Need help with uploading on FF.Net?

 I'm not trying to sound like an informerical, I promise. 

But in all seriousness, as FF.Net seems to be....experiencing a long stream of technical difficulties, some features are not working as well anymore, such as uploading new documents to the site. No matter which document form one chooses (like .doc, .docx, .html, and so on) the site can't seem to process any of them. Well, I may not be able to offer technological solutions to every problem that crops up there, but this one is different: through research and browsing Ff.Net for support from other writers, I have discovered one way to bypass the bugs and upload new documents with little to no incidents.

I do have a disclaimer though - if you're a new writer hoping to post your first story on the site and you come across this error, this might not work for you. I'll try to find other solutions for newer folks, but in the meantime, for regulars on the site, this is for you.

• Step One) Go to 'Manage Stories' .
• Step Two) Click on a published story 
  
• Step Three) Click on 'Contents/Chapters'
• Step Four) No matter if it's a one-shot or a chapter, click on 'Export'. 
• Step Five) Now you have a new document that will say, 'Export: Insert Title Here'. You're free to edit it as much as you want. BUT - whatever you do, do NOT delete the document. If you do, you won't get it back and you can export a story chapter or one-shot only once. You can't export a story multiple times. 
• Step Six) Once done editing, you can select it if you're posting a one-shot or new chapter update. 
  
  And voilà! You have uploaded new tales to your page. Hope this helps! :)
  
  Wanderer out! 

A Blue Streak, Prologue, Special Features

 Prologue

References:

*The title comes from a suggestion brought forward by One Lucky Unicorn. Thank you again, my friend!  🙏

*There's a paraphrased nod to a line from Raiders of the Lost Ark through this line: 'Craters, what does the commander want to see me for? What am I, in trouble? Again?' Needed to come up with something for Ty to say before he goes off to see Commander Nebula and this was it. 

*Star Cruiser 77's number is a reference to the year the very first Star Wars film, A New Hope, came out in 1977. 

General:
*When I originally wrote this prologue, I intended to include in the conversation between Commander Nebula and Ty to introduce one of the key plot points. But the further I edited this chapter, the more I felt it didn't fit. It would have given away too much detail, so it was necessary to cut it out altogether. However, there are some hints from the conversation I will be dropping periodically through the story until the ending. 

*Rentwhistle Swack and his poacher contacts weren't originally meant to be part of the story. That all changed when I rewatched the Karn-centered episodes of the show, and discovered their usage. Thus, including them in altered an important scene, which will be discussed in the next SF notes. 

*I didn't really dive into Buzz's reasoning for why he wanted Ty to work with him and his crew, other than simply needing more backup for the assignment on Karn (after what happened on the planet the first few times Team Lightyear has been there), but I felt there was really no need for it. However, I did touch upon Buzz showing genuine gratitude and appreciation for Ty being there, to show how far he's come from his canon episodes. Bringing in elements from their Academy days felt like a good way to explore more of their dynamic - or what was left of their dynamic - when they were young lads with no idea with what they were getting into as Space Rangers.

Plus, I suspect Ty does have a side to him that does delight in teasing. Not harmfully, of course, but light-heartedly. Bringing that out further enhanced their dynamic and gives insight as to how they would interact with each other off-duty and differently from their days in the Academy. They're both older and wiser, but some things haven't changed between them. By the way, for anyone curious about the story Buzz was going to tell about his Academy days, that is not going to happen in this story. Unless it's relevant, that won't happen, at least not now. 

*The Vanorian Ranger is based off of this character in the show. She never had an official name for what she was, but a friend of mine made up the name - Vanorian - that I applied to her ethnicity. The Ranger herself is not the character proper. 

*Ty's sore spot was hit and will somewhat play a part in the story, but in small ways. 

Random Facts:

*I would like to try and make a habit of uploading these Special Feature posts of previously published chapters before new chapters are posted - to build up hype along the way, but we shall see.

For now, Wanderer out!

Character Spotlight: Saint Walker, Part One

I hope he takes requests!

------------------------------

1.HISTORY

I recall seeing him in one of the Blackest Night storyline issues first, then the animated show that aired on Cartoon Network (before it was canceled). I loved his voice and that prompted me to check out more of the episodes he starred in, as well as more of the GL comics. But, like with many other characters on this list, I had a hand from YouTube thanks to a video that was made covering his backstory. I didn't know anything about his origin story beforehand, but I grew to love him more based on said video. Since then, I've been a Saint Walker fan. 

------------------------------

2. THE LANTERN OF THE HOUR

Hope. This guy is a textbook definition of that word. His cheerfulness and determination to bring good into the universe is admirable, even after all the losses he endured in his life. I think that's why he's generally beloved among many Lantern fans.  He was well-liked in the comics, but I did notice the animated series helped propel his popularity further. I will argue that the animated series even gave him more personality than the comics did. He's not a typical calm and wise hope bringer, he also has a small bit of playful sass to him and he's gifted at playing the harp (as shown by the gif I've posted here). 

And not a lot can stop him. He's accomplished quite a bit that not a lot of people can say they did: he saved his homeworld from dying by preaching to them and filling them with hope, he will go around bringing peace to every tombstone he could find in a cemetery, and he tamed huge wild beasts. Shoot, in the animated series, he even took down a massive ship with a single punch. Okay, other heroes can say they've done this, but Saint Walker isn't usually characterized as having super-strength or being technologically advanced like Superman or Cyborg respectively- just the power of Hope is enough to make it happen. 

I like that Hope is tied into his belief in a higher power as well. I too believe in a higher power and to see a character like that do that in comic book fiction, alongside other characters like Daredevil and Nightcrawler, is inspiring and widens the demographics more. I also like that he has demonstrated the power of good and how good is NOT weak, which I think is important especially in this day and age. He can be kind, gentle, forgiving, generous, brave, and so on, but weak is far from what I would call for Saint Walker. He can take down opponents easily if he sees they're not going to listen to reason or calm down. Appearances can be deceiving in this case - he might look harmless, but he's far stronger than he appears, and will sincerely fight for what he believes in: hope and he will bring it to others no matter how long it takes him. He lives and breathes his amazing motto: 'all will be well'. 

That said, the poor guy doesn't get a lot of chances to be involved in his own stories apart from his things with the Green Lanterns. And with him being the last Blue Lantern in the current canon (at least I think he is, if he isn't, please correct me), it's like, 'folks, you just created a chance for St. Walker to go on his own adventures and goals of getting the Blue Lantern band back together, don't you think you should go forward with it?'

I understand the BLs aren't the main focus of the GL universe, and I'm not saying they need to go nuts with focusing on every Corps of the Emotional Spectrum (otherwise we would have a crazy situation like with the Knuckles spinoffs from Archie Comics), but if the BLs are such a big deal for the GLs because they need an extra boost for their powers when things get really bad, then shouldn't the search to induct more members into the organization be considered a key objective for the Green Lanterns to complete and help them? The more members they can get into the Blue Lanterns, the more powerful the Green Lanterns will be. Plus, Saint Walker can get a chance to be developed more, or at least be featured in more stories that allow him to show more of his skills outside of acting as a power booster for the GLs. We know his backstory. We've seen him actually lose hope - and his ring - in one emotionally powerful instance before regaining them both.

So what's next for him? More... chances to be battery packs for the GLs?... yeah, no thank you. I want to know where he goes from here. Here's another thought: if they really wanted to keep the BLs around, perhaps they could only come when only needed, like how Aslan does in The Chronicles of Narnia. He's a powerful and fascinating character, but he doesn't show up for every scene unless needed, and even when an image of him does appear, you're never really sure if it IS him which makes him compelling. 

But back to Saint Walker, I think he faces the same problem Blaze the Cat from Sonic the Hedgehog does - they're generally beloved by their respective fans and went through their own character arcs, and now they're stuck, with the writers at a loss on how to progress forward with their journeys. It can be tough but if there's a will, there is a way. I'd love to see some AUs done with him myself. 

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3. DEPICTIONS/QUESTIONS

*"Why are Blue Lanterns limited in power?": I'm not entirely sure, but I disagree with it as well. At least with the animated series, it's slightly better than in the comics. The comics can be a mess. Many fans, including myself, do agree that the BLs are reduced to being power boosters for the Green Lanterns. Yes, for that part of the DC universe, they wanted to show you can't have willpower without hope and vice versa, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't defend yourself if your backup isn't there. The poor Blue Lanterns only had at least two usages (flight and protective aura) with their powers on hand when they weren't working with the Green Lanterns, which is not a good idea if they have to defend themselves in combat. I think that's a reason why barring Saint Walker and the founders of the BLs, they were wiped out. 

*"He's such a cinnamon roll!": Due to a personally bad experience with this phrase, I despise this description of him. Yes, he's a wonderful kind and caring character we can look up to and admire, and he's absolutely endearing, but he's not helpless. He will kick your tail if needed and besides that, while it's true he has undergone emotional suffering, the animated series did make it clear that he does have a resilient edge to him. More like a trickster edge that can come off as like a benevolent troll, but still an edge nonetheless. He also has a noble nature to him too, which I don't associate with that usage of the term. He's more like Rafiki from The Lion King or 
Friar Tuck from Robin Hood - they can be jolly and willing to do good works for their peers, but they can put up fights with their mad skills if necessary. 

In Saint Walker's case, he'll get a lot more chances to use his other skills for my stories, which I'll discuss next post. 

Wanderer out! 

A Blue Streak (Universal Phoenix Corps)

 'A Blue Streak', the first full-length story for my Universal Phoenix Corps universe is now posted!

Summary: 
A streak speeds through, a furious and bold blue. Its tail blazes bright, its impact blooms in might. Star Command history will be made, on a far planet coated in jade.

Now available for reading on the following sites:
A03
Fanfiction.Net

There will be at least one or two updates per month for this story until its end. Until then, enjoy!

-Wanderer out!

Taking Five: May-June

 Henry Stickmin: Two poems have been published.

Universal Phoenix Corps: Finished my rough draft for the current story!  I'm going to hold off looking at it for a period of time until I can look at it with fresh eyes. Hopefully it'll be published this summer!

Sonic Dahlias: More idea-formulating has been set forward in motion. 

Other Fanfics: Posted two poems dedicated to R. Lee Ermey and Daveigh Chase. Or rather, the characters they voiced - Sarge from the Toy Story films and Lilo Pelekai from Lilo and Stitch. RIP to them both. 

That's it for now. Wanderer out!  P.S. Happy 4th of July to all who celebrate! :)

100 Words Per Movie, Review Round 1

 I made it a goal this year to watch older films that I've never seen before but have heard of them through word of mouth or by sheer curiosity. I want to expand on said goal by writing mini-reviews - about a hundred words or less - of said films and posting them here, partially to break up the monotony that can sometimes come with writing about my fanfics. And who knows? If I feel invested enough any films I bring up, you might see some fanfics set during those films. 

I should warn that these posts will contain spoilers: if you don't want them, please look away. 

-----------------------

Watership Down (1978):  I confess I cheated somewhat by watching an old film review, but I still went in unaware of what to expect. The opening animation gets special props for hitting the right balance of world-building without making it overwhelming or pointless. The watercolor backgrounds? Masterfully woven in. The characters? Either likable like Kehaar or scary like Woundwort. I do have one criticism though - while every voice actor did a good job, sometimes they sounded too similar to one another that it was hard to discern whom was talking. Other than that, I recommend this film. Also, rabbits can be vicious!

The Dark Crystal: (1982) :  I usually dig the creative designs made possible by Jim Henson's workshop, and the Dark Crystal is no exception. The set pieces, lore and character designs feel so rich, deep and imaginative that you can feel like you're right there in this other world far from ours. I grew to count Aughra as a favorite character both in design and her no-nonsense but firmly good personality. Not really sure I like Jen or Kira - both stuck out as sore thumbs. If a little more polish went into them, I think they would have fared better. Overall, a unique film.

Enjoy.

Wanderer out!

Through Smoke and Bitter Distance, Chapter Five - Part Two, Special Features

  Chapter Five, Part Two

References:

*The Bukowski Brothers running a joke shop? A possibility. But they better catch up - Fred and George Weasley from the Harry Potter series beat them to the punch. 

General:

* The mistakes Rupert made are truly his own - making mistakes and calling them yours seem to be a small but important theme in the Henry Stickmin universe. I think Henry can acknowledge his mistakes and make up for them if the player chooses. Rupert, on the other hand, does it on his own. He then works hard to make sure he avoids such drastic acts again. I'm all for improving and taking care to avoid mistakes, but it is concerning to see how hard he's willing to work in overcoming those mistakes... when making mistakes is an inevitable part of the human experience. 

That's why I included in that flashback to 'Stealing the Diamond'. Adding that and his own perspective on what happened during 'Escaping the Prison' created a path of redemption he embarked on for himself, as well as see his own wakeup call to his own complacency. I can imagine working there for eight years can dull one's senses if they're not constantly sharpened and renewed. 

*Dave trying to calm down Rupert is a segment I picked up from another story. In it, the main character tells his father that hatred can destroy a person if not kept in check when the father was ranting about a character both father and son are not fond of. The son mentioned he couldn't take seeing his father give into that hatred, and the father promised to not hate the enemy both of them shared. 

This carried over into this fic, where Dave took on the son's role. Seeing Rupert engulfed by hatred would scare him more than what any of the Toppats did to him. He cares for his friend's well-being and wants him to avoid that path before he goes too far on it. Also, I made Dave the one to get through to Rupert using he truly values - using time wisely and not letting the image of Henry win out against him. 

*Dave's own breakdown involved more than just sorrow and guilt. He also dealt with anger. This was to give Dave more than one dimension in his emotional state. In other words, I've seen the guy depicted as usually just sad or guilty about everything, but anger? That's not always prevalent. In situations like this, while it is entirely possible to only experience sadness and shame, frustration with one's self is also a common reaction. When we try our best at whatever it is we set out to do, and we don't succeed, we can either/or get mad at ourselves or others. In Dave's case, he's mad at himself - he tried to do a good job as a prison guard and/or museum guard, but things went wrong. Adding his disappointment at himself made for a more three-dimensional breakdown. It also gave Dave the courage to bring up what those Toppats did to him - they not only wailed on him physically, they also wailed on him mentally and emotionally. 

*Rupert acted as the iron grip to break through Dave's cage, and help him come into the light. This is the pivotal point for both characters - we see Dave admit what the Toppats did and Rupert, besides stepping up to calm him down and tell him he's better than he thinks he is, gradually starts taking over what is left of the story. 

I feel people can forget that even though Dave made mistakes at the prison, he still had to go through police training to get there. From what I have read and heard, it's no walk in the park. The training involves a lot of physical fitness, academic coursework and practical skills, which can take anywhere from about three months to maybe a year depending on the location and agency. That would imply that Dave did have what it took to make it through police training, and I don't think the police superiors - at least in this series - would have room for any slackers. I think it's because of his enthusiasm to do his job at the prison, combined with bad luck, Dave was dealt a terrible hand. Working at the museum didn't leave him room to give up on his skills even if it's a quieter locale by comparison. 

Rupert knows firsthand what it's like to go through police training so of course he would remind him that he's tougher than he gives himself credit for. Unfortunately, it'll take awhile for Dave to remember and believe that. Rupert will need to do a lot to help him rebuild his confidence, but he doesn't necessarily mind. It'll give him a new goal now that Henry and the Toppats are pretty much out of the picture. As soon as he and the rest of the military leave, of course. They still need to clear out the airship and Rupert has to find Dave's items. 

*It's highly likely that Dave would have said items on hand, and the Toppats would take them so he can't use them for anything. I mostly added them in to act as the MacGuffins Rupert needs to find, and although they're not inherently important to the audience, they're important to Rupert and Dave. Because of Dave's trauma, I think the audience can care about the MacGuffins because of this. 

Random Facts:

*Does Dave have a family? It's up to the beholder. I got that from other fanfics to heighten the drama and express how he needs to take his time to be back out in the world again. At least through slower means before he goes back to keeping the peace... or keeping the calm in a museum. Whichever comes first.  

Wanderer out!

Character Spotlight: The Shadow, Part Two

 

His secret message will most assuredly not be 'be sure to drink your Ovaltine'. 

                        ------------------------------

4. INSPIRATION 

My inspiration for how I'll write the Shadow is all over the place, so I'll just state that I write the man based on an infinite amount of muses. From Walter B. Gibson to the radio plays to the film, I'll take what I think works for him.  

------------------------

5. FUTURE PLANS

He'll be in UPC. He'll just be arriving way later, and will interact with other heroes and do his usual thing. There's a lot more I'll be doing with him, but I'll be keeping it mum on this site until the time comes to reveal the truth.

A Shadow/Sherlock Holmes crossover. Batman's met the famous detective. And so has Scooby-Doo. Why not the Shadow too? 

On that note, I wonder a Superman/Shadow crossover might work? That might be something... 

--------------------------

6. HEADCANONS

*He's partial to Tibetan cuisine, most notably guthuk (a type of noodle soup) and ara (an alcoholic beverage). He also enjoys tea. 

*During the Great War, he faked an air crash behind enemy lines in Germany and became a secret agent. Working undercover, he helped set up an espionage network. He worked in a number of ways, such as making maps of enemy air bases and helping POWs escape from prison camps. The Germany bit is my headcanon added in to say where he crashed.

*I originally went with the notion he was Kent first before becoming Lamont, but I'm changing my tune. To keep up his mysterious aura, I will state that whomever he was originally (and we won't know), during the first World War, he was disfigured in the face. It hurt a lot, yes, but it did prevent enemies from trying to find him. 

*He likes watching thunderstorms. 

*Whenever he speaks, depending on which role he's playing, he can disguise his voice. In honor of the original radio shows, he'll have Orson Welles as Kent/Lamont, Bret Morrison for when he's in one of his many personas/disguises and Bill Johnstone or Frank Readick as the Shadow. It's hard to choose one or the other for the man. 

*He has a talent for spotting phony supernatural mediums and claims, and knows a thing or two about how magicians' tricks works. This comes from Mr. Gibson himself, who was also a magician and served as a ghost-writer for other magicians like Harry Houdini. He would know a thing or two about the subjects. 

*That said, I think he genuinely does acknowledge the presence of a higher power. He does believe in said power, but he's not going to come out and say it. He'll bring it up if needed though. 

*Due to his aviation experience and keen eyesight, he was called the 'Dark Eagle'  in World War 1. Because of this, if he had a daemon, it would be an eagle. Probably a Golden Eagle, due to how widespread they are, just like how the Shadow is known in many spots world-wide.  

--------------------------

7. PERSONAL

*I'm not really sure what else is there to say about him that hasn't already been said. But I will admit I underestimated just how much the Shadow has become so integral within the halls of the twentieth century and beyond. Folks are still inspired by him to this day, some even writing their own stories with his character type in mind, while others have put together a fanzine to celebrate over ninety-five years of Shadow history. I've seen fans prefer the pulps over the radio shows and vice versa. Folks can debate all they want, but there can't be any denying that whether one prefers the pulps, the radio shows, the serials, the film, or the comics, all have their places and have cemented key aspects of his legend and the Shadow's place in fiction and in history. However, as we move further into the twenty-first century, one question remains: what will come next for him? Who's to say? Only he - and the assigned custodians of the title - will know. 

*Songs? He has two notable ones, which both focus on him proper. The first up? "The Shadow Knows" by Grand Magus - all about what the Shadow stands for. They also use one of his catchphrases as part of the lyrics.  
The second up is a phenomenal film score. Here's "The Shadow Soundtrack Music Suite" by Jerry Goldsmith One of Mr. Goldsmith's best scores, in my opinion - it captures the mysterious and ethereal touch found in the written word and radio shows perfectly. 

Now I'll step out of the shadows and into another Character Spotlight post in the near future. But for now, the Shadow movie awaits for a rewatch! 

Wanderer out!

Character Spotlight: The Shadow, Part One

 

Who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of men? The Shadow knows!

------------------------------
1.HISTORY

The Shadow might have been around for a long time, but I was only introduced to the Shadow through the 1994 film.

At first, I didn't really think much of him, but thanks to scouring the wide canvas of YouTube (come to think of it, that site is responsible for a lot of how I came across many characters, lol) and seeing people explain in depth the history behind the Shadow and his presence in countless forms of media - radio to film to comic books to the written word to even video games - I began to take interest. I rewatched the film and read 'The Living Shadow' written by Walter B. Gibson (and a select few of his other Shadow works), and that's how I became a fan.  

------------------------------

2. THE SHADOW OF THE HOUR

Like shadows themselves, the Shadow proper is a mysterious figure to decipher, so a lot of this will be me just expressing how cool he is and why he shan't be forgotten.
We do know about Lament Cranston/Kent Allard, but even he, or they (depending on which origin story you'll be choosing) are distant enigmas. The Shadow, at least in the early stages of his appearances, appears more phantom-like. In 'The Living Shadow'  and the radio plays, he's either given a vague appearance or he's rendered invisible, making it hard to create a picture for our minds.

And yet that works as a strength to his character. All the more ammunition to use against those who let evil fester into their hearts and bring them to their knees. It also influences readers/viewers overall to believe this guy is more than just a man - he's a nearly invincible force of nature who will stop at nothing to bring down every aspect of evil down. 

By bringing them down, I really mean axing the baddies to oblivion until they're nothing but worm food. It's a little much to take in, yes, but - incoming unpopular opinion here - he does do it because a lot of these baddies are going around killing or attempting to harm people. He has been seen trying to reason with some of them, and while some have listened and even joined his cause, a lot of them don't want redemption and therefore, are resigning their lives over to him. The gloves will be coming off and he's not going to back down from doing what he must. However, it's important to note that he doesn't always just fire rounds against the big bads like a trigger-happy Sonny Corleone. He would usually try to bring the theme of whatever offense the villain committed back full circle. For example, if a guy was selling poison to people, he would end up ingesting poison. Basically what goes around comes around onto evil, and all doing it with stealth and smarts. 

He does and can get hurt, even though he's a stealthy character. There are a number of media sources, like the 1994 film, where he almost drowned before he was saved by Margo Lane. He could even get shot if the villains get the upper hand through mystical means or just plain luck on their side. 

Regardless, it does establish that he knows what he's doing and he's not likely going to listen if you try and lecture him about it. He doesn't spend time moping about his actions - he's highly aware of what he does, but once his mind is made up, it's made up. This is a confident quality in which while you do see this in some literary heroes today, it's rare to see one with an ironclad sureness like the Shadow. He has his own high standards he will aim to keep until his dying breath. 

I think some introspection is good here and there, and I'm done for moments between he and his love interest Margo, or anyone if it means we can take breathers from so much action. However, for an action-oriented and masterminded-character, too much of it spoils it all. I don't know about the rest of you, but I don't want to see that with him. I want to see and follow his adventures as he saves people, takes down really bad seeds, travels to wherever he's needed, interact with his agents, and live on to fight another day, all the while remaining mysterious and seeming to be a bigger force than life and pronouncing sentences on the guilty. 

But although he's a vigilante, he doesn't try to take over the job of keeping law and order. Even if he's wanted by the police in some timelines, he willingly works with them to let them arrest the crooks and they can be tried. This is especially relevant in the radio series (where they couldn't be too violent) and in the film where he gleans info from them, even having a contact in the force in the literary timelines. Heck, he's even worked with other heroes, like the Green Hornet and Kato or Zorro, to get the job done. He's definitely a team player even if his personality is rougher around the edges than most. 

One of the oldest pulp heroes of our time, his influence over the superhero world is not understated. Choosing to fight in the darkness against darkness is a novel idea. I don't believe he was the first character to pull that off, but the way he goes about it is noticeable and makes him one-of-a-kind to pull off.  The black and red outfit, enlisting others to join his cause, and the act of fighting chaos with chaos add up to his characterization. Not to mention he has two or more memorable catchphrases he regularly uses to scare criminals out of their wits and remind people they're dealing with a powerful vengeance seeker.

It's said that the Shadow is an early example of the archetypal superhero, which includes having a rogue's gallery, donning disguises, sidekicks (agents in the Shadow's case), and a secret identity long before the likes Superman and Batman did. The Shadow is not the first literary superhero to be made, but with the help of mediums like pulps, radio and films in the 1930s, the he laid the groundwork for modern superhero paths to follow.

As an aside, the Shadow's rogues did come back for a number of times, but the writers found creative ways of bringing them back before they decide to finally write them out of the source material. Shiwan Khan came back about four times, likely due to popular demand, but the Shadow eventually took him out for good. By doing this, the writers and so on indicated they knew what they were doing, or so I read it. It's refreshing to see a rogue come back a number of times until the writer says, 'no we're done writing this character, let's write him out', vs. keeping a popular rogue around just because the audience wants to see said rogue around until the villain loses all flavor and relevance. 

Because there's so much of an emphasis on his adventures, we don't always see in full detail, outside of the film and other sources, how Lamont/Kent goes about his day. It's almost the opposite from Batman - we know about Bruce Wayne and his dealings with people and businesses. I think part of it is to hold up the mystique of the Shadow but also because it's not just him doing the heavy load of vigilantism, it's also his network of agents. Going back to 'The Living Shadow' for instance, we read more about Harry Vincent and the events of the plot, with the Shadow only showing up in key moments. 
And in the 'Coils of Leviathan' , although the Shadow does show up, the whole story is told from the eyes of the city and its citizens. That's unique and helps empower the common folk in some ways. 

We do see Lamont/Kent in some stories, of course, even an unnamed cameo in 'The Rocketeer' comic by Dave Stevens, so he's not a total enigma and is very much active in whatever's going on. But it is telling when writers focus more on his alter ego than the man behind the hat. Shoot, I think there have been debates on who the Shadow really is - Kent or Lamont, or is he someone - or something - else entirely?

And yet somehow, every appearance he makes as the Shadow or Kent/Lamont makes him so fascinating to watch and it does not grow old. It can get creepy with how he can successfully take down evil whether it's outright taking them out or hypnotizing them to their own dooms, or overwhelming if you take the time to listen to all the radio episodes, but he has a timeless flair to him that makes him able to transcend time and have him still remain relevant to this day even if he's sticking to the shadows for awhile. 

I find that although people know who he is, he's severely under-appreciated because of how much he has contributed to the superhero genre at large. He hasn't been largely forgotten, but Batman is able to eclipse him in some respects (although Bill Finger has gone on record confirming the original comic book version of Bats is an infamous example of plagiarism of the Shadow). Batman does have his place, don't get me wrong (as I'm a fan especially of the '60s Bats myself haha), but if it weren't for the Shadow, Batman wouldn't even be a thing in this day and age. Several attempts have been made to launch him back into the spotlight, but they've either fizzled out or they haven't found the right script yet. Or they had really goofy Shadow ideas put into comic book form that shouldn't have been thought into being in the first place, and people really despise these things. 

I don't know what people are doing with him nowadays, but perhaps it's best not to dwell on it too much. I prefer my own take on him, which will partially be inspired by those who brought him into being in the past and by a few headcanons I'll have popping up. And don't worry, they won't be horrible headcanons. 

———————————————

3. DEPICTIONS/QUESTIONS

"*The pulp magazines were full of ethnic stereotypes and outdated thinking!": First, injecting modern sensibilities into 1930s literature, or any literature from the past, is not wise. Just like today's time, some things have thankfully improved and other things have unfortunately declined.  If you disagree with how things were back then, by all means, do so. There are things about back then they did that I'm not a fan of. But to presume one knows better than generations past for how they lived and behaved, and to inject modern thinking into new adaptations of older media is an utterly foolish and disingenuous move. Come many future generations later, when we are older than we are now, they will say the same thing about us and mock us for what we believed. They too will believe they are better than us, perhaps even try to lecture us on how we should have lived according to their viewpoints. Doesn't sound fun. But acknowledging this and coming to understand generations with how things worked back then, while taking the best of those times and learning from the worst of those times, are signs of growth and wisdom. 

Second, the writers/editors did actually make efforts to create characters that broke stereotypes, in an attempt to expand their readership base. One of those examples is Dr. Roy Tam, a Chinese professor of science and/or a physician. And to boot, in the film, he works at NYU (New York University). Added in 1931 to the pulps, he's well-spoken, dedicated to his work, and a trusted agent to the Shadow. He's not only a contact in the Chinatown neighborhood in Manhattan, he's also - in some media sources - one of the few to know the Shadow's true identity. That's a really big and important deal, and one that deserves kudos. 

Third, here's a fun fact: the head editor of the Shadow magazine confirmed at a 1980s convention that one-third of Shadow readers in the 1930s were female. Not bad for that time!

*"Batman is better than the Shadow!": If that's your take, keep in mind that Batman owes his existence to the Shadow. And so does Darkwing Duck. And so does V from V for Vendetta. And so does the Silver Shroud from Fallout 4 (never played the game, but yes, I have confirmation this is the case). Gratitude goes a long way. 

*"The Shadow doesn't work in modern times": Depends on who's doing the writing. I haven't read this comic book in its entirety yet so I can't claim if it's good or not, but "The Shadow: Blood and Judgment" was set in the 1980s and written in 1987. It seems to have done its job if people loved it back then and now. His staying power is immense even if it's not the 1930s/1940s/1950s. I'm good with keeping him in between those times, but I'm also content bringing him to a modern adaptation as long as his moral character remains intact. If a writer knows what they're doing, it can be pulled off wonderfully. 

*"Kent Allard vs. Lamont Cranston": Whichever works for you to paint a picture of the Shadow's backstory, I say. I think either/or/both can work if crafted well. 

*"The Shadow vs. Shadow the Hedgehog": This is more of a personal nitpick than anything, but whenever I'm researching the Shadow, I tend to see Shadow the Hedgehog pop up in the search results. I understand why, and I have nothing against him, but no, I am not looking for Shadow the Hedgehog. I'm looking for the Dark Avenger, please. 

But I do mean it when I say I'll have the usual for next time. 

Wanderer out! 

Through Smoke and Bitter Distance, Chapter Five - Part One, Special Features

 Chapter Five, Part One

References:

*The legend of Atlantis was written to be a utopia made from hubris. The Toppats' airship repeated that lesson. 

General:

*I was originally going to have Turtle be the medic, but as I already gave Turtle and Frog something to do in earlier chapters, giving Eel the role seemed like the natural alternative. It's not as major as Turtle discovering Henry's trail or Frog leading the team, but it gave the guy his time in the spotlight and helped expand his skill set beyond technology and fighting. 

*Victoria was added in to act as an authoritative figure who could take the plot and carry it - and Dave - offscreen to build up anticipation over over his survival. I like Victoria and thought with her prestige as a high-ranking officer, she would play a small but integral part to the story. I also needed to explore more of the military world as we now left the Toppats behind, so this was another reason why I added her. 

*Charles coming in to talk about Rupert was intentional. Charles is the kind of person who can somehow be a friend to many, including the gruff folk. I like the idea of them having their own friendship, so it was included. I also wanted to make Rupert's turmoil over what happened to Dave, with Charles coming in to help him release all he's harboring - guilt, anger, dread, regret, and anxiety. Charles seems like a patient sort who knows how to deal with his friend when he gets frazzled, so the pilot has the situation under control. He has more than just good eyesight, he has keen insight, which helps him deal with things around him. 

It was also a good chance to bring in more of the details in the backstory of how Rupert and Dave knew each other, and fill in the gaps of what wasn't shown in the games with details of my own. I see Rupert as someone wanting to leave his past as a police officer behind - save for a few components, like his friendship with Dave and the joys he did get out of it - and trying to fully embrace his new life in the military, only telling bits of his past job when needed. That's why Charles didn't know a lot about what happened at the prison until the man revealed it all here. That day when everything went to pot at the prison is not a happy memory to hold in his mind. He feels like he has to deal with it alone, but with the military acting as one, and a few individuals who can be in on what happened, he doesn't have to.

*Dave's PTSD kicks into play here. Although it's never explicitly stated that he has it, many in the Henry Stickmin fanbase go with this headcanon based on his 'Completing the Mission' bio: 'He's spent a long time in a Toppat cell. His life will probably never be the same again'. We don't know how long he's been in there, but we do know that based on his hat which has seen better days, it's not a stretch to consider he's been through a lot. The Toppats might have had moments when they used him as a punching bag for whatever excuses they could find which left scars on him. That, and he is a guard who discovered what they were up to with the Tunisian Diamond. The Toppats aren't too fond of official snoopers and will do whatever it takes to keep them from talking. 
 

*The red-eyed monster is a reference to the Right Hand Man. I left out his name to make him seem more monstrous in Dave's mind, and to emulate how he's a vicious threat as a cyborg.  

*I split this thing up into two sections for two reasons: 1) it would have made the chapter far too long and too much if I kept it all as one and 2) for the sake of the plot, we're gradually moving away from the two stories told about Rupert and Dave in their respective places - the Toppat base and the military base to just one spot with the two friends coming together and changing the plot to focus on them and everything they've been through. Charles and Galeforce are there for a brief time to get to know Dave and get his testimony on the airship, but eventually they'll need to leave so that Dave and Rupert can go into the history that they're not a part of. Rupert has a promise to keep, after all. 

*There's another callback - however it's very very minor - to Bambi II, in the beginning of the film when Friend Owl goes to see the Great Prince and Bambi after hearing about what happened to Bambi's mom. He says that, and I quote, "Excuse me sir. I hope I'm not intruding, but well, I...I just had to come." Charles says the last part to Rupert. Charles is the Friend Owl - although he's way less of a curmudgeon - to Rupert, as he just had to come and see if he could be of any help. The Bambi theme is keeping strong here. 

*I gave Rupert the idea of naming the Toppats the 'Toprats'

both due to the fact that I'm not really someone who writes swearing a lot unless it's absolutely needed, and 'Toprats' sounds like something he would say. To him, they act like rats - they take so much from others to carry out selfish plans and leave behind trails of ruin for others to suffer through. This is not a knock against real life rats by the way - the animal analogy is all part of the bigger theme tapestry I'm weaving into this piece, which will be explained in further detail once these notes are done.  

Random Facts:

*None. 

Wanderer out!

Fanning the Ramblings: Henry Stickmin Daemons, Part Two

Here's the link to the introductory part of this subject!  

As stated, I'll be listing off the ten characters I chose for this fun idea, along with the chosen bird species and my reasons why I chose them, and some miscelleanous trivia bits. This post will be longer than usual so, I'll split it into two parts. The first half will be dedicated to five characters, and the other five will go into the second post. 

• First off we have Henry Stickmin. His chosen daemon would be the Phoenix. I know it's cheating to use a mythical bird, but Henry is a mythic figure himself with all the outrageous things he can pull off. He also has, for the most part, risen from extreme circumstances, even death, back into being. Even if his ways of doing so are unpredictable.
  
  He's also a (mostly) silent character too, meaning that if one wants to write him, the possibilities for how he would speak are endless. This relates to the Phoenix because we don't know what a Phoenix bird would sound in real time, so we can make up the bird's song however we pleased. And Henry does have a slight flair for the flashy, and the Phoenix can be flashy with its beautiful colors and penchant for fire, lol. He's also one of the most mysterious characters of the games - we don't know anything about what prompted him to become a thief or why he has the ability to stop time for a moment before choosing some method to break the laws of physics. That's how it is with the Phoenix too in some ways - there are segments of information about the bird, but compared to other mythical creatures like unicorns or dragons, there's not a lot to work with for this bird and it has to be reinterpreted for new audiences again and again to keep it alive. 
  
  The name for Henry's daemon would be Esmeralda, which is translated to 'emerald' in Portuguese/Spanish. Knowing Henry's greed for gems, I think he would want to pick a name that is gem-based. I chose these names because of this factor, but also because these gemstones are used in eternity rings. It all adds to the phoenix motif I'm working with the guy. He would call her "Esme" or "Mera" for short.
  
  
• Ellie Rose - Swan. The widely known mute swan to be precise. Don't let their graceful and beautiful forms fool you. Like roses, swans can be beautiful but deadly if you push them too far. When Ellie is crossed by anyone who stabs her in the back or attacks those she cares about, she will take flight over land and sea and proceed to tear you to shreds. Swans are known to do that if they think you're threatening their offspring. 
  
  But when not threatened, they're calm and smoothly flow across the water. I headcanon Ellie does have an element of refinement in some of her movements. She's slightly rougher around the edges, but she has shown she is in touch with her femininity: she wears the color pink in her top hat, her shoes are cream-colored (which if in the right light, can almost appear white like a swan's white wings) and she likes wearing flowers in said top hat. It's also in her surname. Thinking about it, the surname has a double connotation - not just to the flower, but also the past tense of the verb, 'rise'. Swans, like other waterfowl and birds, can do that very well. Also, swans can be symbolic of romance, which can be reminiscent of her relationship with Henry if you read their relationship as more than just friendship. 
  
  Ellie's swam's name would be Rhydian. In Welsh, it means 'red' or 'crimson', and it can also mean 'ford' or 'crossing'. Fords are shallow parts of rivers that can be crossed by swimming, riding or wading, which adds another layer to Ellie's chosen daemon. 
  
  
• Charles Calvin's chosen daemon? The snowy albatross. Whenever I think of Charles and birds, I always think of the albatross brothers from the Rescuers movies, Wilbur and Orville. Like Charles, they can act silly sometimes, but they are incredibly powerful and endurable flyers. Charles is equally a goof, as he does have odd and sometimes destructive habits of crashing into buildings or things, but he is gifted at flying and can be counted on when the chips are down.
  
  Albatrosses are known to fly great distances. The snowy albatross in particular has been documented to fly to locations such as the Cape of Good Hope off of South Africa, South Island of New Zealand, and over oceans, mainly the Antarctic Ocean and Indian Ocean. Charles may not have wings in the traditional sense, but he does pilot a helicopter. From what has been seen in the games, he has flown equally long distances such as from Canada to the Amazon rainforest. To further tie him into his association with albatrosses, it's said that the early explorers of the Southern Sea saw these birds as companions, due to the explorers' solitude in one of the coldest places on Earth. Charles is a true companion to others, and brings with him joy and enthusiasm for whatever's going on. 
  
  But he's not just upbeat, he's upstanding. In one infamous ending of the games, he sacrificed himself to save Henry, all the while trying to keep on smiling even though he knew he wasn't going to make it out. That's why I theorize Charles would choose Poppy as a name for his daemon. Besides being a spunky name that indicates fun and whimsicality, it also ties back on a deeper level to the symbolism behind red remembrance poppies used to commemorate military personnel who died in war. Charles may not have been in a war, but he served and he was willing to lay down his own life for another. 
  
  
  
• Rupert Price's daemon would be a hawk, hands down. I'm torn between either a Cooper's hawk or a southwestern red-tailed hawk. Rupert shares characteristics with both birds, so I will write in the traits of both birds. Whatever bird I choose for him, his daemon's name would be Winona. A name with Dakota Sioux roots, it means 'firstborn daughter', and while it doesn't seem to have anything to do with Rupert, he is the first person who speaks to Henry while he's inside his prison cell. The name Winona also refers to a Pokemon gym leader named the same who specializes in flying types. This fact is more a fun Easter egg, on account of Rupert somewhat resembling Ash Ketchum thanks to his hairstyle. 😆
  
  Rupert is like a hawk for a number of factors. For one thing, male hawks of both species are smaller than the females, and Rupert's the same way. He's shorter in height compared to Dave or Henry, but he makes up for it with a mighty tenacity. This determination can help hawks of all shapes and sizes thrive in a wide range of habitats, including deserts, agricultural fields, forests and urban areas. Rupert is seen frequenting in the Arizonan desert in 'Escaping the Prison' and once more in 'Infiltrating the Airship'. In 'Stealing the Diamond', he's driving a police car through the city. Our friend migrates quite a lot all over the place from the desert to the air and so on just like real life hawks move. As a bonus, these types of hawks can be trained in the art of falconry. While Rupert's not a bird himself, he did undergo police and military training, and part of all that entails having to go after their assigned targets. For Rupert, he was tasked to go after Henry and/or Toppats in his shifts. 
  
  He's also like a Cooper's hawk for about the same reasons I've outlined up above, but there is a considerable difference. Like Cooper's hawks when not breeding or occasionally meeting up, Rupert is somewhat secretive and solitary. Secretive in that we don't know anything else about him besides the brief history we obtained about how he joined the police academy or what he was up to after he enlisted the military in 'Infiltrating the Airship'. He's solitary not so much in the traditional sense, as we do see him working with his peers, but he's a loner because he gradually disappears onto the sidelines and he doesn't really have any prominent speaking roles. It's hard to tell what's going on behind those hardened eyes. But his daemon would be a hawk either way for another reason, which is symbolically linked to Dave's daemon.
   
  
• Dave Panpa - Dove. If Rupert is be be an aggressive war hawk, then Dove is the peaceful dove. This is a reference to the DC Comics superhero team, Hawk and Dove - I saw the similarities those characters share with Rupert and Dave, and bingo! Instant daemon matches for the characters. Doves also generally represent peace, hope and freedom. Dave, when he was first working as a police officer, worked to keep the peace while keeping crooks behind cages so people can be free to live. Plus, I love how the names are closely spelled - Dove and Dave. But it is heavily ironic is it that he became the jailbird.
  
  I would go with a white-winged dove daemon for Dave. 
  White-winged doves inhabit a variety of environments, such as deserts and urban settings. Dave inhabits the same desert and city, only he works as a museum guard after he was fired from the prison. There's still a little reminder of his time as a police officer through the symbolic blue eye ring located around the bird's eye, which white-winged doves have. And then, like white-winged doves in the real world, he was subjected to being chased down by a larger pack of hunters. Only with him, it was no bobcat, snake or owl; it was the Toppat Clan. But through his time behind bars on the airship, he still tries to keep his own spirits up, hoping to somehow escape and get back to his job. Dave is inherently a meek and soft-spoken person, but he does desire to bring good into the world even if the criminal side of it tries its cruelest best to break him. Dave's daemon would definitely have a lot of work to do to help heal Dave's emotional and mental wounds however she can. 
  
  Speaking of which, Aurora is a pretty name for a dove so that's what I'm going with. Roman in origin, it's a reference to the mythological deity of the dawn. It's not quite on the nose as some of the other entries are on this list, but as the dawn is also symbolic of a new day filled with new hopes, that would seem comforting to Dave and give him something to which he could look forward. 
  
  And that is it for this post. Next half will be coming up whenever it gets posted.  
  
  Wanderer out! 

Taking Five: March-April

 Henry Stickmin: Posted a new poem for 'Weaving the Threads' and a new chapter for 'Restoring the Soul: The Manor's Tales'. 

Universal Phoenix Corps: Still at it with my current story although I have been thinking on and off about starting a story for a different canon to help this universe move faster. We'll see. 

I also published a Jetsons one-shot focusing on Orbitty. Yes, the Jetsons will be featured in this universe. They'll play bigger parts much later, however. I've had this one-shot idea on the brain for awhile, and decided that it was time to post it. I might do more of these one-shots focusing on established canons for UPC in-between months to build up hype along the way. It wouldn't be a perfect solution to the problem, but it would help fill in gaps between projects until the stories can be posted. Once more, we shall see.  

Sonic Dahlias: Came up with more characters to possibly add to the roster (which might be a reference to a fictional band), plus a potential plot point. 

Other Fanfics: Started up my crossover series known as 'Stotle's Cafe'. The name is a shortened version of Aristotle, the Greek philosopher, who was known for pondering the 'what-ifs' of life. This series will not be a top priority unless I have an idea that I absolutely must get onto the page. This series will act as a backup fanfiction because of that - and if I'm struggling on other ideas - whilst I'm working on them. 

That's it for now. Wanderer out! 

Through Smoke and Bitter Distance, Chapter Four, Special Features

Chapter Four

References:

* Bambi's father is referenced when Dave's inner courage yells at him to get up. In the animated film, the Great Prince yells urgently at Bambi - after the poor deer's been shot and can't get up immediately despite the forest fire coming in fast - to get onto his feet...hooves, to flee from the fire. Dave does have an inner strength to him and I think in times of distress, it will be called upon to get Dave to act. Dave is not a coward.

General:

*More of the mystery continues with the bounty hunters. I needed them to leave the scene to continue this plot point until they could be back for later in the chapter. 

*I didn't want Dave to just be a victim here. Even if he's not at peak condition now, that doesn't mean he's utterly helpless. I think he would want to do something to help those around him. That might mean putting out the fire on some very small areas. And as long as he had that fire extinguisher, it should be used for what it was built for. 

*The fire is part one of the climax - it's reaching higher and higher until either everything is destroyed or saved by a miracle. 

*Charles to the rescue! The flock of airplanes trailing behind him are indeed jets courtesy of the Center for Chaos Containment. There had to be a way for the fire to be put out without relying on a storm randomly passing by or Henry using his powers to bring forth rain. I didn't want to rely on an unknown deus ex machina. When I was thinking about this scenario, I remembered the CCC in the 'Toppat 4 Life' ending. They did establish that a manned mobile unit was floating around the area, which means that the CCC has a base somewhere nearby the military base in the jungle. 

Which also means that if the mobile unit picked up on a giant jungle fire that was quickly spreading, they would need to kill two birds with one stone: stop the fire and keep their organization under wraps. Yes, it is ironic that they made themselves known with a public organization like the military, but knowing the CCC, they're likely to come up with a good cover story to protect themselves. Or perhaps erase memories. Either solution is possible. And in a high stakes scenario like this, Charles and Galeforce aren't going to take the time to question it, only be grateful for it. There is a chance their actions could be classified as a deus ex machina, but under the circumstances that is the Henry Stickmin world, mixed in with an acknowledgment of world building via the 'Toppat 4 Life' ending and the CCC's tendency to dish out unpredictable and radical solutions, this isn't as far-fetched as other options could be.
 

*Dave and Rupert reunited at last! I haven't really focused on Rupert's development in this story - besides a few moments in the second chapter - because there is a larger emphasis on suspense and action vs. characterization in this chapter. But here is the starting point for that to change and we start to see the bond that the friends share. I headcanon that after Dave lost his job and became a museum guard, they kept in touch. At least until Rupert joined the military and Dave was kidnapped by the Toppats. 

*The reason I had Dave be the one to take the bullet to protect himself and Rupert was due to the point I brought up earlier about Dave's courage. Dave is undoubtably soft-spoken and I think he lost some confidence after what happened at the prison, but he hasn't forgotten his police training. That takes a lot of skill to do all that's required to be a police officer, even at the cost of one's own life. This event was also meant to give Rupert his own flashback to another horrible event in which he bore witness to and gave rise to his decision to leave the police force. Almost like a darker side to Dave's own flashback when he first joined the police force in the second chapter. 

Rupert's motivation was to prevent any more mistakes, and after what happened with Johnny, Dave's act of selflessness is enough to push him over the edge and save his life. 

I was originally going to focus more on this flashback in the chapter by drawing comparisons between Johnny and Dave as Rupert's partners, but it would have taken the story onto a whole other tangent. Instead I decided to use it to build up the moment in Rupert's mind - he's shocked by Dave's sudden act and even though he's the one injured and the missing person Rupert was assigned to find, Dave still chooses to act bravely and save Rupert's life. I do love me some irony. 

*The random Toppat woman is now arrested, and meant to finally help bring the climax to its fullest height. I understand I said that she wasn't meant to be any female Toppat in general, and she still isn't. But if I had to choose whom she was supposed to be if I felt like choosing a Toppat, I would go with the Gremlin. For no reason other than she seems like one of the most ruthless Toppats.

*Frog and the Bukowski twins return! Frog was brought in to pose more of a threat (and come back for the post-climax) to the Toppats - the Toppats are immensely outnumbered now, and the twins get to do some saving of their own. I think it's only fair these twins get a small bit of action, and taking down the woman was the perfect fit for them. Goofy as the boys may be, they're still soldiers with a lot of heart for action. 

Random Facts:

*This chapter was so blocky with how much went on here. I do like how it turned out, but hot dog it was quite a lot to unpack. 

Wanderer out!

Character Spotlight: Jean Grey, Part Two

She needs a Snickers bar; she's not herself when she's hungry.

                      ------------------------------

4. INSPIRATION 

 Like other fans, I prefer my own take on Jean who will be a culmination of various depictions as opposed to the official version. But there is one X-Men writer who has partially inspired my take on Jean, and the other X-Men characters to an extent. MarvelMaster616 AKA Jack has developed his own interpretation of the X-Men comics. While his fanfics aren't to my tastes I have read his bios and I do like some of his ideas for some of the characters. I plan on using some of those ideas into my X-Men take. 

------------------------

5. FUTURE PLANS

She'll play a leading role within UPC as a literal leading lady. She'll also play a role in helping other leading characters out with their problems. I won't say who. Also, she and Misty Knight - and other friends she'll have made outside of the X-Men - will have a chance to go on some adventures of their own!

In a non-UPC setting, she'll be in an AU where she'll work as a teacher/counselor. Also, she'll be involved with volunteering at an orphanage that will be partially run by a friendly Disney character. This will be the same one in which Thirty-Thirty will be involved.

I also have an X-Men/Star Wars (original trilogy) crossover planned. I'm not sure when it'll take place, but she'll play a part.  

--------------------------

6. HEADCANONS

*After the Phoenix Force left Jean, it didn't leave her entirely. It left behind a small portion within her in case Jean was needed again in cosmic affairs. However, this portion isn't as powerful and Jean can only use some of its abilities.

*Jean's favorite films are Peggy Sue Got Married, Star Wars: A New Hope, and Fantasia. 

*She likes strawberry milkshakes. 

*She's not really a fan of manga. This comes from the Marvel AU where the characters have been turned into manga characters. I'm not sure she would like the way she and her friends were drawn. 

*It has never been stated when Jean was born, but I'll take it that, as her comic book debut took place in September of 1963, she was born in September.

*This is a headcanon from an X-Men fan I'll be taking and tweaking for my stories- in part because of their psychic rapport, Scott and Jean have developed a series of subconscious thoughts in their heads in a unique sequence (like a DNA code of sorts made out of memories and specific details) as a failsafe to make sure each person is not a clone. This was put into place by Jean. 

*Another borrowed headcanon: When Jean uses her powers (and not as Phoenix), pink highlights will sometimes and briefly appear in her hair. As Phoenix, the same thing will happen except the color will be either red or orange. 

*Jean's not fond of clowns. 

*Third borrowed headcanon: she can't have kids due to extensive exposure to cosmic radiation. But in UPC, this could very well change. 

*Jean enjoyed soccer a lot when she was a kid and still has her trophies to prove the fact. She still has mad soccer skills.

*My final borrowed headcanon: Kitty Pryde is the one who suggested that Jean return to her original Marvel Girl outfit on occasion. In the meantime, Jean will get a slightly modified MG redesign. 

*She occasionally brings the family cat, Prometheus, to the X-Men home. 

--------------------------

7. PERSONAL

*Jean was the first woman in the X-Men lineup when they first came on the scene in the 1960s. She was the first X-Men character to make a vital impact on my life and get me through rough stuff as I outlined in my prior post. But in the past few years, I almost forgot about her or why I became a fan. With all of the  outpouring of Marvel content over the past years - heck a decade now - sometimes all of the focus on the Avengers or Guardians of the Galaxy seem to drown out the X-Men's stories. I think the last time I genuinely got excited about a Jean-focused story was the X-Men movie series in the 2010s. But - and this is cliche by now that those who know me - the muse and admiration I held for Jean when I first became a fan rose from the ashes like...well, a phoenix.  

To express how grateful I am to her because of what she stands for and believes in would prove difficult, but I could say this: if a fictional hero can make a difference in the world of comics, and that impact goes beyond the pages and into reality (and not at the expense of hurting anyone), then that's the sign of a series that has something worth listening to, reading, etc. She wasn't the first supergirl to have telekinesis or telepathy, but she was an early example of that archetype. I think she's even had an impact on other red-haired and psychic-based characters from other properties as well, like Mira Nova from Buzz Lightyear of Star Command or Gwen Tennyson from the Ben 10 franchise. Perhaps a coincidence, but it's not hard to imagine the creators may have garnered some influence off of her. 

* Choices of songs: I've got a number of 'em. 
-"The Phoenix" by Fall Out Boy For obvious reasons and I see this song as her embodying her full potential as Phoenix, but using it for good and not evil.
-"Daydream Believer" by the Monkees This might not seem like it would fit Jean to an exact T, but there does seem to be a bit of a back-and-forth between her and Scott here: this would harken back to not only their debut in the early 1960s but it would also represent a different time in their lives when they were carefree teenagers once upon a time.

-"More Than This" by Peter Gabriel Jean has been into space and met other lifeforms beyond Earth's borders - I feel she would feel curious about what else is out there. Seeing as how she did that with Lilandra, it wouldn't be out of character for her to think about the lives she could meet and the kind of things they think about.
-"Long Way" by Calm Canopy This is a fairly lax song, but I think it does a good job of describing Jean somewhat. She has a powerful mind and isn't afraid to make up her mind too. She tries to encourage those around her, even trying to get others to calm down should they be in distress. Knowing a thing or two about thoughts zooming in our minds at supersonic speed, she's an expert in bringing others back to the present moment through breaths or focusing on their environments. Kind of reminds me of autumn, now that I think about it.

-"Lean on Me" by Bill Withers The lyrics speak for themselves. If you need a shoulder to lean on, she'll be there for you. 

-"Supernova" by Echoing Green This song was used in one of the first AMVs I saw on YouTube that focused on Jean that wasn't angsty like other AMVs of her can be, and instead focused on wonder and lifting one's spirits up. The AMV itself is no longer present, but the song? Forever present. 

Yes, there has been a lot of thought put into this. But it's the Internet. Why not?

Now I must go and exercise my powers in the world of writing. 

Wanderer out! 

Fanning the Ramblings: New Crossover Series!

I'm gradually aiming towards completing my goal of writing more one-shots and so on in other canons. I'm going on a monthly basis - or bimonthly if things get really hectic at my end - and so far, it's working. I've been posting more one-shots, including the start of a new crossover one-shot series.

Stotle's Cafe is the name of this project, made available for viewing on A03 and FF.Net.. Set to a 100 prompt list, the series will focus on the expansive world of science fiction and the many stories birthed from the genre. All of the prompts will focus on universal themes and the characters talking about them/exploring them - similar to the Twilight Zone. The series itself is inspired by another crossover series a friend of mine showed me known as the Subreality Cafe. 

The difference between that series and this one is that my series will strictly cover anything science-fiction. Which could be just about anything, from films to television, literature to radio plays. Also, there won't be any usages of OCs in Stotle's Cafe as there were in the Subreality Cafe. Unless I need them for a specific purpose, I'll be sticking with canon characters for now. 

However, there is one exception: Stotle is the name of a wise teacher and owner of the cafe. He won't be playing a major role in the series, but he will have an influence on the cafe and the frequenters in some way, which will be revealed as time goes by.

Wanderer out! 

Character Spotlight: Jean Grey, Part One

 Jean used tackle! It's super effective!

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1.HISTORY

I enjoyed the original 1990s animated show, but I didn't really take stock of the characters, let alone Jean, until much later. In 2009, I went through a terrible time in my life, and needless to say, it left me scarred and miserable. Sometime after it happened, I was catching television channel waves and came across the animated series again. After not having watched it for years, I put it on for escapism. 

But it was not one episode I watched - it was a whole arc, namely the Phoenix Force saga. I can remember exactly when I officially became a fan of Jean's. It was the moment when Jean harnessed the power of the Phoenix Force for the first time, appearing so strong and powerful, like she could take on anything and win. There was something about her strength and passion that touched me and helped heal my scars. 

From there, I began looking up everything I could about Jean - her media appearances, her powers, character analyses, I even started collecting Jean-focused comics. I considered her a role model: kind and empathetic, feminine yet unafraid to get down and dirty, a desire to achieve excellence in all she does, unafraid of the unknown and unafraid to sacrifice herself, and passionate about helping those who can't help themselves. A fictional character she may be, but she helped me get through my pain and I'm grateful to the original creators for bringing her to life. 

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2. THE MARVEL GIRL OF THE HOUR

I feel like there's nothing really new for me to say that already hasn't been said about Jean. She's been around for over sixty years and over those years, numerous analyses and studies of her character have been made. But I will share observations that I share with other Jean fans. 

It is a general consensus that Jean is a fierce force for good with or without the Phoenix Force. Her powers enable her to help others in ways her peers can't, often reaching them on mental and psychological levels. Sometimes even on microscopic or cosmic levels. Her deep empathy, combined with her telepathic/telekinetic abilities and well-rounded personality, do make her a compelling character to write. 
Barring the whole love triangle between her and choosing either Scott or Logan, her on-and-off connection to the Phoenix Force, and her sometimes headstrong ways, she’s one of the most grounded individuals of the X-Men. 

It does make me wonder then, why middle ground is hard to come by for some writers attempting to write for Jean. There is one quotation I have seen across cyberspace that I will paraphrase here: Jean is known for her compassion and willingness to help anyone yet can also be headstrong and fiery, but where's the in-between? Writers seem to gravitate to different points of the spectrum: she's either a goody-two-shoes who can do wrong, an emotional wreck caught in love shapes, or she's a loose cannon possessed by a mystical bird of eternal flame. I can see why writers would depict her as one of these things, but to pigeonhole her as one or the other doesn't do her character justice. I'm not going to blame writers for how Jean is/was written in the world of comics, but I do need to point out along with other fans that there usually isn't a lot of focus on her rougher sides, other parts of her personality and struggles she faces when the Phoenix isn't involved in the comics. 

Let's go to when her powers first manifested - she saw her best friend Annie get hit and killed by a car, and mentally linked with her, almost dying due to her empathy and mind powers manifesting. She would have been completely comatose had it not been for Charles Xavier. Then she enrolled into his school to learn how to control her powers. 

I don't recall how old she was in-canon when all of this occurred, but that's a lot for her to take in. For an emotionally connected character like Jean, seeing her seemingly brush it off after Professor X came to her aid and blocked off her telepathy until she was old enough to use her telepathy like it didn't matter almost feels off-putting. How would she have dealt with it? We don't really know, even though this was a pivotal point in her life.
Shoot, I have many more questions to provide exploratory material for writers to explore: How did Annie's parents react to their daughter's demise and Jean's powers? Does any of it still impact Jean as an adult, and if so, how so? 

None of this might be an official priority in Jean's storyline, compared to that of say Batman's backstory with his parents or Wolverine's extensive lifespan and mental turmoil, but a small story dedicated to this point in time would go a long way towards developing her own thoughts and letting the audience know more about her inner life than what she shows on the outside. 

The shipping aspect... I'm not going to do a deep dive into that. I do have my own preferences, but I'm reserving that for below. I will say that in this love triangle where Jean's the Archie to Scott's and Logan's Betty and Veronica, seeing her go back and forth in the comics - and also have a short-lived relationship with Beast in an AU (that one was just random, and I'm guessing that after she and Cyke broke up and Wolvy was dead, the writers wanted to try pairing off Beast with Jean to see how it clicked)- can be a drag. 

If it's part of her story to end up in a relationship with someone, fine, but there does need to be a consideration for how the personalities bounce off each other, what challenges the couple has to face, how they help each other, and why they would be good for each other. But some stories can't seem to make up their minds on whom she's supposed to be with for all time and there's only so much pull and tug in relationships one can put up with before deciding enough is enough, and the audience just wants the lead to pick his or her love interest already. 

I'm glad that they did show Jean in the past having her frustrations with these guys sometimes, but I do wonder how nowadays she feels about her role in the middle of their rivalry. As far as I know, they usually present her emotions like typical melodrama material that could make for a new soap opera series. Would she really like that? This is a woman who can get irritated quick if you rub her the wrong way. I don't think she would appreciate feeling like she was some prize to be won. 

I don't think she would like it if someone called her weak either. In the 1990s animated show, they dimmed her down slightly to be a damsel in distress for Cyke or Wolvy to save. She had her moments of heroism, but constantly giving her headaches or severely limiting her powers weakens her likability and relatability to the audience. She can still be interesting without compromising her powers and talents in those fields in which she excels at. Her personality is great, but I'd like to see less headaches, please. 

Besides, who is she when she's not surrounded by the X-Men, especially Scott or Logan?  
How does she deal with the many responsibilities and burdens she has to take on? Not just the typical superhero assignments or looking after younger students at the school, but what about behind the scenes, like checking in with her family or Misty, or what she does on her own?  

The comics did briefly answer this question from time to time. One example that comes to mind is in the 1960/1970s when the original team first split. Before Jean returned to the X-Men, she worked briefly as a fashion model. It would be nice to see a callback to that in a mini-comic of sorts, but with a twist because when she worked as a model, she thought about the X-Men and how much she missed them. There's nothing wrong with her missing her old friends and home, but it doesn't really tell us anything about how she's doing or any new challenges she has faced since leaving the team outside of meeting Misty Knight. That's great she found a friend outside of her X-Men circle. So what have their adventures been like together? Between Misty working as a private eye, and Jean's experience in handling crooks (if she decided to let Misty know her about her powers), there are possibilities for stories to be written handling their exciting days of catching crooks and righting wrongs.  

Exploring these things would help stretch the comic's lifespan and world. X-Men comics are generally based on action, yes, but continually running on action can leave the audience ragged with no energy to learn more about these characters or just to chill from running around all the time. 

It also would be nice if the comics could stop going back and forth about the Phoenix.

Guess it's time to talk about the White Phoenix in the room. The comics, and some media, seem to have a hard time concluding if Jean is A) a host of the Phoenix, B) showing her powers at their highest potential through a phoenix bird image, C) the human manifestation of it and its mother or D) an evil world destroyer. 

Um.

I don't want to overstate what a logical mess the comics have made. I acknowledge figuring out how a spacey entity can work has its field of challenges, but none of these options can firmly stick for the Phoenix's identity if it keeps changing on a dime. Anyone can take any of these four and leave the rest, but personally, I especially don't really want to choose C even if it's often the answer on a test. It makes it sound as if Jean isn't her own person devoid of the Phoenix, like she was never fully Jean to begin with and it just fell into her lap. Seeing Jean work hard to control her powers before becoming a host of the Phoenix is more gratifying and makes her story, her journey, believable. The Phoenix is a part of her, but it's not all she is, and it's unfair to keep her stuck in that role. We have evidence she is not just the Phoenix. 

She has faced character conflicts that help iron out parts of her, such as her former fear of death and her surprisingly hostile streak when she's in the kitchen (see below, it makes sense in context) and/or in the case of X-Men Evolution, her competitive streak, pursuit of excellence in her powers and her sometimes testy response to Scott's standoffish and tense attitude before they admitted they like each other. These things give her something to overcome and entice her to rely on her wits, heart and mind. She's a valued member of the X-Men, and a role model for her friends and younger students to look up to because of her kindness, selflessness, determination, bravery, stubbornness, and hot temper. 

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3. DEPICTIONS/QUESTIONS

*"She's such a weakling in the cartoon": Blame the 1990s cartoon's writing staff for giving her constant headaches and not allowing her to do anything particularly powerful with her powers (besides the Phoenix/Dark Phoenix arc). I think the writers of the show realized that she could do just about anything due to her heightened senses and abilities. If they went with her original comic incarnation where she did toughen up post-Phoenix, they would have breezed through the episodes without giving anyone else a chance to do anything. And then they would need something else to fill out the remaining, what, twenty minutes of screen time? I say this as someone who enjoyed the show - I'm not fond of how they handled Jean. I understand why they did it, but it dealt a huge blow to who she is. 

Although it's been a long time since I've read the comics and I don't know what they're doing now with her character, they can do - and have done - a good job of keeping Jean a strong fighter but not overpowered even before and after she became one with the Phoenix again. Although the Phoenix is a tricky element to work with, as I'll explain below.

*"Phoenix is overrated!": Forgive my bias, but no, she isn't. I have noticed many powerful beings, like Superman or Thor, can be looked at this way. True, the ways people try to interpret the Phoenix are contradictory but this is a cosmic force that's powerful enough to wipe out an entire solar system or bring people back to life. Jean shouldn't be tied down to the Phoenix, yes, but it's still an important part of Jean's life, and has helped build more of the X-Men world beyond Earth. We can see that there are mystical beings in charge of keeping Earth 616 in order (even if the writers don't always succeed at writing them as such, but this is a matter of opinion.) It's a matter of decrying what the Phoenix can or can't do, and if the Force should make regular appearances in the medium. That's why I think writing the Force can be difficult - what are you willing to have it do or not do? What restrictions and weaknesses are you willing to give it and are you willing to make it all consistent without a good reason to change anything and not just of throwing something in to see if it sticks?
The 1990s show handled the Phoenix arcs and character well: she wanted to become one with Jean to save the M'kraan Crystal, became addicted to human emotions, did bad stuff, Jean sacrifices herself to kill the Force and herself, and then became itself again before bringing Jean back and exiting the stage. It's simple and straight to the point... even if the show went back to giving Jean Psyduck-themed brain freezes again. Yeesh. 

*"Team Scott vs. Team Wolverine!": Whatever floats your shipping boat. I think Logan is a better fit with Storm, due to their chemistry feeling more dynamic (and I do have a soft spot for their interactions in X-Men: Evolution: they bounce off each others' personalities quite well in Evolution, and surprisingly well in TAS too in the scenes they share together). Getting back to Jean, thanks to her influence, Scott has gradually come out of his shell; he smiles freely and he can be snarky in a fun way. Which is kind of how he's portrayed in X-Men Evolution, now that I think about it.

When paired with Logan, while she does manage to bring out Logan's gentler side, thinking about pairing them out makes me frown a bit. Jean does show more spark in some ways, but it almost comes off as unsettling. The spark can lead her to be depicted in... less-than-admirable lights, and in some comics that did happen. 

In one instance, before Scott and Jean marry in the official timeline, she cheated on him with Logan. Not a good look when she was supposed to be with Cyke. If there was a story where she focused on feeling guilty for betraying Scott and she tries to take responsibility for it, that would show an evolution in the love shape. 

I'm not really a fan of the love triangle because it creates another layer of melodrama on top of the whole 'humans vs. mutants' thing. Before I sound like I'm contradicting myself in regards to earlier, I do believe melodrama can work if woven in the right way, but when squared up against bigger conflicts like an overpowered ancient mutant like Apocalypse who wants to purge the Earth of humanity? That has to take a backseat if it can't be written properly.  

*"She loves to cook, that's a stereotype": Why is that bad? A woman enjoying cooking is a crime? I was unaware cooking was suddenly only a thing enjoyed by one elite section of the caste system.

Cooking can be enjoyed by anyone, end of story. Case in point, go watch Julia Child's shows, they're amazing.

 
I think Jean likes cooking because it's fun, yes, but due to her older sister persona, she probably does it to serve those whom she considers a family. She's kind of one of the heads of the X-Men household so she's taken on a responsibility of feeding a lot of mouths. There are so many to feed at the mansion and it's a role I think she takes really seriously. But if she's in the kitchen with someone else.... well, uh....

Lesson noted: never get in Jean's way when you're in the kitchen; it will not end well. Poor Gambit though. 😅

But as silly as this scene is, her irritation is irrational yet understandable. Have you ever been in a kitchen with someone else while they're cooking and you wanted to make something for yourself? And this same person was judging  how you're preparing your food? Speaking from my own experiences, it is not always fun to be in the same kitchen - people will give unwanted advice on how you cook something even when you're doing it right. Of course she'll feel threatened if there are too many cooks in the kitchen, quite literally. I don't think she hates accepting help or having another cook to be around (and one she can work with) as it is her wanting to stick to a consistent menu - in this case a Christmas-themed one - vs. having someone interject their own ideas that may garner mixed results from other people who might not dig a certain type of cuisine. I personally would love to taste both her cooking and Gambit's food, but that's just me. 

Speaking of cooking, I'm cooking up the second part to this Character Spotlight with the usual, so until then - 

Wanderer out!