Before I get things underway I just want to make one brief political comment. I know things are...hectic now but that doesn't mean that the fight is over. If anything, this should inspire you to continue the fight. Continue spreading the word and continue to vote. Heck, if you vote the right person in then perhaps something can be fixed.
Never give up the fight.
As to the main topic at hand. It appears that Disney is pulling a Vince McMahon towards the film industry. This time the company that they've bought is Fox's movie assets. I can understand why people are going to be concerned. Fox's X-Verse is doing a better job with their films, more than DC/WB has been at the moment. And the primary concern is that we might not see as many R-Rated superhero materials.
There's even a worse case scenario, Disney could end up being lazy with their storytelling regarding the MCU. I have seen the consequences of not having competition.
Yet there is something we could possibly look forward to with this buyout. And today I'm going to list the top 5 reasons why we should be looking forward to X-Men & F-4 in the MCU. Why Top 5? Because I can.
5. The Fantastic Four Comes Back Home
Let us be honest with ourselves, Fox just couldn't do anything right with the Fantastic Four property. Fant4stic went beyond epic fail. Yet with their return to the MCU it means we might finally see some epic adventures across the world and through space. It would also be good to see a superhero married couple within the MCU. Something that the MCU doesn't have as of late.
4. Doctor Doom
With all the talk about Marvel's villain problem, Doctor Doom could be the step in the right direction. We might finally see a Masters of Evil Arc in the MCU with Doctor Doom being the villain that puts the band together.
3.The X-Men Might Be A Separate Universe
I have one possible theory. Say Disney decides to take a break from The Avengers for awhile? This could give them time to start building the X-Men in a universe separate from the prime MCU. Much like how Supergirl is in a universe that is separate from the rest of the Arrowverse but can still have a few crossovers with the Arrowverse cast. By putting the X-Men with its own universe it gives the X-Men a chance to have its own identity.
2. The Fastball Special
We could finally see this live on the big screen!!!
1. A Good Rogue/Mystique For A Change
Because the two deserve better than what they're getting already.
Thursday, December 14, 2017
Thursday, December 7, 2017
Why I Wont Invest In MCU's Spider-Man?
First off, it isn't because I've got some kind of "emotional connection" with the Raimi Spider-Man films. As good as, the first two at least, are I find Toby's Spider-Man to be lackluster regardless of the fact that Marvel Fanatics speak of that version of the Spider-Man character like he's Christopher Reeve's Superman. And Toby's Spider-Man is no Reeve's Superman.
The key reason why I'm not going to bother looking at either Homecoming or anything involving MCU's Spider-Man is that MCU's Spider-Man is one giant contradiction to the Spider-Man character.
When Spider-Man was created by Stan Lee he was created as Stan Lee's answer to kid heroes. You see, Stan Lee hated sidekick heroes. So he created Spider-Man as a means to have the kid hero be his own man and not be dependent on another superhero. While providing a lesson on the true meaning of being a superhero.
Peter Parker wasn't a rich guy, he wasn't a guy born from another planet. He was an everyman. A smart everyman but still an everyman. Who'd have to work hard to earn what he got and never had anything handed to him on a silver platter. What does the MCU do with this version? Turn him into a sidekick and give him a costume that was made by Tony Stark. They might as well call him Iron Kid while they're at it. Case en point the MCU turned Peter Parker into a sidekick. To make matters worse, they made him kinda dumb.
It's like the MCU took away what made Peter Parker such an inspiration and turned him into some bland hipster superhero sidekick. Hell, last time I've checked, Marvel Comics turned him into a wannabe Tony Stark. It's like turning Batman into someone that isn't Batman.
But yeah, I'm not going to invest in the MCU's version of Peter Parker and quite frankly I'd be a little concerned what the MCU could do to the X-Men if things go their way on the Fox movie and tv buyout. I wouldn't be too concerned about the Fantastic Four. After the trainwreck that was Fant4stic not even Disney could make a F-4 movie just as bad.
The key reason why I'm not going to bother looking at either Homecoming or anything involving MCU's Spider-Man is that MCU's Spider-Man is one giant contradiction to the Spider-Man character.
When Spider-Man was created by Stan Lee he was created as Stan Lee's answer to kid heroes. You see, Stan Lee hated sidekick heroes. So he created Spider-Man as a means to have the kid hero be his own man and not be dependent on another superhero. While providing a lesson on the true meaning of being a superhero.
Peter Parker wasn't a rich guy, he wasn't a guy born from another planet. He was an everyman. A smart everyman but still an everyman. Who'd have to work hard to earn what he got and never had anything handed to him on a silver platter. What does the MCU do with this version? Turn him into a sidekick and give him a costume that was made by Tony Stark. They might as well call him Iron Kid while they're at it. Case en point the MCU turned Peter Parker into a sidekick. To make matters worse, they made him kinda dumb.
It's like the MCU took away what made Peter Parker such an inspiration and turned him into some bland hipster superhero sidekick. Hell, last time I've checked, Marvel Comics turned him into a wannabe Tony Stark. It's like turning Batman into someone that isn't Batman.
But yeah, I'm not going to invest in the MCU's version of Peter Parker and quite frankly I'd be a little concerned what the MCU could do to the X-Men if things go their way on the Fox movie and tv buyout. I wouldn't be too concerned about the Fantastic Four. After the trainwreck that was Fant4stic not even Disney could make a F-4 movie just as bad.
Tuesday, February 14, 2017
John Wick Chapter 2
To quote Max Landis; "They don't make action movies like this anymore"
Keanu Reeves is the action hero that we deserve. And I even put it up there with Empire Strikes Back levels of quality.
That is all. A+ and money worth spending. Go see the movie because you'll have a great time. And between this and Split 2017 is shaping up to be a promising year movie wise.
Keanu Reeves is the action hero that we deserve. And I even put it up there with Empire Strikes Back levels of quality.
That is all. A+ and money worth spending. Go see the movie because you'll have a great time. And between this and Split 2017 is shaping up to be a promising year movie wise.
Wednesday, February 8, 2017
Why Rey Joining The Darkside Is What The New Trilogy Needs
The title alone should be an indication of what the topic is about.
Everyone and their own mother have speculations as to how the new trilogy is going to end. Even Jeremy got his two cents in. Well today I'm going to provide my own theory as to how the new trilogy could end.
In the original trilogy, it was about Luke bringing balance into the force by having the light side achieve victory. In the new trilogy imagine how ballsy it would be if Rey did the opposite? Cause when I think of bringing balance into the force it's not due to favoring one side over the other. No. It's about looking at both sides of the equation and realizing that both sides have it's negatives but they both have it's positives.
What I would like to see is Rey figuring out a way to have the light and dark side of the force become one. Use both sides to defeat Snoak. If Star Wars had taught me anything it's that the original trilogy tells us that Obi-Wan's old Jedi methods are a little dated and it's time for the Jedi teachings to be updated a little. The same should go for Luke.
Look at it like this. Would you want the new trilogy to end in the same manner the original trilogy did? Or would you want the new trilogy to shake things up a little but in a good way? Just think of where Rey embracing The Dark & Light Side of The Force could do for future adaptations? If this new trilogy has any chance of being as timeless as the original trilogy then this is the direction it needs to go. The Grey Side of The Force.
Everyone and their own mother have speculations as to how the new trilogy is going to end. Even Jeremy got his two cents in. Well today I'm going to provide my own theory as to how the new trilogy could end.
In the original trilogy, it was about Luke bringing balance into the force by having the light side achieve victory. In the new trilogy imagine how ballsy it would be if Rey did the opposite? Cause when I think of bringing balance into the force it's not due to favoring one side over the other. No. It's about looking at both sides of the equation and realizing that both sides have it's negatives but they both have it's positives.
What I would like to see is Rey figuring out a way to have the light and dark side of the force become one. Use both sides to defeat Snoak. If Star Wars had taught me anything it's that the original trilogy tells us that Obi-Wan's old Jedi methods are a little dated and it's time for the Jedi teachings to be updated a little. The same should go for Luke.
Look at it like this. Would you want the new trilogy to end in the same manner the original trilogy did? Or would you want the new trilogy to shake things up a little but in a good way? Just think of where Rey embracing The Dark & Light Side of The Force could do for future adaptations? If this new trilogy has any chance of being as timeless as the original trilogy then this is the direction it needs to go. The Grey Side of The Force.
Monday, January 30, 2017
Why An Original Superhero Cinematic Universe Is What We Deserve
Spoiler warning for those who haven't seen Split, to those who haven't, what the fuck are you waiting for? Go see the fucking movie! It's worth it.
Now I'm sure most of you have already spoiled yourself on the twist of the film. And the twist is that it's taken place in the same universe as Unbreakable. So if one has to get technical, M.Night has jumped on the superhero universe bandwagon. But what sets this apart from the more mainstream ones like Marvel and DC it's that it's not adapted from a comic book. This is only adapted from the director's imagination.
The more I look at this the more I want to see original superhero movies reach a boom period. The closest mainstream one is The Incredibles but nothing much came after that. Yeah, we are having Incredibles 2 but it seems like Pixar is dragging their feet with that. Meanwhile, they're producing Cars 3. So Pixar can produce a franchise that nobody with a brain cell wanted yet refuse to capitalize on the superhero boom and make a franchise out of The Incredibles? *eye-roll*
Anyways I can think of a few good reasons as to why there should be more original superhero movies. For one the filmmakers don't have to worry about the pressures that fall under adapting a superhero comic. Second it gives filmmakers enough creative freedom to do whatever they want with their original superhero cinematic universe. And finally it gives the audience alternatives outside of DC and Marvel.
If there is anything I'd like to see come out of the buzz Split is getting is it will inspire other directors to come up with their own superhero universe, that isn't based off of a comic or a novel.
Now I'm sure most of you have already spoiled yourself on the twist of the film. And the twist is that it's taken place in the same universe as Unbreakable. So if one has to get technical, M.Night has jumped on the superhero universe bandwagon. But what sets this apart from the more mainstream ones like Marvel and DC it's that it's not adapted from a comic book. This is only adapted from the director's imagination.
The more I look at this the more I want to see original superhero movies reach a boom period. The closest mainstream one is The Incredibles but nothing much came after that. Yeah, we are having Incredibles 2 but it seems like Pixar is dragging their feet with that. Meanwhile, they're producing Cars 3. So Pixar can produce a franchise that nobody with a brain cell wanted yet refuse to capitalize on the superhero boom and make a franchise out of The Incredibles? *eye-roll*
Anyways I can think of a few good reasons as to why there should be more original superhero movies. For one the filmmakers don't have to worry about the pressures that fall under adapting a superhero comic. Second it gives filmmakers enough creative freedom to do whatever they want with their original superhero cinematic universe. And finally it gives the audience alternatives outside of DC and Marvel.
If there is anything I'd like to see come out of the buzz Split is getting is it will inspire other directors to come up with their own superhero universe, that isn't based off of a comic or a novel.
To Quote A Critic: Supergirl Makes It Look Easy Sometimes
Superhero adaptations, especially in film, have it hard when it comes to balancing lightheartedness and drama. The MCU has showcased that too much of the former just taints any dramatic suspense when its characters can't go a scene without cracking a joke. The DCEU showcased that too much of the latter makes you question if it's trying to be like Game of Thrones or The Walking Dead when it comes to Grimdark and cynicism. Then you have Arrow. Nuff Said.
Yet Supergirl shows that optimism and fun can be used if used properly. Supergirl is the kind of series that isn't embarrassed by its superhero tropes. In a way, it embraces it. It introduces both Martian Manhunter and M'Gann. Not a fan of either but I did find the inclusion intriguing.
I also find the Supergirl character adorable and likable. Which is a refreshing change of pace as it would seem that Kara and the series is hardly talked about. Less so than Oliver and Arrow but in the age of the Internet, negativity attracts more than positivity. Is it fair? No. But it's the way it is unfortunately.
Season 2 was considered an improvement and I'm glad they dropped the romance subplot. But it's a CW show now so another one will pop up soon.
I hope Supergirl continues the momentum it's getting.
Yet Supergirl shows that optimism and fun can be used if used properly. Supergirl is the kind of series that isn't embarrassed by its superhero tropes. In a way, it embraces it. It introduces both Martian Manhunter and M'Gann. Not a fan of either but I did find the inclusion intriguing.
I also find the Supergirl character adorable and likable. Which is a refreshing change of pace as it would seem that Kara and the series is hardly talked about. Less so than Oliver and Arrow but in the age of the Internet, negativity attracts more than positivity. Is it fair? No. But it's the way it is unfortunately.
Season 2 was considered an improvement and I'm glad they dropped the romance subplot. But it's a CW show now so another one will pop up soon.
I hope Supergirl continues the momentum it's getting.
Sunday, January 29, 2017
I've Got You My Pretty
A common trope that has been used in fiction. Whenever a villain has the hero or heroine in his/her clutches the villain would usually do something suggestive. Case en point in the Power Rangers movie.
Maybe it's because I like to give my protagonist characters a WTF?! moment but if I were writing that scene I'd extend that by having Rita go even further than YAY. I'd have her lean forward and give a long suggestive lick. Because: I can totally see Rita doing that to Trini just to get in her head and because that's how she roll.
Maybe it's because I like to give my protagonist characters a WTF?! moment but if I were writing that scene I'd extend that by having Rita go even further than YAY. I'd have her lean forward and give a long suggestive lick. Because: I can totally see Rita doing that to Trini just to get in her head and because that's how she roll.
Literature Theater: The Dresden Files
I promised that I'd do a review on novels. And I hope you enjoy the first edition of Literature Theater. The first novel I'm going to review is a urban fantasy series called The Dresden Files.
The best way to describe The Dresden Files would be, what if Hellblazer was adapted as an American series? Yeah, when you put it like that, Constantine was as close as we could get to a Dresden Files film. Keanu even resembles the character more than Constantine.
I'm just going to review the book series as a whole and I must say if you like noir and supernatural then you'll love this series.
The series is like a film noir in book form and sometimes I just picture the whole scene in stark black and white. For atmosphere. Other times it's like the early seasons of Angel that blends crime and the supernatural really well. Then there are moments it reads like Hellblazer and becomes a Cosmic Horror Story.
The main character of the book can get you to like him instantly. The first few pages of the first book got me shouting "WAY TO GO HARRY!!!" Especially when he made a vampire cry. Trust me that vampire had it coming.
I also like how the magic concept is described in the series. Never does Jim Butcher talks down to the reader. He provides rules and regulations to magic use. And the drawbacks and limitations.
I like how he design the world of The Dresden Files. It's grand, weird, sexy, and a little scary. If you're not careful then you'd find yourself getting killed by whatever lurks in the shadows.
And lets talk about the vampires. Not since Hellsing have I seen vampires as, hot, dangerous, monstrous, and fucking awesome as the way Jim Butcher writes em. Thomas for one is the epitome of cool vampire and his relationship with the human Justine corrects everything that Twilight does wrong with vampire/human relationships.
If there is one gripe I do have is that, since the series is in first person perspective, then we'd have to deal with a protagonist who couldn't go without saying how attractive a female is whenever she's introduced. Granted it does have it's kickass ladies. Murphy puts the badass in Badass Normal. But if I were a drinking man then I'd take a shot each time Harry describes how attractive a female character is. But since this series sort of pays homage to old school film noir where that kind of a trope is common then I'm going to let it slide. Also, the guys get their equal share of fanservice. Thomas is the closest this series has to a bishonen character.
Overall I give the series an A+. It's fun, intense, exhilarating, with a touch of scary. I'd highly recommend checking the series out. Get Storm Front since that is the first of the book series. I'd recommend listening to it through audible as the voice narration makes it feel even more alive.
Friday, January 27, 2017
Why So Many Stories?
To those that have followed me it has become apparent that I have been getting involved with more than one story. I'd list them all but that would take up the entire topic so I'm just going to narrow the list down to 5: The Lady Knight, Champions of Evolution, A Hero's Journey, New World, and An Untitled Homage to The Killing Joke.
If you're a creator that is into either writing or some other kind of project you'd see that settling into one place can get a little maddening. I first started out in doing just RPG's on internet forums then I've decided to branch out and do a little writing. Some of them were winners and others...not so much. But the more I kept on doing it the more I start to enjoy writing. Writing a story is like painting a picture, there is something majestic about creating a world filled with intriguing characters based purely on your imagination. So I've experimented a little on a few genres. I've discovered that the genres I'm more prone to writing are in the sci-fi and urban fantasy. With Superheroes thrown in the mix of both. I've also dabbled in noirish like works and noir is the type of genre I had a good time writing because I've grown up in the Hard Boiled Detective genre. Who Framed Roger Rabbit was the first that introduced me to that genre. The funny thing about Who Framed Roger Rabbit is if you take away the toons and replaced it with something else then it not only doesn't hurt the movie but make the movie something interesting.
I'm also in a bit of a finding myself stage, writing wise. I want to find a writing style that is more me. Because the more you do one thing the better chance you have in feeling burned out. So I've decided to venture out on other genres.
If you're a creator that is into either writing or some other kind of project you'd see that settling into one place can get a little maddening. I first started out in doing just RPG's on internet forums then I've decided to branch out and do a little writing. Some of them were winners and others...not so much. But the more I kept on doing it the more I start to enjoy writing. Writing a story is like painting a picture, there is something majestic about creating a world filled with intriguing characters based purely on your imagination. So I've experimented a little on a few genres. I've discovered that the genres I'm more prone to writing are in the sci-fi and urban fantasy. With Superheroes thrown in the mix of both. I've also dabbled in noirish like works and noir is the type of genre I had a good time writing because I've grown up in the Hard Boiled Detective genre. Who Framed Roger Rabbit was the first that introduced me to that genre. The funny thing about Who Framed Roger Rabbit is if you take away the toons and replaced it with something else then it not only doesn't hurt the movie but make the movie something interesting.
I'm also in a bit of a finding myself stage, writing wise. I want to find a writing style that is more me. Because the more you do one thing the better chance you have in feeling burned out. So I've decided to venture out on other genres.
Tribute And Ripoff: How To Distance Yourself From The Latter
This is the second part of my originality series, to read the first part please click on the link here.
Several authors have written works that pay tribute to some classical works of fiction. For example "A Study In Emerald" was a tribute that Neil Gaiman did for both Sherlock Holmes and Cthulhu Mythos. Comic writers like Mark Millar even wrote a mini series called "Superior" that pays tribute to both Superman and the Christopher Reeves interpretation of the character. What makes both of these examples similar is that while both took inspiration from another work of fiction they still made their inspiration feel like their own work.
To use my own example. I've always considered doing a superhero series that pays tribute to the DC Universe because I've been dissatisfied on how it has been handled as of recently. Especially in live action format, with a few exceptions. So I narrowed down what part of the DCU I must pay tribute to and how?
After mulling it over I've came up with a solution. The Killing Joke. I really don't care for the comic version and I've made my thoughts of the animated version known. Short version, it did nobody any favors. So I've decided to do a superhero web novel that does the concept behind The Killing Joke and it's characters involved justice. Except the characters I'm using are original characters but you can tell where the inspiration came from. A hint, my hero characters are more wolf than bat themed.
I'm looking at writing it during the fall of this year.
There is nothing wrong in taking inspiration from another work as long as you don't completely emulate it. Have enough creativity to make the inspiration into something that is more you.
Several authors have written works that pay tribute to some classical works of fiction. For example "A Study In Emerald" was a tribute that Neil Gaiman did for both Sherlock Holmes and Cthulhu Mythos. Comic writers like Mark Millar even wrote a mini series called "Superior" that pays tribute to both Superman and the Christopher Reeves interpretation of the character. What makes both of these examples similar is that while both took inspiration from another work of fiction they still made their inspiration feel like their own work.
To use my own example. I've always considered doing a superhero series that pays tribute to the DC Universe because I've been dissatisfied on how it has been handled as of recently. Especially in live action format, with a few exceptions. So I narrowed down what part of the DCU I must pay tribute to and how?
After mulling it over I've came up with a solution. The Killing Joke. I really don't care for the comic version and I've made my thoughts of the animated version known. Short version, it did nobody any favors. So I've decided to do a superhero web novel that does the concept behind The Killing Joke and it's characters involved justice. Except the characters I'm using are original characters but you can tell where the inspiration came from. A hint, my hero characters are more wolf than bat themed.
I'm looking at writing it during the fall of this year.
There is nothing wrong in taking inspiration from another work as long as you don't completely emulate it. Have enough creativity to make the inspiration into something that is more you.
Tuesday, January 24, 2017
Why I Consider The Avatar Series A Superhero Series?
And no, I'm not talking about the one involving blue elves.
What makes it a superhero series that it involves two extraordinary people with extraordinary abilities who want to use their abilities to do the right thing. And the fight scenes are pretty sweet too.
While they don't fall under the traditional definitions of a superhero series, such as wearing tights or costumes, they both represent a common superhero archtype.
The Avatar is as close to a Superman archtype the series ever had. Some even worships The Avatar as a God. Others want to use it as a weapon. All Aang and Korra wanted to do was to help people. Their arcs reminds me of Clark's from Smallville. Just a kid with powers that even they're trying to figure out while trying to balance between being normal and being the savior of the world.
What makes it a superhero series that it involves two extraordinary people with extraordinary abilities who want to use their abilities to do the right thing. And the fight scenes are pretty sweet too.
Split
Best horror movie of 2017 I've seen so far this year. Hell, I'd even put this up there with 31 in terms of pure enjoyment!
Right off the bat the movie wasted no time in delivering tension and it's M.Night return to form. The dude went back to his roots with this movie and he did it very well.
There wasn't a bad character in this movie, other than the pedo asshole uncle of the main character. Everyone did their parts pretty well and I like how this movie shows the MCU how you can make a villain character sympathetic yet still dangerous enough that you'd still want to root for the protagonist to escape. James McAvoy is made of pure win! When M.Night can make a better villain than the MCU then the MCU needs to examine themselves. I'd say the DCEU but it gave me Faora so I'll give em that much.
He wasn't the only one I thought was good in this. I liked the final girl in this movie. She plays the troubled teen but not in a whiny kind of troubled that you'd see from the CW or Arrow. She was cute and had a likable presence that made you pity her and cheer when she develops the courage to stand up against the villain.
The therapist in the movie was the epitome of cool old lady. Who remind me of Dr.Loomis from the Halloween films.
The movie was like a nonstop thrill ride that builds tension and delivers during the final climax.
Overall I give this movie an A+. This movie is better than any superhero film I've seen last year and it was a return to form for M.Night/ Also, don't let anyone spoil the ending for you. I'd also recommend to avoid youtube till you've seen the movie.
Friday, January 20, 2017
Thursday, January 19, 2017
The Walking Dead Toning Down The Violence
http://tvweb.com/walking-dead-season-7-violence-toned-down-premiere-backlash/
Normally I'd get on a tirade of how nobody should dictate how a writer should tell it's story but in The Walking Dead's case I've stopped watching long before this news came about. The series has became nothing but a gimmick that focused heavily on shock value but without enough story substance to make said shock value meaningful.
As of yesterday I watched a movie called The Hateful Eight and let me tell you that movie earned it's R-Rating but not without purpose. I'd say it was the least violent of Tarantino's films. But when the violence and blood is shown there is usually a purpose behind it. That is one of the reasons why I admired the guy's directing talent. He'd try to blend both violence and storytelling into one cohesive narrative unit. With The Walking Dead and Game of Thrones I pretty much tune out when a violent scene happens.
So I'm really not shedding any tears as far as this news is concerned.
Normally I'd get on a tirade of how nobody should dictate how a writer should tell it's story but in The Walking Dead's case I've stopped watching long before this news came about. The series has became nothing but a gimmick that focused heavily on shock value but without enough story substance to make said shock value meaningful.
As of yesterday I watched a movie called The Hateful Eight and let me tell you that movie earned it's R-Rating but not without purpose. I'd say it was the least violent of Tarantino's films. But when the violence and blood is shown there is usually a purpose behind it. That is one of the reasons why I admired the guy's directing talent. He'd try to blend both violence and storytelling into one cohesive narrative unit. With The Walking Dead and Game of Thrones I pretty much tune out when a violent scene happens.
So I'm really not shedding any tears as far as this news is concerned.
Monday, January 16, 2017
Why I Write LGBTQ Characters?
Why I write and incorporate LGBTQ characters in my works of fiction? The same reasons as to why I'd incorporate strong female characters in my work of fiction. Because I find them the most intriguing and whenever I would incorporate them I'd always treat them as people.
Saturday, January 14, 2017
Originality
Lets be honest with ourselves. Nothing is original in fiction. Every now and then you'd have some work of fiction you'd think is original but someone else would point out its not the case and show that work of fiction was borrowed from another work of fiction. So when you're writing a story, how can you make a story your own?
The simplest answer is flipping a common concept and turn it into something unique. Lets take a look at a couple of examples. Buffy The Vampire Slayer is as close as we could get to not only have an American created Magical Girl series but the closest remake of Sailor Moon the US will ever produce. And Whedon did a couple of things to shake up the common magical girl trope. The Chosen One is a Mean Girl. Yeah, Buffy once started out as a Mean Girl who then evolved into a hero. The Tuxedo Mask character? What if he started out as a villain? And that is what made Buffy stand out amongst other magical girl series.
Then there is my series The Lady Knight which is created from two simple concepts. What if a magical girl series was told from the POV from an supporting character and What if said magical girl is a sociopath? Now this is far beyond just a simple deconstruction of the genre. The series follows two key themes, such as Screw Destiny and True Companions. And the series examines the true meaning behind true companions. So there is a hidden sense of idealism behind the concept.
If you ever have a character or a concept that you find common in your works then tweak them a little till you've got them out of their comfort zone.
The simplest answer is flipping a common concept and turn it into something unique. Lets take a look at a couple of examples. Buffy The Vampire Slayer is as close as we could get to not only have an American created Magical Girl series but the closest remake of Sailor Moon the US will ever produce. And Whedon did a couple of things to shake up the common magical girl trope. The Chosen One is a Mean Girl. Yeah, Buffy once started out as a Mean Girl who then evolved into a hero. The Tuxedo Mask character? What if he started out as a villain? And that is what made Buffy stand out amongst other magical girl series.
Then there is my series The Lady Knight which is created from two simple concepts. What if a magical girl series was told from the POV from an supporting character and What if said magical girl is a sociopath? Now this is far beyond just a simple deconstruction of the genre. The series follows two key themes, such as Screw Destiny and True Companions. And the series examines the true meaning behind true companions. So there is a hidden sense of idealism behind the concept.
If you ever have a character or a concept that you find common in your works then tweak them a little till you've got them out of their comfort zone.
Why The Rape of Sansa Stark Was Meaningless
Game of Thrones, one of the most captivating series produced on tv, also has a bit of a love/hate relationship with its audience too. Part of it is the series of random rape scenes.
Berserk still holds the record of the most rape scenes in a fantasy series but boy does Game of Thrones try to match that record. And often times at irritating levels. I'm just saying, when you have a world that is as crapsack as Game of Thrones then surely there are more creative things to torment someone other than rape? Something that Ramsay Bolton should have considered the moment he had Sansa Stark at his mercy.
Rewinding to a few seasons prior this was the same guy who'd come up with inventive means to torment Theon Greyjoy. And he looks like the kind of guy who isn't interested in sexual pleasure. Unless tormenting folks is the only kind of sexual pleasure he'd have.
If he really wanted to torment Sansa then just order Theon to beat Sansa within an inch of her life while he watches with glee. He could have paid his men to hunt down Sansa and do unspeakable things to her the moment they catch her. But Ramsay would kill them before they get the chance. Much like what he did with Theon.
And that is as much creative kick the dog I can produce because if I ventured further then I'd start hating myself.
All I'm saying is. What made a rape scene in The Walking Dead series shocking when compared to Game of Thrones is how rare a rape scene would ever show up in The Walking Dead. When Carl was almost sexually assaulted that was a shocking moment. When one of the characters was forced to undress before The Governor it was an uneasy moment because it wasn't used as a cheap attempt at shock value and it fits The Governor's character because he commands complete domination. What happened with Sansa was meaningless because Game of Thrones treats it as cheap shock value and it was out of character for Ramsay to do such an act. At least IMO.
Berserk still holds the record of the most rape scenes in a fantasy series but boy does Game of Thrones try to match that record. And often times at irritating levels. I'm just saying, when you have a world that is as crapsack as Game of Thrones then surely there are more creative things to torment someone other than rape? Something that Ramsay Bolton should have considered the moment he had Sansa Stark at his mercy.
Rewinding to a few seasons prior this was the same guy who'd come up with inventive means to torment Theon Greyjoy. And he looks like the kind of guy who isn't interested in sexual pleasure. Unless tormenting folks is the only kind of sexual pleasure he'd have.
If he really wanted to torment Sansa then just order Theon to beat Sansa within an inch of her life while he watches with glee. He could have paid his men to hunt down Sansa and do unspeakable things to her the moment they catch her. But Ramsay would kill them before they get the chance. Much like what he did with Theon.
And that is as much creative kick the dog I can produce because if I ventured further then I'd start hating myself.
All I'm saying is. What made a rape scene in The Walking Dead series shocking when compared to Game of Thrones is how rare a rape scene would ever show up in The Walking Dead. When Carl was almost sexually assaulted that was a shocking moment. When one of the characters was forced to undress before The Governor it was an uneasy moment because it wasn't used as a cheap attempt at shock value and it fits The Governor's character because he commands complete domination. What happened with Sansa was meaningless because Game of Thrones treats it as cheap shock value and it was out of character for Ramsay to do such an act. At least IMO.
Thursday, January 5, 2017
How They Should Have Done Young Justice?
Inspired by my bro,s how to fix Age of Ultron and Arrow series I'm going to do a series that details how Young Justice should have been done.
Young Justice was a series with such promise and it did have some cool ideas. Unfortunately the questionable execution left the potential of such ideas so little to be desired. It gets points for good animation and world building but failed in regards to romance plots being written like bad fan fiction or a horribly written YA novel and villains with convoluted plans and heroes being so incompetent that Justin Hammer from the MCU could take the heroes down with little to no effort.
So I'm going to do my own version of Young Justice and showcase how I could do it better, because I can.
Now lets talk about the starting point of this. The starting point would be when The Team freed Superboy and Conner meets The Man of Steel himself. From that point on you'd see how the series completely alters from its canon counterpart.
Independence Day and Fireworks
In Conner's awestruck meeting with Superman it didn't take The Man of Steel long enough to register that: Conner is his clone and that Cadmus designed him as a weapon against him. Because, going by comic history, even Batman stated that Superman is just as, if not, smarter than him so Clark is smart enough to see the signs. Especially if he examines the area enough.
And most importantly Clark doesn't act cold or distant around him. In fact he responds in a manner that anyone who knows Superman should. He not only accepts Conner but even offer him to stay at the Kent Farm. Followed by Superman looking over the rest of the Team and gave them a silent yet compassionate nod of acceptance.
Batman otoh sees this as a sign of things to come, which is something that he had always dreaded ever since taking in apprentices of his own. The Team took down Cadmus and shutdown their illegal research. It won't be long till The Team become targets of even more dangerous villains. Other members of The League share the same sentiments too. Yet they've accepted that The Team has became more than just 'sidekicks'.
Note: This version of the canon episode helps establish The Team as a rite of passage. They've become more than just apprentices or sidekicks. Together they've become a superhero group. And this also fixed some rather controversial issues that didn't sit well with me. Like Superman's distant relationship with Superboy and The League's on an off mishandling of their young wards. In this version they're more like concerned parents that are worried of the dangers their children would face when going out into the world but accept that they cant keep them from the dangers the world has to offer, all they can do is prepare them for it.
Stay tuned for my next update when I introduced The Team's combat mentor!
Episode 2: Adjustments
This is the part where the series completely go off script. In this one The Team are moving into the new. There would be one shot of Wally kicking it in the entertainment center. Probably him playing a video game with Aqualad, more like Wally teaching Aqualad in playing one while Aqualad's awkwardness of land customs made for a combination of heartwarming and humorous banter. We then move to Robin and Batman as they've installed some updates in the comm room. It's a nice little father/son bonding between Bruce and Dick. It goes along the lines of Bruce telling Dick that there will be a moment when your team well have to look towards Robin for leadership and to not be afraid to lead them. And always be a few steps ahead of any foe you face. Really heartfelt stuff.
Meanwhile in Star City we have Speedy stopping a super strong criminal named Brick. It wasn't an easy task as we are talking about a dude who is as strong as his namesake. It almost look like she's in a bad way until Green Arrow, Black Canary, and Artemis entered the picture to even things up. With a combination of creativeness and some nifty brick disabling trick arrows the super criminal was taken down.
In this version, Artemis, Speedy, Canary, and Green Arrow have established themselves as Team Arrow. Also, small shout out to the series. After the criminals are apprehended Team Arrow have a little chat. Oliver tells Speedy how he had neglected Speedy as both a mentor and an older sibling and how he should have treated Speedy as an equal. Black Canary, being the actual professional psychiatrist, that she is, provided as a mediator between the two. Artemis was there because she had nothing better to do and she finds family drama boring. Fridge Brilliance. Speedy calmed down and agreed to return but under one condition. She's only referred as Red Arrow from this point out.
Artemis: "Don't hold your breath, Speedy"
Thea punches Artemis in the arm and Thea joins Team Arrow as they make their destination to Mt.Justice.
In Metropolis there is a scene of Superman and Superboy saving Metropolis from Parasite. Conner is dressed in his canon outfit, the reasons being is he's looking for a style that matches him. The two team up and defeats Parasite, using a combination of strategy and brute force. It wasn't an easy task for Kon as Parasite came close on defeating him in several occasions. Upon first observation he realized that Conner lacks the combat and strategical expertise. Superman contemplates on finding someone to train Conner.
In that one moment Conner ends up becoming a media sensation because of his team up with Superman. Several questions range from: Who is Conner? a sidekick? another cousin? Or perhaps a long lost son? This kind of media exposure makes Conner a little uncomfortable as he isn't used to this kind of thing.
"You want to know what he really is? A hero"
Lex Luthor approached Superman and Conner, he offers his congratulations. Especially to Conner. Lex offered Conner a hand of congratulations and he accepts, albeit a little reluctantly.
The episode closes with The Team celebrating Speedy's return and a promising future as a group. Martian Manhunter closes it by introducing another member to the group. Miss Martian.
Note: I told you this will go off script.
Yes, Thea is Speedy. Why? I like Thea. And the sibling dynamic with her and Artemis is cute. Also, in this one, Oliver is less of a dick towards Speedy when compared to canon.
Another thing to take note is Lex isn't a member of The Light. I feel Lex work best when he's an enigma. You aren't sure exactly what his motivations are and why he's so accepting of Superboy? And bonus points in Superman acting better than his canon counterpart.
This is a bit of a breather but with a purpose. It helps establish relationships. Especially with The Team and it showcase a better familial dynamic between the group and their mentors.
Episode 3: Schooled
Batman summoned The Team for a meeting. He announced that despite their achievements there will always be threats bigger than them they'd have to face. And they must prepare themselves both physically and psychologically. So Batman mentions that a teacher will be summoned to help them prepare.
***
Meanwhile, we showcase Oliver and Dinah looking over the Mirakuru Shipment from the bust that they and the rest of Team Arrow were involved in. This spurns a flashback from Oliver involving his encounter with Dr.Ivo, Jessica's husband, and it's more like how it's presented in canon but with a few differences. Since the Black Canary in this is Dinah from the comics I'm not using Sara Lance. In her place will be Chloe Sullivan. The story is simple, met Oliver when she attended the same academy he went to but with her, it's through scholarship. They both got really involved, then he invited her on his yacht. And we all know how the story went from there. Dinah wonders if there are others like this, which spurned Oliver to want to investigate the issue at hand.
What the rest of the league is doing? Superman is saving people around the world. Saving a country from a tsunami, rescuing a submarine crew that is stranded in the ocean, even helping NASA explore potential life on other planets. You know, standard Superman stuff. Wonder Woman is working with the world's scientest to discuss a solution to the world's climate change. To showcase she's more than just a warrior. Bruce is helping Gordon in improving Gotham and the best way to do it is by swaying changing the political system within the city.
One thing that bugged me about the canon YJ series is you don't often see the JL do JL stuff. Sure we'd see them in meetings but they don't do many worlds saving and when they do they're always thwarted by The Light. They've become so incompetent that I bet The Monarch from Venture Brothers could take on all of them, on his worst day! Hell, Dr.Evil was more competent than the JL in canon.
***
The Team; consisting of Robin, Aqualad, Kid Flash, Megan, Red Arrow, Artemis, Megan, and Conner conduct a strategy on how to take on Wonder Woman during their next session. Aqualad strategizes that Red Arrow, Artemis, himself, and Robin have the long range advantage while Connor's super strength and Megan's psychic abilities make them the powerhouse of the team. Red Arrow, Artemis, Robin, and Kid Flash provide the distraction while Aqualad uses his powers to slow Wonder Woman down enough for Megan and Conner to get a few hits in. Robin urged the group that, since Wonder Woman has the experience edge then the odds of winning aren't that great. But if they work together then they might have a chance at bringing the fight to a stalemate.
Thea's communicator ringed. She answers it and hears Dinah's voice on the other end. They couldn't make it out but from the background, there is an intense battle going on and Dinah request that The Team arrives for backup.
Thea: "Dinah? Dinah, what is going on over there?!!!"
Dinah: "Damn."
A Canary Cry followed afterward then communication ended
***
In the lab, Dr.Jessica Ivo watches the raid on the warehouse. We don't see what is happening as it only focuses on Jess watching the holo-monitor. To describe the pure malice she has I'm going to post a pic of Cersei Lannister.
Jessica: "You're not who I'm after, Oliver. At least not yet."
***
The Team arrives at the warehouse and it is completely wrecked. Megan scans for Green Arrow and Black Canary. Miss Martian sees Green Arrow laid unconscious on the floor, looking pretty FUBAR(fucked up beyond all recognition). Black Canary doesn't look any better. But she's the only one out of the two who is conscious and is lifted up from her feet by Amazo: The Unstoppable Android.
He has Black Canary by the throat and Dinah's gradually losing consciousness.
His actions was stopped when Superboy blast him with his laser eyes. It made contact but it was only a minor annoyance. Amazo looks at Superboy and the rest of the YJ
Kid Flash: "From zero to Terminator, how scary is this thing?"
Amazo cast Black Canary aside. KF speedblitz towards her then catches Dinah.
"Kid Flash, take her and Green Arrow back to base" Aqualad instructed and the two fought against Amazo. The battle was really a way to distract Amazo while KF deals with taking Canary and Arrow out of the area.
Robin, Red Arrow, and Artemis kept their distance as the latter two use a variety of trick arrows. Robin would distract him with flash grenades. But Amazo never loses ground.
Aqualad fights Amazo with his aqua blades but he discovers that Amazo copied KF's speed abilities and dodged them effortlessly.
Kid Flash just finished taking Green Arrow and Canary to safety while he notices to his surprise that Amazo has his abilities. Amazo looks at him and fires his laser eyes at him. Kid Flash dodges it and Amazo was rocked with sonic arrows from Artemis and Red Arrow. He focus his attention towards the trio on the rafters. Amazo was sent flying with Miss Martian's TK but Amazo used his own TK to stop himsef. Jessica ordered the android to use whatever means to ensure his mission is a success. Amazo's eyes glowed red at the order and now it's time for Amazo to get really dangerous.
You remember the Freaky Friday concept? Most of the time it's played for laughs. There is nothing funny going on here. With the help of Miss Martian's psychic powers that he copied he transferred the minds of The Team from their original bodies and mixed them up
Robin > Artemis
Aqualad > Red Arrow
Miss Martian > Kid Flash
All members of the group were understandibly freaked out. Amazo used Aqualad's water powers to freeze the group in place with his blood bending.
Conner fights valiantly against the android but his efforts was futile. "You know why you're spared?" He says to Conner that he's assigned by Conner's creator, Jessica Ivo to return home to him. Conner resisted."F**** you! How's that for a response?"
"Kon El" It was Dr.Jessica Ivo's voice that he hears. Thanks to a communication device she implanted within Amazo she's capable of speaking to him through Amazo. But since it's through Amazo her voice sounds even more cold and mechanic.
"Are you really going to let pride stand in the way of your teammate's lives? What I'm offering to you is simple. Come home and your friends will live, if not."
Amazo zips behind Miss Martian(Actually Kid Flash in her body) and punched a hole through her chest. Terminator style. Amazo drops Miss Martian(Kid Flash) on the ground."She can heal. I cant say the same about the others, unfortunately"
Conner grits his teeth then reluctantly agrees. Amazo knocks the rest of the group out with it's psychic powers. The last thing Thea saw before everything went black was Conner leaving with Amazo.
Young Justice was a series with such promise and it did have some cool ideas. Unfortunately the questionable execution left the potential of such ideas so little to be desired. It gets points for good animation and world building but failed in regards to romance plots being written like bad fan fiction or a horribly written YA novel and villains with convoluted plans and heroes being so incompetent that Justin Hammer from the MCU could take the heroes down with little to no effort.
So I'm going to do my own version of Young Justice and showcase how I could do it better, because I can.
Now lets talk about the starting point of this. The starting point would be when The Team freed Superboy and Conner meets The Man of Steel himself. From that point on you'd see how the series completely alters from its canon counterpart.
Independence Day and Fireworks
In Conner's awestruck meeting with Superman it didn't take The Man of Steel long enough to register that: Conner is his clone and that Cadmus designed him as a weapon against him. Because, going by comic history, even Batman stated that Superman is just as, if not, smarter than him so Clark is smart enough to see the signs. Especially if he examines the area enough.
And most importantly Clark doesn't act cold or distant around him. In fact he responds in a manner that anyone who knows Superman should. He not only accepts Conner but even offer him to stay at the Kent Farm. Followed by Superman looking over the rest of the Team and gave them a silent yet compassionate nod of acceptance.
Batman otoh sees this as a sign of things to come, which is something that he had always dreaded ever since taking in apprentices of his own. The Team took down Cadmus and shutdown their illegal research. It won't be long till The Team become targets of even more dangerous villains. Other members of The League share the same sentiments too. Yet they've accepted that The Team has became more than just 'sidekicks'.
Note: This version of the canon episode helps establish The Team as a rite of passage. They've become more than just apprentices or sidekicks. Together they've become a superhero group. And this also fixed some rather controversial issues that didn't sit well with me. Like Superman's distant relationship with Superboy and The League's on an off mishandling of their young wards. In this version they're more like concerned parents that are worried of the dangers their children would face when going out into the world but accept that they cant keep them from the dangers the world has to offer, all they can do is prepare them for it.
Stay tuned for my next update when I introduced The Team's combat mentor!
Episode 2: Adjustments
This is the part where the series completely go off script. In this one The Team are moving into the new. There would be one shot of Wally kicking it in the entertainment center. Probably him playing a video game with Aqualad, more like Wally teaching Aqualad in playing one while Aqualad's awkwardness of land customs made for a combination of heartwarming and humorous banter. We then move to Robin and Batman as they've installed some updates in the comm room. It's a nice little father/son bonding between Bruce and Dick. It goes along the lines of Bruce telling Dick that there will be a moment when your team well have to look towards Robin for leadership and to not be afraid to lead them. And always be a few steps ahead of any foe you face. Really heartfelt stuff.
Meanwhile in Star City we have Speedy stopping a super strong criminal named Brick. It wasn't an easy task as we are talking about a dude who is as strong as his namesake. It almost look like she's in a bad way until Green Arrow, Black Canary, and Artemis entered the picture to even things up. With a combination of creativeness and some nifty brick disabling trick arrows the super criminal was taken down.
In this version, Artemis, Speedy, Canary, and Green Arrow have established themselves as Team Arrow. Also, small shout out to the series. After the criminals are apprehended Team Arrow have a little chat. Oliver tells Speedy how he had neglected Speedy as both a mentor and an older sibling and how he should have treated Speedy as an equal. Black Canary, being the actual professional psychiatrist, that she is, provided as a mediator between the two. Artemis was there because she had nothing better to do and she finds family drama boring. Fridge Brilliance. Speedy calmed down and agreed to return but under one condition. She's only referred as Red Arrow from this point out.
Artemis: "Don't hold your breath, Speedy"
Thea punches Artemis in the arm and Thea joins Team Arrow as they make their destination to Mt.Justice.
In Metropolis there is a scene of Superman and Superboy saving Metropolis from Parasite. Conner is dressed in his canon outfit, the reasons being is he's looking for a style that matches him. The two team up and defeats Parasite, using a combination of strategy and brute force. It wasn't an easy task for Kon as Parasite came close on defeating him in several occasions. Upon first observation he realized that Conner lacks the combat and strategical expertise. Superman contemplates on finding someone to train Conner.
In that one moment Conner ends up becoming a media sensation because of his team up with Superman. Several questions range from: Who is Conner? a sidekick? another cousin? Or perhaps a long lost son? This kind of media exposure makes Conner a little uncomfortable as he isn't used to this kind of thing.
"You want to know what he really is? A hero"
Lex Luthor approached Superman and Conner, he offers his congratulations. Especially to Conner. Lex offered Conner a hand of congratulations and he accepts, albeit a little reluctantly.
The episode closes with The Team celebrating Speedy's return and a promising future as a group. Martian Manhunter closes it by introducing another member to the group. Miss Martian.
Note: I told you this will go off script.
Yes, Thea is Speedy. Why? I like Thea. And the sibling dynamic with her and Artemis is cute. Also, in this one, Oliver is less of a dick towards Speedy when compared to canon.
Another thing to take note is Lex isn't a member of The Light. I feel Lex work best when he's an enigma. You aren't sure exactly what his motivations are and why he's so accepting of Superboy? And bonus points in Superman acting better than his canon counterpart.
This is a bit of a breather but with a purpose. It helps establish relationships. Especially with The Team and it showcase a better familial dynamic between the group and their mentors.
Episode 3: Schooled
Batman summoned The Team for a meeting. He announced that despite their achievements there will always be threats bigger than them they'd have to face. And they must prepare themselves both physically and psychologically. So Batman mentions that a teacher will be summoned to help them prepare.
Cue the collective 'Oh crap' reactions among the team.
Batman shared a knowing glance at Diana. He leaves Diana to instruct The Team. She mentions how being in the position The Team is in is an honor but Bruce is right in that there will always be an obstacle that's tougher than the last. And she's one of them.
Conner calls her bluff and steps up. Diana gives Conner a smile of respect for his eagerness.
The two engage in a sparring session Conner showed a good showing in the beginning but Diana's experience edges out and took Conner to school.
Diana offers her hand and Conner accepts it. Diana tells the students to take this lesson to heart. Cause in the next session. All members of The Team will have to fight her as the next session involves functioning as a team.
Kid Flash: "Gulp"
***
We cut to a lab that looked like an underground facility. The lab is a mad scientist wet dream, test tubes, state of the art lab equipment that looked a little too advanced, and several monitors. A petite woman in her mid-30's watched the one that occurred during July 4th. The Cadmus breakout. Her steel gaze centered on The Team breaking into the Cadmus Labs and freeing Project Kr. She stops the recording and head to a secret vault within her lab. We find out that the woman is Dr.Jessica Ivo, widow of Dr.Ivo. She went inside the vault that contained her secret weapon. Amazo. She gave Amazo a simple directive. Retrieve Project Kr, at any cost.
Note: Another Arrow shout out!
http://arrow.wikia.com/wiki/Jessica_Ivo
This isn't a gender swap as there is a subtle hint that the Jessica Ivo is the widow of the deceased Dr.Ivo. In this reality, Jessica Ivo was an acclaimed scientist whose research in genetics have made a generous contribution to the world. Such genetics that includes replacing lost limbs on patients who have lost their respective ones during an unfortunate accident and giving life back to endangered animals. Simply put, her husbands death was the spark that started her start of darkness but finding out that the culprit behind it was a superhero was what put her over the edge.
***
Back at Mt.Justice we have Thea looking at the surveillance footage of Brick's smuggling deal two days ago. Team Arrow discovered that the shipment was a drug called the Miuraku Serum. Thea wanted to apprehend the mysterious buyer of the serum but the buyer never showed up. The one upside was she at least had enough evidence to put Brick away for good.
Superboy enters the room and the two start to have a casual conversation. Thea asked how Conner is handling being a celebrity? Conner mentions that it's awkward, he never does it for the fame. It just feels right. Thea notes that saving people runs in the family. Indicating not just Conner's situation but her own.
Conner mentions how he overheard the surveylance footage she was looking at and was wondering if he could help? Thea mentions that while Brick was apprehended they never discovered who the buyer of the serum is.
Note: Yeah. Definite ship tease. But unlike Megan/Conner from canon this will be built up.
The shipping moment was cut off when Robin contacted them for a group meeting to strategise on how to fight Wonder Woman.
Thea grimaced"No matter how it will go, I'm still going to feel the after effects of that session for the next few days"
"Same here and I'm a freaking brick!" Conner quipped.
So, yeah. We have a villain with a motivation and a Dragon who could pose a threat to The Team and a subplot that could lead to something down the road.***
We cut to a lab that looked like an underground facility. The lab is a mad scientist wet dream, test tubes, state of the art lab equipment that looked a little too advanced, and several monitors. A petite woman in her mid-30's watched the one that occurred during July 4th. The Cadmus breakout. Her steel gaze centered on The Team breaking into the Cadmus Labs and freeing Project Kr. She stops the recording and head to a secret vault within her lab. We find out that the woman is Dr.Jessica Ivo, widow of Dr.Ivo. She went inside the vault that contained her secret weapon. Amazo. She gave Amazo a simple directive. Retrieve Project Kr, at any cost.
Note: Another Arrow shout out!
http://arrow.wikia.com/wiki/Jessica_Ivo
This isn't a gender swap as there is a subtle hint that the Jessica Ivo is the widow of the deceased Dr.Ivo. In this reality, Jessica Ivo was an acclaimed scientist whose research in genetics have made a generous contribution to the world. Such genetics that includes replacing lost limbs on patients who have lost their respective ones during an unfortunate accident and giving life back to endangered animals. Simply put, her husbands death was the spark that started her start of darkness but finding out that the culprit behind it was a superhero was what put her over the edge.
***
Back at Mt.Justice we have Thea looking at the surveillance footage of Brick's smuggling deal two days ago. Team Arrow discovered that the shipment was a drug called the Miuraku Serum. Thea wanted to apprehend the mysterious buyer of the serum but the buyer never showed up. The one upside was she at least had enough evidence to put Brick away for good.
Superboy enters the room and the two start to have a casual conversation. Thea asked how Conner is handling being a celebrity? Conner mentions that it's awkward, he never does it for the fame. It just feels right. Thea notes that saving people runs in the family. Indicating not just Conner's situation but her own.
Conner mentions how he overheard the surveylance footage she was looking at and was wondering if he could help? Thea mentions that while Brick was apprehended they never discovered who the buyer of the serum is.
Note: Yeah. Definite ship tease. But unlike Megan/Conner from canon this will be built up.
The shipping moment was cut off when Robin contacted them for a group meeting to strategise on how to fight Wonder Woman.
Thea grimaced"No matter how it will go, I'm still going to feel the after effects of that session for the next few days"
"Same here and I'm a freaking brick!" Conner quipped.
***
Meanwhile, we showcase Oliver and Dinah looking over the Mirakuru Shipment from the bust that they and the rest of Team Arrow were involved in. This spurns a flashback from Oliver involving his encounter with Dr.Ivo, Jessica's husband, and it's more like how it's presented in canon but with a few differences. Since the Black Canary in this is Dinah from the comics I'm not using Sara Lance. In her place will be Chloe Sullivan. The story is simple, met Oliver when she attended the same academy he went to but with her, it's through scholarship. They both got really involved, then he invited her on his yacht. And we all know how the story went from there. Dinah wonders if there are others like this, which spurned Oliver to want to investigate the issue at hand.
What the rest of the league is doing? Superman is saving people around the world. Saving a country from a tsunami, rescuing a submarine crew that is stranded in the ocean, even helping NASA explore potential life on other planets. You know, standard Superman stuff. Wonder Woman is working with the world's scientest to discuss a solution to the world's climate change. To showcase she's more than just a warrior. Bruce is helping Gordon in improving Gotham and the best way to do it is by swaying changing the political system within the city.
One thing that bugged me about the canon YJ series is you don't often see the JL do JL stuff. Sure we'd see them in meetings but they don't do many worlds saving and when they do they're always thwarted by The Light. They've become so incompetent that I bet The Monarch from Venture Brothers could take on all of them, on his worst day! Hell, Dr.Evil was more competent than the JL in canon.
***
The Team; consisting of Robin, Aqualad, Kid Flash, Megan, Red Arrow, Artemis, Megan, and Conner conduct a strategy on how to take on Wonder Woman during their next session. Aqualad strategizes that Red Arrow, Artemis, himself, and Robin have the long range advantage while Connor's super strength and Megan's psychic abilities make them the powerhouse of the team. Red Arrow, Artemis, Robin, and Kid Flash provide the distraction while Aqualad uses his powers to slow Wonder Woman down enough for Megan and Conner to get a few hits in. Robin urged the group that, since Wonder Woman has the experience edge then the odds of winning aren't that great. But if they work together then they might have a chance at bringing the fight to a stalemate.
Thea's communicator ringed. She answers it and hears Dinah's voice on the other end. They couldn't make it out but from the background, there is an intense battle going on and Dinah request that The Team arrives for backup.
Thea: "Dinah? Dinah, what is going on over there?!!!"
Dinah: "Damn."
A Canary Cry followed afterward then communication ended
***
In the lab, Dr.Jessica Ivo watches the raid on the warehouse. We don't see what is happening as it only focuses on Jess watching the holo-monitor. To describe the pure malice she has I'm going to post a pic of Cersei Lannister.
Jessica: "You're not who I'm after, Oliver. At least not yet."
***
The Team arrives at the warehouse and it is completely wrecked. Megan scans for Green Arrow and Black Canary. Miss Martian sees Green Arrow laid unconscious on the floor, looking pretty FUBAR(fucked up beyond all recognition). Black Canary doesn't look any better. But she's the only one out of the two who is conscious and is lifted up from her feet by Amazo: The Unstoppable Android.
He has Black Canary by the throat and Dinah's gradually losing consciousness.
His actions was stopped when Superboy blast him with his laser eyes. It made contact but it was only a minor annoyance. Amazo looks at Superboy and the rest of the YJ
Kid Flash: "From zero to Terminator, how scary is this thing?"
Amazo cast Black Canary aside. KF speedblitz towards her then catches Dinah.
"Kid Flash, take her and Green Arrow back to base" Aqualad instructed and the two fought against Amazo. The battle was really a way to distract Amazo while KF deals with taking Canary and Arrow out of the area.
Robin, Red Arrow, and Artemis kept their distance as the latter two use a variety of trick arrows. Robin would distract him with flash grenades. But Amazo never loses ground.
Aqualad fights Amazo with his aqua blades but he discovers that Amazo copied KF's speed abilities and dodged them effortlessly.
Kid Flash just finished taking Green Arrow and Canary to safety while he notices to his surprise that Amazo has his abilities. Amazo looks at him and fires his laser eyes at him. Kid Flash dodges it and Amazo was rocked with sonic arrows from Artemis and Red Arrow. He focus his attention towards the trio on the rafters. Amazo was sent flying with Miss Martian's TK but Amazo used his own TK to stop himsef. Jessica ordered the android to use whatever means to ensure his mission is a success. Amazo's eyes glowed red at the order and now it's time for Amazo to get really dangerous.
You remember the Freaky Friday concept? Most of the time it's played for laughs. There is nothing funny going on here. With the help of Miss Martian's psychic powers that he copied he transferred the minds of The Team from their original bodies and mixed them up
Robin > Artemis
Aqualad > Red Arrow
Miss Martian > Kid Flash
All members of the group were understandibly freaked out. Amazo used Aqualad's water powers to freeze the group in place with his blood bending.
Conner fights valiantly against the android but his efforts was futile. "You know why you're spared?" He says to Conner that he's assigned by Conner's creator, Jessica Ivo to return home to him. Conner resisted."F**** you! How's that for a response?"
"Kon El" It was Dr.Jessica Ivo's voice that he hears. Thanks to a communication device she implanted within Amazo she's capable of speaking to him through Amazo. But since it's through Amazo her voice sounds even more cold and mechanic.
"Are you really going to let pride stand in the way of your teammate's lives? What I'm offering to you is simple. Come home and your friends will live, if not."
Amazo zips behind Miss Martian(Actually Kid Flash in her body) and punched a hole through her chest. Terminator style. Amazo drops Miss Martian(Kid Flash) on the ground."She can heal. I cant say the same about the others, unfortunately"
Conner grits his teeth then reluctantly agrees. Amazo knocks the rest of the group out with it's psychic powers. The last thing Thea saw before everything went black was Conner leaving with Amazo.
Sunday, January 1, 2017
Looking Ahead of 2017
I think it's unanimous that 2016 has been a rather...I wouldn't say bad year but its not exactly the kind of year to look back on. We've had an....interesting turn of events, politics wise. And....Ok I'm going to get real for a second. Death
You're a lovely lady but if there is one thing I'd like to request it's to ease up on the celebrity deaths. Seriously!
Ok. With that out of the way I just want to post my plans for 2017. I've gotten back into the superhero genre, courtesy of getting into stuff like Sentai and there are some awesome superhero novels. At some point in January I will do a novel review on superhero novels. Not Graphic Novels but actual novels.
And speaking of superhero novels I'm looking at doing a few of my own this year. The first is Champions of Evolution. Think Agents of Shield meets The X-Men. With a touch of Heroes. With a Hard R.
Another superhero project I'm developing is New World. This will change the way people look at the superhero genre.
And there is also works like A Hero's Journey and The Lady Knight that I'm going to continue developing. I'm hoping I get the first volume of both of the series done before the year is out.
Just to show that I can venture out. I'm doing a co-writing project called Wolves At The Crown. It is an epic space opera that is an direct homage to old school space operas like Star Wars, Flash Gordon, etc. Once Guy and I get the developments out of the way I'm hoping to launch that during February.
If there is one thing I'm looking forward to this year its that I hope Power Rangers becomes a surprise it. Just so that we can have something other than Marvel and DC to look forward to.
You're a lovely lady but if there is one thing I'd like to request it's to ease up on the celebrity deaths. Seriously!
Ok. With that out of the way I just want to post my plans for 2017. I've gotten back into the superhero genre, courtesy of getting into stuff like Sentai and there are some awesome superhero novels. At some point in January I will do a novel review on superhero novels. Not Graphic Novels but actual novels.
And speaking of superhero novels I'm looking at doing a few of my own this year. The first is Champions of Evolution. Think Agents of Shield meets The X-Men. With a touch of Heroes. With a Hard R.
Another superhero project I'm developing is New World. This will change the way people look at the superhero genre.
And there is also works like A Hero's Journey and The Lady Knight that I'm going to continue developing. I'm hoping I get the first volume of both of the series done before the year is out.
Just to show that I can venture out. I'm doing a co-writing project called Wolves At The Crown. It is an epic space opera that is an direct homage to old school space operas like Star Wars, Flash Gordon, etc. Once Guy and I get the developments out of the way I'm hoping to launch that during February.
If there is one thing I'm looking forward to this year its that I hope Power Rangers becomes a surprise it. Just so that we can have something other than Marvel and DC to look forward to.
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