#i’ll be done with my black sails rewatch soon…. | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

davidmann95 · 3 years

Note

Comics this week (12/1/2020)?

calvatronlordofall said: Today’s comics?

Far Sector #9: Another comic I won’t understand until it’s done and I can reread the whole thing but that I’m enjoying anyway. Really, really hope Jemisin continues contributing to the medium in some form after this, because she absolutely has a gift for it.

Strange Adventures #7: He doesn’t care for tyranny, folks. And JEEESSSUUUUS, Doc

DCeased: Dead Planet #6: Some quality DC Comics nonsense problem-solving, but not sure at all whether the chips are gonna fall in favor of the stuff about this I’ve been really liking or the aspects I simply don’t care about at all.

Tales From The Dark Multiverse: Wonder Woman: War Of The Gods: While I’ve seen plenty of them around the periphery in anthologies and so forth I think this is Vita Ayala’s first full work I’ve been exposed to, and tbh I can’t say I’m taken, even given the pretty threadbare-seeming material for them to work with. I’ll still give Children of the Atom a try, but my expectations have been lowered. Nice seeing Trish Mulviihill’s colors though, thought they looked familiar and it turns out she worked on my beloved Superman & Bugs Bunny.

Batman: The Adventures Continue #7: Yeah, now that it’s all said and done, definitely the best take on the death and return of Jason Todd.

Batman #104: Art’s taken a hit, but Ghostmaker’s getting more and more fun as a character the more that comes out about him. And surprising seeing Dick in his real Robin suit in flashback, Dark Designs had him still rocking that New 52 abomination. It really seems like the policy RE: costumes in flashbacks with him remains up in the air at any given time?

Anonymous said: Thoughts on the long-awaited BatCat?

Anonymous said: Bat/Cat the objectively best comic of the week. Thots.

Batman/Catwoman #1: I imagine disappointingly, quite few - both the best and worst part of this book is that King’s entire spiel on “This is gonna be such a different animal from my regular run, this is my DKR, this is my ultimate prestige statement on the characters” was pure hype, this is just the next issue of his Batman run with Clay Mann as the new main artist. And it’s good! I like it! I think it’d take awhile for anybody to tumble onto the ‘three timelines’ aspect of it if they didn’t go in knowing about it since the color of Catwoman’s suit is the only obvious tipoff for a chunk of it, but it’s still a well-constructed piece of comics in line with the story up to this point, even if it’s so in line with it that it pretty much puts the lie to the notion that this was originally conceived of as a special prestige project in the same way as Strange Adventures or Rorschach. Mostly I’m just struck now that it’s out by the guts of doing a straight sequel to Mask of the Phantasm, given that’s maybe the singularly least divisive major Batman story: everybody on every side of the Batman-loving aisle recognizes it as hallowed ground, so nobody’s gonna not be let down if you fuck it up. I really need to rewatch it, it’s been well over a decade and unlike Return of the Joker my memories of it have almost entirely faded.

Black Widow #4: The further in I get the more I’m struck by the cleverness of the central conceit. How do you construct a drama around a century-old woman whose business has her have to mostly forsake most normal human connection? Make the literal supervillain plot that she’s been forced to have incredibly intimate human connections, and now she’s just gotta deal with that on top of what would otherwise be fairly routine Black Widow stuff.

Miles Morales: Spider-Man #21: Hate to say it folks, but even discounting the severity of the delays this arc’s been a dud. Really hoping it finds its feet again soon.

King In Black #1: Holy cow, this was ass. I went in thinking “well, I’ve resigned myself to having to get this to understand the crossovers into books I’m already getting and tie-in minis I do care about, but Cates still has a baseline level of competency so it should still be perfectly readable”, but this is just...nothing. This is that modern Dan Jurgens tier where it’s so bland and perfunctory and inoffensively executed it loops back around to infuriating, except Dan Jurgens’s writing if nothing else at least doesn’t strut around in tangible self-regard as the next great sales-shattering triumph of the Punk Rock God Of Comixxx like Cates’. And when was the last Marvel event on this scale with such little hype behind it? Even Empyre seemed like it had more weight on arrival, and much as I enjoyed it I’m pretty sure that book mainly existed to fill space until we got this. Maybe it’s just the circle I run in. I swear I remember Thanos Wins being pretty fun, and I just reread Atomahawk and that was still a hoot, so it’s a shame Cates has turned out this way, and worse he’s ended up Marvel’s new golden boy. Unless my dad likes it (and if so hey, he’s not alone, I imagine this is selling gangbusters) I’m sure not grabbing another issue, so I guess I’ll have to do my best with context clues in figuring out what’s going on for...Guardians of the Galaxy, S.W.O.R.D., Daredevil, Namor, Return of the Valkyries, the Joe Fixit Immortal Hulk one-shot, Iron Man/Doctor Doom, and the next book below. Fuck.

The Union #1: I’ve only read Everything Used To Be Black And White for Jack Staff but I was definitely curious what Grist would do here, and it didn’t disappoint! Fun little story, bunch of neat character ideas I’m looking forward to seeing developed further, very lived-in feeling slice of its corner of a superhero world.

Marvels Snapshots: Civil War: An excellent little parable that I’m surprised we didn’t actually see the likes of in ‘06, and frankly worth getting a mediocre Miles Morales arc for (even if it was disappointing that that one had to be where the ball was dropped) if this is where Ahmed’s attention was going instead.

Daredevil #25: So I turned two pages at once and accidentally spoiled myself at the last possible moment for the big reveal of the issue, so that sucks. Still a great issue though - one that manages to function as a logical extension of an incredibly street-level story even though it can only possibly exist as an extrapolation of the wildest excesses of the Marvel universe - but I cannot imagine how the hell the next is gonna cleanly pivot into King in Black shenanigans.

Kill A Man: A new OGN by Steve Orlando, cowritten with Phillip Kennedy Johnson and with art by Al Morgan and letters by Jim Campbell, the reductive though not inaccurate pitch is ‘queer Creed’. But since this is likely to sail under the radar I need to emphasize this is one of Orlando’s absolute best works, a real triumph of the form that’s among the best comics of the year (good GOD does this put to shame 99% of superhero comics fight scenes by the end), and a must-buy for any fans of his work. I’m just gonna let how hard the title and solicit text go speak for themselves:

“As a child, James Bellyi watched his father die in the ring as payback for slurs thrown at the other fighter. Today, he's a Mixed Martial Arts star at the top of his game, and one of the most popular fighters in the world...until he's outed as gay in his title shot press conference. Abandoned overnight by his training camp, his endorsements, his fans and his sport, to regain his title shot Bellyi is forced to turn to the last person he ever wants to see again: Xavier Mayne, a gay, once-great fighter in his own right...and the man James once watched kill his father.”

#Week's Comics #Opinion

20 notes · View notes

echo-bleu · 4 years

Text

Tagged by @insidious-intent (thanks!)

ARE YOU STAYING HOME FROM WORK AND SCHOOL? I’m unemployed atm so the quarantine isn’t making much of a difference to me.

IF YOU’RE STAYING HOME, WHO’S THERE WITH YOU? My parents. And a lot of birds in the garden.

ARE YOU A HOMEBODY? So much.

AN EVENT THAT YOU WERE LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT GOT CANCELLED? My cousin was supposed to come over for Easter, that would have been nice. A couple of stuff got cancelled that I won’t miss too.

WHAT MOVIES HAVE YOU WATCHED RECENTLY? Honestly can’t remember.

WHAT SHOWS ARE YOU WATCHING? Roswell NM and MacGyver are the ones currently airing. I want to start Almost Paradise, probably will soon. Otherwise I’m halfway through Black Sails, just finished Picard, occasionally watch an episode of Killjoys, regularly rewatch some Leverage.

WHAT MUSIC ARE YOU LISTENING TO? Right now Gavin Mikhail’s cover of I’ll follow you into the dark because it’s basically my playlist for our hands clasped so tight.

WHAT ARE YOU READING? Malex fics, mostly. I want to read books too, but it’s not happening atm.

WHAT ARE YOU DOING FOR SELF-CARE? Uh. Not much? The weather is good now so I go into the garden (I’m very lucky my parents’ house has one) and for little walks where there is no one. Drawing and writing are a kind of self-care, depending on the day. Reading too, I guess. I just try not to put too much pressure on myself (and fail completely).

Not tagging anyone specific since I feel like everyone’s done this, but do it if you haven’t!

#about me #tag game

8 notes · View notes

spockvarietyhour · 4 years

Text

Seven months ago I made a list of what I was watching. Since then I’ve finished my DS9 Rewatch as well as completed Deutschland 86, Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles, Star Wars: Resistance and Another Life. I’m up to date on Letterkenny and doing eps that @kiranerys didn’t see, and we’ve done the first 4 seasons of B5 (rewatch for me, new for her) and S5 is probably coming soon, Charlie Jade is is short sputters and on hold till we finish The Terror (new to her). We haven’t watched the latest Red Dwarf special yet either.

I’m also watching A Series of Unfortunate events, one I haven’t seen but she has.

Up to date on Walking Dead and did Clone Wars as it aired, Mando, Picard, etc.

SG1 Rewatch remains on pause at S8.

I’ve abandoned Jessica Jones S3 about 3-4 episodes in, same with Lost in Space (didn’t care which is a shame). But I did finish Ash vs Evil Dead, S3 of the Man in the High Castle (s4 probably after Into the Badlands)

Young Indy remains a background show, an ep here or there every month. Still during The War Years.

Also occasionally doing a Electric Dreams ep, I had gotten stuck on the first two eps for so long but now it’s worthwhile.

Currently wrapping up S1 of Defiance and about halfway thru S3 of Into the Badlands. I’ve sprung on myself a New Who Rewatch, including Torchwood and Sarah Jane (I’ve never watched them except I think for the pilot and the Doctor eps). So probs no return to SG1 until after that bulk is done.

There is a sort of shadow Enterprise rewatch, nothing as detailed as TNG/DS9, but I’ve been rewatching them occasionally doing a cap or gif.

Haven’t touched anything in the maybe a rewatch category so that remains the same.

The near future and far off in the distance categories are condensed into one for now bc I don’t know what the mood will strike me, except that likely the final season of The Man in the High Castle will be after Into the Badlands. I’ll probably do the entire Defiance series before tackling anything else.

So Here’s stuff I’m planning on eventually in no particular order:

Russian Doll Dark SS-GB Planet of the Apes (which is a sorta rewatch but I never saw every episode) Titanic: Blood and Steel Fargo The Pacific BSG 78 (never saw the whole thing) Fringe (mostly rewatch there’s a few eps I never saw) Falling Skies The OA S2 The Crown S3 One Punch Man S2 Love Death and Robots Castlevania S3 Tales from the Loop Twilight Zone 2019 (tho I hear it takes a dive after the first 3 eps) Amazing Stories 2020 Black Summer For All Mankind See The Dead Lands The Purge S2 the 2 War of the Worlds series that came out last year The Rain

Potentially: Catch 22 The Night Manager Cromartie High School Black Sails Boardwalk Empire Horatio Hornblower Sharpe’s Stuff The Plot Against America (I’d read it when it came out) Dystopia

#that's....a lot #Danny watches #some vague planning noises

4 notes · View notes

san-bika · 7 years

Text

Battle for a Soul - Voltron fic

So this fic was brought on by rewatching the Azula and Zuko Agni Kai a couple (hundred) times. I cried writing it soooo Please listen to this on repeat if you feel like visualizing Keith and Lance and crying: Last Agni Kai or you can try Reconciliation from the ATLA soundtrack. Feel free to see this as a Klance or friendship fic.

The only other thing to know is that in this universe, the Paladins have evolved the powers of their lions and that Lance succumbed to his insecurities while Keith was acting as Black Paladin and fell under the sway of Haggar after he was captured.

Rating: T - violence, manipulation

Pairings: Klance (ish)

Length: 1687 words

Tags: S2 continuation, Black Paladin Keith, paladin powers, angst, manipulated Lance

Keith forced the fire in his veins to a dull roar, knowing that he needed Haggar alive, that one move of his sword at her throat would cause him to fail his mission.

And failure wasn’t something he would accept.

He rasped at the dark figure, “Give him back to us. Now.“

The witch smiled. "All you had to do was ask, halfbreed."

His hand twitched, correcting itself before something outrageous could happen, like Haggar’s head sailing across the floor. Still, she noticed the weakness and met his gaze, a farcical smile twisting across her thin face.

Keith kept his gaze impassive and tightened his grip. This was no cat and mouse game. One false move and she’d be dead and Lance’s location lost forever.

"I’ll call him over. Don’t do anything rash now. You wouldn’t like the consequences.” She turned and cackled into the hall, “We are ready for you, Paladin."

And Keith froze. Why was Lance just waiting for him? Why would Haggar let him roam free after months of imprisonment?

A curling wave of danger hit the back of his mind and rolled in his gut and he jumped back just as a spray of sharp ice shards shot out from the dark corridor.

A familiar figure strolled forward, tall and lanky just had he remembered. But no longer in the white suit of the paladins but the black and purple that he hated so much. He could barely recognize him.

Lance seemed ethereal, seemed lankier, like he hadn’t been fed, and looked as if he hadn’t slept in days. Considering Haggar had imprisoned him, both were likely. His hair was unkempt, falling into his eyes and long past his ears.

It could be an imposter if he didn’t instinctively know him, his aura, his quintessence. The part of them connected by Voltron and more, told him that this was their lost friend, shattered by the druids and remade into… something.

His eyes were the worst, like he wasn’t really seeing anything. Blue chips flinty and cold, no hint of warmth or humor.

And something else was off. Lance held himself tightly straight but as though his spine was twisted around itself. His head cocked at angle made him seem arrogant. He was not here as a friend.

As his face was lit up, Keith could see a cruel half-smile. "Keith, you’re not gonna fight back?” Lance bowed his head low and chuckled darkly. “Scared you’ll lose?" Keith lowered his bayard, fighting the wave of cold fear that overtook him.

"Lance, what are you doing? I don’t want to fight you!"

Lance looked up, eyes narrowed with something colder than hatred. It was hard to see in the strange Galran light, but it looked like he was faintly glowing, a dark aura surrounding him.

Keith glanced over towards the witch to see a similar glow surrounding her hands and that feral grin marring her face.

"Of course you don’t. Why would Voltron’s best bother with a second-rate cargo pilot, right?"

He took a step forward, raising his palms just as Coran and Allura had taught them to and the frost that Keith was so used to counting on in battle started to appear on his fingers.

He quickly put away his bayard and called on the lethal combination of powers he had acquired: controlling the air as the Black Paladin, and summoning fire as the Red.

He could barely stop himself from growling. "Lance, listen to me, please. Haggar is using you! She’s done something to you! Come back to Voltron! You’re ours! Our Blue Paladin! Open your eyes!"

Before he had finished he had to throw himself back to avoid the barrage of ice sent his way. Lance laughed again, panting even though he had barely moved. "But Keith, that’s exactly what she did for me. She opened my eyes to see that Voltron will NEVER need me when they have YOU!"

And Lance shut his mouth and ran at him, summoning a wave of dark water that Keith barely beat away with a gust of cold wind.

Before he could do anything, a second wave came from behind him and smothered him, wild currents pulling him to the ground in a whirlpool. Keith struggled, trying to hold as much air in as he could. He gathered his strength and moved his arms outwards to create a crest of fire, blasting the water away.

Without thinking he punched his fist out, shocked, and a funnel of red flames hit Lance on his chest, too fast to dodge. The former paladin fell a few feet away before he rose again, baring his teeth, eyes glittering dangerously.

Haggar hissed from her spot by the wall, "You see, don’t you, they want you dead! They want you gone, just as I told you.” Lance stood with his head down, trembling terribly for a long minute. He looked like he was fighting tears.

Haggar spoke again, “Quickly! Finish him before he kills you!"

Keith shouted out, "No, Lance, don’t listen!"

But it was too late, the other teen lifted his head out of shadow, sneering. He staggered forward, gasping, and Keith realized then that the aura he’d seen wasn’t imaginary. It was still there, darker and brighter at the same time, more tangible than before.

Haggar wasn’t giving Lance more power, more strength. She was stealing it from him, taking it from his very life force. That’s why Lance was stronger than he’d ever been…. and why he was falling apart, taking deep huffing breaths and barely keeping his balance as he threw out punishing attacks.

"NO! LANCE!"

It took all his strength to block the ice that flew at him, and even then some of it had stuck him through the thigh. Keith burned it away, ignoring the stream of blood oozing down his leg as he realized he’d need to overwhelm Lance if he had any chance of saving him.

But he didn’t have water, or earth, or plant life, something he could use to somewhat gently stun Lance. His weapons were all fury and danger. He could steal the breath away from him. He could burn him. And he’d have to or Lance would literally fight to his death.

Haggar was trying to kill Keith at any cost.

Keith dodged again, and again, and again. He had no choice and finally kicked out, creating a vortex of flame that flew too fast for Lance to dodge.

The paladin barely managed to erect an ice barrier but the fire licked up his arms and the sleeves of his armor briefly. Lance shrieked and stumbled back, before tearing at his clothes and screaming at Keith.

"I knew it,” he grit out, using his ice to briefly soothe his burning arms. Tears slid down his cheeks. and his face was twisted with anger and pain. “I knew she was right. That you all wanted me out. That YOU wanted me out!"

Lance laughed again, a bitter high-pitched wail that was almost a cry. Keith took a step forward before being forced back from Haggar’s lightning.

"It’s not like that. She’s killing you, Lance!” He felt droplets burn their way down his cheeks. He could barely speak from the smoke and ash, his own emotion drowning him.

Lance looked up slowly, his face lit with a grim smile and shattered eyes. Body swaying but voice soft and steady.

“Let’s end this, Keith."

No.

He grasped for anything, any memory to convince Lance that he was trying to save him, but the witch had a grasp too strong to fight: Lance’s mind was infected and had been over the months he’d been missing. It would take twice as long to heal him, save him from the darkness.

Keith could only pray that they’d make it out alive now.

And the battle began again, harsher and faster.

Lance attacked, fell, stood, was burned, and attacked again. He stopped talking and just stared with those accusing eyes.

No self-preservation, no defense, just careless aggression.

Keith teetered on the edge of panic. He had to save his friend. He had no way to save his friend. Shards of ice ripped into him, making sharp cuts and stabbing his face, his arms, his legs. Every hit from his fellow paladin carved into his heart.

Finally Lance raised a hand, cradling in it an orb glowing an eerie blue-white.

And Keith felt that instinctual warning not to let Lance attack with that. That the quintessence lost would finish Lance, forever, and possibly him.

So he took a long breath and pushed past all the distractions, past the worry whether Allura and Hunk had succeeded in rescuing Shiro, or whether Pidge, Coran, and Matt were fending off the Galra.

He found the fabric of his courage inside him and wrapped it around his heart in one moment. Then Keith let it go with a desperate scream, wrapping hot air around burning fire, creating a bomb and flinging it at Lance and Haggar.

As soon as he threw it, he could see the reflection in the pinpoint of Lance’s eye, the fear, and he ran after it, praying that the other paladin would draw an ice-shield up somehow.

But it struck the Blue Paladin too fast in a torrent of wind and flame. Haggar shrieked as the heat and fire washed over her too and he lost track of her, focused on Lance.

He was covered in burns, red shine and sooty skin on his hands, arms, and face, Galra armor seared off, and barely awake, barely alive.

He couldn’t move at all, and only cried out in anger, gasping, unable to stop from crying, the hurts in his mind as bad as his physical injuries.

Keith’s own voice was barely there, as he cradled Lance and rasped into his helmet. "Coran, we need immediate extraction. I-I’ve got Lance. But you need to hurry. It’s touch and go right now."

And he waited for his team, all of his focus on his friend, on the sighs and sobs, trying to sooth them with quiet hushes.

456 notes · View notes