).

Volume 4: Season of Mists (arc-volume)

Contains issues 21 to 28. The story of how Dream of the Endless, after a meeting with the rest of his family, decides to save Nada his former lover from Hell ; but a story which also leads to (SPOILERS AHEAD SPOILERS AHEAD) Lucifer retiring from his position as ruler of Hell, and giving the Key of Hell to Dream. The story then covers the chaos, manipulations and conflicts that ensue.

Volume 5: A Game of You (arc-volume)

Contains issues 32-37. This story is centered around Barbie (a character that appeared in “The Doll’s House”). As Barbie discovers the fantasy world she dreamed and played in as a child is real, and ends up back into it, friends of Barbie are caught in supernatural conflict between a mysterious “cuckoo” that can send body-stealing birds in the human world, and a grumpy neighbor who turns out to be an immortal (and bloody) witch from Ancient Greece... This is one pretty weird story, I have to admit I always was very confused by this story and never fully got it - but it introduces key characters of The Sandman, and had some of the most iconic moments of the whole series.

The bizarre case of Volume 6: Fables and Reflections (anthology volume)

You might notice I skipped a few issues above. Well it is because when the sixth volume was created, Fables and Reflections, it was a compilation of several stories taken from across the series. As a result it kinds of break the chronology of the series, as it contains issues 29 to 31, issues 38 to 40, issue 50 and two “special” story. In fact, when I read The Sandman series, I never had this volume because I read the series in order (and the French “volumes” and compilations are quite different).

Originally there were two “sub-volumes” or “small volumes”. The first one is “Distant Mirrors”, containing issues 29 to 31 plus issue 50 (which was conceived as a continuation of the original trio) : this anthology of four stories is linked by the theme of “rulers and their relationship to their realm”, and the stories are recognizable due to being named after “times” (Thermidor ; August ; Three Septembers and a January ; Ramadan). The second “volume” was “Convergence”, the compilation of issues 38 to 40, three issues united together by the fact that they are “stories-within-a-story”, and fit the theme of “meeting and encounters”.

But when the big volumes were created, it was decided to unite “Distant Mirrors” and “Convergence” as one big volume, alongside a third block made of “special” stories not included in the numbered series : one taken from the “Vertigo Previews” comics, and one story that was originally published on its own as “The Sandman Special”. The result of this union was “Fables and Reflections.”

Volume 7: Brief Lives (arc-volume)

Contains issues 41 to 49. This volume tells the story of the quest Delirium and Dream end up undergoing (at Delirium’s request) to find back their missing brother, the “Prodigal” Endless.

Volume 8: Worlds’ End (anthology-volume)

Contains issues 51 to 56. Several travellers from different parts of the multiverse are trapped at the “Inn at the end of the world” due to a gigantic “reality storm”. Across the issues, each of the travellers tell their own story, each wildly different as they come from very different universes. While being an “anthology volume”, its ending is actually an introduction/a mystery set-up for the next volume.

Volume 9: The Kindly Ones (arc-volume)

Issues 57-69. All the plots and elements laid out in the previous arcs converge. The biggest threat the Dreaming ever faced arrives, and Dream has to fight it.

Volume 10: The Wake (arc-volume)

Issues 70 to 75. The consequences of “The Kindly Ones” and the ending of The Sandman.

This is the full list of Sandman “volumes” when it comes to the main, numbered series. This is the full story as originally conceived by Neil Gaiman. From beginning to end.

Or... almost everything. Because I haven’t covered the... “specials” yet. But that will be for part 2.

#sandman #the sandman #comic book #reading order #neil gaiman #dream of the endless #dream #guide #comics

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jesncin · 6 months

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J'onn is like the perfect anthology man. Shapeshifting means he goes to lots of places as lots of people and therefore has the widest variety of experiences. I think he suffers a lot with comics that are caught up on huge plots and character arcs where there's no filler ever—he's perfect for older-style comics, where each issue presents a new problem and any overarching interpersonal plots are second to that.

I wish they'd give him a solo that leaned heavily into the "solving mysteries as John Jones" angle, with a completely new mystery every week. Bonus points if it has similar vibes as Fire & Ice: Welcome to Smallville (low stakes, lots of recurring characters, the power of friendship). One of his most interesting facets is the way he interacts with people and lives as a person on earth! I think power creep has made it so that every single situation has to hold the fate of the entire universe in its hands, and unfortunately authors tend to write him as more of a plot device than a character in such high stakes settings.

Agreed! I've gushed with my DC friends that it would be incredible if there was a Martian Manhunter anthology where each writer from a different cultural background was in charge of one story and one human persona for J'onn inspired by their identity. I feel we rarely go in depth with his different personas when that's inherently so interesting and makes him stand out from other heroes.

Yeah totally! We were so close with Orlando's run, but that was more cop drama than it was detective sleuthing but it was still fun to see him actually use his abilities to solve a mystery.

Exactlyyy I think writers get lost in how powerful J'onn is as a martian, and lose sight of his culture shock/fish out of water experiences. "Superman but if he arrived on Earth as an adult with far more othering alien powers" is a great pitch for a hero and is so rarely used to its potential. Justice for my green guy :')

#askjesncin #martian manhunter #supergirl tv show had j'onn move on to become a detective and I was so excited to see him sleuth as a martian #but alas his detective-ing was mostly off-screen like i get it it's the supergirl show not the martian manhunter show #i think j'onn has a lot of potential to be a fantastic modern noir hero

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theliterarywolf · 10 months

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I watched Kizazi Moto and I really liked it a lot! One of the things I found especially interesting was the difference in…I want to say emoting? expression? with how some of the characters responded to things. Like with tongue clicking and some hand motions. I thought that was very interesting. Did you have a fave episode?

YES! Finally, someone watched/sent in an ask about this anthology!

And what you said here, noticing the differences in emoting. I am so glad you mentioned that because, yes: African storytelling, particularly when it comes to bringing stories to the big (or in this case, streaming) screen, does have its own style of emoting, staging, and composition.

And, yes, every culture does (for all people meme on Indian soap operas having the 'twenty dramatic zooms with matching music', you can tell that's a modernized carryover from traditional storytelling), but I have been yearning for African stories to be able to be seen by a wider audience so they can be a part of the conversation.

Because, yeah, we have companies like Netflix picking up a few Nigerian and Ghananian movies/shows for streaming, unless you're searching for them or your algorithm is trained, you'll never find them.

Also, shout-out to Supa Team 4

An upcoming CGI animated series from Zambia that is looking like a fusion of Miraculous and DC Super Hero Girls.

But, my rambling aside, for me there were three stand-outs from the anthology.

My favorite cultural-reflection, My favorite spectacle, and My Overall Favorite (kind of like a Best in Show).

My Favorite Cultural-Reflection

And by this, I mean which of the shorts reflected the culture it's creators are from the best (even though it may not have been my Overall Favorite):

Moremi (Nigeria)

(Hate that I couldn't find a gif for this one...)

Before this series aired proper, If you showed me 15 seconds of each short and told me to identify which country they came from, with this one it would have been a no-brainer. The staging and composition are such a strong mirror to Nigerian storytelling, a facet that is made even more obvious when we're introduced to the scientist character.

My Favorite Spectacle

Mkhuzi: The Spirit Racer (South Africa)

The sheer definition of 'Hype'. When I was liveblogging my first time watching some of the anthology, I made the comment 'Who at Triggerfish Studios marathoned Gurren Lagann and Kill la Kill before coming into work that day?!' But, yes, this short was extremely anime, extremely colorful, and extremely action-packed. All while still having a message about maintaining the connection with your ancestors.

My Overall Favorite (Best in Show)

Enkai (Kenya)

Everything about this short, the composition, the color-scheme, the acting, the setting, and the messages are beautiful. While the initial scenes give us the impression of a simple, more intimate story of a mother and daughter, as the story progresses, the audience is presented with themes of family, spirituality, environmentalism, and even a bit of generational trauma sprinkled in (if you know where to look).

In fact, I'm going to discuss the moment that solidified this short as Best in Show for me. Spoilers under the Read More

When Enkai and her mother finally escape the destroyed Earth and Enkai is showing the new world she's made, free of mankind's greed and destruction, her mother has a moment of hesitation and looks back towards the Earth.

Even though the Earth and it's people, the ones who she was trying so hard to protect, have hurt her so much, she still says, "...I can still fix this!"

And Enkai has to be the one to tell her mother, "If we didn't leave, we would never be free from them. They have to save themselves now."

As much as the environmentalist message is there, it also reflects a story of a woman being abused by her family, hurt by her family, and internalizing the fact that she has to stay; she has to take care of her loved ones, only finally being told by the next generation 'No, you have done enough! You have been hurt enough!'

I just... God, the beauty of African storytelling being presented in the medium of modern animation got to me, okay?

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thenightling · 1 year

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My favorite bard characters

The new Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves movie and The Witcher has popularized the fantasy character class of bard. A bard, in fantasy settings and historically, was usually a storyteller, or a minstrel who would tell stories in song. In fantasy settings they are usually minstrels. In Nordic culture a skald was the term for a storyteller (usually a highly creative and very prized slave).

Here is a top ten list of my favorite fictional bards.

13. Bonus: Loki: I'll start with number 11. Bonus: Loki. There is a viking skald in Loki: Agent of Asgard that is revealed to be Loki in disguise. So Marvel's Loki goes on this list. Loki is believed in by Asatru people so this entry is specifically in regard to Marvel's Loki. He also gained the title "God of Stories."

12. Morpheus AKA Dream of The Endless AKA The Sandman. Morpheus is The Lord of Dreams in Roman mythology and in Neil Gaiman's the Sandman . In The Sandman he is also known as The Prince of Stories.

11. Lucien The Librarian and Cain and Abel from The Sandman by Neil Gaiman. Lucien was changed to Lucienne for The Sandman Netflix series but they're pretty much the same character. Lucien is the keeper of the largest library in the multiverse and was also the host of the horror anthology comics Tales of Ghost Castle. I'm sort of cheating a little here by mentioning Lucien and Cain and Abel since they're not actually bards but I love horror hosts. Cain, Abel, Lucien, Eve (Raven Woman), Destiny (Destiny of The Endless), The Hecate (The Three Witches), and The Mad Mod Witch (The Fashion Thing) all started as horror hosts for DC's horror anthology comics. I'm reserving this spot for Lucien, Cain, and Abel. Hosts of Tales of Ghost Castle (which only ran for three issues), The House of Mystery (DC's oldest comic), and The House of Secrets (Spin-off of The House of Mystery and comic where we first get introduced to the concept of Swamp Thing).

Before Neil Gaiman used these characters in The Sandman they told scary stories in DC's horror anthology comics which were DC's answer to EC's Horror anthology comics which brings us to... 10. The Crypt Keeper, Vault Keeper, and Old Witch. The Crypt Keeper hosted the Horror anthology comics Tales from the Crypt. The Vault keeper hosted Vault of Horror. And the Old Witch also told scary stories for EC comics. The Crypt Keeper hosted HBO's Tales From the Crypt TV series as well as Tales from the Cryptkeeper animated series. Season 2 of Tales from the Cryptkeeper was co-hosted by The Cryptkeeper, Vault Keeper, and Old Witch. They also collaborated as hosts for the joke book called Jokes from the Crypt. Again, I admit I am sort of cheating here by listing horror anthology hosts instead of actual bard characters so this is the last Horror anthology hosts for the list.

9. Peter Vincent in the 1985 film Fright Night, the 1988 film Fright Night: Part 2 and the Fright Night comic books. In Fright Night Peter Vincent is a has-been horror movie actor who now hosts a late night TV show where he shows his old movies.

Peter Vincent meets a teenage boy whose neighbor turns out to be a real vampire and Peter overcomes his own cowardice to become the hero he always pretended to be. Though Peter Vincent was originally just a stage name the character eventually embraces it to become a hero and protector of the innocent.

In the comic books Peter Vincent continued to host his late night horror movie TV series while working in secret to help Charley thwart the forces of evil. I consider Peter Vincent to be a contemporary bard character.

I would put Peter further on the list at number 3 perhaps but I left him at number 9 because he is an unconventional addition to this list.

8. Evyn AKA Shadow from the novel The King's Shadow.

Evyn wanted to be a bard but was mutilated in a brutal attack His tongue was cut out and he was left mute. His own uncle sold him into slavery. But thanks to fate's benign intervention Evyn was able to learn to read and write so he was able to become a storyteller as a scribe and eventually became an adopted son of the king.

7. Gabrielle from Xena: Warrior Princess. Gabrielle was Xena's travel companion and very likely love interest (Lucy Lawless, the actress who played Xena) believed they were practically married in the end. Xena: warrior Princess was the spin-off of Hercules the Legendary Journeys. I have often described The Witcher as being a gender inverted Xena: Warrior Princess. Gabrielle was a novice bard who wanted to write about Xena's adventures and to eventually go on those adventures, herself.

Just as I sort of perfer Jaskier with longer hair, I actually liked when Gabrielle's hair was cut short later on in Xena.

6. Essi Daven. I'm a little confused to if Priscilla (Callonetta) from the Witcher video games and Essi Daven from The Witcher novels are supposed to be the same character or not. Essi was from The Witcher novels. I suspect they are the same character but I've seen arguments that they are different enough that they count as separate characters. But I have also seen people try to claim that Jaskier and Dandelion are different enough to count as different characters as well and Jaskier definitely is Dandelion. Dandelion was just what he was called in the English translations of the novels and in the English language video games. Essi is a woman bard from The Witcher who was very much in love with Geralt though Dandelion (Jaskier) had feelings for her. Sadly she eventually died of smallpox. The burden of living in a medieval-esque society.

Dandelion was in love with her.

5. Priscilla AKA Callonetta is a woman bard from The Witcher video games. A rival and romantic interest to Dandelion (Jaskier). Possibly the same character as Essi Daven but some Witcher fans have argued that they are not the same character so I am listing them separately.

4. Edgin. Edgin is a character from Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among thieves. In fact he is the main protagonist. He is a "Harper" that has fallen from grace. A Harper is a spy that poses as a bard to gain info and to stop criminals. So he is a bard but he used his status as a bard to work as a spy, hence the term "Harper." Later he got a little greedy and it cost him dearly but he and his band of misfits set out on a quest to set things right.

3. Fflewddur Fflam. I hate the character's name but love the character. The version in the Disney film The Black Cauldron is very different from the book character, including being much older, but I still found him to be an enjoyable character. He is a classic bard with a bit of a mysterious past.

In the books he's actually a king of a small kingdom but prefers life as a wandering bard. It makes him sound a bit like a role playing game character.

2. The Storyteller. This character's name is not actually given but he was a mysterious (possibly not entirely human) traveling storyteller, with a talking dog that appeared every week on Jim Henson's The Storyteller. He was portrayed by John Hurt and the dog was voiced by Brian Henson (Son of Jim Henson). There was a spin-off called The Storyteller: Greek Myths. John Hurt's portrayal of The Storyteller may have been why he was chosen to voice Morpheus AKA Dream of The Endless AKA The Sandman for a scrapped episode of Batman The Animated series.

Currently Neil Gaiman is involved with a revival of The Storyteller in development by the Henson company where he hopes to explore The Storyteller's own mysterious backstory.

1. Jaskier (Translates from Polish to Buttercup) / Dandelion. Jaskier is the bard companion of Geralt of Rivia AKA The Witcher (Monster Hunter) from The Witcher novels, short stories, comics, Netflix series, and video games. In the English language versions of The Witcher novels and The Witcher video games he was known as Dandelion. But in The Witcher Netflix series and in the original Polish he was known as Jaskier which directly translates to Buttercup.

Whatever you call him, Jaskier is a great character. He is the companion of Geralt of Rivia in The Witcher and he is also his own well-developed character. By season 2 Jaskier had evolved from the slightly-conceited rock musician-esque bard into a compassionate freedom fighter who smuggled people to safety.

I absolutely love Joey Batey's portrayal of Jaskier as well as his incredible singing voice as the character.

And though there has been some criticism over his look in season 2, I actually think he looks better with longer hair.

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forevercloudnine · 2 years

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Hey, I've been meaning to ask you some recs for Superman, just general reading and watching list if possible, I absolutely know about nothing of the character outside of some Mr. Mxyzptlk conflicts and some homoerotic stuff with Lex Luthor. Also I would be the most grateful if you could list some DC stuff with Clex(Superman x Lex Luthor)

💗💗💗 Sure! Here are a handful of my faves:

Legion of Super-Heroes (2006): Animated adaptation of a common plotpoint in Superman media, which is that a 31st century alliance of alien superheroes decide to take advantage of the invention of time travel and hang out with their favorite historical celebrity (guess who). If you were to watch one episode as a taste-test, I'd recommend S1:E3, "Legacy," where Alexis Luthor falls into the family habit of becoming obsessed with Superman. Lex also appears in-person during issue #13 of the tie-in comic, The Legion of Super-Heroes in the 31st Century (short run, loooong title).

All-Star Superman: Maybe the most iconic Superman comic. An alternate universe story where Superman discovers he's dying and has to figure out what he wants to do with his limited remaining time. Deceptively heartwarming and a huge love letter to the Superman mythos. If you were to read one issue as a taste-test, I'd recommend #5, where reporter Clark Kent interviews death row inmate Lex Luthor. There’s also a pretty decent animated movie adaptation.

Superman Red & Blue: One of DC’s many attempts to cash in on the iconic and unexpected success of Batman Black & White, but this cash grab has been nominated for like three Eisner awards, which is pretty decent. Each issue is an anthology of short stories-- my favorite, “For The Man Who Has Nothing,” is in #4 (which also happens to have a Mr. Mxyzptlk focused story, if that appeals to you).

If you’re interested in a story about Conner (the Superboy Lex made from his and Superman’s DNA) and his relationship with his “fathers,” I’d recommend “The Boy of Steel” in Adventure Comics #1-3, #5 (second half), and #6.

Also, Reign of the Supermen (2019) is a fairly popular animated movie condensing the comics where Lex created Conner in reaction to Superman’s death. Superman’s death itself was adapted in the imaginatively named The Death of Superman (2018). The pair were created as an endeavor to create a more comics-accurate adaptation to replace Superman: Doomsday (2007), which tried to cram everything into one movie and ended up just excluding Conner entirely. On the other hand, Superman: Doomsday has a scene where Lex gets shirtless and beats up a clone he made from Superman’s corpse while screaming “WHY DID YOU LEAVE ME?” before climbing on top of its unconscious body and calling himself its daddy. So sometimes comic accuracy isn’t everything.

“Superman: Brainiac”: Action Comics #866-870. Maybe this should have been my first recommendation, since it’s a pretty good baseline for the typical Superman status quo, plus an explanation of the destruction of Krypton and one of the most prominent Superman baddies (the titular Brainiac, who pops up in a lot of these stories). But also the only reason I REALLY like this story is because of a few scenes centered around the difference between Clark being an orphan who never got to experience his birth culture, and his cousin Kara being an orphan who witnessed their birth culture being exterminated. There’s a scene where Clark says “Kara made me realize I know a lot of facts about Krypton, but I still don’t know what I’m missing,” which always makes me sad. He’s memorized everything he can about his birth culture, but that will never recreate Kara’s experience of actually living in it-- which is emotionally complicated because obviously he had a great childhood and never had to experience his home being destroyed, but also he’s completely disconnected from his heritage and never even got to meet the loved ones that Kara is mourning.

New 52/Rebirth: I mostly read Superman comics for Lex, and I stand by my belief that the most fun portrayal of Lex is his doomed attempt at a redemption arc and the subsequent cosmic fallout in the current continuity. I’m going to reduce it to like three flagship stories-- if you enjoy them and want to read more of the context surrounding them I can give you a more detailed reading list, but I think these get the point across.

REDEMPTION ARC, KIND OF: Action Comics feat. Lex Luthor #23.3 and Forever Evil #1-7. Superman and the Justice League disappear after being defeated by their evil mirrorverse counterparts, leaving it up to Lex to save the world. After he does, he realizes he enjoys playing the hero and attempts to become one full-time by joining the Justice League. Justice League (2011) #30-50 are just Lex being rejected, blackmailing his way in, and getting rejected again for twenty issues or so.

BREAKUP ARC: After a long series of shenanigans, Lex has started wearing the Superman symbol on his chest and Superman has been reluctantly working with him in Metropolis. But all the rejection eventually comes to a head in “Imperius Lex,” Superman (2016) #33-36, when Superman’s continued inability to trust Lex causes Lex to get frustrated and breaks off their alliance, giving up on the idea that Superman will ever accept him as a hero.

COSMIC MELTDOWN: Okay so the shenanigans surrounding this plot are complicated, but to make a long story short, Lex finds the secrets of the universe while trying to cheer himself up by destroying his abusive father’s favorite bar in Justice League (2018) #2. By Lex Luthor: Year of the Villain #1 this knowledge has led him into becoming a higher being, but he’s still an insecure mess so he just uses his new abilities to travel between dimensions and screw over other versions of himself that seem happier than him (including a Lex who seems to have successfully married his Superman??? I’m not joking). Year of the Villain: Hell Arisen #1-4 is the story of how Lex ended up rejecting the new source of his power, but honestly you could just read #3, which is an interesting interaction between Lex and Joker where Joker gives Lex a very narratively-aware dressing down.

Obviously this is a narrow selection of Superman media, but I think it covers a lot of bases? This isn’t official content, but I’d also recommend Ookla The Monk’s song “Suprema Lex” (which is on Spotify, though I personally found it through this Clex edit on Youtube).

#superman #clark kent #lex luthor #clex #losh 2006 #hopefully this is something along the lines of what you were thinking of #you know i used to always think that legion of super-heroes was inspired by star trek #because of the whole. galactic federation of aliens thing #but it turns out that their first appearance in superman comics was six years before gene roddenberry copyrighted his pilot for star trek!#so actually they came first. but the vibe is definitely similar #especially the 2006 show #idk if you're a data fan but if you are you might really like brainiac 5

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x5red · 11 months

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Bootlegging Wonder Woman

We're all very familiar with the idea that our favourite movies and tv shows are sold around the world and adapted into local cultures, but we occasionally forget that other media, such as comic books, sometimes also have a life outside of their domestic markets.

Marvel occasionally founded subsidiaries to control its overseas publishing, such as the famed Marvel UK, but DC was happy just to license its artwork to foreign publishers where they could be edited and adapted to fit the local market. Because of this DC characters like Superman and Batman could find themselves frequently switching from comic-to-comic, publisher-to-publisher, every few years, even sometimes sharing space with non-DC superheroes in anthology titles.

Of course, not every foreign publisher necessarily went through the legitimate licensing route. If you scour the pages of various Indian comics, for example, you'll find sly cameos by the likes of Superman, Spider-Man, and various other American heroes lurking within their stories. But some foreign publishers went a step further. Not content with merely restricting themselves to just cameos, they created their own entire line of unauthorised comics focused on American characters.

Which brings us to Mujer Maravilla -- a short run comic from Argentina that based itself heavily on the Lynda Carter (@reallyndacarter) Wonder Woman tv show.

Spanish translated versions of Wonder Woman had been legitimately published in Mexico under the title Marvila, La Mujer Maravilla for many years before the Lynda Carter show appeared on US screens, but the Argentinian version was (as far as anyone can tell) entirely bootlegged. The stories, the artwork, the whole comic from cover-to-cover was produced by local talent, without any input from DC Comics or Warner Bros., and without using any art from the US comic strips.

The stories followed the style of the tv show pretty closely, with some stories borrowing ideas from the ABC season World War II setting and some from the later CBS modern day setting. Each issue had 20 or 22 pages of Wonder Woman in black and white, presumably split between a couple of stories, with a 12 page cartoon strip entitled Mini Maravilla rounding off each issue. What scant online references there are for this comic suggest that Jorge C. Morhain scripted each story, with Mario Morhain and Gene Quinterno providing the artwork.

With an alleged run that lasted just eight issues, original copies of Mujer Maravilla are extremely rare and pricey. There's not a lot of material online about these comics, and even the Grand Comics Database doesn't seem to document them (unless, perhaps, they're hiding under a different title.) There's some suggestion on social media that the strips may have been reprinted in the 1990s as part of a book or collection of bootleg superhero comics (including the now famous Bat-Manga), but the details of these reprints -- if they ever existed -- remain stubbornly obscure. Certainly there are copies of specific issues described as "reprints" floating around on eBay, but the provenance of these comics is hard to trace.

I'm indebted to @muttonchopsalley, who managed to track down some page scans so fans can at least get a taste of what they're missing.

#wonderwoman #wonder woman #superhero #superheroine #dccomics #dc comics #dc #argentina #comics

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oliviassunrise · 5 months

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20 questions for fic writers

Tagged my @elialys. Thank you, lovely!

1. How many works do you have on AO3?

11!

2. What's your total AO3 word count?

As of now, I have posted 77,959 words.

3. What fandoms do you write for?

Fringe and TLOU

4. What are your top five fics by kudos?

Of Artists and Architects—TLOU (my baby!)

The Alphabet (Peter & Olivia’s Version)—Fringe

Peter & Etta’s Excellent Adventure—Fringe

To the Moon & To Saturn—Fringe

Cracks in Your Mask—TLOU

5. Do you respond to comments? Why or why not?

Of course, I do! I’m usually slow because I feel like I say the same thing over and over and I get busy. But yes, I read and eventually respond to each one.

6. What's the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending?

That would be Fading, because it’s just Tess dying.

7. What's the fic you wrote with the happiest ending?

I think Etta’s Sunrise, but my Polivia anthology has so much fluff!

8. Do you get hate on fics?

Years ago when I was fresh out of high school and writing my first fics, yes. I had a Castle fic get posted and mocked on a fic flaming blog. It…wasn’t fun. But the fic was genuinely horrible. Nowadays, no. I’ve not had a single negative said to me.

9. Do you write smut? If so, what kind?

Ohhhhh yes I do! It’s pretty vanilla in comparison to some of the other stuff out there, at least for my Tessjoel stuff (Polivia are proudly vanilla) and I tend to lean on euphemisms instead of actual words. (I, a married adult, am unfortunately a child when it comes to actually writing sex words.) Overall, I try to keep it very realistic and tasteful.

10. Do you write crossovers? What's the craziest one you've written?

Not interested even a little bit. I might consider it if I wrote fic for something like Marvel or DC, or if I wrote for fandoms that naturally matched up.

11. Have you ever had a fic stolen?

Lmaoooo no. I’m not that good.

12. Have you ever had a fic translated?

I wish! I would be honored if someone who was a native speaker of another language wanted to translate my work.

13. Have you ever co-written a fic before?

Nah. Honestly, I don’t work well with others. I’d have to be super close to the other writer and know I’m on the same page.

14. What's your all-time favourite ship?

From a romance perspective, Polivia. They are on that soulmate shit and I can comfortably write my super fluffy stuff. There are so many moments we missed to fill in, but also some devastating things to explore. From a fun perspective…Tessjoel. The possibilities with them are endless because there is so much open to the canon and they’re also so adaptable for AUs.

15. What's the WIP you want to finish but doubt you ever will?

I’m really wondering if I’m gonna finish my Polivia alphabet fic. I’ve been stuck on K for months! But also Of Artists and Architects is a huge undertaking, and I’m just wondering if I’m gonna get discouraged enough to quit again.

16. What are your writing strengths?

I think—hope—my characters feel very human. I also know I’m good at capturing the mundane and every day.

17. What are your writing weaknesses?

Description and action. I don’t weave vivid worlds like some writers can, and I am terrified of super action-packed intense scenes. I just don’t know I could do it.

18. Thoughts on writing dialogue in another language for a fic?

If I did, I would be consulting a native speaker of that language. One, to understand their culture better (because it stands to reason the character would be of that origin) but also to make sure I have my words correct.

19. First fandom you wrote for?

Castle, way back in the day!

20. Favourite fic you've ever written?

Declining to answer this one on grounds of a case of imposter syndrome today.

Tagging: @tessaservopoulos @seethesunny @bumblepony @ameerawrites @hypnotisedfireflies and whoever else wants to share!

#txt #about kayli

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maniacwatchestheworld · 1 year

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figured I should reply to your response so here goes: I understand where you're coming from, I would love it too if they made Harvey or Bruce or both of them queer! It would fit, open up narrative opportunities and also simply be nice, considering how much if a staple Batman is in pop culture. And like I said in the other ask it's a possibility that Harvey gets to be made bi eventually, moreso than Bruce.

However, while DC did recently realize they have a growing demographic of lgbt+ people or allies that like reading their stories and started acknowledging that part of the fandom more, it is still a giant company ran and owned by predominantly straight (old) men. Is representation getting better? yes! but it is not anywhere near the point where DC would let their editors sign off on making their flagship queer because the majority of their readers is not queer themselves and the loudest part of them are actively against representation. Have you seen the reactions to that panel where it looked like Bruce and Khoa almost kissed? This one might have been DC testing the waters and the loudest reactions were overwhelmingly negative or confused. Do you know the Telltale games? The devs wanted to make Bruce bi to allow the players to romance more characters but DC vetoed that decision. Yes, there are prominent queer characters in DC but most of them are either wlw like Ivy or Harley, young or teenage characters like Tim Drake or characters that have always been queer and only later became more popular like Constantine or Ghostmaker. This doesn't make them bad rep, not at all! but these are characters that are more "safe" to make queer either because they are minor characters or because their male readers won't feel as "threatened" (which is stupid ofc queer rep doesn't threaten anyone but that's what bigots say they are "threatened") by them because they're young or wlw. DC has a problem with adding queer rep for their pre-existing adult male characters, it is getting better but it is still there.

For the part about TwoFace showing up a lot recently: I get why it would seem like they are pushing him for some unspecified reason lately but they are doing this with all of their rogues from time to time. You gave an example yourself: "Like did the Riddler get this much love when the The Batman movie came out?" Yes: The movie, Dano's comic run, Killing Time, the story arc right before the current TEC run, getting the first comic in the One Bad Day series, the appearances in the Audio Adventures, showing up in Batman Unburied and that version getting his own spin-off podcast, appearances in other comics or the HQ show and ofc that comic in last year's Valentine's anthology. They did have him appear in multiple projects including as a lead character, but so far that didn't really build up to anything. On the contrary, DC had implicitly confirmed him as bi in the Valentine's short over a year ago but so far his queerness has not come up again in comics, not even implicitly. The HQ show made him gay, yes, but the HQ show is made for a different demographic than regular DC canon and also got to make other characters queer too without that having any bearing on the comics. And the Riddler is a character that has been queercoded a lot more over the years than Harvey has, so if DC is this vague (and that's what that Valentine's comic was, it was very very vague to give plausible deniability) about the queerness of a character who most readers probably read as fem or queer in a majority of his appearances anyways, then they will most likely be even more vague about characters like Harvey or Bruce, who most readers read as very masculine straight men.

Again I am not trying to ruin your fun, I completely agree with you that making Harvey or Bruce queer would be great and that DC should just do it! They should not care about alienating their straight audience and could gain a lot of queer fans! But it is not very likely that they will and if they do anything in that direction at all it unfortunately most likely will only be some vague hint at Harvey's sexuality that can be brushed off as just something good friends would say or do (like they did with Riddler's Valentine's comic). Which is unfortunate but as long as most of the decisions at DC are made by (conservative) straight men it is better to not get your hopes up too much or else you'll get disappointed

Sadly (?) I don't have nearly as much to say here. This is just an excellently formulated response. And thank you for answering my question in regards to rogues getting random spikes of love from the company! I've only been in comics fandom for ~3 months, so there's still a lot I don't know, especially when it comes to general comic trends. This was very informative and I do greatly appreciate it!

Ultimately, we can't tell what the future holds until we get there, but I am glad that at the very least, you agree with me that making Harvey and/or Bruce queer would be the right call for DC to make, even if it's unlikely.

But just one possible counterpoint... Someone at DC had to sign off on Gotham Knights, right? The CW ain't exactly a bastion of queer representation given how they famously sent Castiel to superhell at the end of Supernatural and how they made Jughead straight (as far as I can tell) in Riverdale even though he's ace in the comics. And yet one of the main characters of Gotham Knights is confirmed to be trans in the very first episode! While general LGBT representation is getting a lot better these days, trans representation for main characters is still fairly unheard of. If any show is going to have the sheer gumption and audacity (/pos) to make Bruce Wayne interested in men, it would be Gotham Knights! And I think there is a decently good chance that Harvey will get into a mlm relationship in this show if the kids are already being confirmed as queer!

Is it likely? Probably not. But it is possible!

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fmhiphop · 2 years

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National African American Museum Set to Host Hip-Hop Block Party

This world-renowned center of black history is celebrating African American art with a major block party this upcoming August. A Block Party to Remember The National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC) has announced plans to throw a rap block party. The Smithsonian released a promotional poster and official statement last week, detailing the exciting event. https://twitter.com/NMAAHC/status/1536317666113294338 According to the Smithsonian, the block party is packed with “performances by local and national talent, presentations and activities that explore hip-hop music’s origins and cultural influence”. To honor the one-year anniversary of the Smithsonian Anthology of Hip-Hop and Rap, a public celebration is scheduled for Saturday, Aug 13. Rap fans and black history buffs will have plenty of time to enjoy the music and festivities. The block party will run from 11 am - 11 pm. If you can snag a ticket, you’ll be treated to performances by O Slice, Yungmanny, Phuzz, and Mimi Fresh just to name a few. One notable performer is D-Smoke, a contender in season 1 of The Rap Game on Netflix. DC is famous for its thriving block party scene. Capital Pride Block Party, The Block Party Carnival, and the HUSL Block Party are just a few of the yearly events the area hosts. Along with its bustling brunch culture and the go-go music scene, DC is a nonstop hub for black culture And camaraderie. The Smithsonian Anthology of Hip-Hop and Rap has already received glowing reception in its first year. Luckily, party patrons will be able to explore the museum displays during the building's routine hours. If you're a local foodie, there's a reason to stop by. The Sweet Home Café, located inside the building, will be serving “hip hop-inspired” cuisine. The live performances will take place inside The National Museum of African American History and Cultures first floor. There will also be an outdoor stage a short distance from the museum. Recognizing Black Music as History In addition to the block party, the Smithsonian is also premiering the seventh installment of its ongoing web series gOD-Talk 2.0: Hip-Hop & #BlackFaith. This series features several accomplished rappers and academics having enriching discussions about the culture. This special new episode promises to “explore the relationship between hip-hop culture and Black expressions of faith and spirituality.” You can tune in on Facebook Live Sunday, Aug 14 to catch the episode. The associate director for curatorial affairs for NMAAHC Dwandalyn Reece is all on board. She spoke about her excitement for the event in a recent statement. “The origins of hip-hop and rap rest in community where people gathered together in basements, on street corners, neighborhood dance parties and community shows to tell the stories of the people and places that brought it to life in a language all its own.” She began. “It is only fitting that NMAAHC celebrates the one-year anniversary of the Smithsonian Anthology of Hip-Hop and Rap with a block party in our front yard. Like a true block party, we invite all ages to come together to enjoy activities and performances in honor of the museum’s greatest homage to the music and culture of hip-hop.” She explained. Truly, this upcoming August has plenty in store for DC's history and music buffs. Visit the official event site for tickets and further details. Also, Follow FM Hip Hop on Instagram and Facebook Dreema Carrington|IG: @dr3amgirl79 | Twitter: @notdreema Read the full article

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committeeof100 · 11 months

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A brief explanation of the world of Anthology of American folk music, the short story series I am presently working on

Around let’s say 2020 (the year is not important) conservatives control all of American government in an increasingly teneous geopolitical standing

And so in a last ditch effort to maintain global supremacy the US pulls out all the stops and declares war on all non western countries in order to protect its trade routes and markets and ensure consumptive flow and production by introducing more low wage workers kidnapped from warzones

A major group which emerges in the fighting are mercenaries who either come from bloodied lineages with ties to America or reactionary movements who work for the US government and eventually increasingly become present in police action at home as the fighting abroad begins to sour

Many of these mercenaries eventually come to work under the Library of Congress who formulate them into the Army for the Remembrance of Content or ARC, as the federal American government begins to weaken, which it finally virtually collapses with the nuking of DC

With DC nuked (by unknown actors, perhaps the Library of Congress themselves, or their rivals in the Smithsonian in some suicide attempt after a merger) the ARC and LOC move their operations to (you guessed it) Michigan, even prior to this nuking they had many feelers in the state.

Several major warlords emerge from the ashes to secure their control over Michigan, though none are able to fully do it

Perhaps the most notable of these is a former academic known as Ronald Reagan II whose pederastic appetites have been sated by the LOC and ARC after he began to supply them with Heroin.

Heroin and drugs become a practical currency, serving as a recruiting tool for the ARC as the mercenary lineages begin to decrease in number. This creates also a demand for a new drug in the face of potiental subservience to Reagan II’s project.

Another notable figure who emerges is Bobby Symanski (this universe’s unabomber) who becomes the emperor of the Upper Penisula.

A recurring figure in this story whose role has yet to be fully decided is Uthman Ibn Al-Mawt, the son of an Iraqi Ba’athist official whose reputation is one of violence in the war, yet in reality is not nearly as bad as the people he works for

The future follows mostly the ARC, who long ago fully merged with the LOC with the main goal of preserving music. The ARC has a series of kidnapped and brainwashed children who serve as its collectors and mechanics in order to ensure their cultural supremacy, and perhaps one day lend their backing to a worthy warlord who will allow the restoration of civilization

Many of the future’s factions will be recognizable as having roots in the stories in the present/past, with The Imperial Real of DaYoop, the Republic of Trawerse, NeuNederland, Halamazue (the only truly new polity in the future), the Soviet of Keecago-Derought, The Oonited States, and The Sultanate of Al-Meshegaan all having traceable origins in the past.

There’s also flashbacks to previous points in American history- I’m mostly thinking the American “Revolution”, the Civil war, the Nixon presidency and the Reagan presidency (the American Rev and Reagan Presidency stories are already written!)

Want to read some of this world??? Check out my medium: Debs Guffaw

Substack: Committee of 100

#short story #lore #worldbuilding #fiction #creative writing #michigan #diet sci-fi #spectulative fiction #alternate history #historical fiction

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momachan · 1 month

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DC Pride: The New Generation (DC Cultural Anthologies (2021).

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rockislandadultreads · 2 years

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Picks for PRIDE: Queer Graphic Novels & Manga

My Lesbian Experience with Loneliness by Kabi Nagata, Jocelyne Allen (Translator)

My Lesbian Experience with Loneliness is an honest and heartfelt look at one young woman’s exploration of her sexuality, mental well-being, and growing up in our modern age. Told using expressive artwork that invokes both laughter and tears, this moving and highly entertaining single volume depicts not only the artist’s burgeoning sexuality, but many other personal aspects of her life that will resonate with readers.

My Brother's Husband, Volume 1 by Gengoroh Tagame, Anne Ishii (Translator)

Yaichi is a work-at-home suburban dad in contemporary Tokyo; formerly married to Natsuki, father to their young daughter, Kana. Their lives suddenly change with the arrival at their doorstep of a hulking, affable Canadian named Mike Flanagan, who declares himself the widower of Yaichi's estranged gay twin, Ryoji. Mike is on a quest to explore Ryoji's past, and the family reluctantly but dutifully takes him in. What follows is an unprecedented and heartbreaking look at the state of a largely still-closeted Japanese gay culture: how it's been affected by the West, and how the next generation can change the preconceptions about it and prejudices against it.

Love Is Love: A Comic Book Anthology to Benefit the Survivors of the Orlando Pulse Shooting by Marc Andreyko (Editor)

The comic industry comes together in honor of those killed in Orlando. Co-published by two of the premiere publishers in comics—DC and IDW, this oversize comic contains moving and heartfelt material from some of the greatest talent in comics, mourning the victims, supporting the survivors, celebrating the LGBTQ community, and examining love in today’s world. All material has been kindly donated by the writers, artists, and editors with all proceeds going to victims, survivors, and their families. Be a part of an historic comics event! It doesn’t matter who you love. All that matters is you love.

Bury the Lede by Gaby Dunn, Claire Roe

Twenty-one-year-old Madison T. Jackson is already the star of the Emerson College student newspaper when she nabs a coveted night internship at Boston’s premiere newspaper, The Boston Lede. The job’s simple: do whatever the senior reporters tell you to do, from fetching coffee to getting a quote from a grieving parent. It’s grueling work, so when the murder of a prominent Boston businessman comes up on the police scanner, Madison races to the scene of the grisly crime. There, Madison meets the woman who will change her life forever: prominent socialite Dahlia Kennedy, who is covered in gore and being arrested for the murder of her family. The newspapers put everyone they can in front of her with no results until, with nothing to lose, Madison gets a chance – and unexpectedly barrels headfirst into danger she never anticipated.

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mikazuki-juuichi · 2 years

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Reading diary.

- Batman: The world. (Various)

I’ve been reading several DC and Marvel anthologies this month —was planning to simply make a general overview of them at the end. This one, though, is curious enough to merit an individual blurb.

“The world” is an anthology featuring 14 tales, each set in a different country and made by writers and artists from the country in question —herein the curiosity. Assorted cultures’ take on the iconic comic book superhero (sometimes guest-starring other famous DC characters).

At worst this kind of international anthology but focused on a US property can feel somewhat like a tourist travel brochure —like a continuation of Disney’s “Saludos, Amigos” and “The three caballeros” (I’ve ALSO been watching more media inspired by those two films. To be sure, there is something at once fascinating and puzzling about the very existence of the characters Jose Carioca and Panchito Pistoles —their actual impact on Latino culture, both good and bad, say).

At best, these can serve as an invitation for readers to seek more of other cultures’ output, to expand one’s repertoire.

Did this anthology accomplish the second? Or did people just plain saw a curiosity and moved on? That, to be honest, is up to each person. I’m more interested in what kind of stories this little experiment produced.

So let’s go by nations:

- An intro from the US that compares Gotham City to a wife. So-so start, but with lovely art.

- Europe —the largest section, encompassing eight countries (France, Spain, Italy, Germany, Czech Republic, Russia, Turkey, Poland). To different degrees they feel like their statement is “Well, THIS is what we have that you in America don’t have”. Which is not to say they are of bad quality. Some propose rather unique concepts —some are happy to just be “Batman visits X tourist town”.

- Latin-America (Mexico and Brazil) —these are much more interested in social ills (unchecked, highly violent crime fueled by political corruption —and the way US intervention only serves to exacerbate those problems), with a certain spattering of… shall we call it ‘Magical Realism’ or just plain ‘Fantasy elements’?

- Asia (South Korea, China, Japan) —and these are much more interested in just plain having fun. Interestingly they feel almost like a response to all the previous stories: There’s social ills, discussions of technological use for criminology, and talks about censorship. But all take a rather tongue-in-cheek approach to it, peppered with a certain mix of humor and action.

On the whole, a comic that can well serve as an introduction to… the world, as the title says.

Not bad!

*

#reading diary #batman the world #dc comics #anthology

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graphicpolicy · 2 years

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DC and Milestone Reveal more details about Milestones In History

DC and Milestone Reveal more details about Milestones In History #comics #comicbooks

DC and Milestone Media have revealed new artwork and story details on their upcoming one-shot anthology, Milestones In History. Initially announced during last year’s DC FanDome, this anthology combines an unprecedented collection of writers from traditional literature, entertainment, culture, and social activism with celebrated comic book artists to celebrate Black people throughout world…

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thenightling · 2 years

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Who are The Hecateae?

In issue 2 Neil Gaiman’s The Sandman we are introduced to a trio of witches known as The Hecateae. Someone in my Sandman Facebook group asked me about them. Part of why you might not know who they are is because Neil accidentally invented a new spelling for the name.

The original spelling should probably have been Hecataea. It all originates with Hecate, the Greek Goddess of magick and witchcraft. In modern neo-Paganism the concept of the Triple Goddess is very popular. Maiden, Mother, and Crone.

Their sigil is usually the waxing, full, and waning moon respectively.

Neil Gaiman uses the Maiden, Mother, and Crone a lot in The Sandman. With the Hecataea, and Eve, for example. Eve can transform to a Maiden form, Mother, and Crone. And the story behind this is told in issue 40 of The Sandman, A Parliament of Rooks. The story talks about how Adam may have had three wives, or they may have all been the same woman. And how “both” are true.

Three women, as a powerful magical force, is popular in folklore and mythology. There’s also The Fates of Greek Mythology, and the Furies AKA The Kindly Ones. The Norse had The Norns. In The Sandman Neil treats them all as aspects of the same entity.

When Morpheus summons The Hecataea in issue 2 of The Sandman “Imperfect hosts” he refers to them as Clotho, Lachesis, and Atropos. This is the name of the Fates (Moirai) in mythology. However these characters answer to Cynthia, Mildred and Mordred (Sometimes corrected to Morgan or Morgain). This is because The Three Witches used these names in their own horror anthology comic “The Witching Hour.” Nearly every character introduced in The Sandman issue 2 was an old horror anthology comic host. The title of the issue was a pun. “Imperfect hosts.”

The horror hosts introduced in this issue are Cain, Abel, Lucien, The Three Witches (The Hecataea), Eve (Also known as The Raven Woman), The Mad Mod Witch (Fashion Thing), and Destiny (now Destiny of The Endless). Cain, who began as DC’s equivalent to EC’s The Crypt Keeper, hosted The House of Mystery. Abel hosted The House of Secrets. Lucien hosted Tales of Ghost Castle (which is retroactively Morpheus’s castle in The Sandman). The Three witches hosted The Witching Hour. You get the idea.

But before they were even horror hosts, the trio was an architype common in folklore and popular culture. You will find that in most works of folklore and fiction if it’s not a witch acting alone, she’s usually in a coven of three. They’re not literally a Maiden (virgin or child-like), Mother, and Crone. Sometimes they just fit the physical appearance or personalities heavily associated with these concepts.

A popular famous example of this is Disney’s Hocus Pocus. Winifred, the leader, is the Crone of the group as she is the leader and most cantankerous. She’s also the eldest sister. Mary, the middle sister, is a bit heavier and is maternal toward her sisters. She loves food and loves to cook and care for her siblings. This is the mother. And Sarah (though not virginal) is the most child-like. Much like Cynthia in The Hecataea, she is surprisingly sensual and a bit dim.

Another good example is Terry Pratchett’s Wyrd Sisters who served as a parody on the trope, particularly from Shakespeare’s famous play.

Disney’s Gargoyles even had a version of The Sisters. In that continuity they are of Oberon’s court, meaning that they are fae folk. But much like The Endless in Neil Gaiman’s The Sandman their appearance changes based on who is addressing them. Goliath and his clan of Gargoyles saw them as human children. Demona saw them as woman Gargoyles (as she does not like or trust humans). MacBeth saw them as human women.

There’s also the Hex Girls in Scooby Doo and The Witch’s Ghost.

A helpful version of the three appear in the Fairy tale The Three Spinners where, like Rumpelstiltskin, they aid a girl who is forced to spin for a king.

Once you start to notice it, you realize the three turn up a lot in pop culture. It’s also common in religion. In Christianity there’s The Father, son, and Holy Spirit. Goethe’s Faust has Pagan roots despite its use of demons, Angels, and God. In fact the entity at the end may well be the Triple Goddess as she is referred to as “Virgin, Mother, and now Queen. Goddess grant your mercies.” - A. S. Kline translation of Goethe’s Faust Part 2. It’s no surprise that this also fits the Virgin Mary. A Maiden and a Mother, and also Queen (as opposed to Crone).

Note: Sometimes the Maiden, Mother, and Crone are actually referred to as Maiden, Mother, and Queen as it’s considered more respectful.

In The Sandman, at one point, Morpheus refers to the three-in-one as Witch Queen.

Again, this is because of the roots with Hecate, Goddess of Magick and spells. The neopagan popularity of The Triple Goddess also helps perpetuate the archetype. Almost every witch coven has three (sometimes four) members. Three is considered the sacred number. And once you notice it, you’ll start to see the Maiden, Mother, and Crone in a lot of things.

I will also point out here that though it’s popular to consider Midnight The Witching Hour, the actual traditional Witching Hour is three AM or as Ray Bradbury called it in Something Wicked This way Comes, The Soul’s Midnight.

Neil Gaiman takes the Hecataea and also uses The three-in-one for The Furies AKA The Kindly Ones.

#The Hecataea #Hecateae #The Witching Hour #The Sandman #Sandman #Neil Gaiman

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