Not Quite Normal

The Silly Songs with Larry from that movie is an Elvis parody that sets up the line “You’re no elf! You’re an Elvish impersonator!”

So many BookTok or other social media book darlings are generic as hell, populated with cardboard cutouts instead of characters who are aping the motions of stories instead of really experiencing them. Even the people marketing them can’t think of anything to say beyond things like “the steamy enemies to lovers romantasy of our dreams” or “the cozy slice of life slowburn we’ve been waiting for”. There’s basically no care for the story on its own terms, just what boxes it ticks and which labels can be slapped on it for easy consumption.

Aquaman and Aqualad: *swim there*

Flash and Kid Flash: *run there*

Batman and Robin:

I know we all say “not all men”—because it’s really is not all men—but how would you feel if you saw a “women bad” or “women should die” post made by a man and then he said “well it’s not All Women so if you’re not xyz then this post isn’t about You”?

So I don’t know. I think instead of a vague “men bad” or “men should die” post and “well if you’re a good man then this post isn’t about you” we should call out specific harmful behaviors without grouping All Men together and expecting good men to 1.) know this post isn’t about them 2.) not feel Bad about / unsafe for being a man whose only crime is being a man.

i started really loving superman from the new movie and recently finished all star superman and from there read superman for all seasons and batman: year one. i’m currently simultaneously reading batman and robin year one and am almost done with the compact for leaping into the light bc im interested in learning more about the bat fam and i figured getting some background for past and current dick was a good starting place?

Absolute Wonder Woman. It’s part of the Absolute universe, which was designed as a jumping on point for new fans, but I especially recommend it because of how true it is to the character. There’s been a lot of comics lately that really mischaracterize Diana (Injustice being perhaps the most egregious), and the Absolute comics are very true to the real core of who she is, and they’ve made me fall back in love with Wonder Woman.

Batman: The Long Halloween. It continues the story of Batman: Year One (which is also excellent), and it explores the shift in Gotham from the more traditional organized crime of Carmine Falcone and the mob to the costumed craziness of supervillains. The basic premise of the story has been adapted into many of the Batman film adaptations like Batman Begins, The Dark Knight, and The Batman.

What’s So Funny About Truth, Justice & the American Way?, or as its movie adaptation is called, Superman vs The Elite. Like Absolute Wonder Woman, this is a comic that really gets across the heart of its main character, as Superman opposes the much more violent methods of a group of vigilantes. On top of being a thoughtful entry into the real-world conversation being had at the time it was published (which is still relevant) about violence in comics, it’s a perfect example of why some of Superman’s most memorable villains are the ones who can’t challenge him physically, but challenge him mentally and emotionally.

Superman: Speeding Bullets. I’ve always had a fondness for the Elseworlds comics, and this is one of my favorites. It’s fun to explore different possibilities within the DC universe, and this one takes a pretty simple idea and builds an interesting story out of it. I know some people were a little unimpressed by how this one ended, but I thought it was exactly the kind of finish a concept like this should have. It’s a simple but fun what if story idea executed well, and I especially enjoyed it.

Superman/Batman: Public Enemies. Bruce and Clark have one of my favorite friendships in all of fiction, and this comic is one of the best at showing the rapport they have. They’re different people, but they know and trust each other, and when they team up there’s nothing they can’t handle. You’ve also got Lex Luthor doing what he does best, opposing Superman with his wits rather than his strength.

DC: The New Frontier. A love letter to the Gold and Silver ages of DC comics, if you enjoyed Superman 2025 or The Incredibles, I think you’ll like this one. It leans into the sci-fi zaniness of the eras it’s referencing, while also telling an interesting and thoughtful story about people trying to do the right thing in an increasingly complicated world.

Noone can remember a time where the southern tribe had benders, where they had an actual bending culture. Where the hunts and the fishing trips and the foraging in the tundra and literally everything was accompanied by waterbenders. Throwing up snow or ice to block the route of an animal, gathering up fish and safely navigating sudden rapids, clearing and creating paths to local flora and strengthening ice sheets so noone fell in.

Sokka is the first of the Southern Water Tribe to relearn how to sail with a bender, to trust that they can navigate far beyond the capabilities of a rudder should they need to.

Katara brought bending back to the South, and Sokka matched it every step of the way (well,,,,, every step of the way post Kyoshi lmao) and I'm so,,,

The earliest depiction we have is what the throne room looked like under Sozin's rule, with open windows, ornamented pillars, a golden relief of a dragon behind the throne with steps leading up to it, a flat ceiling, and a patterned carpet along the walkway towards the throne. This is likely what the throne room looked like before the 100 Years' War, an architecture inherited by Sozin prioritizing the impression of regal stature and power to those who visited the Fire Lord through dedicated artistic decoration and grandiosity.

The second depiction is what we have during the original series, the throne room of Azulon and Ozai, the room of a monarch overseeing the longest imperial project in world history. A number of differences appear immediately: the replacement of the decorated carpet with a war table and the utilitarian ornamentation on the pillars now more numerous in amount, the lack of open windows, hardwood floors below a vaulted ceiling, the dragon now rendered as only a face behind the throne itself, a pagoda behind a walk of flames separating the Fire Lord from those below him. This is a room designed to intimidate, to impress upon visitors that the Fire Lord is a god among man overseeing an empire unlike any seen on this earth before, the pillars confining you within his presence such that you dare not to look away lest you feel his wrath.

The third depiction is that of Zuko, having rebuilt the palace into something prioritizing scale above all else. The full-body dragon relief sculpture and the ornamental decorations on the pillars return, alongside steps and carpet leading up to the throne and open windows to let sunlight in. Zuko's reign is characterized by a restoration to the design principles of previous Fire Lord, supplemented by monumental architecture reminding me of projects such as Versailles Palace or Taj Mahal dedicated to legitimizing an absolutist monarch's rule through a demonstration of architectural might. However, the elimination of elements designed to intimidate emphasizes Zuko's desire to position himself as a more approachable and benevolent ruler, lacking the utilitarian dedication to warmongering shared by his predecessors and the greater open windows literally demonstrating a willingness for transparency.