Garth Ennis’ Punisher MAX series is, and always will be, the quintessential Punisher for me. He handles the balance between Frank’s psyche and badassery perfectly, and it’s made very clear how far gone and damaged Frank is – and how beneath all his pain, he’s still anchored to his humanity, despite all the things he’s been through and done in the 30+ years since his family was killed. I can’t read any other iteration of the Punisher without immediately whipping out my Punisher MAX volumes to reassure myself that yeah, the real Frank still exists (besides yours, Uni, ‘cause friggin’ Chow Yun-fat).
GreenGrenade
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Random Inebriated Thought:
What player characters in the RP would you consider taking up if the player took a leave of absence to try something new? How would you build off the current season's dynamic, setup, and concept? What character would you be most interested in helping grow in a collaborative fashion?
Out of everyone, probably Wraith's Thor. I have a half-done sheet tucked away for my interpretation of the guy, but honestly a lot of my ideas (i.e. all of them) wouldn't fit with what Nate's done. His is a really great comic-inspired version, whereas mine is pretty much just Thor from the myths and would play with the concept of gods, Fate as a very real and literal force of reality, living stories, and what would happen should a god challenge Fate, with touches of Marvel-isms here and there. So really, Nate's Thor fits the spirit of the game a lot better and I should probably save this for a solo writing sorta thing.
It's short and kind of a mess, but it's up. And hey, my computer didn't crash!
Tommy asked him for an explanation. “What the hell was that back there?”
Oliver sighed, and ran a hand through his hair – the hand not covered in the men’s blood. “Something… something I’ve tried to leave behind. Something I need to leave behind.” His eyes met Tommy’s. They looked back at him with confusion and concern. “I wasn’t alone on the Island, Tommy. Things… things happened there.”
Horrible things.
And he didn’t want to talk about them.
The hot Star City day, Californian sun beating down on a scorching concrete jungle, reminded him of Dinah.
They’d go to South Shore together, in weather like this. The pier overrun with people, the smell of candy floss wafting through the sea-salt air, kids milling about on the sand and in the water, building castles and playing catch, their laughter mixing with the gentle roar of waves and choking call of seagulls. Wedged between Marquette and the Stockyards, this little slice of paradise had been Ollie and Dinah’s refuge from the city. They came here to escape the heat, escape the bustle, escape the confines of glass and steel and asphalt; it would just be them and the beach, enjoying the cold water and each other.
But good things never last, of course. Dinah ended things, and Oliver – well, he spent the next five years fighting for air to breathe and food to eat. Their sandy refuge died with their relationship and the Gambit.
Oliver sat in his father’s study, the A/C on blast. It was stuff like this that made him realise how spoiled he’d been – cold air on command, and he’d taken it for granted. If only there had been air conditioners on the Island. It still would’ve been a living hell, but at least it would have been a comfortable one.
Tommy hadn’t taken his explanation too well. It probably didn’t help that Oliver had refused to elaborate – what did he mean, he wasn’t alone on that island? What “things” happened there? What did they have to be, so that he could come home and take out three men like... like...
“... like friggin’ John Wick, Ollie?!”
Who John Wick was, Oliver didn’t know, but he didn’t much care then, either. The only thing he’d cared about was shutting this conversation down. “Bad things, Tommy. You’re better off not knowing.”
“Oh, yeah, great,” Tommy said, “Thanks, pal. That just – that really puts my mind at ease.” His eyes lingered on the unconscious, brutalised men. “Should we… should we call the police?”
As if the S.C.P.D. would come to the Glades. “Yeah. I’ll do it.”
“Oliver,” said Tommy, as Ollie started to dial 911. Pleaded. “At least… at least tell me how many times you had to do this. How many times did you have to…”
Fight? Brutalise? Torture? Kill?
Gee, Tommy, you’re gonna have to be more specific.
“Not a whole lot,” lied Oliver. “Only when the others hogged the fire. And that one time Robinson Crusoe stole my coconut.”
Tommy hadn’t found it funny. As they parted ways that night, Oliver felt a pang of something, a twist in his gut – lingering regret at the way he handled things with him. Alienating his best friend was the last thing he wanted to do, but the moment he even started to think about coming clean about the Island… about telling Tommy, telling anyone what he had to do over there… his gut twisted even harder, tied itself up in a messy knot, and the pit of his stomach fell and fell and fell and it felt empty, empty but for the daggers bouncing off its walls. So Oliver went home that night, feeling guilty for Tommy as well as the Island, and he spent hours lying in the expansive Queen Mansion yard, falling asleep beneath the stars.
Now, in the study, his phone rang. He looked at the caller ID – Walter.
“Walter, hey.”
“Oliver,” said Walter, “I tried to reach you last night.”
“Really?” asked Oliver. “Sorry, I must’ve had my phone on silent.”
Or he’d ignored him, lost in his thoughts and the sky.
“I talked with the board, Oliver.”
“And?”
“They roadblocked me. Hit me with the ‘sinking ship’ line, just like I did with you.”
God damn it.
“I’m sorry. I tried, Oliver, I really did.”
“I know, Walter, it’s okay,” said Ollie. “Thank you. It was worth a shot.”
“Indeed it was.” He paused. “Lunch tomorrow, you and Thea? Sorrentino’s, at one o’clock?”
Despite himself, Oliver smiled, although Walter couldn’t see it. “Sure, yeah. I’ll let Thea know. See you then, Walter.”
“Goodbye, Oliver.”
Ollie hung up.
Anger churned deep within him. His own father’s company wouldn’t help him, wouldn’t help thousands of people, displaced and dying, in the Glades. They’d sooner turn over a profit than – oh, the horror – help people.
Three cheers for corporate greed.
It made Oliver feel sick. What was he going to do now?
How was he going to help the Glades?
They’d go to South Shore together, in weather like this. The pier overrun with people, the smell of candy floss wafting through the sea-salt air, kids milling about on the sand and in the water, building castles and playing catch, their laughter mixing with the gentle roar of waves and choking call of seagulls. Wedged between Marquette and the Stockyards, this little slice of paradise had been Ollie and Dinah’s refuge from the city. They came here to escape the heat, escape the bustle, escape the confines of glass and steel and asphalt; it would just be them and the beach, enjoying the cold water and each other.
But good things never last, of course. Dinah ended things, and Oliver – well, he spent the next five years fighting for air to breathe and food to eat. Their sandy refuge died with their relationship and the Gambit.
Oliver sat in his father’s study, the A/C on blast. It was stuff like this that made him realise how spoiled he’d been – cold air on command, and he’d taken it for granted. If only there had been air conditioners on the Island. It still would’ve been a living hell, but at least it would have been a comfortable one.
Tommy hadn’t taken his explanation too well. It probably didn’t help that Oliver had refused to elaborate – what did he mean, he wasn’t alone on that island? What “things” happened there? What did they have to be, so that he could come home and take out three men like... like...
“... like friggin’ John Wick, Ollie?!”
Who John Wick was, Oliver didn’t know, but he didn’t much care then, either. The only thing he’d cared about was shutting this conversation down. “Bad things, Tommy. You’re better off not knowing.”
“Oh, yeah, great,” Tommy said, “Thanks, pal. That just – that really puts my mind at ease.” His eyes lingered on the unconscious, brutalised men. “Should we… should we call the police?”
As if the S.C.P.D. would come to the Glades. “Yeah. I’ll do it.”
“Oliver,” said Tommy, as Ollie started to dial 911. Pleaded. “At least… at least tell me how many times you had to do this. How many times did you have to…”
Fight? Brutalise? Torture? Kill?
Gee, Tommy, you’re gonna have to be more specific.
“Not a whole lot,” lied Oliver. “Only when the others hogged the fire. And that one time Robinson Crusoe stole my coconut.”
Tommy hadn’t found it funny. As they parted ways that night, Oliver felt a pang of something, a twist in his gut – lingering regret at the way he handled things with him. Alienating his best friend was the last thing he wanted to do, but the moment he even started to think about coming clean about the Island… about telling Tommy, telling anyone what he had to do over there… his gut twisted even harder, tied itself up in a messy knot, and the pit of his stomach fell and fell and fell and it felt empty, empty but for the daggers bouncing off its walls. So Oliver went home that night, feeling guilty for Tommy as well as the Island, and he spent hours lying in the expansive Queen Mansion yard, falling asleep beneath the stars.
Now, in the study, his phone rang. He looked at the caller ID – Walter.
“Walter, hey.”
“Oliver,” said Walter, “I tried to reach you last night.”
“Really?” asked Oliver. “Sorry, I must’ve had my phone on silent.”
Or he’d ignored him, lost in his thoughts and the sky.
“I talked with the board, Oliver.”
“And?”
“They roadblocked me. Hit me with the ‘sinking ship’ line, just like I did with you.”
God damn it.
“I’m sorry. I tried, Oliver, I really did.”
“I know, Walter, it’s okay,” said Ollie. “Thank you. It was worth a shot.”
“Indeed it was.” He paused. “Lunch tomorrow, you and Thea? Sorrentino’s, at one o’clock?”
Despite himself, Oliver smiled, although Walter couldn’t see it. “Sure, yeah. I’ll let Thea know. See you then, Walter.”
“Goodbye, Oliver.”
Ollie hung up.
Anger churned deep within him. His own father’s company wouldn’t help him, wouldn’t help thousands of people, displaced and dying, in the Glades. They’d sooner turn over a profit than – oh, the horror – help people.
Three cheers for corporate greed.
It made Oliver feel sick. What was he going to do now?
How was he going to help the Glades?
Footage of trash
So. How do people feel about this.
The next Dark Knight. The Citizen Kane of superhero movies.
It’s going to be a masterpiece.
So, @Superboy’s like reminded me – while I’m not up to your posts yet, your Blue Beetle sheet is quality, and if it’s anything to go by, I’m really keen to catch up and get to Jaime’s introduction.
I see how it is.
Nah, all g, dude. Appreciate it very muchly.
I am enthused. Thanks for the vote, I'd give you a vote but I already did that.
I am sorry but I kinda used up my long, deep and emotional responses on everyone else.
I see how it is.
Nah, all g, dude. Appreciate it very muchly.
Oh boy. So I still don’t have my laptop, and as much as I wanna add my votes to the mix, I’m wayyy too behind IC to consider it. That said, I do want to mention some of the highlights so far, in no particular order.
@HenryJonesJr’s Spider-Woman. Everyone’s already said everything I could’ve added, but man. That you were able to make Gwen such a likeable, layered character that feels right as our resident web-slinger is just... it’s awesome. The one positive I can think of for having so much reading to catch up on is knowing that I have a whole bunch of Spider-Woman’s adventures waiting for me. Hell yeah.
@Eddie Brock’s Captain America. I love the concept. I love Garth Ennis’ Fury: My War Gone By, and while I don’t know whether or not that was an influence here, seeing Steve get that treatment brings me joy. And like Morden said a while back, the Sicario vibes these posts have are freaking awesome.
Speaking of @Morden Man... his Fantastic Four. It’s all been said by a bunch of people already, but the concept kicks ass – and that the posts are great is a huge bonus, too. Loving it, dude.
@Lord Wraith’s Thor. I’m a sucker for Norse mythology, and Nate’s heard a lot about it from me, lol, so much that I’m surprised (and glad) that he isn’t sick of me yet. And even though his Thor takes more influence from the comics than it does the myths, I’ve been having a blast reading about Blake and Thor, and can’t wait to see them further along in their journey.
@Bounce’s Green Lantern. The way he can describe characters and settings so succintly and effectively makes me angrier than I can properly explain, and that he tells his stories just as well is the icing on the cake. I’d strangle you if I could, Bounce. Stop writing so good.
@Byrd Man’s Constantine. The only thing I really need to say here is:
I’m... I’m a fan. (You write real great, too, I guess).
@Sep’s Flash has been a fun read from the get-go, and I think that part of that has been his sheer enthusiasm. It’s just really, really fun and endearing. Iris feels natural as the Flash, and the Reverse Flash plot is damn intriguing. Keep it up, dude.
@Inkarnate’s Wonder Woman is an interesting spin. The posts I’ve read so far have been mostly outside of Bekka’s perspective, taking the time to build the world around her, and I’ve been really enjoying it. I really want to see more of her and her corner of the One Universe, so kudos, Mike.
@Simple Unicycle’s Punisher made me mad at first, because I’m a firm believer that Ennis’ Punisher is the only way to write the Punisher, but then I read his posts and I wasn’t anymore. Gun-fu + Frank = win, and I always feel like busting out some popcorn when I read his posts. Good stuff.
@AndyC, @Master Bruce, @BlackSam3091, and some others I’m sure I’m forgetting because I’m not running on much sleep are getting mentions, too, because their writing’s always top-notch and I’ve enjoyed their posts immensely.
So there’s my two cents. Just wanted to share the love, really.
@HenryJonesJr’s Spider-Woman. Everyone’s already said everything I could’ve added, but man. That you were able to make Gwen such a likeable, layered character that feels right as our resident web-slinger is just... it’s awesome. The one positive I can think of for having so much reading to catch up on is knowing that I have a whole bunch of Spider-Woman’s adventures waiting for me. Hell yeah.
@Eddie Brock’s Captain America. I love the concept. I love Garth Ennis’ Fury: My War Gone By, and while I don’t know whether or not that was an influence here, seeing Steve get that treatment brings me joy. And like Morden said a while back, the Sicario vibes these posts have are freaking awesome.
Speaking of @Morden Man... his Fantastic Four. It’s all been said by a bunch of people already, but the concept kicks ass – and that the posts are great is a huge bonus, too. Loving it, dude.
@Lord Wraith’s Thor. I’m a sucker for Norse mythology, and Nate’s heard a lot about it from me, lol, so much that I’m surprised (and glad) that he isn’t sick of me yet. And even though his Thor takes more influence from the comics than it does the myths, I’ve been having a blast reading about Blake and Thor, and can’t wait to see them further along in their journey.
@Bounce’s Green Lantern. The way he can describe characters and settings so succintly and effectively makes me angrier than I can properly explain, and that he tells his stories just as well is the icing on the cake. I’d strangle you if I could, Bounce. Stop writing so good.
@Byrd Man’s Constantine. The only thing I really need to say here is:
“JACK HAWKSMOOOOOOOOR”
I’m... I’m a fan. (You write real great, too, I guess).
@Sep’s Flash has been a fun read from the get-go, and I think that part of that has been his sheer enthusiasm. It’s just really, really fun and endearing. Iris feels natural as the Flash, and the Reverse Flash plot is damn intriguing. Keep it up, dude.
@Inkarnate’s Wonder Woman is an interesting spin. The posts I’ve read so far have been mostly outside of Bekka’s perspective, taking the time to build the world around her, and I’ve been really enjoying it. I really want to see more of her and her corner of the One Universe, so kudos, Mike.
@Simple Unicycle’s Punisher made me mad at first, because I’m a firm believer that Ennis’ Punisher is the only way to write the Punisher, but then I read his posts and I wasn’t anymore. Gun-fu + Frank = win, and I always feel like busting out some popcorn when I read his posts. Good stuff.
@AndyC, @Master Bruce, @BlackSam3091, and some others I’m sure I’m forgetting because I’m not running on much sleep are getting mentions, too, because their writing’s always top-notch and I’ve enjoyed their posts immensely.
So there’s my two cents. Just wanted to share the love, really.
Jack Hawksmoor, god of the cities flashed a smile at Constantine.
Is there a way to like things more than once? Because I want to like this more than once.
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