#i think the last time i read a green lantern book was like

[konboyblues]

me when i have to read a green lantern book after seven million years bc phillip kennedy johnson namedropped kryl ux

#green lantern: war journal #phillip kennedy johnson #real talk #kryl ux #dc comics #i think the last time i read a green lantern book was like #early college #maybe even high school #💀💀💀

[ogzieoggleton]

PLEASE REBLOG. I LIKE HAVING LOTS OF VOTES FOR THE MOST FAIR OUTCOME (but font if you don't want to, obviously)

Edit: thanks to everyone reblogging it so far, I think its really helping our:)

So. My plan fir my fanfic is below the poll and I need to decide if I want it to be post crystallised (pre dragons rising) or an alternative version of crystallised.

Lloyd and Wu go to a coffee shop/library and find Garmadon running the place..

Lloyd examined the room to notice all the books and scrolls scattered around the large space, he also took the time to acknowledge his father's new look: Garmadon wore a white button-up shirt tucked into a pair of black and slightly baggy trousers that were held up by a brown belt with a shiny golden buckle, his hair was tied back inro a messy ponytail that hung low on his neck, his long ears that supported the gold-framed, red-tinted galses that rested on his face.

Filled with nerves, anger, amd resentment, the green ninja looked to the floor to avoid making eye contact with the oni that turned around to look at them as he spoke to his younger brother, his eyes catching a glimpse at his father's long black boots that hid his shins, his long, fluffy tail stealing Lloyd’s attention while his sensei and father yapped in the background of his hearing.

Looking up and around, the room itself was gorgeous; neat wooded palettes decorated the floor and shone in the lantern light that lit up the comfortably dim room that was filled with wooden bookshelves containing books of history and scrolls from ancient times that explored the ideas of artifacts and mysteries withing tombs from the nearby and very distant lands - or so Lloyd could assume.

-Garmadon and Wu discuss things while the Ninja look around slightly

While he continued to tune the conversation out, the green ninja peeked a look at the green book cover that his father held in his sooty hands and inwardly jumped when he read the title 'Departed realm and souls within'. Invested but absolutely alarmed, Lloyd was disappointed when Garmadon must have felt the book slipping from his grasp he moved it behind the other book he clutched in his arms to conveniently display that title aswell: 'Peices of people and how to find them.'

Although the last seemed like a fictional novel, Lloyd still couldn't help but reflect on the many times Garmadon claimed to have 'needed to find his true self' before helping them with the overlord and his army.

#lord garmadon #garmadon #ninjago #lloyd garmadon #ninjago lloyd #ninjago wu #ninjago fanfiction #lloyd ninjago

[scribe-of-maat]

Ranking DC Pride 2023

9. Love’s Lightning Heart (???, ???)

Starring The Flashlight and The Flash, I think? When he called the dude “Ray” in the beginning I thought it was gonna be The Ray, you know? This only scores so low because I’m not at ALL familiar with anything Multiversity and this story especially seemed to be absolutely thick with that corner of DC lore. I get there’s a Parallax type of thing happening but... this was kind of hard to follow for a payoff that’s pretty lukewarm if you’re not well-versed in who this story’s about.

8. My Best Bet (Jon Kent/Superman, John Constantine

This is hit especially hard in my ranking because it’s the last story in the book and the only thing DC Pride about it is that it stars two Bs. They’re popular queer characters but I’m here for stories that are specifically ABOUT LGBT stuff, not about LGBT people doing stuff. There’s nothing to really talk about here.

7. Found (Xanthe Zhou, Batwoman/Kate Kane)

I’ve been meaning to read Spirit World, and since I hadn’t gotten around to it Xanthe being LGBT was a surprise to me, but not as much as Kate Kane showing up was. It feels like someone threw a dartboard at WLW women and plopped in whoever came up, cuz I guarantee if I flip the newest Batwoman issue open to a random page she’ll have a girlfriend-slash-situationship that won’t be too happy about her seeming receptive to some flirting. But hey, I like Xanthe more now so there’s give-and-take.

6. And Baby Makes Three (Xiomara Rojas/Crush, Harleen Quinzel/Harley Quinn, Pamela Isley/Poison Ivy)

I like Crush. I can’t claim to have read much of her, because for now that means enduring way too much Damian Wayne, but she seems like an incredibly interesting character. But I could not tell you why she’s here with Harley and Ivy. This, moreso than anything else, has a less than negative chance of being referenced again and it’s giving me even more of that dartboard feeling the last story did. Plus if there’s one thing Harlivy can do, it’s carry a story by themselves. I wish we’d gotten something about JUST Crush, is what I’m saying. I feel like this was a status update for Crush, like her washing ashore was meant to bridge the gap between this story and whatever she was doing the last time she showed up.

5. Teamwork Makes the Dream Work (Natasha Irons/Steel, Nubia)

Listen, I will always have space in my heart for the Irons family. I love Natasha, and I love John Henry, and when DC lets either out of the ether every other year I’m front and center. That, and the recent super-push Nubia has been enjoying made this story one I was pretty excited to read when I realized who it was about. But THIS ART. These faces are TRASH. Even without looking it up I feel like there’s a 0% chance DC would give a nonblack artist this story, so it makes it especially confusing as to why the characters look like THAT. The actual content was fun and even though Io needs to come up off our queen posthaste, I didn’t have any (other) complaints. But it’s SOOOOO UGLYYYYY.

4. The Dance ( Minhkhoa Khan/Ghost-Makes, Thomas Blake/Catman)

I knew Ghost-Maker was bi prior to reading this, somehow. I’ve been meaning to read anything about him because his design is so awesome but I was only really guessing this was Catman alongside him. I really don’t know anything about him, so this ranks so highly just because of Ghost-Maker. I don’t really have anything else to add here since this story’s ultimate purpose seems to just show off muscley dudes post-sex.

3. Anniversary (Lucas Trent/Midnighter, Andrew Pulaski/Apollo, Alan Scott/Green Lantern)

These showcases tend to have like, one story that directly addresses inequality if you’re lucky. This is that story, and it’s such a good one. Midnighter and Apollo’s fame as the canon gay Superbat sort of eclipses anything else about them, but that reputation is put to excellent effect here. Plus, Alan Scott, one of my favorite Green Lanterns, finally shows up. Revitalizing that old slogan to make it clear the LGBT isn’t going anywhere was fun, too.

2. Subspace Transmission (Jules Jourdain/Circuit Breaker, Jess Chambers/The Flash, Andy Curry/Aquawoman)

Jess was an extremely fun and memorable character from the start like, half a decade ago and that holds true here. I was super uninvested in the Circuit Breaker part of this story. I don’t know who that is, and even after reading this I genuinely don’t care. This made my heart hurt for more Teen Justice and Future State stuff in general. That Jackson Hyde cameo at the end was also perfect.

1. Hey, Stranger (Connor Hawke/Hawke, Tim Drake/Robin)

I was definitely in diapers the last time these two characters spoke to each other. When there’s been THAT big a gap in timeframe I can’t be sure how emotional a reunion can be to a modern readership. None of that matters to my enjoyment, because Connor Hawke is far and away my favorite Arrowfam member and his recent resurgence (even if too much of it is attached to Damian Wayne for my taste) has been such a blessing. DC only trots this guy out three times a year but god do we eat good each time. They just need to do a LITTLE more with him.

#dc pride 2023 #tim drake #connor hawke #jules jourdain #andy curry #jess chambers #robin #hawke #green arrow #batfam #arrowfam #aquawoman #aquafam #aquaman #jackson hyde #midnighter #apollo #alan scott #green lantern #catman #thomas blake #minkhoa khan #ghost-maker #natasha irons #steel #superfam #nubia prince #Hermione Granger #nubia #wonderfam

[tommarvoloriddlesdiary]

Love prompt #18 (why can't you just accept my help?), Harry time travels back to when Tom is in his early Hogwarts days before he discovers his identity and is having a hard time.

thank you for giving me a prompt! this was fun, and it got longer than i intended. honestly, it could be even longer 🤦 but i decided to cut it off. i hope you like it, anon! and if anyone else wants to send a prompt, please feel free. you can make your own or pick from here.

-

“Up late again, Riddle?”

Tom didn’t easily startle. He supposed it came from growing up in an orphanage where the walls were thin, and there was no such thing as privacy. With no locks on the door and no way to stop whoever from entering whenever they wanted. So when Harry Potter had entered the common room in the dead of night and hovered by the alcove to the dormitory stairs, watching and contemplating whether or not he would say something, Tom had known immediately. 

He had felt those green eyes staring like a cool rain on the back of his neck. Something about them was profoundly unnatural, especially now in the dying light of the fireplace, the sparse candle-lit lanterns, and the single stick Tom had beside him for reading. 

Tom expected their world-weary sombre during these times of war, but there was something greater to their depths. Much like the Black Lakes’ green-tinged water from the window on the far side of the common room, hinting at what could be beneath the surface but so vast that once one tried to see past the few tens or so metres in front of them, they only found deep inscrutable darkness. 

Tom turned away from Potter’s never-ending green and continued to read through the never-ending book before him. Picking a poison, his thoughts supplied unhelpfully. “No, Potter. I am obviously a figment of your imagination.” Tom felt Potter’s careful approaching steps pause and couldn’t help the small smile that tugged at the corner of his mouth, “It’s rather revealing that you think of me enough to consider that a possibility.”

Potter huffed, his steps louder with his ire towards Tom, “I don’t think about you, Riddle.”

“Then why are you here?” And though Tom asked it with an air of indifference, he was curious. 

Potter was odd. He arrived at the start of the year with little to no fanfare: an introduction, a pat on the back, and a timetable of classes. He blended in with the Slytherins and was welcomed with passing intrigue; after all, a mysterious Potter child appearing out of the woodwork so late in his magical education was something to pitter about. However, his confidently revealed halfblood status hadn’t earned him any favours or lasting interest.

And with his odd attachment to Tom, of all people, Slytherin House’s poor little orphan mudblood—Tom’s jaw clenched at the thought—Potter indeed hadn’t remained coveted company. 

Potter fell into the seat across from Tom, a low-backed inky-black tufted velvet armchair, and shrugged. “I couldn’t sleep. When I got up to wash my face, you weren’t in bed. I thought-“ Potter’s mouth moved in odd shapes like he was making words but couldn’t produce their sounds. Eventually, he gave up with another smaller shrug.

Tom’s gracious mood was steadily declining. He wasn’t Potter’s pity project. He didn’t need a minder. “Potter, your misplaced feelings of concern or whatever odd obsession you have with trying to be my friend are unnecessary and unappreciated.”

It had only been once during Potter’s time here—but clearly the boy was holding onto it much longer than Tom—that Tom had an…unfortunate after-hour run-in with some of the older Slytherins. He had given as good as he got and begrudgingly acknowledged that Potter’s spontaneous arrival and subsequent assistance had been a significant factor in Tom’s more-than-minor but less-than-major injuries. 

It didn’t mean he had to be grateful to Potter or anything. He certainly wasn’t grateful Potter had seen him so battered and weak. So stupidly helpless.

It hadn’t helped that after the incident, Potter, who had mainly been avoiding everyone and especially Tom, had become his unrelenting shadow. And given Tom’s vicious nature and Potter’s clear competency in Defense, they had only become further ostracised in their House. Though, somewhat pleasingly, the avoidance seemed more out of fear than disgust.

Potter frowned, “I don’t get your problem, Riddle. What’s the big deal? Is it so bad that I like hanging out with you?”

Hanging out? More like hanging around, Tom sighed. “You don’t like ‘hanging out’ with me. And the ‘big deal’ is you clearly have some sort of saviour complex. You aren’t interested in who I am or what I’m doing,” and Tom rathered Potter to stay that way, “you’re just latching on to someone you think is hapless. Making yourself feel better about your own life and situation by ‘helping’ me.”

Tom glanced up from his text, Potter’s face was comically agape in horror. He continued, “I’ve seen you talking with that Hufflepuff half-giant. It’s the same for him. You like outcasts because you know that with your own halfblood status in the Wizarding World, you’ll never truly be accepted even though you’ll get much farther and have greater opportunities readily available than any of us. You enjoy that sparkly look he has in his eyes when you talk to him, and you want me to treat you with the same sort of awe and admiration for daring to stand by my side and associate with someone so far ‘below’ you.”

Tom’s chin held high throughout his little speech. Confident in his deduction of Potter’s inner thoughts and machinations. But then Potter started laughing.

And laughing. And laughing.

He laughed so long and hard that Tom feared someone would come and find them. Students hating him was one thing, but Tom had nearly every professor eating out of the palm of his hand and would like to keep things that way. He hissed, “Potter will you cease your incessant laughter.”

It took several more moments and several large, inhaled breaths before Potter could manage to pull himself together. And when he did, it was simply to shake his head and say, “Riddle. For someone so arrestingly smart, you are an idiot.”

Tom was struck speechless. He’d never been called an idiot before. And never by a person barely passing something as simple as Divination, of all things. 

“Why can’t you just accept my help?” Potter asked after a small beat of silence. “I’m probably the only person around you that doesn’t have shitty intentions. And I am interested in you and what you’re doing.” He stood up from the chair to pick up one of the other tomes Tom had scattered on the table before him. “I know you’re trying really hard to learn more about yourself. That you think you aren’t just a muggleborn. I believe you.”

Tom blinked once, blank-faced. Potter believed him?

Potter flipped quickly through the pages of the genealogy book Tom had discarded as useless, with no trace of the name Riddle anywhere. He stopped suddenly and turned the book towards Tom, holding it open on his lap, the spine of the book against his stomach, “You talk to the snake carvings, and sometimes the portraits with snakes scattered around the dungeons and some of the upper floors when you think no one is looking. I’m looking.” Potter points to a single name: Marvolo Gaunt. “Parseltongue is a Slytherin trait. Extremely rare in England. Only one family left alive is known to speak it.”

Tom’s eyes, which had been staring at the name in shock and wonder and elation and confusion, found Potter’s again and saw no expectation. No mischief, ridicule, or pride in showing Tom the errors of his desperate searching. Tom saw no building exchange, no intelligent, craftily prepared trade for Potter’s revealing of Tom’s most sought-after answer. 

Tom simply saw hope. He saw Potter’s open and encouraging face. He saw Potter’s desire for Tom’s happiness—not his appreciation or gratitude. 

At the realisation, something warm and coiling had settled in the centre of Tom’s chest. And suddenly, those fathomless green eyes were the clearest shards of sea glass, exposing the wonders of wreckages and treasures and the unexplored if Tom would only dive in. 

#tomarry #tomarrymort #harrymort #pov: tom #my fic #1.3k words #prompt ask #this was fun #i hope you like it #i'm not sure if it'll meet expectations 🫣

[alwayschasingrainbows]

Whats your fav LMM novel? Please rank from the most you like to the least you like. Thank you 😊.cn.

Thank you for this question! First of all, I am very sorry it took me so long to answer, but I have to say it was a difficult choice for me (Sophie's choice, one might even say).

Before I start, I want to give a little disclaimer: there are some books I haven't read in ages. For example, I was the biggest fan of Anne series back in the days - I read Anne of Green Gables at the age of 8 and I remember loving it so much.

But then, I read other Montgomery's novels and loved them... even more. While Anne's books are still close to my heart, I haven't read them in years, while I still keep coming back to other books. That is something I should definitely change - if I reread Anne series (and Maud's other books) and my rating changes, I'll make a new list!

That being said, Anne of Green Gables is definitely the most iconic Montgomery's book - it is a beautiful, heart-warming tale of coming of age - and Anne herself is the most iconic female character Montgomery had ever created.

Ok, the disclaimer was very long, but I needed to make things clear, for Anne series is only listed as fourth - but not because I don't enjoy it, but because I need to reread it...

Oh, and another thing: I only included the novels, not short stories.

Emily of New Moon trilogy - my absolute favourite. I know many people have issues with these books and I understand this. Still, that's my number one. I must say I was not too satisfied with an ending of Emily Climbs (2nd book) and the last chapter of Emily's Quest (3rd) seems very rushed (although I like the way it ended... generally). All three have the first place ex aequo.

The Blue Castle - very close second. I love this book so much. In my opinion, Valarney is the best romance Maud had ever written. It is a lovely book - full of humour and fantastic characters; the one I keep coming back to each time I need a little cheering up. It never fails to do so. But oh, poor Cissy...

Rilla of Ingleside - it is probably the saddest book Montgomery ever wrote, but it is just so beautiful. Rilla is the heroine that goes through the biggest inner change... My favourite things about this book were: Rilla and Jims's relationship and Rilla's development. I wasn't into the romance there, tbh. Also... Walter... (tearing up).

Anne series - I will rank the books from my most to less favourite among the series: Anne of Green Gables, Anne of Island, Anne of Avonlea, Anne of Windy Poplars, Anne of Ingleside, Rainbow Valley, Anne's House of Dreams, The Blythes Are Quoted. That being said, I really liked all of them, but I still can't get over Joy (that's why AHoD is so low. I mostly like reading about Anne pre-motherhood, even though I also adore all her children... I know, I just contradicted myself...).

Story Girl and Golden Road - I adore stories about childhood friendships and this one doesn't fail! The only sad thing - Cecily's fate :(. But truth be told, I got the impression that the King children acted a bit young for their age... on the other hand, maybe that's the way things used to be in the past.

Jane of Lantern Hill - another great book! Jane is very different from other Montgomery's heroines - she's so practical! I adore her as a character.

Magic for Marigold - I remember loving this book, but... I haven't read it in ages. I need to change that.

Tangled Web - I have some issues with the book (the racism, marrying close relatives etc.). But on the whole, I enjoyed it. I liked some stories more, some less... and one can get lost among all these Darks and Penhallows (I always get their last names wrong, even though there are only two choices!).

Pat of Silver Bush and Mistress Pat - another series I haven't read in ages. But I wasn't too fond of these books as a child - I couldn't understand Pat too well... But I really liked Hilary. I think I should give the series another try someday... maybe I'll like them more now.

Kilmeny of The Orchard - the only Montgomery's book that I dislike... no sparkling humor. No lovable characters. Ideal Kilmeny... stuck up Eric... and the awful references towards Italians. No sir, thank you. Not me.

Ok, that's my list. I feel the need to say that I find all of Montgomery's books delightful. Even Kilmeny of The Orchard had some lovely descriptions of the nature...

I truly hope that I haven't offended anyone. I am really curious what other Montgomery's fans rating would be...

Again, thank you for this question!!!!

#lm montgomery #emily of new moon #anne of green gables #tangled web #the blue castle #pat of silver bush #magic for marigold #story girl #kilmeny of the orchard #montgomery's books

[themyscirah]

Jess? Or Hal? For the ask game (And if you've done both of them, just pick your favorite super)

I haven't done either yet! I'll do Hal in this post and maybe Jess in another after this

Tw for canonical past suicide for later in the post (skip the story idea section)

First impression:

My real first encounter with him was probably as a guest appearance within Green Lanterns, but the first book I read with him was GL/GA. I don't remember too much of what I thought of him there, it was probably more of a general "oh he seems cool I guess" kind of neutral/positive attitude. By the time I read a Hal comic I'd already met Simon, Jess, and Jo so he wasn't a contender for the spot of my favorite lantern. I never fully finished GL/GA though bc I had the book on loan

Impression now:

Mixed. There are some Hal moments I genuinely do love and like, but tbh he can get on my nerves very easily. Of the Earth lanterns he's either my least or next to least favorite (which doesn't mean I don't like him!) but he's also like the "main character" of GL so I get annoyed when I feel like other GLs are being ignored in favor of Hal.

Favorite moment:

With that said there are sooooooo many Hal moments I just love. He's very much a character made by specific moments for me (rather than a general appreciation of who he is overall). Some Swishy fave contenders include his "Avenge me" internal monologue when he fights Mongul in GL (1990) #46, and OFC the Emerald Twilight arc a few issues later. Also in the very first issue of that book, where he jumps off a cliff in front of some campers (waiting until the last moment before using his ring) was an important moment for me in reading Hal, because it was the first time I went "oh! This guy is crazy!"

Idea for a story:

An exploration of the fact that Hal literally killed himself on panel in GL (2011) #19. Because like what the hell, why did this happen and then NO ONE EVER TALKED ABOUT IT. (This is insane to me). I think I'd probably revisit it in a dream sequence, maaaybe doing a rewrite/reimagining of his Knight Terrors issue (which I have NOT read lol) to kind of address that and talk about his mental state and things that had an impact on that, stuff like his parents, the Guardians, PARALLAX. Basically it'd be Hal and the ghost of Tomar-Re just talking about how he is not okay. A pretty heavy response to a pretty heavy topic.

Unpopular opinion:

I'm going to be so real here like 95% of my Hal opinions are unpopular bc its just me talking about how I think he's overrated. Like we're bros ig but still. Overrated.

Like I LIKE him but I'm annoyed at him like 80% of the time bc DC is always putting out a mid story focusing on him while ignoring my faves WHO ARE SO COOL AND DESERVE STORIES 😤💔😭

I guess one beyond that is I'm not a fan of his friendship with Barry. Maybe this is just because I haven't read anything where they're like... interesting? But I just don't get the hype. ESPECIALLY compared to his relationship with Oliver which is absolutely insane in comparison. Like why are we talking abt Barry rn when OLLIE LITERALLY SHOT HAL AND HAL RESSURECTED OLLIE. like guys. Guys. Are you seeing this shit.

Favorite relationship:

Like ship wise? I'm not a huge Halcarol fan personally but I do think they're kind of the epitome of "you're perfect for each other. Never involve anyone else in what you have going on," kind of messy drama-filled relationship with a lot of history.

I also really like halollie and their relationship but not in like a "they should date" way or anything like that. Like they're bros to me who emotionally have a whole complicated little thing going on like idk

Within the lanterns I think the frenemy whatever thing Guy and Hal do is SO funny. I love especially the beginning of GL (1990) where Guy just in his free time shows up to ruin Hal's life while Hal is just so sick and done and mad about it. Peak comedy, Guy never change

Fave headcanon:

Do I have any headcanons about Hal? Not really. I try to think about him as little as possible (kidding). No um I'd say I don't really have any, and if I did they'd probably be really basic or smth like that he cries watching both Top Gun movies.

#blah #answered #hal jordan #thank you for the ask! i have pretty complicated feelings abt hal so this was of interesting to write

[elesary]

Hi everyone! I know I’ve been a bit awol but I thought I would post the first chapter of CATO the first one of my books to be published NEXT month I can’t even believe it. I hope you’ll give it a read. If you like it, you can preorder it on Amazon.

And if you like it so much that you want to read more right away, you can find more on my Patreon.

Anyway, I hope you enjoy!

Chapter 1

Skyler

“Do you know what will happen next?” the woman asks, leaning forward in her chair and looking at me over her spectacles like I am a zoo animal behind glass. She is always younger than I expect her to be, with playful cruelty in her drooping blue eyes. Something in her screams monster, but Ramona Archer isn’t one, not really. She may be a psychopath, but she is still human.

I do not know the answer to her question, and her glittering eyes tell me that she knows that, tell me that she’s enjoying this. The truth is, I have been trained for this my whole life. The truth is, there is still no way to be prepared for what comes next. I nod anyway.

“I meet Cato.”

There is a file in my hand, thinner than I anticipated. Somehow, in all my years of training I never realized just how little the agency really knew about their monsters. Case in point, my first assignment is to fetch the bodies of the last two Tamers they paired with Cato. The first one he had let live, merely taking one of her eyes. He doesn’t like green, Kari explained, her single remaining olive eye filling up with tears.

Ramona simply nodded and dismissed her. Useless now, she would be sent home with a substantial enough stipend to make her disappear. No one wants a broken Tamer, and there is no room for kindness in this corner of the world.

Neither of the next two Tamers Ramona sent had green eyes, but neither survived the encounter to tell the rest of us what else Cato might not like.

“Do try to survive the encounter,” Ramona advises me with a smile. “I’m sure he’s running out of acceptable explanations, and the job really does need to be done.”

I wonder if dealing with Ramona is a test, but even if it is, I will pass it. If I cannot handle a blithe psychopath, I’ll stand no chance against a Berserker.

“Then you probably shouldn’t have enabled the problem for so long,” I reply sweetly, tilting my head and meeting Ramona’s selechian eyes.

She laughs, very nearly pleased.

“There’s that attitude,” she says fondly. “I wonder if you’ll be allowed to keep it when he breaks you.”

My smile stays firmly in place; there is no point in fearing the inevitable, only in trying to make it work for me.

“Is there anything else?” I ask politely, toeing the fine line between respecting her and respecting myself. She is my boss, after all, the person who prepared me for what I must do, for what I was born to do. My role in keeping the world safe. More importantly, keeping my family safe.

“Yes, Skyler,” she says, and she lets herself be human for a moment. “Good luck.”

I nod and stand up, fear clutching my throat like a vice as I leave.

–

I sit in my car in front of Cato’s skyscraper and read through the file one more time. It settles me, reviewing the string of mutilated bodies that have begun appearing in playgrounds around the city, just in time for recess. I think about Livia sauntering out of her classroom and stumbling onto one of these horror scenes, and rage and fear slice through me.

I am not the Ripper tearing through the city and I cannot stop her, but I can hold the leash of one who can hunt and kill her.

Unless he doesn’t want me either, and I wind up as dead as the last two Tamers.

Still, the thought of my niece motivates me to turn off the car and exit into the rolling heat and stench of the city in the summertime. Standing by my vehicle, I adjust the sleeves of my suit and run my hand through my hair. Then I turn toward the building.

The skyscraper is all blinding glass, surging upward toward the flawless blue of the sky. Cato’s apartment is right at the top. As I cross the street, I wonder if he’s watching me, if his eyes truly are keen enough to pick up some level of detail forty stories off the ground.

The doorman smiles at me as I pass, tugging on one of her honey curls with a coy smile. It’s clear she doesn’t recognize me for what I am, because no one looks at Tamers like that. Whatever we are—feared, worshiped, or scorned—we are necessary, but we are not built for casual flirtation or sex. In another world, perhaps I would linger at her desk, pull on one of those pretty curls myself.

But in this world, I merely nod at her. I wonder if she will recognize me when I come back down.

If I come back down.

The survival rate of Tamers at their first meeting with a potential Berserker is just under ninety percent, although mutilations and rejections are more common than that. If you have all your parts after the first hour, my trainer Sara liked to tell us, your likelihood of dying violently plummets … unless it doesn’t. Berserkers rarely let their Tamers die after they’ve accepted us, unless they kill us themselves. But even that is rare, and not always something the Berserker survives themselves.

Still, Cato has already undermined the statistics.

I press the up button and wait until the door opens with a cheery ding. The first thirty-nine floors are laid out in a neat row, but the button to the penthouse sits behind safety glass, only accessible after I step close enough that the scanner can sense the microchip that sits under my skin.

The elevator rises with a smooth purr, and I breathe deeply to control my nerves. Part of me wants to run and hide; part of me never expected to get this far. Tamers are rare, few and far between. The ones that are found often fail out of the program long before they are matched. And still, even after matching, there’s only a little less than a one in five chance at actually being chosen.

Cato has already run through the three Tamers he was most likely to accept. I am number four. Only Reynaldo will be left if I am killed, rejected, or incapacitated, but the important thing is that Cato accepts one of us. Still, I do not want it to be Reynaldo. Among the five of us, he is the one I least want it to be. Reynaldo is intolerable enough as he is—I can’t imagine him with the power of a Berserker behind him.

But I don't want it to be me either.

As the elevator rises, I fight the urge to run. It is just now setting in that in mere moments, the doors will open and I will be face to face with a monster. My monster, if he wants me. If he wants me, I will belong to him. There will be no more freedom or family or friends unless he allows it. There will be nothing but serving him and guiding his violence toward the ones who deserve it and away from the innocent.

It is important, necessary work. Work for which my family and I have been generously compensated since I hit puberty. And yet, fourth in line, I never expected to have to do anything more than train.

The elevator dings once more and opens.

I breathe deeply, reaching for any inner sense of calm I can find. One of the earliest lessons we are taught is to meditate, to control our fear and natural instincts. Berserkers are true predators, and fear only makes people—especially Tamers—increasingly resemble prey. I square my shoulders and enter the apartment, pulling confidence around myself like a cloak.

I step onto dark hardwood. The hallway is smooth and bare. There is a table next to the door for keys and coins. Beneath it are shoes. I see a pair of joggers and a neat row of gray oxfords, all buffed to gleaming. The jacket hanging on the wall on the other side of the door is as thick as fog and the same color. It will allow Cato to disappear in the night along the water's edge but will do nothing to hide the blood. I wonder why he has it when he isn’t supposed to have ever left the apartment. I wonder why it is hung up as if for daily use.

I swallow. I have been trained for Cato nearly my whole life. I know that Cato doesn’t care about hiding the blood. The apartment is silent and still. No lights are on. The hallway opens up into the living room, bracketed on three walls by floor-to-ceiling windows that look out over the entire city. I am drawn toward the view, as helpless to resist it as an insect flying into a spider's web.

There is no blood on the walls, but the stench of fear permeates the otherwise luxurious space. Still, there are no obvious bodies. On the left, the hallway branches into a chef's kitchen. I walk past it with a brief glance, just to make sure that there aren’t any bodies bleeding onto the tile.

I step into the living room with hackles raised. I feel vulnerable, but I force myself to breathe deeply and relax my shoulders. This is my job, this is my purpose. I have no control over Cato, not yet. There is no pretending or hiding—he will choose me or he will not. I will survive the encounter or I will not. Fearing it will only drive me crazy and give Cato more satisfaction.

I am petty enough that I do not wish my death to be fulfilling for Cato. Something moves in the right corner. My head turns to look and I exhale sharply in surprise. Amor looks back at me with a whimper.

My hand flies to cover my mouth. I have never liked Amor; she was always too pretty and too dangerous, both traits giving her power that she enjoys exerting over others. She planned to use her ambition and bloodlust to her advantage as a Tamer. It clearly backfired.

“Skyler,” she tries to say, but if it wasn’t my name I’m not sure I would have recognised it. Her mouth is destroyed. Blood dribbles over her torn lips in a congealed mess, sliding over her gore-stained chin and pooling on the floor beneath her. Broken teeth shine in her mouth as she struggles to control her jutting jaw, clearly dislocated at the very least, if not broken.

Rage rips through me, though I control it the same way I control my fear. Amor is broken, yes, but she is hardly dead. I don’t know why Ramona lied to me, but I intend to ask her, if I get out of this apartment alive, or at least able to speak.

“Where’s Elmar?” I demand, crouching in front of her, heedless of the blood.

Amor reaches for me, gripping my suit with a shaking, stained hand. She tries to speak again, but the state of her mouth makes it impossible. My stomach roils, fear and anger and disgust and pity joining forces to try and make me heave.

Coming in, I knew violence was possible, likely even. I have seen horrific videos and been given access to the crimes of the Rippers that stalk the streets, but this is far from a classroom.

I rise to my feet with a grimace. Amor is in no position to help me, so I leave her there, in a puddle of her own blood and drool. She will probably survive this if she stays silent and out of sight.

I still don't know where Cato is.

My hands drift up to my clavicle and I press against my skin, locating the transmitter just below the bone. It doesn’t hurt as I tap it, but it’s how I know that Ramona knows that Amor is alive. We are all tracked like animals. It’s supposed to keep us safe, and I am furious at Ramona for using it to convince me that Cato is crazy enough to have killed his Tamer. A lesson, I decide. No one is on my side.

I turn to the right, toward the bedrooms. I still need to locate Elmar and convince Cato to let me remove both of them from his territory. No one but his Tamer is allowed in his space, not without risking his wrath.

I think about Amor and feel sick. No one cares about exposing Tamers to their Berserker’s rage. It’s why we are there.

There is a noise behind one of the doors, a muffled panting, the squeak of furniture moving. My tongue skids across my suddenly dry lips. Another experiment? I wonder. Has Ramona sent me into the lair of a Berserker who has already claimed his Tamer? If so, I am already dead.

I am not sure what Ramona would get out of such a cruel game, but it doesn’t matter. If Elmer has done his job, then I have just become redundant. I fight back the urge to run before I am caught trespassing.

“It is rude to enter someone’s home without invitation,” a mild voice says. I freeze in my tracks, one hand reaching for the door. I grit my teeth and force myself to calm down.

“I apologize,” I reply, fighting hard to keep my voice from breaking. “I mean no disrespect. I was sent here to collect Amor and Elmar.” I keep my voice bland, as if finding the broken remains of the people with whom I was raised is pedestrian.

There is another noise; I think it is Elmar. I think that Elmar is with Cato right now. Something squeezes in my stomach at the thought. Worry for my friend perhaps, or maybe it is just fear for myself.

“By all means,” the voice responds, sweetly polite. “Do come in.”

I push the door open and step into the room. It’s an office, cozy and inviting. The walls are lined with stuffed bookshelves. In the corner, a worn leather chair sits under a lamp with a warm woolen afghan laying over the arm. The table next to it holds a book and a pair of glasses. Elmar is curled in the other corner, as far away from the desk as he can manage. He whimpers, one fist stuffed into his mouth to muffle the noises.

I don't see blood, but there are ways to break a person without making them bleed, and anyway, I don’t really even look. I can’t. I’m transfixed by the man sitting behind the desk, looking irritated at being disturbed. The man flicks his eyes over me dismissively before turning back to his newspaper. I recognize the picture on the sheet facing me. Unless Al’s Vacuum Emporium bought more than one ad for the morning edition, Cato is reading about the body left on the playground this morning. It has to be a good sign that he is already looking into this Ripper. His Ripper.

Cato doesn’t look dangerous, not right away. His eyes are brown and droopy under a flop of wavy brown hair that would just brush the tops of his shoulders if it wasn’t pulled back into a utilitarian ponytail. Even sitting down, I can see that he’s not a particularly tall man, but his body is lithe and graceful, each joint poised on the edge of action. His skin is rich and tan—from birth, not the sun. If I didn’t know exactly who this man was, I would dismiss him as a threat.

I stand, waiting, but he ignores me just as effectively as the hyperventilating man in the corner and the gurgling woman in the foyer. “Ramona sent me,” I tell him, just to say something. I didn’t think that I would care, but the idea of being ignored by this man in the same way as his other rejected Tamers riles me.

Cato looks up at me and I immediately regret drawing his attention. I freeze like a mouse under the beady glare of a falcon. Cato meets my gaze and I flush hot and cold in quick succession. There is no beating this man at any game, there is no escaping or running from him. If he decides that I am dead, I am dead. If he decides to keep me, I will be kept. No wonder Elmar broke, I think. He was always the softest one of us.

“Ramona needs to stop sending me toys to break,” Cato says. “It stopped being fun after the one in the living room. Is she still alive?”

My stomach quakes at the casual disregard Cato shows for people who have dedicated their lives to his service, but I try not to show it on my face. He is a predator, he will pounce at the first sign of weakness.

“Last I checked,” I say, as carelessly as I can manage. “Funny, that. Ramona sent me for their bodies. Are you the liar, or is she?” There is no evidence that Cato found and removed Amor’s chip, so I know the deception is Ramona’s, but I don’t know if Cato knows how closely we are monitored.

Cato smiles, a disingenuous thing.

“Do I look like a man who needs to lie to get what I want?” His posture in his chair is languid, but his eyes are sharp and hungry and focused on my face. My heart beats hummingbird-fast in my chest, and I feel unable to move for fear of provoking him to pounce.

I breathe deeply and force my shoulders to drop away from my ears. He will kill me or he won’t, I remind myself, so what’s the point in worrying about it?

“You look like a man who might not stick around to see if someone you hit gets back up,” I say before I can shut myself up. Cato’s unwavering brown eyes remain so intense that I think he can probably see the racing of blood in my carotid artery. The skin protecting it has never felt so fragile before. The words taste, a bit, of a lie. “If you don’t care about them, I mean,” I amend a bit clumsily, trying to make my statement ring true.

Cato cocks his head to one side and keeps looking at me. I want to look away, to shift my weight and break the tension, but I’m held in place just as firmly as if he had a hand around my throat. In the corner, Elmar whimpers quietly, curling around himself even tighter.

He is just the distraction that I need to pull myself from Cato’s thrall. I force my gaze away and go to my knees in front of my friend, reaching for him slowly.

“Hey, Elmar,” I greet, smoothing a gentle hand over one of his curls. “How are you doing?” I keep my voice as low and soothing as I can.

His eyes latch onto mine desperately, and it takes a moment for recognition to overtake the terror and desperation within them. He whimpers, one hand curling around the sleeve of my suit jacket tightly enough that I know he is scared I am going to leave him.

“What did you do to him?” I demand, turning back to Cato with a vicious snarl. It is unwise to let my fury get the best of me, but Elmar is my friend, and seeing him like this up close is too much.

Cato blinks back at me, interest glimmering in his droopy eyes. It sends a shudder through me, dark and enticing. Being the center of his focus is a dangerous place to be, and even though I have been training for it nearly my whole life, I want to run.

But that would only make him chase me. My nipples tighten underneath my shirt, until another whimper drags my attention back to Elmar, resparking my fury. “Well?” I demand harshly, twisting my lips at Cato as I stroke Elmar’s lovely black hair as gently as I can.

Cato’s eyes narrow on my hand on Elmar and his fingers twitch, a violent, aborted gesture that catches my breath in my throat. “I told Ramona I didn’t want a Tamer,” he says darkly. “I cannot feel guilty over her bad decisions. Get your pets and leave before I decide to break you too.”

A shiver runs through me. At the agency, it continues to be debated whether or not our predators are capable of feeling anything at all, let alone remorse for their actions. The few existing partners who lived long enough to become trainers are close-lipped about the ins and outs of their relationships, despite the rabid curiosity of the baby Tamers.

My temper sparks at his dismissal, even though it’s the permission I need to do my job. Shut up, Sky, I order myself, compressing my lips into a thin line. Just grab Elmar and get out. I’ve always been good at biting my tongue when I should and letting things go, but my mouth opens without my permission. “Break me?” I taunt, hauling Elmar up and supporting the majority of his body weight. “I’m not sure you could.”

I don’t even have time to regret my words before Cato is on me. Elmar slips from my grasp as he grabs me by the throat and shoves me back until I hit the wall. My pulse flutters rabbit fast under his grip but I don’t make the mistake of averting my eyes from his. Any sign of weakness will make him go for the kill, like a cat with a mouse by the tail.

“Oh little Tamer,” he croons, “I won’t even have to try. The only thing saving you now is my need to send Ramona a message. The next Tamer she gives me leaves in a body bag, do you understand?”

I should nod, apologize and flee. I tilt my head as much as I can instead. “Why?” I ask. “You can’t go to work without one of us, and you have five to choose from. Why fight it?”

“Hmmm,” Cato muses, bringing his nose to my pulse as if he can smell my fear. “You are not a reward or a partner, you are a leash and I have no wish to be caged any more than I already am.” I don’t understand what he means, not really, but his lips brush my throat as he speaks, with just enough of a hint of teeth to make me shiver with awareness.

Thoughtlessly, I bare my throat. He snarls and drags his tongue up the tendon in my throat and my world zeroes into the rough glide over my carotid. Just as quickly as he grabbed me, he shoves himself away from me with a violent snarl. “Get out,” he commands. “If you ever let me see you again I will kill you, do you understand me?”

I nod slowly, but I have to fight down a dark laugh. With the Ripper attacks increasing to the point of attempting to activate Cato, it is doubtful that Ramona will let him be, and that means that Reynaldo and I, and maybe even Elmar, will be thrust in front of him again and again until he fucks one of us or kills us all. The thought of Cato’s cock makes me pant, even though I know there is a high chance that I would not survive the encounter.

“It’s nice that you think that I have any choice in the matter,” I tell him honestly. “If you break us all, you’ll be of no use to them and they’ll put you down.”

Cato grins a bloodthirsty grin and I imagine my blood between his teeth. “We all have choices, little Tamer. Theirs might have consequences if they try.”

My heart thumps out of rhythm at that. Even though I know that no single Berserker, no matter how determined, can bring down the entire system that keeps him corralled, the surety in his tone ripples through me. If Cato chooses to, he will come at them with unflagging aggression until he is destroyed. Who knows how many people will die in the crossfire?

I care because I will be one of them. As far as Ramona is concerned, he is my responsibility now, even if he rejects me. Tamers are both the carrot and the stick, the reward and the noose around our Berserker’s throat, at all times a passive threat to their lives.’

“Then you should kill me now,” I advise, somehow driven to honesty. The thought doesn’t fill me with as much fear as it should. My life has been tied to Cato’s since I was twelve years old. I’ve long since come to terms with the idea of my death at his hands.

It would be vaguely galling to die in a dick measuring contest, but that, like most things, is out of my control.

“Kill you now,” Cato repeats, tightening his grip on my throat until I think he’s going to do it. He’s going to tear my head from my body and traumatize Elmar further. I don’t have time to be afraid until he’s already stepping back, dismissing me with a careless flick of his wrist. “Get out.”

I pull Elmar up and against my side and then take him from the room. It’s hard to juggle him and Amor, but I manage to get us all into the elevator and pull out my phone. Come get us, I text Ramona, because the thought of getting them back to the agency myself is overwhelming and I can’t bring myself to worry about formality after coming so close to decapitation.

And it was close. Now that I am out from under those flat brown eyes I can’t stop shaking. Freezing sweat clings to my skin and dampens my suit, which will begin to smell as it dries. I lean against the cold marble wall in the lobby, barely attempting to supervise the other two Tamers on the uncomfortable gray couch.

Amor is staining it with blood, but I can’t bring myself to care. The doorman is looking over at us nervously, hands fluttering over the phone on her desk like she’s trying to decide between calling security or an ambulance. I catch her eye and shake my head slowly. She knows who lives in the apartment we just left, knows what I am now. She subsides and pretends to ignore us, but she can’t hide her unease.

Ramona doesn’t text me back, but within fifteen minutes a black sedan with tinted windows pulls up in front of the building, parking illegally. I am still too rattled to snort derisively, no matter how unsubtle the agency is.

The lobby floods with medics and supervisors. The medics hurry over to Amor and Elmar, wrapping them in blankets and rushing them out the door. I wait numbly. A man and a woman in matching suits approach me.

“Were you harmed?” the woman asks. She doesn’t care. If they really worried about my health, one of the healthcare workers would have been sent.

I don’t bother to answer her. “Take me to Ramona,” I demand tonelessly, watching the van bearing Elmar disappear around the corner.

The suits don’t even bother to glance at each other. “The director is a busy woman,” the man says. “You will come with us for debriefing.”

I do not argue. I let my anger go, for now, at least, and I follow them from the building and into one of the remaining vans.

I do not look up as I get in the backseat. I won’t be able to pick out the window of Cato’s office, but I don’t want him to see me glance back at him, on the off chance he cares enough to look at all.

–

The woman who takes my statement back at headquarters is petite and blonde, but her eyes and fingernails are sharp enough to peel the whole story from me and type it into her tablet. I do not hold back. I do not hide my anger and disgust at being deceived by Ramona about the state of the other Tamers. I do not hide how close Cato came to killing me. The only thing I do not share is the way my gut clenched as his fingers closed over my windpipe.

That is not a necessary detail, mostly because it would surprise no one. There is a reason I am a Tamer, and my sexual preferences play a role in that. They are common knowledge in this building, my fantasies a matter of public record. There is no such thing as privacy for Tamers.

How much of my statement the woman edits, I do not know. How much more will be deleted or retracted does not matter. I still feel a bit better when I run out of words. She doesn’t look like she feels anything at all. She stands up, snaps her tablet closed and nods at me crisply. “Ramona will be with you shortly,” she tells me, heels clicking sharply on her way across the floor and out the door.

–

She lied. Ramona doesn’t summon me before dinner, and I don’t feel like sticking around, eating mass-produced food off of a plastic tray before trotting off to my small, sterile set of rooms. I leave headquarters at sunset and only then remember that my car is still outside of Cato’s building, probably already papered with parking tickets.

I won’t have to pay them—a special privilege of being a Tamer—but the fact remains that I do not have my car. My stomach grumbles and I glance over my shoulder towards the building behind me, wondering if I should eat, but the thought of re-entering Cato’s territory after dark makes me shudder.

Another, bigger part of me pushes back against that. I don’t like the thought of him looking down from his window and seeing my car, knowing that I fear him too much to retrieve it. I can’t beat him, can’t fight him off if he catches me, but I still can’t just let him win.

I go back inside, but not for food.

I find Reynaldo on the balcony of the large suite of rooms we share with the rest of Cato’s potential Tamers. It is too late for coffee, but he doesn’t care. “Espresso?” he asks me, tilting his own porcelain cup in my direction.

I wrinkle my nose. I will have enough nightmares tonight without having to fight off caffeine. “I need a ride.”

Reynaldo raises an eyebrow. “Why would I do anything to help you?” he sneers.

I shrug. I know that he wishes Cato had killed or maimed me the same way he did the others. I know that he wants the power of being a claimed Tamer, that the danger and exclusivity get him off. The thing is, they get us all off. We are all deviant in that way, some of us just know how to hide it better than the others.

“You’re taking me to Cato’s home,” I explain, purposefully leaving out the reason why. Let him stew in it as he plots to get rid of me the whole ride.

Reynaldo’s other eyebrow joins the first one near his hairline. “You want him to meet me?” he asks dubiously, sensing a trap.

No. My lips twitch, hiding my instinctive rejection of that notion. “The odds of you making it out of the meeting without being maimed are awfully low,” I point out. “But I do not care what he does with you.” Something tightens in my stomach, and I hate that I am lying a little bit. I blink, and I imagine Cato pressing Reynaldo against the wall the same way he had me, but this time, instead of threatening him, Cato takes his mouth, and Reynaldo moans and opens to him.

I look away, exhaling the tension from my stomach. “If he picks me,” Reynaldo says casually, abandoning his espresso with a faint clink. “I’ll let him kill you.”

I roll my eyes. “You do that.”

Reynaldo grabs his keys and follows me from the room. We don’t talk at all on the way down to the lobby, but the elevator is crowded enough that the hum of conversation would be undesirable even if Reynaldo were someone I would want to talk to.

The ride is quiet too. Reynaldo plays music, but I ignore him and it. With each block that we pass, my stomach gets tighter and tighter and my lungs climb higher and higher up my throat. I feel restless and anxious, and worst of all, thrilled. Adrenaline sings through my blood as Reynaldo pulls into a loading zone beneath Cato’s building.

I look up at the windows, but even if I could identify which ones were his, I can’t see through them.

I still feel like I’m being watched. A chill races its way down my spine and crouches in my tailbone. I glance over at Reynaldo to see if he feels it too. He doesn’t tell me, of course, but he’s gone still and silent in the driver's seat. His eyes are thoughtful and pointed upwards. “Get out,” he says with teeth.

I pull the lever of the door until it releases. “His violence is escalating. He really might kill you.” I don’t particularly care about Reynaldo or his life, but I still warn him. If he ignores me, that’s on him. There are very few laws that can govern a Tamer, but we still aren’t allowed to straight up murder each other, especially over a Berserker. There are multiple of us and one of them, and only one spot up for grabs, but only a handful of potential Tamers actually want the job.

It is a much better prospect to survive any introduction with our Berserker with as few scars as possible and take our pensions and flee back to our families. But most of us are perverse and damaged and jealous.

Not all Tamers have a family to go home to. But I do. I shake all thoughts of Reynaldo and Cato from my brain as I cross the street.

I feel heavy eyes watching me until I drive away.

-

As soon as I step into my brother’s house, I feel like I can breathe again. It smells like warmth and tomato sauce and home, and Livia hears me coming. “Uncle Sky!” she howls, bare feet slapping against the hardwood as she races down the hall. She skids around the corner and flings herself at me like a rabid cat, seemingly determined to knock me to the ground. I catch her and swing her around with a laugh.

“Hello, beast,” I rub my face in her riot of curly hair and drop her back down to her feet. She is wiry and lean and my favorite person. “What trouble are we going to cause tonight?”

“You know her teachers blame us for her bad behavior, right?” Ilona comments from the doorway, a small smile tugging at her lips. “No matter how often we tell them it’s your fault.”

I grin back at her, lifting Livia out of my way so I can cross the floor and kiss my sister in law on the cheek. “We need to work on your lying. Ask your daughter, she’s a fast learner.”

“That,” Ilona scolds with a laugh, “is exactly the kind of stuff that’s getting you both in trouble!”

I laugh with her, letting the blood and shame and uncomfortable interest leak from me. My shoulders relax and everything within me loosens. Down the hall, Oskar calls my name from the kitchen and I swoop up my niece and follow my ears and nose to my brother.

–

After dinner, Ilona takes Livia to the living room for homework, and Oskar and I slowly begin to clear the table and start the dishes. “It’s time, isn’t it?” Oskar asks softly as he fills the sink with hot, soapy water.

I scowl and wring the dish towel between my fingers until they go red and numb. “It doesn’t have to be,” I tell him.

“But Cato was activated,” Oskar presses, as usual, intolerant of my bullshit.

I shrug. “He maimed Kari and Amor and broke Elmar. I doubt I’m tempting enough to make him obey if they weren’t. Chances are, I’ll be released by the end of the week and we can move out of this shit-hole city—”

“You love this city,” Oskar interrupts. “And you didn’t tell me about Reynaldo, or when they’re going to hand you over to him like a toy.”

“I don’t know about Reynaldo,” I hedge, not wanting to tell my brother that I have been tossed to Cato—and returned. “He’s there now.”

Oskar drops the dish he is scrubbing into the sink with a soapy clatter and grips my arm tightly, dampening my shirt. “That’s great, Sky,” he rasps, pulling me into a brief, hard hug. “If he picks him, you’ll be free!”

Something rises in my throat, choking me. It is likely, since Cato let me leave untouched, that he has no intention of keeping me, leaving Reynaldo his only option if he wishes to remain unculled. The thought of Reynaldo beneath Cato makes me want to make him vomit his own blood.

I ignore that thought. It has no place in my brother's lamp-lit kitchen. “I hope so,” I say, the lie bitter and burning as bile.

–

Later, alone in my bed in Oskar’s house, I give the question another answer. “I hope he picks me,” I say to myself. I still feel sick, nausea and fear colliding in my bloodstream. I don’t want to be picked. I don’t want to be torn from my life and my family and turned into a monster’s chew toy.

“I hope he picks Reynaldo,” I say instead. The sinking in my stomach calls me a liar. I think about standing in Ramona’s office and looking at Reynaldo’s smug bitch face as she thanks me for my service and dismisses me. I think about turning on the TV the night I move into my little cabin out of the city and catching the end of Reynaldo’s press conference detailing the capture and execution of the Ripper currently dissecting fifth graders. Cato would watch him, fascination in his droopy mahogany eyes as Reynaldo answered the questions, shirt opened enough to reveal the marks Cato left deeply enough to be visible, even on skin dark as Reynaldo’s.

The thought makes me want to hurt them both. It isn’t logical or reasonable—it isn’t me. I have never coveted a man, and only partly because we are kept away from lovers as much as possible. It isn’t supposed to work this way. Berserkers might fixate on their chosen Tamer as soon as they see them, but I have never heard of any Tamer who felt the same way.

Of course, I never see any Tamer once they are claimed.

As soon as a Berserker is activated, they are introduced to their potentials within days if not hours. The chosen Tamer disappears into the Berserkers lair and is only ever seen again on TV or in brief, stolen glimpses through glass.

They even use a separate elevator when they come into headquarters.

But we are taught that it is the Berserker who knows. It has never occurred to me to ask how the Tamer feels. Of course, I never really thought—I never planned on being picked myself.

I roll over. I haven’t been, I remind myself, staring at the silent phone on the bedside table.

My stomach hurts.

–

The phone rings.

I’m not sleeping. I’m watching light climb the shadows from my blinds like a stepladder in the early morning and thinking, quite intentionally, of absolutely nothing else.

“What?” I say, bringing my phone to the pillow and turning on the speaker. It’s not a particularly professional greeting, but there’s nothing professional about calling someone before six in the morning either. Besides, what are they going to do? Fire me?

The pit in my stomach yawns further, because probably. It is rare for a Tamer to face any true punishment for our behavior. We are too important, too valuable. It is often assumed that rejection and claiming are equally punishing. But endangering another Tamer is a bad enough crime to warrant expulsion from the order.

No pension, no relevant job experience or training, and the intense public shame and judgment for your actions.

I shudder, still waiting for the voice on the other end of the line. “Reynaldo is dead,” Ramona says crisply. “You should not have allowed him to approach Cato’s building after you had not been rejected.”

I go hot, and then cold. My breath catches in my throat and I am hit with a wave of emotions. Relief, terror, grief, fury. “I am not his mother,” I say numbly. “I cannot allow him anything. He offered to drive me back to my car so I could get home. I did not tell him to go to the apartment, and I’m not sure how you expected me to stop him.”

It’s not entirely true. I had known what he would do, and I had made no real effort to stop him. But I hadn’t expected, hadn’t truly thought, that Cato would kill him, leaving me the only option if he wishes for a Tamer.

“Come in,” Ramona says, her voice dark and empty and cold. I shiver at it. She is angry, yes, and still in control of me, but any consequences for my actions will not come from her. Not until—not unless, Cato goes rogue, and if he does, likely as not he’ll begin or end his rampage with me. I am dead if he kills me and dead if he spares me. My only chance at living, regardless of quality of life, is under Cato’s thumb.

My heart pounding, I sit up. I could run. Necessarily, I have not told anyone at the agency of my retirement plan or the cabin I have slowly been stashing my money away for. I could take it and vanish, move beyond the reach of the agency's control, across the sea where finding me would be difficult, where unleashing Cato would be a disaster for everyone.

I dismiss the idea almost immediately, because if they cannot find me, they’ll start with Oskar and Ilona, and selfish as I might be, I can’t be responsible for their deaths or imprisonment.

My stomach burns, but I can’t tell if it's because of grief, excitement or dread. I am quiet when I get ready, and thorough in the shower. My fingers shake slightly as I clean my body, paying particular attention to the cleft of my ass. From here on out, I do not know what to expect. Tamers are prepared for everything up until the moment of being chosen, but there is nothing predictable about what happens after. Berserkers are too different, too wild and unique in their reactions to being leashed. Some treat their freedom as a cost well worth paying for their Tamers, some treat their Tamer like a whipping boy, suitable to punish in lue of the agency.

But it’s always, always, sexual. It’s what we both were made for, the reason the system works and is not torn apart by apathetic Berserkers and bloodthirsty Rippers alike.

I have known my role since I was identified as a Tamer at puberty; it is not like me to question it.

I am quiet when I leave my bedroom, not relishing sharing my mixed feelings about my fate with my family, but my effort is wasted. Oskar is in the kitchen, brewing the morning coffee. He looks up when I creep by the doorway and holds up a steaming mug in offer. I consider ignoring him, but I don’t know when I’ll be able to see him again.

“Thanks,” I whisper and enter the kitchen, warming my hands around the hot porcelain.

“What’s going on?” he asks, because when I stay over I make waffles with Livia for breakfast, not sneak out at dawn like a criminal.

“I got the call,” I tell him, making it real. “I’m the last Tamer left.”

Oskar puts his mug down, ceramic rattling against the marble. “Skyler,” he breathes, eyes wide.

I look away. “I know,” I interrupt before he can say anything else. I don’t need to hear his reaction. I know all too well how inevitability can turn into impossibility and back again.

“What are you going to do?” Oskar says after a stunted pause.

I chug my coffee just for the burn and put the empty cup into the sink.

“My job,” I tell him and leave the kitchen. This time he lets me go. He doesn’t follow me into the hall while I pull my coat on, or out to the driveway as I get in my car. I’m glad he doesn’t. If we don’t say goodbye, this can’t be the last time I see any of them.

#spicy books #mm romance

[onigiri-dorkk]

Top 10 Films!

(Thanks for the tag SO long ago @a-slut-for-smut! I actually had this entire post written in my drafts right after you had tagged me but never got around to post it for some reason LOL)

I don’t watch many films anymore these days (shows/series have taken place of it) so it took awhile to recall all of my favorites. It’s actually nice to remember though, because it means all of these really lasted with me over my life.

The Perks of Being a Wallflower (2012): A perfect coming-of-age film and story, discovered in my junior year of highschool. First of all I was in love with Logan Lerman looool and Emma Watson. But there are lines of this book/movie that stuck with me through my life, and the movie executed it perfectly. A story of finding belonging, first love, overcoming trauma alongside loved ones, growing up. The soundtrack is phenomenal, even the music score album (I listen to that often while writing).

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004): The cinematography and shots in this are just so gorgeous and creative. It’s a quirky and angsty film circling around two imperfect lovers who choose to love, who deal with the heartbreak in a terrible way, and who fall in love again, saying yes to the struggle. And, come on! The idea of having your memories erased, then during the process realizing you want to keep the painful memories after all? And navigating through memories trying to hold onto the good and the bad? Just a beautiful concept. Lots of fantastic lines and scenes. I took a lot of inspo from one scene in particular of this movie into some of the latest chapters of my longfic.

The Fault in Our Stars (2013): First of all, TFIOS is one of my all time favorite books. John Green is my favorite author, and is the only (published) author I’ve EVER gone out of my way to read multiple works from. TFIOS was the first book that brought me to *literal* tears. It rocked my world, this ill-fated story of star crossed lovers. The movie did a fantastic job adapting it; as soon as the production was announced I followed it loyally and the execution of the film made it so worth the journey. Hazel and Augustus’ actors’ chemistry was just SO good. The film STILL makes me bawl like a baby. Pls watch.

Anastasia (1997): A favorite since childhood! Romanov Princess gone missing, forced to pretend she’s the princess but she doesn’t know she’s the princess, until she finds out the conman she’s working with was the child who saved her long ago in her lost past? And they fall in love? So the conman lets go of all his con ways??? BEAUTIFUL. Love the music, love the animation, loved the idea of finding the missing princess and the love story of an unrecognized reunion of two childhood friends. I’ve always wanted to write a Rivamika/Anastasia AU 🥰 Someday.

Tangled (2010): I think as a teen I just really resonated with the “lost princess, aching for more in her life, feeling stuck in a tower, fall in love with conman” trope 🤣 But also, this was one of the first movies that made me just feel overwhelmed with heart-squeezing emotion. (I freaking loved Rapunzel; related to her in many ways) The lantern scene took my breath away and I had never really felt that in a movie theater before. Love the soundtrack and movie scores (did a music analysis presentation on the score back in highschool), animation was and still is beautiful even if it was one of Disney’s pioneering 3D animation movies.

Les Miserables (2012): I’m a sucker for musicals but this is one that I hold special in my heart. Aside from the fact that I played violin for Les Mis productions for two years, so I am attached to the music deeply... the story! The cinematography! The acting! The live singing! The instrumentals! Just a perfect cinematic experience. Eponine’s friend-zone story still breaks my heart, and I watched this movie at a time when I was going through her situation. I fell in love w the storytelling; how it took the journeys of multiple protagonists and perfectly interweaved each arc into each other’s so seamlessly. Also another movie that makes me bawl. Now that I stop to think of it, Fantine reminds me of Kuchel ;-;

Titanic (1997): I just rewatched this recently, after many many many years since childhood where I wasn't allowed to watch the kiss scenes (lol!) and holy wow it is a fantastic movie from start to end. It also helps now that I totally see Jack/young Leo as Levi. Beautiful timeless love story set in history. You know everything that happens and yet you still get so immersed into it.

August Rush (2007): I haven’t watched this in YEARS but 100% this deserves to be on my faves. August, an orphan who is looking for his parents, is discovered for his musical talents on an inspiring journey. Beautiful story about how someone’s passion for music/art (anything, really) can change their life; his parent’s story even becomes a reunion love story. This def had moments that took my breath away, too. (When August Rush gets up on that stage with the orchestra, ahhhh)

The Pianist (2002): (And honorable mention: Schindler’s List) Painfully beautiful movies. Terrible history of our world, depicted with care and pointing to the glimmers of hope in a heart wrenching way that deeply affects you. I think of both of these movies often. In The Pianist, Brody’s character is discovered to be a pianist by a German officer who helps him hide. Schindler’s List is about how a German man risks it all to save many Jews. The directing in both is phenomenal; the music—agh, that violin in Schindler’s List—too. I tear up thinking of this.

The Prince of Egypt (1998): Lastly, The Prince of Egypt. This movie rocked my world to see an ancient story, which I grew up with and was important to me and my faith when I was young, illustrated and animated with such beautiful art, music, etc. Moses leading a slave nation out of Egypt despite the odds. The burning bush scene and this one will always be iconic cinema scenes in my heart. Phew. Pls watch to those scenes with the music!!!

Thanks for tagging me @a-slut-for-smut! This was so fun to put together. I’ve been wanting to rewatch old classics to case-study the story writing and learn from my faves, so a movie marathon after the busy season will be a fun learning experience 😍

I tag: @chaosisbeauty23 @nuri148 @rivaille-13 @bryhaven @levi4mikasa @lady-purpleblue @warbarbie @your-lavender-dreams @nina-bean @onwriting-hrarby @randomposterofstuff @guliplum1 and anyone else in the community that wants to participate!!!

#personal

[someones-thing-is-here]

Honestly i need something to give my self a break from the fic I am working on so I'm gonna say something that might be controversial and then try to justify it.

I think that the Parallax retcon is a great retcon. Specifically because I think it improves future stories far more than it detracts from past ones.

Now I feel like I will have to give some context to this belief, I read GL Vol3 knowing that Emerald Twilight was going to happen and while I did see what could in retrospect be good build up (such as the league being terrible co-workers), it felt even more like character assassination to me for one reason the issue right before it now I know of the editorial mandates I know that Emerald Twilight was a last minute thing so of course things wouldn't mesh well but it helped solidify my belief that Emerald Twilight alone wasn't what made Pre-retcon Parallax good change or even interesting but all the work done later.

Now for the good thing about it - It gave use Kyle Rayner who is firmly one of the best set ups for future characters in any store to me but even then I only like Kyle in the more related Green Lantern stories and think he was either wasted or annoying in most of the other stories from that time.

But in the end Kyle has always been a character for me that has always had soring highs and crushing lows that also carry over to read about him though despite any issues I have with Emerald Twilight I wouldn't change it only because of Kyle as he is one of my favourite legacy characters and he is well worth what happened to get him.

Now I will also mention Zero Hour and Final Night to personal favourites of mine and also where I see the idea that the retcon cheapens them which I don't believe.

As for why I think it isn't liked much the stories of Hal as The Spectre now I like Hal as The Spectre but at the same time I'm also frustrated by it because stories like Soul War are really good, but the series I mostly hate, look I understand that Spectre is a really religious character but it was to much and took to much away from any agency for me, and made me feel to much like I was reading two books stitched together so in the end despite losing Helen I think it was for the best to bring Hal back to life.

Now enough explaining my issue of pre-retcon now let's get into why I think the retcon is both good and works.

Hal wasn't made completely blameless by it.

It gave us more lore more aspects of universe to considered

It made the Guardians look even worse (Which is always fun to watch)

Finally Parallax is an interesting type of character (Not including the whole exist to explain away things part of it)

Point one while to a reader the retcon does exist to remove blame from Hal, in universe he isn't trusted right away and most (expect for Guy) do not trust him either at all or very much and also Hal doesn't care I was still him who did it demonic possession or not, and I admit I view most of Hal's behaviour after Green Lantern Rebirth as him obviously putting on an act and feeling like he can't stop and has to keep going to keep trying to redeem himself bit by bit even after Spectre.

Now points two and three go together telling use more about the Guardians mistakes and arrogance, which I have always felt was a big part of them and having something like Parallax just gives another face to it which is always at least interesting if not satisfying to see them be knocked down a few pegs.

Now point four this is entirely self indulgent, as if the rest of this isn't already, but I just really like Parallax I think he's fun to read, has a cool design and all around a really good and a really effective eldritch horror that is still fightable and how he acts towards Hal is what made him fascinating to me a possessive, obsessive in a way that I have always felt is a nice addition to Hal in have he is always unable to keep a relationship and then you have Parallax who wants everything about him and wants to keep him referring to him as his precious and as his, as it has just felt like the thing Hal probably wants more than anything else, someone who wants him for him who doesn't want parts or get mad when he can't live up to the expectations and it is through Parallax an obviously evil and controlling person. This dynamic has always fascinated me.

Now I did use to have criticisms with this retcon as Hal was never scared only angry so why was he possessed by fear? But then I read it again and that Kyle is one to say that. So it hit me as someone who does feel fear and someone whose life has it, this isn't really what happened but how Kyle thinks should be what happened with your home gone and things getting to be too much.

And now the bit that is far more headcannon-ny because there is no true explanation no even a whole he liked the control/chaos that happened and that is the reason that Parallax didn't reveal himself until far later was because he was happy just staying with Hal, like the Guardians were mostly dead and even then he does deal with Ganthet later so any real threat was gone and considering how Parallax speaks to Hal it has always felt to me that Parallax either believes or knows that he and Hal were meant to be together hence why he didn't reveal himself until their merged self was threatened by Spectre because there was some (probably sexual considering the hole gas lighting + wanting his body and soul) happiness that he didn't have before thus having no issue letting Hal do what he thinks was right because he was satisfied just having him.

Ultimately while pre-retcon Parallax is good and does have some very well done emotional moments I much prefer the retcon with one exception convergence Parallax outside of the tie in the possession stuff didn't add anything, I liked there being one version of Hal that just lost it but for the main universe the retcon is just more of everything for me.

Hey if you took time out of your day to read this thanks I know how frustrating it can be to read someone's not super thought out rant so once again thanks.

If you agree with this cool and if you don't also cool it's one of the best things about comics being able to find the characterisation or character that you like and hey if you want to disagree with me cool, I'd love to here why and what you favourite version of Parallax is.

#green lantern #hal jordan #parallax #parallax hal #talks about retcon's is also positive about them if it isn't your thing #Kyle Rayner is present but I don't think I should tag him as a am a bit critical about him so I don't want to ruin the day of anyone #a rant #about comic book retcons #once again thanks for reading

[cantsayidont]

I like the Justice Society of America, and I have for a long time, but the current revival looks to be so bad it makes me want to set myself on fire. The JSA book has okay art, but is terrible; the Tim Sheridan Green Lantern/Alan Scott miniseries (of which I've admittedly read only the first two issues) is even worse than I expected; there's nothing about the Flash or Sandman books that looks remotely appealing; and the last, now-defunct Hawkman book went even further than the old Geoff Johns series in making me think Carter Hall, a character I used to like, is a mistake. I hated the New 52 stuff, although since it was essentially a bad AU, there was no reason to pay attention to it, but I have less than zero interest in watching Geoff Johns trying to scaffold dumb bullshit onto the originals.

This gets back to something I've said in the past: When it comes to mainstream comics, the creators are much more important than the characters in determining whether something is going to be decent or basically unendurable, and there's no one involve with the current stuff that's worth my time.

#comics #jsa #justice society of america #i was also not wild about seeing transphobic hack james robinson insert his jsa character assassination into the stargirl show #am i the only one in the universe who hated robinson's starman series from the '90s? #the kind of comic that used the term “metrosexual” with a straight face

[ufonaut]

Do you know of any good Alan Scott reading lists

listen to me. look at me. you need to read every alan scott appearance. you need to. i'll start you off because i'm a living alan scott encyclopedia but your best bet is the dcuguide & comicvine, trust no one else.

golden age:

all-american comics (1939) #16-102

all-star comics (1940) #2-7, #10, #24-57

green lantern (1941) #1-38

comic cavalcade (1943) #1-29

big all-american comic book (1944) #1

silver age:

showcase (1956) #55

green lantern (1960) #40, #45, #52, #61, #88

bronze age:

secret origins (1986) #18, #50

all-star squadron (1981) #1, #4, #7, #13-16, #20-27, #31-33, #36-46, #50-67

all-star comics (1976) #58-74

green lantern (1960) #108-112

adventure comics (1938) #461-463, #465

infinity inc (1984) #1-5, #8-12

modern age:

young all-stars (1987) #7-9

justice society of america (1991) #1-8

the golden age (1993) #1-4

last days of the justice society special (1986) #1

justice society of america (1992) #1-10

green lantern corps quarterly (1992) #1-8

guy gardner: warrior (1992) #31

green lantern (1990) #55

zero hour: crisis in time (1994) #4-0

showcase ‘95 (1995) #1

fate (1994) #5, #11-13, #20-22

underworld unleashed: hell’s sentinel (1995) #1

underworld unleashed (1995) #3

starman (1994) #11, #33-35

the book of fate (1997) #2-3, #6-7, #11-12

green lantern (1990) #110

jsa (1999) #1-87

present day:

green lantern 80th anniversary 100-page spectacular (2020) #1

infinite frontier (2020) #0-6

dc pride (2021) #1

dark crisis (2022) #1-7

the new golden age (2022) #1

justice society of america (2022) #1 - current ongoing

keep in mind, this is absolute minimum -- effectively, the bare bones of a timeline. i think alan scott is one of the best written characters in the medium as a whole and his career, personal development and interpersonal relationships all follow a realistic and easily traced chronology like no other character has ever benefited from. i could tell you that my favourite eras are the actual golden age and the sentinel period, that comic cavalcade features some of my favourite art and stories ever published, that the golden age 1993 is definite mandatory reading for anybody looking to get into the jsa but... i sincerely believe it's worth discovering all this for yourself, although i will redirect you to a (slightly outdated) masterpost of various meta posts i've written about alan.

enjoy!

(aac 1939 #84, an average day of alan's life)

#alan scott #doiby dickles #green lantern #jsa #asks #anon

[thevindicativevordan]

Comics this week?

Action Comics #1063 - Joker being a bro, Jesus now I really have seen everything. Him and Supes teaming up was the most fun I've had reading Joker in ages (and his final message to Supes after reverting back made me laugh). Timms was fantastic on the art here, the fight scenes were spectacular, especially the scene where Bizarro was killing Supes over and over. Was that a deliberate homage to what Batman went through in Emperor Joker, or am I seeing things that aren't there because that was the last big "canon" story with Supes and Joker both in it? Regardless, as someone who felt Aaron had burnt out over at Marvel in his last few books, this and Batman: Off-World have reinvigorated my enjoyment of his writing again. Supes head is getting rather cluttered these days between Bizarro and whatever Brainiac has implanted in him. Now I wonder if Williamson is actually going to use the Bizarro remnant in Supes head to explain why he can resist whatever Brainiac has done to him. Great three part arc from Aaron, this is my second favorite Bizarro story

Green Lantern #9 - Kinda wanted Tom to go with Hal out into space. Not crazy about the reveal here, they keep trying to justify why Earth has multiple Lanterns and it always comes off as humanwank. "We're the bestest species ever in the whole universe and no one else can even compete!", ok sure, whatever. Sure feels like Carol is being set up to join Hal in space, I think Adams has done a terrible job of setting that up, but I'll be happy when it does. I don't care about Carol's "Paul" and want her and Hal back together.

Immortal Thor #8 - I'd be a hypocrite if I didn't admit this: by my own standards this was a bad comic. Greatly enjoyed this issue, but I enjoyed it because I could see all the references/parallels to Immortal Hulk, and I've always maintained that a comic you get enjoyment from because it reminds you of better comics, is not good in and of itself.

Ultimate Black Panther #2 - Hill is telegraphing that Okoye is the traitor so hard that it's making me suspect a fakeout. Now I'm wondering if I had the Vodu wrong, if Okoye is the traitor and she is trying to poison T'Challa against them, maybe they're not bad guys after all? Or perhaps they are. but are pursuing their own agenda separate from Moon Knight in line with their direct influence in the Bene. I'm not thrilled at Storm potentially being T'Challa's "Chani", was really hoping we could give him a different love interest. At the same time though? Oh my God it's hilarious that Hickman has such a hard-on for that T'Challa/Storm baby he made sure it happens in 6160. Man wants his kwisatz haderach damnit!

#weekly reviews #comics

[ramoth13]

Thoughts on an old love:

Vertigo Comics

With the release of the recent Sandman show (highly recommend!!! Mr. Gaiman is, as always, a brilliant storyteller), I thought it might be time to have a look back on my favorite publisher back in the day. I know a few people (especially towards its final days) didn't really distinguish Vertigo Comics from DC comics, but when I tell you that there was a difference, I mean it was just something that can't be replicated.

I don't exactly remember which Vertigo comic I read first. It could've been The House of Mystery or Hellblazer but I'm pretty sure it was Fables. And that's the thing, they were all so special.

I grew up reading comics because my older brother and my Dad before him had grown up reading them. Shazam and superman were Dad's favorites, Batman, JLA, and Green Lantern (Kyle Rainer) were my brother's. But I had grown up watching the Batman Animated Series, where Bruce Wayne was kind, and Batman wasn't jaded, but hopeful, and the comics started pulling away from that.

That's when it happened, I noticed that the characters kept changing, kept evolving from writer to writer, moving further and further from the ones that I knew. Superheroes had been around a long time and couldn't stay the same. Writers had new ideas, new ways to represent the old. Batman was mean, condescending, and sometimes cruel. If they couldn't be updated, they were killed off. Superman lost his love of Lois. Spiderman killed someone. The characters I thought I knew, no longer looked like the ones I loved. So in 2008 I stopped reading them.

But I missed comics. Later, a friend of mine gave me some digital comics, probably illegally now that I'm old enough to know better, but one of them was Fables. I read over 30 comics in one day. I ate them up. And whichever one I read next, Hellblazer or House of Mystery, I read those too. And then, because of course, I read Sandman which opened me up to a world I was already falling in love with. And V for Vendetta, and the Watchmen, Preacher, American Vampire, Y:The Last Man, and The Books of Magic. These were stories that spoke to my very being.

Anything with a Vertigo Logo was gold. The stories beautiful, compelling, and mindbending. The characters were diverse, intriguing, and mysterious. It was like finding a pillar of magic in a sea of ever evolving stories that could never decide on a true identity for itself, Vertigo knew what it wanted to be. The stories haunted me.

SPOILERS:

From Dream besting Lucifer in the oldest game, to Constantine fighting his demon twin, to Bigby Wolf FINALLY marrying Snow White (And Prince Charming's grand return), to finding out who the REAL adversary was in motherlands, these stories never deviated or changed on whims, they always felt honest, sincere, and true to themselves.

:END OF SPOILERS~

There are many other non-DC/Marvel publishers that I love, from Dark Horse (Conan series and Hellboy), to Image (SAGA, Magdelena, and WANTED), to even smaller publishers like ASPEN and Zenescope. Yet, none of these, nor DC or Marvel will ever feel the same as as Vertigo in its heyday.

DC may have made Constantine a superhero, the Watchmen a series, and added all of the best magical parts of Vertigo into its official brand, but the things that made those stories special have stayed with those original books. Nothing against the writers at DC, they work hard and I have no doubt try to remain faithful to the originals... but contrary to what DC wants you to think with their magical league of superheroes, you can't capture magic in a bottle.

And VERTIGO had magic, in spades.

#ramoth13 #fandom #vertigo #vertigo comics #dark horse comics #DC comics #constantine #sandman #the endless #Fables #bigby wolf #y the last man #marvel #comics #zenescope #alan moore #neil gaiman #american vampire #image comics #hellblazer #watchmen #v for vendetta #Preacher #house of mystery #dream of the endless #morpheous #marvel cinematic universe #netflix #the sandman #a wolf among us

[thecomicsnexus]

GREEN LANTERN CORPS #222-224 (FINAL ISSUE)

March/May 1988

By Steve Englehart, Joey Cavalieri, Joe Staton, Gil Kane, Mark Farmer, Anthony Tollin, Agustin Mas, Carrie Spiegle, and Albert DeGuzman.

The Green Lantern Corps have to decide whether they kill Sinestro or not... but their decision will mark the end of an era for the corps.

SCORE: 8

Did I review issue #222? Maybe... but these last three issues were meant to be read together.

Spoilers for a three decades old story?

I'm not a fan of Gil Kane. I understand why they wanted him to be involved in this story, but perhaps it was a big departure from Staton.

However, in this case, Gil Kane did very well... mainly because of two reasons.

Because it's in space and we don't get to see Gil's outdated human fashion choices.

Mark Farmer did an amazing job modernizing his style.

So what happened? Why is this the end?

To make the story short, when the GLC decided to kill Sinestro, they broke a hidden rule. If a GL ever killed any male from Korugar, the battery would destroy itself.

Hal had to visit the Guardians (now retired), and there he found out the battery's destruction would create a black hole that would destroy the universe. They commanded him to get into the battery himself to face... well... the yellow impurity that in this case was the soul of Sinestro or something like that (this story takes place way before the creation of the Parallax entity).

As a result, only a handful of Green Lanterns are left after this story.

But the story behind the story was that DC wanted to go back to having one main Green Lantern. Something that would prove to be difficult, as Earth had three of them (plus ex-green lanterns).

At the time the book ended, Green Lantern Corps (originally Green Lantern) had the sixth longest run at DC. It would be replaced a while later by a new volume of Green Lantern.

I am not sure what happened with the last issue (Cavalieri replaced Englehart). So he probably didn't approve of the change of direction... or maybe he was already working on New Guardians (at least, I think I remember the same team of Millennium being involved in that).

#comics #review #dc comics #modern age #1988 #green lantern #green lantern corps

[kyyall]

Could they be a villain - Green Lanterns

*for the sake of my sanity, it’s only the earth lanterns 

Hal Jordan - 2/10

It’s been done before and they will never achieve it again, except for in elseworlds or outside mainstream which does it pretty well. Doing it again would only feel cheap, so everyone look out for 2024′s Green Lantern comic run in which Hal Jordan murders the Justice League, but it turns out that he was just possessed by the ghost of geoff johns.

Kyle Rayner - 4/10

I feel like it’s been done before, but it’s a lot lesser known than Parallax, so Kyle gets a boost over Hal. I know he’s been possesed by Parallax and he was Ion for a bit, but Kyle seems to be nerfed everytime he gets some sort of godlike-power in comics, so he’d be a pretty underwhelming villain. However, if done right and with the right supporting cast it would be mildly interesting, but there are no gods here and therefore no hope.

Guy Gardner - 0/10

They can’t even give Guy a decent constant characterization, and you expect me to trust DC in making him a villain? Hey wait, I’ll save you the trouble of making a storyline, DC. Guy is jealous over some absurd reason or retcon, and finds the mcguffin of evil and uses to try to take out justice league/ erase green lantern corps/take over world/kill hal jordan. Hal Jordan must unite the corps to take him down, and at least one person says that they knew Guy would do something like this. Tom King’s Human Target is somehow made canon and Blue Beetle and Booster Gold will still have that Homoerotic-But-Ultimately-Platonic relationship because an OOC JLI will be there. Batman is there. Hal is conflicted. Simon and Jess get exactly two lines. Hal is conflicted. Kyle and John are there. Guy is one-dimensional. Sinestro is turned into a good guy. Hal kills Guy and angsts over it until he and carol get back together for the six hundredth time. 

Did I get it right, DC? Did I?

John Stewart - 7/10

He’d be absolutely amazing, and with a good writer and good art it could be absolutely devastating. He’s got a lot of depth, and there’s a lot in his backstory that never really gets explored. He tends to get sidelined a lot in comics and only brought out when needed, but this recent comic run was pretty good for him. Of course, he’s “dead” right now, but that’ll last, I’m sure. My only big hang-up is that I have no faith in DC to give John a good reason to become a villain, and I would rather have him on the sidelines with intact characterization than front and center and have decades of character development stripped away for sake of plot.

Simon Baz - 3/10

I read the New-52 Green Lantern run which Simon debuted in and the best part of it was Simon. He’s a character who works best as a hero, and that’s all I have to say on that. He’d be slightly more interesting to watch than Kyle, but anything’s more interesting than Kyle with powers that he will undoubtedly lose by the next ten issues.

Jessica Cruz - 8/10

If I’m not mistaken, she’s a yellow lantern right now and Simon doesn’t know. So while I couldn’t see her as a like a full-on evil villain, she’d be a very good anti-hero. The parallels between simon and jess would be absolutely perfect and I would really want to see their relationship be brought to the spotlight in a story like that. Jess is a character who would have to have a good motivation, but most villains do so I’m sure DC will be able to deliver on this.

Jo Mullein - 10/10

I barely know anything about this woman, but she looks like Janelle Monae and she would have better style than Sinestro, so she could do it. I believe in her. 

Alan Scott - 4/10

Meh. Better than evil mainstream hal, but I think making him evil is stupid. The only upside is that if he went evil, then there might be a new JSA book, but that’s about it.

#kyle has feelings #alan scott #green lantern #hal jordan #john stewart #guy gardner #jessica cruz #simon baz #kyle rayner #jo mullein #somewhat satrical #green lantern corps

[broke-on-books]

Got tagged by @threephantomrey on a reading game thing, it got long so it's pasted under the cut.

1) How many books did you read this year?

So many omg!! I logged 34 books on Goodreads but I only started logging there at the end of February. I also read a shitton of comics that I didn’t log there because I didn’t want to skew certain statistics and use a different app to log that. (Going by my rough math using that, I’ve read 360 individual comic issues in 2023, not counting rereads). So like I read a lot.

2) Did you reread anything? What?

Sooo much stuff. I just finished a reread of N. K. Jemisin’s Great Cities Duology like two days ago, which I cannot recommend more. Also reread 17776 recently, as well as a childhood favorite (The Fall of the Readers series by Django Wexler) over the summer. When it comes to comics I’ve also done a ton of rereading, most notably Emerald Twilight (Green Lantern (1990) #48-50) like 5 times for the most rereads, but I’ve also reread other faves (in whole or part) such as Wonder Woman: Historia, Batgirl (2000), and I’m currently doing a Green Lanterns (2016) read which has me brain diseased because I am actually obsessed with them SO bad. And I reread poetry constantly so there’s that too.

3) What were your top five books of the year?

I’m skipping this one honestly. I started thinking about it and it hurt my brain. Some standouts I haven’t mentioned yet though include The Fifth Season by N K Jemisin, The Fire Next Time by James Baldwin, The Last Speakers: The Quest to Save the World’s Most Endangered Languages by K. David Harrison, and The Rime of the Ancient Mariner by Samuel Taylor Coleridge. Also like everything Greg Rucka did on Wonder Woman in the aughts (including the Hikateia <3333)

4) Did you discover any new authors that you love this year?

Probably Greg Rucka is a big one, Would maybe count James Baldwin here but that’s iffy because I decided to start reading some of his stuff because I loved a poem of his I had read before this year (among other things). I would also say I discovered A. S. King this year, but I don’t know if I’d say I LOVE her writing, rather that I find it incredibly entertaining because of how batshit fucking crazy it is. Like no one else is on her level when it comes to insanity honestly (and I say this as a comics fan)

5) What genre did you read the most of?

I mean superhero comics probably, but also I read a good amount of poetry (as always) and some fiction.

6) Was there anything you meant to read, but never got to?

Sooooooo much! Because I like so many genres I’m always reading like 10+ books at a time, and still a lot of stuff I just don’t get to. Some things I wanted to read include some poetry books I own, specifically my Most Famous Poems of All Time anthology (I think that’s what it’s called?) and my best of Antonio Machado book (bilingual edition!). There’s also a bunch of specific poems that would fall under this category. Also meant to read the Light of the Jedi by Charles Soule (and the rest of the main High Republic series), but that didn’t happen. Also I wanted to read some 90s Flash but it’s soooo long and I couldn’t justify starting it while I’m in the middle of so many things.

7) What was your average Goodreads rating? Does it seem accurate?

My average rating was a 4.2 which is pretty high. I’d say it seems accurate for the books I finished, but when you consider all my DNFs and comics it would definitely be way lower, as I quit a bunch of books halfway through for being terrible this spring that aren’t reflected, and also I read some really shitty comics for my faves this fall. 

8) Did you meet any of your reading goals? Which ones?

No I didn’t meet them : ((((((((. I was pretty ambitious with the Goodreads goal (set for 100 books) so I’m not sad I didn’t meet that, but I was using those numbers to compete with my best friend on who could read the most, and I lost that (she had 43 to my 34) due to a slump in the early summer and another during the school year in the fall. For comics I recently hit 1000 issues read, so I’m happy about that mindset, and got my niche fave into my top 5 characters read so I’m pretty happy there. Still haven’t reached my goal of having Wonder Woman beat Batman for my top character yet, but that only emerged as an objective like a month ago so I’m not too upset. 

9) Did you get into any new genres?

I’d say so, yes! In recent years I’ve done a lot of expanding my taste of books into different genres, and this year I think I read a lot of memoirs, (both traditional and fictionalized) than I ever did before. For traditional I read Jennette McCurdy’s I’m Glad My Mom Died and in terms of fictionalized, I read and enjoyed both Go Tell it on the Mountain by James Baldwin and The Absolutely True Diary of a Part Time Indian by Sherman Alexie. Next year I want to read more of this genre, especially getting to Maya Angelou’s I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, which has been on my TBR for a while. 

10) What was your favorite new release of the year?

New release… um…. Let me check something real quick. How have I read nothing from this year what. Okay I’m just going to stick to comics for this one and say Spirit World by Alyssa Wong was SO GOOD. Honestly may buy the trade for that when it comes out in April like I was loving that series sm. (also Wong is my favorite comic author currently writing. Although they’re not doing anything I’m interested in in 2024 it looks like : ((((( )

11) What was your favorite book that has been out for a while, but you just now read?

*blinks in classics fan* uhhh actually you know what. The Rime of the Ancient Mariner has been published for 231 slutty, slutty years and I only got around to it now. So that’s a shame. Also I read Huck Finn for the first time this year and that’s been culturally massive for centuries as well. Although the ending for that book was shit I really liked the rest. Tom Sawyer can actually die in a hole though I hate him SO much. 

12) Any books that disappointed you?

SO MANY YES. I had a really long dnf streak in late spring of this year, but one of the books I couldn’t finish was one of the most hyped up books I’ve read this year, that being All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr. Also I actually finished this one but I just hated Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead by Tom Stoppard. Which like I’ve heard good things about this play and I had just finished Hamlet like a month or so before and just like. Idk it was bad I didn’t like it and thought it was super confusing. Maybe watching a stage production would make me like it more but like. It was not lit fam idk :/

13) What were your least favorite books of the year?

Those two for sure would be in there. Also just like the rest of my dnfs I guess. R & G was the only book I finished that I rated less than three stars on goodreads. OH WAIT COMICS. I read so many shitty comics oh my god. This could have gone in disappointments too but Green Lantern: Mosaic FUCKING SUCKED. Like jesus christ it was so bad I only made it three issues. It was such a disappointment too because it was a spinoff book from a really good arc imo (written by the worst human to ever draw air and write comics. Not an exaggeration) with cool ideas and characterization and then the actual book is like fucking. Horrific. Like he has the main character fucking graphically domestic abuse his girlfriend in front of her kid and then she forgives him and then she comforts him and it's just a hot mess of a book. Fucking awful. This summary doesn’t even begin to cover it. 

14) What books do you want to finish before the year is over?

I told myself I would finally finish Muerte Bajo el Sol, the Spanish translation of Agatha Christie’s Evil Under the Sun by the end of the year but I very much lied there so yeah. I’ve been reading that book for so long I just need it over.

15) Did you read any books that were nominated for or won awards this year (Booker, Women’s Prize, National Book Award, Pulitzer, Hugo, etc.)? What did you think of them?

Oh yeah a ton. I like my books thematically crunchy so I generally search out award winners. I’ll be easy and say the Broken Earth Trilogy here, which I did love, although I think the first book was the strongest outside of the three. I won’t spoil but I was in the parking lot waiting to pick up my friend when I reached a certain point and I legit almost honked my horn in the senior parking lot. At dismissal. Also had a few great moments reading it where I realized that the author had read [insert classic here] as well and was drawing some inspiration for certain elements which I liked. 

16) What is the most over-hyped book you read this year?

All the Light We Cannot See for sure. It just wasn’t it personally. 

17) Did any books surprise you with how good they were?

Maphead by Ken Jennings lmao. I was given a metric ton of Ken Jennings books for Christmas 2022 (because I’m a MAJOR trivia/quiz bowl nerd and he hosts Jeopardy) but this was my favorite, and I really did like it. (especially the quiz in the back haha)

18) How many books did you buy?

No comment. The username is the username for a reason. No but uhhh for real idk. I used the libraries pretty heavily this year, so when it comes to like my own money then just two comic trades I think. Maybe some more poetry. I get given/ask for a lot of books as gifts so that’s where most of mine comes from. I got 9 books for Christmas like last week haha.

19) Did you use your library?

Yee! I used 4 different library systems this year, (high school, local public, college, and college local public) so I definitely made the most of it. Currently I have three library cards as I just applied for a new one in my college town using my dorm address lol. Oh and I got a few books from an informal swap library set up in a bookshelf right outside my summer job so that too i suppose. 

20) What was your most anticipated release? Did it meet your expectations?

I’ll use Spirit World here because it actually came out in 2023 haha. I think it both met and surpassed my expectations, as the reasons I started the book were all better or just as good as expected, but also there were so many other elements that I thought were soooo good too so yeah.

21) Did you participate in or watch any booklr, booktube, or book twitter drama?

Nah idc about any of that. I listen to my friend complain about how shitty some of the popular tiktok books she reads are so that should count for something ig. 

22) What’s the longest book you read?

The Fifth Season was 468 pages so that one. Shortest was Rime of the Ancient Mariner with 77 pages (although I think it was shorter tbh)

23) What’s the fastest time it took you to read a book?

According to Libby I think like an hour and a half for the Absolutely True Diary which is kind of crazy. (not counting the Rime here obviously) but generally it only takes me a couple hours for most books. Poetry collections and nonfiction are different though.

24) Did you DNF anything? Why?

SO MUCH. Why? Because it sucked. No but like I was trapped with my most accessible library from Jan - May this year being the one at my high school, which just had SO much YA and books for like. Middle schoolers. This was at a time where my tastes were maturing a lot and I really wanted serious books. So even recommendations I would get from the librarians for books during this time would fall flat just because they were too juvenile for what I was into. 

25) What reading goals do you have for next year?

To beat my best friend in books read. Also like to try not to slump too bad and just like. Read a good amount. Finish my one spanish book so I can start my other spanish book. Have Wonder Woman beat Batman in my comic book stats. Yeah. 

As for tagging uh idk im like really congested right now so like. people do whatever i dont want to have to htink of anybody to tag *thumbs up emoji*

#blah