roily_rogue | Reading

(96 of…~~105~~ 108. I know, this numbering system is a mess, but I found some more stuff to include!)

More than a decade after they’d left the JLI, Keith Giffen, J.M. DeMatteis, and Kevin Maguire returned in 2003 to do some more adventures with a handful of the JLI characters. Even the series’ old inker (Joe Rubinstein) and letterer (Bob Lappan) came back.

But you can’t go home again, and Giffen and company don’t try to. All the similarities to their earlier work throw the differences into sharp relief. Some of this is intentional: all the ex-JLI characters are in new life situations as we catch up to them, and they’ll face new challenges reflecting their reduced circumstances and shifts in American culture. Other changes…seem more accidental. ( But hey, little incongruities are the stuff of comedy, right? )

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beccadg is needing our support, folks!

Her GFM.

If you can share, that would help. If you donate, hit me up for a drabble if you share a fandom with me.

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rl: charities

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Part 95b of 105.

When I started looking into this, I believed Countdown to Infinite Crisis #1 was the first story to suggest Max was a straight-up bad guy, even after his ordeal with the sentient computer. This is not true. His last appearance in JLA, in 1996, is at least ambiguous…

And two John Ostrander stories in 2000 and 2001 also tinkered with Max’s moral alignment, one much more blatantly than the other. ( Maybe Ostrander was angling to get Max onto the next Suicide Squad? )

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In the comments to these weekly posts (and only these posts), it's your chance to go as off topic as you like.

Talk about non-comics stuff, thread derail, and just generally chat among yourselves.

The intent of these posts is to chat and have some fun and, sure, vent a little as required. Reasoned debate is fine, as always, but if you have to ask if something is going over the line, think carefully before posting please.

Normal board rules about conduct and behaviour still apply, of course.

It's been suggested that, if discussing spoilers for recent media events, it might be advisable to consider using the rot13 method to prevent other members seeing spoilers in passing.

The world situation is the world situation. If you're following the news, you know it as much as I do, if you're not, then there are better sources than scans_daily. But please, no doomscrolling, for your own sake.

Whilst the US deals with... everything going on like the Voting Rights Act being gutted and a possible $60M grift on mobile phones

Meanwhile, not to be outdone, the UK Government is dealing with major losses in last weeks local Council Elections (and Scottish and Welsh Assembly elections) by fracturing over whether the Prime Minister (admittedly a thoroughly unpopular one) should react by stepping down. Because that ALWAYS works, just ask the Tories.

On the plus side, the Scottish Assembly had two openly trans Members voted in, including, with delightful irony, one in Edinburgh who represents the constituency JK Rowling lives in.

I caught up with "Madame Web" on Netflix before it disappears at the end of the month. I wasn't sure what to expect, but I honestly found it quite enjoyable, if rather clichéd and a bit camp (not always a negative). Whilst it did have the air of a TV pilot given a movie budget, it's a shame we'll likely never get to see any of these Spider-Women again... :(

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Part 95a of 105.

Max Lord, as Giffen and DeMatteis conceived him, was a challenging character to work with. They relished that challenge, but their successors often treated him as a problem to minimize or avoid. “Rich manipulator with a heart of gold but moments of egomania and Machiavellianism” can be a tricky balance to strike. ( It’s worth trying, though. I watched every episode of 2017-2021 DUCKTALES, but noped out on SUCCESSION halfway through the first episode. )

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Part 94b of 105. Warning for NSFW content that looks wilder than it is.

Last time out, we saw the mid-Nineties WLW affair that wasn’t, in the final, waning days of the title once known as Justice League International. Short version:

🔥 🧊 = ⚢?
🔥 🧊 = 💜⚢💜??!!
🔥 🧊 = ⚢ 👅🌮💦?!?!?!
… ❌!!!
🤪 🤪 🤪 🤪 🤪

( Readers: 😡 )

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Only 4 pages, so no room for the Talkie Toaster analogue, but here are the adventures of a robot Abraham Lincoln in a post-human world. Fear of a Bot Planet walked so that this comic could run.

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AO3 Link | Small Distraction (250 words) by Merfilly
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Star Trek: The Next Generation
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Deanna Troi & Lwaxana Troi
Characters: Lwaxana Troi, Deanna Troi
Additional Tags: Motherhood
Summary:

Lwaxana is trying to work.

Lwaxana Troi kept a perfect serenity around her as she spoke with the Tellarite Ambassador, despite the absolute mischief rampant in her daughter as Deanna ran through the garden party, evading her nanny of the day.

Said nanny was possibly having a very strong nervous breakdown in the midst of trying desperately to acquire the toddler.

"Would it be easier if you corralled her?" the man asked, with his voice actually full of understanding.

"If you do not mind, Ambassador Thek." She gave him a gracious smile, recognizing him now as a fellow parent. She turned her attention to Deanna amidst the legs of various noteworthy people. For the most part, people were accepting the disruption with grace, even amusement.

Little One? Mother is working, and you are causing a distraction that is not helping me.

Deanna stopped, her eyes peering across the way to her, before summoning all the dignity that a small child could.

"I am sorry," she said, projecting contrition to those who were not mind blind. Her nanny added a quiet apology to the pair closest, and scooped Deanna up to carry her back to the house.

"Ambassador Troi, she will be a credit with such fearlessness," Thek said once Lwaxana had refocused on him.

She gave a small smile. "I give her what freedom I can, that is safe for her, so she can explore."

"Children have a way of pushing their safe spaces ever outward," Thek said, nodding sagely.

"So they will," she answered.

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Part 94a of 105. Warning for cringe, awful relationships, and NSFW content that looks wilder than it is.

With these next two posts, we reach the end of the Justice League’s “international era,” the meteoric, controversial period that began with the loss of the “Detroit League” and ended with Grant Morrison and Howard Porter’s JLA #1. That era struggled along for four years and change after Giffen and DeMatteis left, never coming close to its glory days. ( Or even its General Glory days. )

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Part 93b of 105. Warning for arguable cultural insensitivity, more savage fascism, and savage slavery. (But no Vandal Savage.)

When we last left our intrepid heroes, a fascist version of the Bronze Age JLA had taken over its reality, which was bleeding into “ours.” And the late-1993 JLA was getting its asses kicked. Hard. It’s all presented in Jurgens’ usual straightforward way, which gives the evil a chilling banality.

The Atom shows back up on the League’s doorstep in JLA #73-74, but before he can once again tell any current Leaguers that they’re a bunch of losers, he collapses. ( So now this team has Ray PALMER and THE Ray in it at the same time. I’m sure THAT won’t get confusing. )

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Argent Comics is releasing a fine art presentation of 'The Killing Joke' at the small price of $17,409. Only 47 copies are being made. The publisher is touting it as "the world’s first giclée-printed comic book" and it comes in a deluxe camera case.

Even if I could afford such a thing I can't imagine even flipping through a $17k book. In my opinion the camera case is overkill as well, a nice fancy traycase would have been just as effective.

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Warning for horrific brutality, torture, fascism, slavery.

*Also, length. This update ran so long that I’m splitting it into two installments, even though that mucks up my numbering and scheduling a little. The second installment will run tomorrow!

Dan Jurgens, like John Byrne, is a neo-traditionalist: his work shows strong Silver Age influences but is splashy and of its time. Most of it boasts a direct simplicity, a sort of purity. Which is why the “Destiny’s Hand” arc is a shock: it lets him indulge those influences…but also shows a subversive streak well out of his usual register.

( He doesn’t have a character say, ‘‘Those armbands are stupid! WE ALL KNOW SUPES IS COMING BACK!,’’ but that’s the vibe. )

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5300 works on AO3.

Can anyone imagine how high it would be if I hadn't grouped ficlets and drabbles back when I archived all my old fic?

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rl: internet

( You're about to view content that the poster has marked as potentially inappropriate for anyone under the age of 18. )

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Two NYC policemen are investigating the lair of a eyeball-collecting serial killer...

(no gore)
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Considering how he seemed to regard Max Lord’s Justice League, one might expect Superman to hallucinate this in his last few minutes of life:

ICE: Whoa, I can’t believe you won, Superman! Doomsday seemed like he was too much even for you!
SUPERMAN: I…(haff)…I did what I had to, Ice…it’s only what any COMPETENT superhero would have done…
GUY: Yeah, it’s almost as rocksauce as how I woulda done it!
ICE: Here, let me ice your wounds. Your body clearly needs… 💖 lots of attention 💖 …
MAXIMA: A magnificent demonstration of f#ckability, Kryptonian. [shoves aside Ice, who flies through the air and falls into a dumpster] Now, we bang.
‘‘BLOODWYND’’: I am also impressed. Or am I? I refuse to tell you anything about myself. I am…me. That is all you need to know!
BOOSTER: Hold still while I get a victory selfie with you, Supes!
SUPERMAN: Ack…(choke)…
FIRE: Oh, me next! My new costume’ll really pop if we get Doomsday’s bloody corpse in the background!
BLUE BEETLE: Hope you don’t mind, I just sold the rights to Doomsday’s body as the site of a new casino!
SUPERMAN: I…I can’t take it anymore…kkkkkkk…kk.
BLUE BEETLE: …Supes?
( GUY: Wow. What a wuss! )

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Do It Again? [Podfic] (48 words) by blackglass
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Star Wars Original Trilogy, Star Wars Legends: Thrawn Trilogy - Timothy Zahn
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Characters: Leia Organa, Luke Skywalker
Additional Tags: Drabble, Podfic, Podfic Length: 0-10 Minutes, Audio Format: MP3, Audio Format: Streaming
Summary:

A podfic of Do It Again? by Merfilly.

"Leia asks a question."

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In the comments to these weekly posts (and only these posts), it's your chance to go as off topic as you like.

Talk about non-comics stuff, thread derail, and just generally chat among yourselves.

The intent of these posts is to chat and have some fun and, sure, vent a little as required. Reasoned debate is fine, as always, but if you have to ask if something is going over the line, think carefully before posting please.

Normal board rules about conduct and behaviour still apply, of course.

It's been suggested that, if discussing spoilers for recent media events, it might be advisable to consider using the rot13 method to prevent other members seeing spoilers in passing.

The world situation is the world situation. If you're following the news, you know it as much as I do, if you're not, then there are better sources than scans_daily. But please, no doomscrolling, for your own sake.

Banksy admitted that a new work in London is indeed his. Not always a fan of his work, but this one "Blinded by the Flag" is pretty nifty, if not exactly subtle.

What I have to assume is the end of Season 1 of "Maul: Shadow Lord" happened, as there's a lot of setup for a Season 2. The mother, father and several uncles and aunts of a sabre duel happened, with six characters involved, which must have been quite the challenge for the animators speciailisng in spinning, flipping and hacking. Yet again, I find myself wishing they would be a little more specific about dates in these spin-offs as I was surprised that one character was apparently having their first meeting with... another significant character (as they had no idea who they were)

Finally caught up with "Project Hail Mary", loved it.

Oh, and a note that parts of the UK have Local and General elections this week so we actively encourage you to exercise your vote and make sure you have your say in civil matters.

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AO3 Link | Do It Again? (100 words) by Merfilly
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Star Wars Original Trilogy, Star Wars: Thrawn Trilogy
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Characters: Luke Skywalker, Leia Organa
Additional Tags: Drabble
Summary:

Leia asks a question.

"Would you follow him again?" Leia asked as she watched Luke working on a servo for Artoo. Luke paused, looking up at the woman he'd been infatuated with by a clip of a recording, one that he now knew was his very own twin.

He thought about all the ups and downs they had seen, the fall of the Emperor, the more shadowy war against Thrawn's Imperial Remnant, and he smiled brightly.

"Over and over again, Leia. That little adventure might have had a lot of tragedy for all of us, but… we're here, we're family, and we are together."

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medium: manga

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Fans always wondered what would happen if the “bwa-ha-ha” Justice League added Superman to the roster. Would he be a powerhouse straight man, letting the team reach new heights of comedy AND action? Would he get to relax and loosen up a bit?

Or would he glare his disapproval at everyone for eight issues and then die of embarrassment? ( Remember how he almost killed the League for REVIVING HIM FROM DEATH in the movies? Here, he's maybe 20% less unfriendly. )

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AO3 Link | First Sleepover (1381 words) by Merfilly
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: DCU [Comics], Young Justice [Comics]
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Characters: Cassie Sandsmark | Wonder Girl, Greta Hayes | Secret, Cissie King Jones | Arrowette, Tim Drake | Robin, Bart Allen | Impulse, Kon-El | Superboy
Additional Tags: Charity Auction, Slice of Life, Team Bonding
Summary:

It's the first time the girls and the boys are all sleeping over at Happy Harbor.

First Sleepover

Cassie glared at her mom. "Everyone is going, it's a weekend; why are you being a mega-beast?"

"I just don't like the idea of it, all mixed up and away from adults," Helena said.

"What do you think Red Tornado is, mom?"

"I thought it was a robot?"

"UGH!" Cassie threw her hands up, and stalked off to her room. She needed to get a handle on her temper, figure out the right way to handle her mom on this, but she was so mad. She'd learned a little bit about Red Tornado, knew he had a really complicated history, but that was no excuse for the way her mother was acting.

She popped off an email on her computer, the one she was supposed to only use for school projects, letting Robin know she probably wasn't going to make it to Happy Harbor.

She dimly heard the phone ring, but was trying to practice the meditation thing Cissie had been trying to teach her. She was still sitting on the floor, her ankles crossed and her hands resting on her knees when her mother entered the room.

"Cassie, I just spoke with Kathy Sutton. She… she set me straight on a few things," her mom said. "I didn't know this Red Tornado was a foster father, that he acts so human."

That made Cassie open her eyes and twist around to look, even as she wondered how Robin had manipulated things that fast.

"So I can go?"

"Yes, honey. You can go to this weekend get-together."

Bonnie kept talking and ruminating about herself, and her vision of Cissie's future and wasn't really taking much a breathing break as she ran down all of the reasons this was not a great idea.

"If you're done?" Cissie asked, when her mom finally stopped to drink her diet soda. "It would be a chance to be social with other teens that have serious drawbacks to how they face society. Which means it would be helpful to me for when I make it to the Olympics, like you say I will. I need to understand how to be set apart and still interact!"

"Oh." Bonnie blinked. "Okay, sweetie. You can try this whole sleepover thing. I've heard wonderful things about Mr. Tornado in the past. Why, back when I was in Star City slinging a bow — " and she was off again, but Cissie just tuned her out now. She had what she wanted which was permission.

She was far less caring about how to interact with other teens, and more enthused to maybe get some pointers from Robin, who seemed to have his life put together just right.

Max grinned as Bart attempted to shove yet another box of honey buns into the overflowing backpack.

"You know you can get more if you need them, quick as a flash?" he teased.

Bart groaned, then zipped the extra box to the kitchen. He came back and got the backpack up on his shoulders, cinched the straps, and looked at his guardian.

"The.girls.are.going.to.be.there.this.time.and.I.want.to.have.everything!"

Max ran those words back through his own mind to slow them down — he was nowhere near as fast as the boy these days — and nodded wisely.

"Go have fun with your friends, try not to get into too big a scrape, and be back on time for school Monday."

Like a shot, Bart was out of the house, on his way to Happy Harbor.

"Some peace and quiet for once, now he's got a team," Max said with a sigh.

"Robin."

Tim looked over at Bruce, both of them costumed up, but he'd learned. The voice might be the bat voice, but there was something to the posture that said 'protective older male' instead of mentor.

"Batman."

"If anything gets too far out of hand? Ask for aid."

"Reddy's got League access," Tim said, agreeing in his own way. He just doubted his analysis of what would need that, and what Bruce's was, matched very well. He went on over to his bike, getting his helmet in place, everything he needed in the now-attached saddlebags. He left the cave for the drive up, and felt a thrill that he'd be seeing his best friends… and getting to know the girls as well.

He was so glad that Bruce agreed they all needed this, and had swung the pressure on Helena Sandsmark, even if the rules about identities were staying strictly in place.

Kon set down at Happy Harbor and had to smile when Secret materialized right next to him. They didn't have as much tying them down in real world events, which sometimes smarted a little for him, but he was glad to see the ghost girl.

"No one else in yet, huh?" He settled the duffel bag of food on his shoulder and walked with her into the hangout.

"Not yet," she told him. "Red Tornado stocked the freezer with pizza rolls and the fridge has lots of drinks. He said he will be on the grounds but not right in our space, unless we need him."

"Awesome. Let's get the candy and chips into the kitchen then."

Tim, knowing the others would likely handle the food, arrived with the video games and system to play them on. Cissie walked in as he was setting it up, and dropped a stack of movies on the table next to the VCR. Cassie was right behind her with a bunch of card games.

"Anyone think we'll actually have time to play any of these?" Bart asked, zipping in to check on everything.

"Imp!" came from two voices, both Tim and Cassie scolding for challenging the powers of worse.

"Dude… and dudette! It's us! We have to go deal with trouble, and trouble always pops up on the getaway weekend!"

"Impulse has a point," Secret said, "but we can pretend that we will get to play and watch everything until trouble happens."

"Yeah, that will work," Cassie agreed.

"Glad we got two TVs," Cissie added. "No one minds if a movie is running while we play games, right?"

"Which movie?" Kon asked.

"I brought the latest Jurassic Park, Men in Black, and … My Best Friend's Wedding?"

"Cool! Jump scares, comedy, and schmoop!" Bart cheered, which effectively kept anyone from razzing the chick flick in there.

"Throwing a pizza on," Kon called from the kitchen. "Oh cool, Reddy spoiled us! They're the ones that are already half this, half that!"

"Probably didn't want us trying to cook two at one time," Tim said to that, finishing the hook up. "StarFox or Oddworld?" he asked, for anyone to answer.

"Will you play Tomb Raider later for me? I like the story," Secret said, as Cassie took the second controller.

"Sure thing," Tim told her before looking at Cassie.

"Oddworld; I haven't gotten to play much of it yet, and never on multiplayer."

"Cool."

Red Tornado had, actually, listened to Batman about the importance of team bonding. With the girls now formally part of the so-called Young Justice, the senior League member had suggested the team have a chance to truly get to know each other. While past meet-ups had seen action against small time rogues, Red Tornado had chosen to make sure this weekend was not like that.

Blue Beetle, Booster Gold, and a few others were responding to anything that would have been within the kids' abilities.

He had a quiet smile on his face when he checked in on them around two in the morning that first night, both TVs still on, the game one cycling Lara Croft's start screen over and over while the other was just a blue field from the VCR having shut off.

Impulse was curled like a cat in a beanbag. Kon was lounged on the love-seat, head falling back on the arm, while Robin was at the other end, legs up across the back and his head hanging off the seat cushion. Arrowette and Wonder Girl were actually sharing the sleeper couch with it rigged out. Secret was not present, but he supposed ghosts had to rest too.

He'd have to pass on the Batman that the first night, at least, had gone well.

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AO3 Link | Girl's Getaway (1973 words) by Merfilly
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: DCU [Comics], Birds Of Prey, Green Arrow [Comics]
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Characters: Mia Dearden, Dinah Laurel Lance
Additional Tags: Slice of Life, Charity Auction
Summary:

Dinah and Mia have a night out for themselves

Girl's Getaway

The honking of a horn preceded the text buzz on Mia's phone and she jumped up, grabbing her overnight bag and gear kit — just in case.

Ollie gave a single wistful look her way, but knew good and damn well that none of them needed the Drama that Dinah actually coming in would bring. Connor got up and followed Mia out, going to the driver's side of the cherry red coupe convertible that was Dinah's rental.

"Dad said to remember Mia's credit card is paid off monthly so don't hesitate to use it," Connor said as Mia was tossing her bag in the back.

"That's so sweet," Dinah said in a snarky tone. "I might even take him up on it with at least two of my bankruptcies being his fault."

"Story later?" Mia asked, sliding into the passenger seat.

"Honey, I have better stories to share with you tonight." Dinah did reach up and drag Connor's head down enough to kiss his cheek. "Don't let him get in over his head tonight, and I'll bring Mia back tomorrow, or the day after if we're having too much fun."

Connor smiled at that, and backed away from the car, letting his little 'sister' and his father's eternal on-again-off-again true love head out for a girl's getaway. He walked back in, unsurprised to find Ollie had moved to peek out the window.

"You don't get my kiss from her," Connor deadpanned at his father, setting them both to laughing it off.

Mia watched the scenery speed by, liking that Dinah took the speed limit as a suggestion as much as she could get away with it. It felt good to get away from the guys for a while, but she had to admit that she had no idea what to expect from this. When the invitation came — from Roy — Mia had jumped on it. She was Speedy, after all, and she'd heard enough to know that Black Canary took care of Speedy.

It wasn't that Ollie did a bad job, and Connor sure leaned into the big brother vibes, but she thought a woman might have a few pointers on how to balance everything a little better.

"So, did you get the info I sent for that G.E.D. program?" Dinah asked. "Roy told me that Ollie let that fall through the cracks."

"I did. And Robin walked me through getting everything set up for remote learning on my laptop, last trip to the Titans Tower."

"Good. Not going to harp on it, but I do believe in having something to fall back to, in case things ever change, financially, or you decide to hang up your quiver."

"Can't see that happening, Can — Dinah."

"Things happen. I'm sure you've been told about Arrowette."

"Point." Privately, Mia didn't see how that kid had chosen to retire. She had to keep making a difference, protecting girls like she had been from the pimps and pushers.

"One of the smartest women I know did leave, even if she eventually got pulled back in. Did a whole lot of things, made differences doing them too," Dinah said. "But, yeah. I get your side of it too. Even when I was drowning in debt, I couldn't just put the 'nets away and work. Despite actually having something like a work history," she added with a grin.

"Ollie mentioned working with you before, yeah." Mia had found that a little surprising; he did indolent rich guy pretty well outside of the costume.

Dinah nodded, then turned up the radio louder as a song she liked came on, and it was even something modern that Mia knew and liked.

They passed several exits, just doing car karaoke, letting their other life fall off their shoulders for a while.

Three malls, a manicure/pedicure with spa treatment, and dinner at a hole in the wall with the best tamales ever had convinced Mia that Dinah knew just how to treat a girl to a vacation. Now, sprawled across her own king-size bed while Dinah lounged indolently on her own, they had a movie on for background noise, resting up from the whirlwind tour of the city's offerings.

"So, do you do this often for the other kid heroes?" Mia asked as the lead guy was bumbling through a proposal.

Dinah shrugged. "Miss Arrowette and I have mutual history of a sort, so I really didn't try to know Arrowette. Just kept an ear out for her, because I, like most of the community, was pretty sure she was Oliver's. Still no idea if she is; won't let my partner do a DNA snoop. I don't actually know the current Wonder Girl more than professionally — that entire fiasco with Klarion — but I've made a point of meeting the girls of Gotham on their terms, as much as I can.

"Partner keeps me globe-trotting, you see."

"I've heard. All of Connor's stories about you are in different places, all over."

"That poor boy having the misfortune of winding up in Eddie Fyres' shadow and coming to Shado's attention."

Mia made an intrigued noise at that. "Ollie got all weird when he told the story that set him on the trail of Travis Morgan."

"I bet. In that case, we know Shado's son is Oliver's," Dinah said with a sigh. "But that's not really a story for me to share, even if I did get to deck Eddie during part of it.

"How about I tell you the first time that Travis Morgan crossed our paths?"

Mia shifted to better see Dinah; she knew how the movie ended, and all of the Ollie stories she knew were from after Connor was in his life.

"So Morgan wound up in Seattle, and Ollie'd lived there long enough to make a lot of bad impressions — no, seriously, he used to be worse about how he handled his investigations — so Morgan sees all this terrible luck with people in the underbelly of the city.

"He makes his way to the source of that trouble, and Ollie of course got the door." Dinah's eyes were dancing with mirth for the memory. "Asks if Ollie is who he is, gets the answer, and lays him out with a solid hit to the face!"

"He still has trouble dodging those," Mia admitted.

Dinah nodded, having seen that on a recent team up. "I didn't take kindly to someone showing up out of the blue, who looked a bit like my boyfriend, laying that boyfriend out in my home. Morgan made some patronizing male chauvinist remark… and a few moments later he was laid out next to Ollie."

Mia cracked up at that, and when she stopped laughing, she tipped her head in curiosity. "What then?"

"Oh, a nice chat over coffee, a little investigation, and he wandered back out of our lives."

Dinah grinned as she said that, and Mia shook her head.

"Connor said you know everyone, and Roy said you take not having a sidekick seriously, but you're always willing to help them?"

That got a deep breath in. "Do you know Sand at all? On the JSA? No? Well, you see. He was considered the first kid sidekick. He should be way older than I am, but something happened, back when he was. The original Sandman was so torn up by it, but Sand got placed in stasis of a sort, to save him.

"It made the JSA worry over us kids following in their footsteps, and kept them from taking on junior heroes. Then you add in the troubles all the original Titans had with their mentors, and I just… I just can't be responsible, full time, for helping a kid grow up into the life. But just like my honorary uncles and aunts gave me the tools to become who I am, I can do that for them.

"Teaching Spoiler better techniques, helping Batgirl understand people in general, reminding Robin to take breaks and be young? Those are my specialty." Dinah laughed. "And now, I can add kidnapping Speedy to make her take a rest too!"

"Completely willing, Dinah, I promise. Connor said I'd feel better for it… and I already do."

"Good." Dinah flipped her the remote. "Find the next movie… but if it's a fighting one, I will heckle the hell out of it, or tell you how they are staging the stunts."

"Connor does that too," Mia said, even as she pulled up the guide to figure out a good movie. She hoped she got more stories like that out of Dinah, having taken it to heart that Di was one of the legacy heroes worth listening to.

Mia'd been half-dozing when she realized Dinah was moving, sitting upright on her bed. "Really, O?" The voice was unhappy, so Mia pushed herself to wake up more fully even as she pretended to not be quivering with anticipation. The mysterious Oracle had to be behind that.

"Right, I get it. Trust the boys to have decided to go find trouble out of range from this. Still, I know the turf. I can be there and knock it out before the cops start shooting."

On that note, the woman stood from the bed and went to the heavier bag she'd brought in.

"I could help. Brought my stuff," Mia said quickly. Dinah studied her a long moment.

"Briefcase bomb, dirty money, the ringleaders are holed up not that far from here and cops are already in play," Dinah briefed her. "You cover me, keep the boys in blue from getting twitchy by pinning any goons trying to break out to their spots."

"Been working on using the nano-arrow heads. Got a cryo and several glue," Mia admitted.

"Alright. Leave talking to the cops to me; I know their language better — and I'm sure you really don't have any love for them."

Mia nodded, then grabbed her gear to start changing, even as Dinah did.

Three hours later, Black Canary and Speedy walked into an all-night noodle shop.

"Canary, long time no see!"

"Good to see you, Hajun; hope the family's good. Two of my usual, but lighten the heat in the second one?"

"Still haven't taught this one to appreciate spice, hmm? We'll get them right up. And everyone is just fine!"

Canary walked with her young friend to a small table, unsurprised when two waters and a pot of tea were there seconds behind them settling.

"Okay. You haven't lived out here in forever. You're not out here that often. But first two of the grizzled cops thought you were your own daughter and asked how your mom was, now this?"

"Hajun's been a friend for decades. He's known me enough to not fall for the youthening the Pit gave me. The cops? Well, they were probably rookies back when I was haunting the streets out here, and they buy the new look as next generation."

"Okay, so next time we plan this kind of thing? I want to come stay with you, and learn some of your moves," Speedy said. "Because I want to be that hero the rookies remember, and I want to make lifelong friends with people in my neighborhoods, and just… what you did tonight was so awesome. One-woman wrecking ball, just letting me handle containment!"

Canary laughed, but she nodded. "You got it. Next time I tell O I need a break, I'll ask G.L. to bring you to me, and you can work with me out there."

"So how'd it go, kiddo?" Ollie asked as Mia walked back in, the sound of Dinah's car peeling out audible through the doorway.

"Incredible!" and she left it at that, going on to her room to just savor the feeling of getting to know the hero a little better.

Tags:

AO3 Link | Humanity Sampler (1771 words) by Merfilly
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: DCU [Comics], Justice League International [Comics]
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Characters: J'onn J'onzz | Martian Manhunter, Michael Jon Carter | Booster Gold, Ted Kord | Blue Beetle, Beatriz "Bea" Bonilla da Costa|Fire, Dinah Laurel Lance | Black Canary, Ensemble
Additional Tags: Slice of Life, Charity Auction
Summary:

J'onn is encouraged to work to a plan with his teammates for seeing more of humanity.

Humanity Sampler

"Follow the itinerary," Batman said in his gravel-laden voice, and J'onn peered at him, trying to fathom just what this was all about. "Follow it."

"I will," J'onn agreed gravely, before opening the envelope. A very precise schedule, movie tickets, annotations on where the theater was, as well as mention of which restaurants were near and when to go were printed out for him. After those items, there was simply the word 'club' with no ending time next to it.

Each activity had a different member of the team listed, and that they knew when to meet him.

All in all, this might be the strangest day of cultural education J'onn had ever attempted, drafted out by their resident tactical genius, who happened to be the most taciturn and standoffish member of the team.

Still, J'onn had to admit that he was very curious. He adjusted his human appearance to be less noir detective and more Joe-on-the-street, before walking out into the common room.

Ted and Michael were waiting for him. Michael looked like the models in the fashion magazines, while Ted looked more like he'd just strolled off campus to enjoy a night out.

"So the first question I have," Ted said as they strolled down from the embassy via the stairs, "is have you seen Star Wars, any of them?"

"Yes," J'onn told him. "All three. I was babysitting for my partner's nephews while she was supporting their mother having a sister for them."

Michael blinked at him. "Whoa. You have a life with normal people in it?"

J'onn arched an eyebrow at him. "Several, actually," he deadpanned, getting both of them to laugh in that way they did when uncertain if he was making a joke.

"Good. Because we're taking you to see Spaceballs, which is a Mel Brooks parody of that set of movies," Ted told him after a moment to get his laughter under control.

"Ahh," J'onn said and he relaxed fully into the idea of a movie out. Generally, he had taken in cinema by himself, but it had come up that movie-going was different with friends. "I have enjoyed other films from Brooks, but only saw Blazing Saddles in theater."

"Jonny boy, I am learning so much about you," Michael said, and it wasn't mocking, only sincere warmth for finding new facets.

"Knew you loved Looney Tunes, so figured Brooks might work," Ted said happily. "Glad to know I was right."

The ground rules were simple. Ted and Michael both would let J'onn snoop their public minds for their reactions to the jokes.

Neither one expected J'onn to pick up the jokes so fully that he offered them a few moments to help them catch the more subtle ones.

And then! The humans got treated to J'onn, with his extensive memory, pulling up the movie clips that Spaceballs was parodying, sharing it with them.

J'onn had had more questions about the previews than the movie itself, and all three of them walked out lighter in spirit for the shared camaraderie.

"The experience of sharing a movie is different," J'onn admitted, carefully throwing away the trash of their rather extensive snacking.

"Maybe we can slot a movie night in for team-bonding? Rent a couple and share the experience with the team?" Ted suggested.

"A good idea… but everyone will have to be given a chance to choose, and the rest of us must give fair consideration," J'onn agreed.

"Score!" Michael crowed. "I'm pretty sure I can hammer out some basic guidelines to keep the movie choices from offending too much? I do know what triggers bad P.R. and can use that to start."

J'onn rested a hand on Michael's shoulder, nodding. "Pass the rules to Black Canary for a second set of eyes, then bring it to me, so I can set it up on the team calendar."

They stepped out onto the street… and Bea was there in a pretty as well as demure dress.

"You look lovely tonight," J'onn said honestly, knowing the style of clothing was different from what she was known for modeling.

"You look sharper than your friends," she said, but it was with a smile at both of them. "Go on; he's mine for the next part of the night."

"Dude, I thought for sure you would be handling the clubbing," Michael said, getting a playful swat from Ted, before both men turned off to got their own ways. J'onn wanted to offer his arm to Bea, like in the older movies he enjoyed, but knew that wasn't as common nowadays. She must have caught a whiff of his thoughts, because she moved to his side, and laced her fingers with his like they were on a real date.

"This way; I decided we're doing Greek food," she said, before guiding him to the restaurant she had picked.

"Why Greek?" J'onn asked as they were taken to a table to sit.

"Why not?" Bea asked in turn, before grinning. "This is a family-owned place. I think for the purpose of today's mission," and her eyes sparkled a little, "you will enjoy seeing how such a place handles people."

J'onn considered the hearty greeting as they had come in, the compliment thrown to Bea without being abrasive, and nodded. He cast an eye over the crowd gathered, seeing people he could recognize from all aspects of city life… each absorbed in their own lives, but responding the solicitous questions of the wait staff.

Even as they ordered for themselves, that friendliness — yes it was a practiced skill but it still felt sincere — bolstered J'onn away from his morose feelings about humanity. One table was surrounded by young people celebrating an academic achievement. The staff brought them a dessert to share and congratulated them loudly.

Another young man eating alone was reading as he ate, but seemed to be content at the noise level around him, as if it was part of his evening relaxation. A mother was dividing out food for her three children, and a waiter stopped to place an extra plate of fries there, unasked.

This was a community of food and connections. He turned to look at Bea, and she had a knowing smile on her face. There were others, all unique, and yet all connected by their choice to be here, now, sharing food with people who might be strangers, but were friendly.

"This? Is a good feeling," J'onn told her. "Thank you."

"Any time, my friend."

J'onn gave Bea a kiss on the cheek as they exited, getting her into a taxi after, and walked to the club that had been the capstone of the night. He didn't know if this part was actually all that necessary, and while he was thinking about how to get out of this, a slim woman slipped up and put her arm through his.

"Hey handsome," Dinah said up to him, before raising on tip-toes to kiss his cheek. "Duck over here with me," she added, guiding him down a narrow blind alley, before pushing an image of him as he was but dressed slightly different, something that would match her leggings and big-shouldered blazer over a tank top.

"Your mind pictures are sharp," he said, adjusting his appearance, including the different style haircut.

"I have appearances to maintain, J'onn; can't be seen with a mild-mannered reporter type," she said, laughter in her words and eyes.

"He's not here to defend himself, you know."

"He's also happily ensconced in a deeply loving relationship, making him a safe target to pick on," she retorted. she guided him back out and over to the line forming at the club's entrance, draped on his arm and playing up the girlfriend role. "Dial your hearing down; it will be loud. But let yourself feel the music and the people."

Those words were for his ears only, and he did the best he could to make loud noises less a detriment to his senses. For him, son of a telepathic species that controlled their bodies as much as their environments, it was doable.

"I'm surprised you were in town to handle this," J'onn said as they waited.

"B specifically asked me, and promised to get resources against the latest drug ring I've been working on cracking."

"That would do it." He smiled at her, knowing she was as dedicated to protecting others as he was. When it was there turn at the door, they showed I.D. and were waved in after Dinah paid the cover fee. Once past the entry, the music did flood over J'onn, and she kept a hand on him, dragging him into the crowd right away.

Her mind was open, offering the chance to go sit or to dance… and he took a look at the people, took in what he knew of his longtime friend, and opted for the dancing. It was not that hard to mimic the movements around him, to find that he could match the rhythm of the beat with her to lead him.

The energy of the crowd was a mixed thing. He 'tasted' desperation to escape normal lives against the sincere wish to just exist in the crowd and music. He could easily guess why Dinah had told him to let himself feel the people.

This was humanity at play and escape both, driven to release energy that found little expression in the day in, day out humdrum of normalcy.

Guy called out his order, last one to arrive at the diner, and plunked himself in the chair beside Tora. "So how'd your night out go? Sorry you got stuck with the dweebs. I'd've taken you to a real movie."

J'onn merely smiled at the man they considered abrasive, knowing that under it all was a man dedicated to protecting others. He caught the flash of amusement from the waitress, who had been utterly unshakable to have the Justice League show up for a late night meal.

"I enjoyed myself. And… it helped me see why we band together to make it possible for everyone to just live their lives."

Wally chuckled. "We did something like that with Wondergirl and Aqualad back in the day."

"Max took us out on the town," Barda volunteered, "but I believe he was, what is the word?"

"Schmoozing ya," Oberon supplied. "And yeah, but it was a helluva night!"

Scott laughed, and then they all fell into talking about Earth customs, with the natives providing insights, and the aliens adding how it seemed to them.

All in all, J'onn thought it was yet another successful bat-plan.

Tags:

AO3 Link | Letting Boys Be Boys (856 words) by Merfilly
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: DCU [Comics], Impulse [Comics], Young Justice [Comics]
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Characters: Max Mercury, Bart Allen | Impulse, Tim Drake, Kon-El | Superboy
Additional Tags: Slice of Life, Charity Auction, Camping
Summary:

Max chaperones the YJ boys on a camping trip

Letting Boys Be Boys

Max watched as the three boys under his chaperonage acted just like boys should. There was squabbling that sounded playful, a bit of push and shove, even some bawdy jokes, though they were the more tame versions, mostly plays on words. He let them do the work of clearing the ground for the tent, after approving of the location that the quiet one — Alvin was the name he was using — had picked.

"No powers," that one hissed at a rock coming up with a simple pull from the one with the earring — that was Kon. Max kind felt as bad for him as he did for his own ward, because living up to legacies could be a huge problem, Max had learned.

"I've been working out! Gotta impress the chicks!" Kon protested.

"Why?"

Max didn't let any of them see his smile at Bart's question; either the boy was a late bloomer or he had other leanings, compared to the other two.

All three kept working, though, even as Kon, more than Alvin, waxed poetic on girls, dating, and why it was the best thing after hot pizza. Finally, Alvin gave the ground a shrewd look, and moved over to the bag with the ground cover and tent.

"Think the three of you can manage it?" Max asked him. "Not doubting your skill so much as asking if you have done it before."

"Yes sir. Been a while, but the directions are with it."

"Alright then." Max let them start that and actually got off his camp stool to see about setting up the firewood in the stone-lined pit. Best thing about these camping grounds was how they mixed a little do it yourself with a lot of convenience.

"Alright, ghost stories!" Bart announced. "Rule number one, you don't get to give the logical explanation," he said, looking at Alvin. "Rule number two, I don't get to give the metaphysical explanation from the future."

"Is there a rule three?" Kon asked.

"Nah. I just want to make sure we're doing the real thing the right way, and not being all analytical at it," Bart said.

"That is what makes it fun," Alvin agreed, and Max would have sworn the other two boys' eyes were going to pop out of their head at that.

"My rule three is it can't be about Secret," Kon said after a minute.

"Well, no. No real ghosts," Bart decided after a moment. He then looked at Max. "Can you tell the one about the Mesa Rider? They haven't heard it, and I don't tell it right."

"You just said no real ghosts…" Max pointed out, before laughing. "Alright, no one knows if the Rider was real, even though he sure gave a good scare to everyone back in the Old West."

Bart sprawled on his sleeping bag on his stomach, having kept it out of the tent for that reason. Kon was sitting on the ground, arms propped on his knees as he had them up, and Alvin was using a camp stool, same as Max himself. The glory of twilight had given way to the full dark of night, with just the low-burning fire for lighting.

"Back when Arizona was just a lawless territory…" Max began, using every trick he knew of to keep the atmosphere just right for the full experience of a campfire tale. He did so well that he half-expected Jonah to loom up out of the dark, like he'd done a time or three back in those days.

The boys were all ears through the tale, not once letting cynicism or modern ideals push off the ghost tale.

"…and after that night, the brave Apache girl was never seen again, but neither was the Mesa Rider."

There was silence for just a moment, before a dog howled in the distance, making all three of them jump. Max thanked providence for that one; it was always good to have a startle at the end of a proper ghost tale.

"I think the marshmallows are calling," Kon said, blustering up his bravery to move past the firelight to get the bag and the sticks they'd prepped for this part of the night.

"I want another hot dog," Bart decided, and Alvin nodded at that, leading to all three boys gathering at the food cooler.

Max felt smug that these boys who had faced down some pretty mean threats in their other lives had let themselves just wrap up in a traditional camping trip so fully.

Kon had already left, carrying Alvin back to his home, everything tucked away nice and neat in the truck Max had rented for the trip. Just before Max could move to get in the driver seat, Bart zipped around it and wrapped a hug around his waist.

"Thanks, Max. I… that was good. Sometimes… sometimes I know all of us wish we could just be kids, and you gave us a chance at that."

Max hugged the boy back. "Any time, Bart. Now let's get moving back for home. We'll stop at that greasy spoon you love so much for our lunch."

"SCORE!"

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