#KLAW 2023 | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

txemrn · 1 year

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Book: TRR/TRH (events actually occur in TRH Book 1)

Pairing: Liam x MC (Riley); Bertrand x Savannah

Word Count: ~2500

Warning: innuendos; a little language; fluffiness

A/N: I usually enjoy writing fairly angsty TRR material, but when I started gearing up for this past week's @kingliamappreciationweek, I decided I really wanted to write something new that wasn't so dramatic. So, I started thinking about how Liam is a history buff... and if y'all don't know this by now, I'm from Texas, and the thought of that tall glass of water knowing about my home state's history...whew... Give me a moment... This is pure silliness. It's a re-write of Bertrand's bachelor party/Savannah's bachelorette party, and it's just... silly. It does not follow canon very well. But, I hope you still enjoy it! Happy KLAW 2023, friends!

A/N 2: This is my submission for @choicesflashfics week 30! I will be using prompt 3: "That's how the story goes." It will be in bold.

A/N 3: These characters and some of the plot belong to our dear friends Pixelberry. This was not truly pre-read or beta'd. Please excuse my errors.

~👑~

"Alright, lil' ladies with the beautiful bride-to-be!" A burly bartender with a thick drawl and matching beard comes out from behind the counter, making his way to Savannah Walker's bachelorette party. Delivering a tray of golden caramel-colored shots, he piles each one high with decadent whipped cream. "Here ya go: six blow job shots."

Hana spews out her cocktail, covering her mouth with rosy cheeks.

"Mon dieu! Did–did he just say–"

"Like you don't know what that is, Kiara," Olivia snorts. "Drink up, poufiasse."

Savannah, Madeleine, and Riley cover their giggles, leaning into one another as they take their drinks.

"Wait," Hana holds up her hands as they prepare to toast their third round of shots. "Where's Penelope?"

"Oh, I'm here! I'm here!" She runs up, out of breath, her short hair and denim dress completely drenched.

"What on earth happened to you?" Riley starts grabbing napkins.

"I was checking in with my dog sitter, but the reception here is awful. Plus, it's raining like cats and dogs out—oooooo!" Penelope's eyes beam at the sight of the shots. "What are these?" She leans down to sniff before humming in approval.

"Blow jobs," Olivia smirks.

"Oh!" Penelope nods with curious fascination. "Leo said that about my lips one time–"

"He said what?" Madeleine raises an eyebrow.

"I know, I didn't understand what he meant either."

"No, that's not–nevermind."

"Hold up." Riley raises her hands to silence everyone before turning to Penelope. "Raining like cats and dogs?" She grimaces, glancing at Savannah. "I hope the guys are alright–"

"Gunther!"

The sudden boisterous voice of Drake Walker echoes through the dive bar, the doors swinging loudly, clapping up against the wooden walls. The large bartender turns, then brightens when he sees his old-time customer and friend coming into his establishment.

"Whiskers, is that you?"

The girls quietly glare at one another, mouthing the word 'whiskers.'

The two men grab each other's hands in a shake before pulling into a brotherly hug. Liam, Bertrand and Maxwell file in through the door, shaking droplets from their wet clothes.

"You guys!" Riley jumps up to greet her husband.

Savannah follows behind, wrapping her arms around Bertrand before brushing a kiss against his lips. "What are y'all doing here?"

"Isn't it obvious?" Maxwell chuckles, throwing his thumb behind his shoulder.

"The campgrounds were rained out," Liam explains, combing his wife's hair behind her ear. "We thought we could stick it out as long as the creek didn't rise too high. But then," he shakes his head, chuckling, "the tents flooded. The truck almost got stuck in the mud."

"Our clothes and shoes are airing out back at the house," Bertrand states, watching his bride fix his wet hair.

"Wow," Olivia snickers, "so much for roughing it for your bachelor party, huh, Beaumont?"

"I beg your pardon," Bertrand stiffens in annoyance, "we almost died out there, duchess."

"It's water."

"Centimeters upon centimeters–"

"Imagine meters of it. Frozen–"

"Well," Riley interjects the budding feud, "I, for one, am happy you guys are out of the nasty weather." She holds her hand up to the bartender, "first round on the crown!"

"I like the sound of that," Maxwell chuckles.

"'First round on the crown'?" Liam whispers in his wife's ear, humored.

Riley scrunches up her nose, a mischievous grin crawling across her lips. "What can I say?" She giggles, slinking an arm around her husband’s waist. "I've been a queen for over a month, and I haven’t declared anything yet." She turns to her friends. "Let them drink booze!" She glances back at Liam, who's shaking his head at his tipsy wife. "What? I was channeling my inner Marie Antoinette."

"I… caught the reference," he narrows his eyes, gently placing a grip around Riley's neck. "I hope she’s not the inspiration of your own reign," he squeezes his fingers playfully, lowering his voice into a growl. "I'd hate for you to end up like her."

"You're not convincing me otherwise with your hand around my throat, my king." They knowingly snicker to one another, sharing a kiss.

"Okay, you newlyweds," Olivia snickers, rolling her eyes before turning to Drake. "So, um, Whiskers?"

He crosses his arms. "Yes…Red?" He collects a tray of glasses and a fifth of whiskey from Gunther to bring to the table.

"Curious minds want to know about this nickname."

"Awww, you’re thinking about me, Red?" She scoffs as he purposely bumps into her shoulder. "Maybe you'd rather a demonstration of why they call me Whiskers–"

"Drake Elmer!" Savannah scolds. "You're disgusting." She glances to the ladies. "Only Gunther calls him that, and the only reason he calls him that is because of Dad."

"Dad had a rule," Drake air quotes, "that I couldn't taste whiskey until I had whiskers." He nods towards the bartender, "Gunther there served me my first whiskey right after Dad's funeral–"

"Drakey!" The syrupy voice of Savannah's ex-boyfriend bellows from across the room. "And he brought his royal round up!" The broad-shouldered red-head gives a curt bow, removing his Stetson as he notices Liam, switching to a British accent. "Your majesty."

Liam nods cordially before casually turning towards Riley. "What is it with you Americans thinking everyone in Europe talks with that accent?" Riley giggles under her breath, pinching her husband teasingly.

"Bert!" Chuck opens up his arms, pulling the duke into a tight, bear hug. "How's our groom? Come down here to flex your trivia knowledge?"

"Trivia?" Maxwell questions.

A sudden jolt of excitement hits Drake, his eyes widening as he looks to Gunther. "Is that tonight?"

"You bet yer' asses, Whiskers. $250 cash prize and a bottle of Jack to share."

"Whatd'ya say, Drakey? For old time's sake?" Chuck holds out his hand. Without giving it much thought, Drake clasps Chuck's calloused hand, pulling him into a quick hug. The men begin to hoot and grunt, clapping as they turn to join the rest of Chuck's friends in the corner.

But then Chuck stops, spinning on his heel. He glares at Bertrand before fixing a charming smirk to his mouth. "Where are my manners? Bert, the team is full, or else I'd invite you to join–"

"That's–" Bertrand clears his throat, "--quite alright, I assure you–"

"I mean," Chuck motions to Liam and Maxwell, "unless y'all wanted to make your own team." He glances over his shoulder, “Gunther, what’s tonight’s theme?

"Texas history, fellas," Gunther announces. "Trivia about the greatest fucking country in the world. Texas."

"Ahh. See?" Chuck swings out his arms, shrugging. "That’s how the story goes. Y'all better sit this one out." With the deep clack of his cowboy boots, he adjusts his belt buckle before slowly strutting back to his seat.

Seeing the defeat in his face, Savannah runs a hand across Bertrand's chest before giving him a sweet kiss on the cheek. "Don't worry about it, hun," she softly croons, "that's not even your idea of fun anyway."

Bertrand grows rigid. "What do you mean? I like to have fun–"

"Of course, B, just… in other… ways–"

"I," he pulls away from his fiancée, pressing his finger into his chest, "am… the epitome of fun–"

"You're right, but–"

"I'm a crate full of apes!"

Riley looks over her shoulder to Liam, whispering, "Does he know that it's a barrel full of–?"

"Shhh," Liam softly hushes, "just let him go."

"You there!" Bertrand shouts to Gunther, causing everyone to freeze. "We would like to play."

"Uh, Bertrand? A word." Maxwell motions for his brother to join him as he stumbles over to Liam. "Are you crazy?" He whisper shouts. "These people already enjoy making fun of us. Why do you want to do this?"

"It's the principle of it all," Bertrand grows serious.

Maxwell sighs. "What do you think, Li?"

Liam looks up at Bertrand whose gaze is now attentive to Savannah. She laughs at something Kiara says, causing Bertrand's demeanor to slump a little more, as if each second with her reminds him he's not worthy of her.

Liam gets that.

"I think we should do it."

"See, Bertrand? Even Li–wait, what?" Maxwell's jaw drops. "You think this is a good idea?"

"It's just a game, right?" Liam winks handsomely. "Besides, I think Bertrand needs this."

"But Li… Texas trivia? Those guys reek of BBQ, football and leather."

“And we have survived how many secret coups attacks? Liam shrugs before patting the younger Beaumont on the back. "This could be fun."

—

Liam, Bertrand and Maxwell settle at a bar top table near four other teams, including Chuck and Drake's group. As Gunther passes out electronic buzzers, he explains the rules. Chuck rubs his hands together in cocky delight as Bertrand wipes his brow with small drink napkins.

"Alright! Is everybody ready?" Gunther announces over a karaoke machine microphone. "Let's begin. When is Texas Independence Day?"

Chuck buzzes in with a proud, sarcastic snicker. "March 2nd."

"Correct!"

"Ahh, snaps, you guys," Maxwell hangs his head in his hands. "This was a bad idea."

"It's only been one question," Liam encourages.

"And we're already losing!" Maxwell whines, covering his eyes.

"Next question. Before her independence, Texas was governed by how many different nations?"

Liam hits the buzzer, turning to an unsuspecting Bertrand. "Psst… how many forks are in the traditional Cordonian place setting?"

Bertrand scoffs. "Six!" He barks out loud before realizing everyone is silent, staring at him.

"Correct!"

"Huh?" Maxwell looks up, a smile tugging at his lips.

"Way to go, Bertrand!" Riley and Savannah cheer as the other ladies clap and whistle.

"Alright," Gunther starts, "next question…"

The trivia night continues, back and forth, question for question. The other teams at the bar had opportunities to answer, but overall, Chuck and Drake's team remained in the lead.

But not by much.

The men from Cordonia gave them quite a run for their money, thanks to Liam and his wealth of knowledge. But although Liam knows the majority of the answers, he is yet to speak for the team; rather, he turns to Bertrand each time after hitting the buzzer, prompting him with a different question that possesses the same answer.

"Okay, folks," the bartender announces, "this is the last question. If this team," Gunther points to Bertrand, Liam and Maxwell, "chimes in and gets it right, it will tie the game, sending us into sudden death." The bar fills with cheers, patrons shouting with excitement and pounding their fists on the tables. "Here we go. The Texas Revolution started in what year?"

There's a slight hesitation, but finally Liam turns to Bertrand and states, "The ending of the Bavarian Regency of Greece." Bertrand furrows his eyebrows, but Liam gives him a reassuring nod as he hits the buzzer.

He clears his throat. "1835?"

Everyone freezes, a hush falling over the bar in anxious anticipation.

"Folks? We've got ourselves a tied game!"

Bertrand exhales heavily, closing his eyes. Liam pats him on the back while Maxwell cheers, tugging on his brother's shoulder. The entire bar is in a fuss as Chuck and Drake stare confusingly at each other. Gunther gets back on the mic, and explains the sudden death round, which requires for each team to choose one member to represent them.

"You've got this, Li," Maxwell applauds, Bertrand smiling and nodding.

"I think… Bertrand should take this."

"Pardon my insolence, sir, but I do not find that to be a wise decision," Bertrand argues.

"I agree with my brother, Li," Maxwell nods, "you knew all those answers–"

"But Bertrand scored us those points," Liam counters, "he needs to put up a fight until the game is over. It's the principle, remember?"

Hearing Liam repeat his words, Bertrand grins, courage blooming in his chest. He looks to Savannah who is clapping, mouthing the words 'I'm so proud of you.'

"I'll do it."

Bertrand and Chuck step forward for the sudden death round, peering into each other's eyes. "Are we ready, gentlemen?" Gunther asks. Both men shake their heads yes, their gazes not leaving each other. "Let the best man win."

For a split second, Bertrand glances at his fiancée, and realizes he might not be the best man, but to her, he is. And no matter what, he's already won.

"Here's the question: made popular by an Alamo hero, this portable weapon that can kill and butcher game. Name the weapon–"

Chuck buzzes in. "The Swiss army knife." He smiles brightly, pulling out his own pocket blade and twirling it in victory.

Bertrand turns back to Liam and Maxwell, shaking his head. Maxwell mouths, 'that's okay! You did your best!' Bertand shakes his head more adamantly, but now he’s starting to grin.

"Actually," the bartender starts, "that’s incorrect, Chuck." Gunther turns towards Bertrand. "Do you have an answer, my foreign friend?"

Bertrand smirks. "You are referring to the Bowie knife."

A stillness hushes the crowd; Savannah and Riley anxiously wait, hands clasped with bated breath.

"That… is correct!"

The entire room erupts with shouts of praise and earth-shaking applause. Several men remove their ten-gallon hats to whoop in honor of the winner, the women of the bachelorette party squealing in glee.

Drake shakes Bertrand's hand before pulling him into an endearing hug. Liam and Maxwell both clap the duke on the back in congratulations. Savannah quickly cuts in, throwing her arms around her fiancé as her lips crash into his. Gunther comes over with the prize, and shakes Liam's hand. Maxwell snatches the bottle of Jack and the cash, and holds it over his head like a trophy. More shots and drinks are ordered, the night carrying on into a wild honky-tonk of a dance party.

Riley finds Liam, roping her arms around his neck as he secures his large hands to her waist.

"I'm so proud of you, partner," Riley attempts a drawl. Liam laughs, kissing her forehead as they begin to sway to the slow country beat. "Bertrand said that you actually never gave him any answers; you just… asked him questions that had the same answer"

Liam nods slowly, "Yep."

"Why?"

"Oh, my queen," he beams looking down at her, "it's the principle."

"The principle?" She cocks an eyebrow.

"A man wants to win a woman's heart."

"But Savannah loves him–"

"That's not the point," Liam counters. "A man wants to win her over… and over and over again. If I gave him the answers, that would've cheated him out of proving to her and to himself that he's worthy of her."

"Do you ever feel that way about me?" She croons.

A rosy hue swirls across Liam's cheeks. "More than you realize."

Riley presses a tender kiss to her husband’s chin before continuing their dance. "But… I gotta ask. When did you become so smart about Texas history?"

Liam chuckles. "I've been best friends with Drake Walker since I was 8 years old. We used to do our studies together, and… he was terrible at history."

"So?"

"So?" Liam stifles his toothy grin, licking his bottom lip. "Who do you think did his Texas history homework?"

"William Rys!"

~👑~

Thank you so much for your support! Every like, comment and reblog means the world to me! 🖤

~👑~

Tags (please let me know if you wish to be added/removed)

PERMA

@alj4890 @ao719 @charlotteg234 @issabees @kat-tia801 @kingliam2019 @mainstreetreader @mom2000aggie @neotericthemis @nikirennie87 @peonierose @socalwriterbee @tessa-liam

ALL TRR

@3pawandme @alyshak92 @iaminlovewithtrr @katedrakeohd @lovingchoices14 @malblk21 @rubiwalker @sfb123 @twinkleallnight

#the royal romance #the royal heir #king liam appreciation week #klaw day 2 #klaw day 5 #choices trr #trr liam #king liam rys #liam rys #liam x mc #liam rys x mc #liam x riley #drake walker #bertrand beaumont #maxwell beaumont #savannah beaumont

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nfcomics · 6 months

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SUPERMAN no.4 • cover art • Gabriel Rodriguez [May 2023]

INTRODUCING THE KRYPTONITE KLAW! Superman is vulnerable to Kryptonite, but what happens when other dangerous superhumans are exposed to it? If Superman wants to stop Metropolis's newest enemies, he must uncover Lex Luthor's secret past!

(W) Joshua Williamson (A) Jamal Campbell (CA) Gabriel Rodriguez

#SUPERMAN no.4 #Gabriel Rodriguez #Night Flight Comics #Comic Mail Orders #NFComics #Jamal Campbell #Joshua Williamson

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theinvisibledreamergirl · 1 year

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Hello, Klaw!

With the holidays coming up, I just wanted to stop by and give you a little gift to show my appreciation for being a loving part of this little fandom and for brightening up people’s days, including mine. Thanks for all that you do!

Happy holidays, if you celebrate, and I wish you a blessed 2023!

i’m truly lost at words rn

what

have

i done

to deserve

THIS

avy you have no idea how happy this made me jksjsskjsksjssjsjsjsjsjsks omg it looks so beautiful and so real🥺🥺🥺 thank you so much my sweetheart and happy holidays to you too☺️❤️❤️ i wish you a year full of happiness and joy with your loved ones😘

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xtruss · 2 months

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Latin America’s New Hard Right: Bukele, Milei, Kast And Bolsonaro! Crime, Abortion and Socialism, Not Immigration, Are The Issues That Rile Them

— April 1st 2024| Santiago, Chile 🇨🇱

A montage of right-wing Latin American leaders on a red and blue background with Donald Trump throwing maga hats at them. Illustration: Klawe Rzeczy

“Mr president!” Javier Milei could barely contain himself when he met Donald Trump at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) near Washington in February. The pair embraced and exchanged slogans, with Mr Trump intoning “Make Argentina Great Again” several times and Argentina’s new President yipping “Viva la Libertad, Carajo” (“Long Live Freedom, Dammit”) in response.

Nayib Bukele, El Salvador’s Popular Autocratic President, had already addressed the conference. “They say globalism comes to die at CPAC,” he told enraptured Republicans. “I’m here to tell you that in El Salvador, it’s already dead.” Jair Bolsonaro, Brazil’s Hard-Right Former President, was a star guest in 2023. He, like Mr Trump, claimed without evidence that his bid for a second term was thwarted by fraud. His supporters also attempted an insurrection.

These scenes suggest a seamless international alliance between Mr Trump and the leaders of Latin America’s hard right. Its members also include José Antonio Kast of Chile, who has spoken at cpac in the past too. This new right basks in Mr Trump’s influence. It has turned away from a more consensual form of conservative politics in favour of an aggressive pursuit of culture war.

Its ascent began with the surprise victory of Mr Bolsonaro in Brazil in 2018, followed by that of Mr Bukele in 2019. In Chile Mr Kast, the founder of a new hard-right Republican Party, got 44% of the vote in a presidential run-off in 2021 and his party won an election for a constitutional council in 2023. Mr Milei won his own surprise victory in November. Would-be leaders of the radical right jostle in the Politics of Peru and Colombia.

Unlike its older European and North American equivalents, the Latin American hard right does not have roots in the fertile soil of public anxiety about uncontrolled immigration (although this has become an issue recently because of the arrival of millions of Venezuelans fleeing their country’s rotten dictatorship).

The new group shares three hallmarks. The first is fierce opposition to abortion, and gay and women’s rights. “What unites them is an affirmation of traditional social hierarchies,” as Lindsay Mayka and Amy Erica Smith, two academics, put it. The second hallmark is a tough line on crime and citizens’ security. And the third is uncompromising opposition to social democracy, let alone communism, which leads some to want a smaller state.

There were common factors in their ascents, too. They were helped by a sense of crisis—about corruption and economic stagnation in Brazil and Argentina, gang violence in El Salvador and the sometimes violent “social explosion” in Chile.

Cousins In Arms

But each leader has adopted a different mix of these ideological elements. The hard right in Latin America are “cousins, not brothers”, says Cristóbal Rovira of the Catholic University of Chile. “They are similar but not identical.”

Mr Bolsonaro’s constituencies were evangelicals, to whom he appealed with his defence of the traditional family, and the authoritarian right in the form of the army, the police and farmers worried about land invasions and rural crime. But he was lukewarm about the free market and fiscal rigour. Mr Bukele made security the cornerstone of his first presidential term, overcoming criminal gangs by locking up more than 74,000 of El Salvador’s 6.4 Million Citizens. His economic policy is less clear and, despite his claim at CPAC, is not self-evidently “anti-globalist”.

Mr Milei was elected for his pledge to pull Argentina out of prolonged stagflation and to cut down what he brands as a corrupt political “caste”. A self-described “anarcho-capitalist”, he is a fan of the Austrian school of free-market economics. Unlike Mr Trump, he is neither an economic nationalist nor protectionist on trade. He has only recently adopted his peers’ stance on moral issues. His government supports a bill to overturn Argentina’s abortion law, and says it will eliminate gender-conscious language from public administration. Mr Bukele followed suit.

Mr Kast attempted to put conservative morality in the constitutional draft his party championed, which was one reason why it was rejected in a plebiscite. He wants tough policies on security and against immigration. “We should close the borders and build a trench,” he says. He wants to “shrink the state and lower the tax burden”. Whereas Mr Bolsonaro is a climate-change sceptic and anti-vaxxer, Mr Kast is not.

Democracy For Thee, Not For Me

Right-wing populists also have differing attitudes to democracy. With his attempt to subvert the election result, for which he is under police investigation, Mr Bolsonaro showed that he was not a democrat. Mr Bukele is contemptuous of checks and balances. His success at slashing the murder rate made him hugely popular, allowing him to brush aside constitutional term limits and win a second term in February.

Mr Milei’s “disdain for democratic institutions is clear”, says Carlos Malamud, An Argentine Historian, citing Mr Milei’s break with convention by giving his inauguration speech to a crowd of supporters, rather than to Congress. But, Mr Malamud adds, Mr Milei may yet learn that he needs to include the parliament in government.

“I’m a democrat,” insists Mr Kast, and his opponents agree. “On security and shrinking the state, we share views with Bolsonaro,” he says. “But that doesn’t mean that we are the same as Milei or Bolsonaro or Bukele.” As Mr Kast notes, policy choices are shaped in each country by very different circumstances.

So are the prospects of the various leaders. Mr Bukele is by far the most successful, with would-be imitators across the region and no obvious obstacles to his remaining in power indefinitely. In contrast, Mr Bolsonaro’s active political career may well be over. The electoral court has barred him as a candidate until 2030 (when he will be 75) for disparaging the voting system at a meeting with foreign ambassadors. He may be jailed for his apparent attempt to organise a military coup against his electoral defeat; he denies this and claims he is a victim of political persecution.

Mr Milei’s future is up for grabs. Succeed in taming inflation, and he could emerge strengthened from a midterm election in 2025. But if he refuses to compromise with Congress and provincial governors, he may be in trouble before then. In Chile, Mr Kast seemed to overplay his hand with the constitutional draft. The election in 2025 could see the centre-right take power. One influential figure of that persuasion argues that Mr Kast is unable to represent the diversity of modern Chile.

Ultimately, the group is bound by an international network built around common political discourse and cultural references. Mr Kast chairs the Political Network for Values, an outfit previously led by an ally of Viktor Orban, Hungary’s Populist Leader. Vox, Spain’s hard-right party, organises the Foro de Madrid, a network of like-minded politicians mainly from what it calls the “Iberosphere” in Latin America.

These gatherings offer a chance to share experiences and sometimes a bit more. Mr Bukele has advisers from Venezuela’s exiled opposition. Mr Trump’s activists have shown up at Latin American elections. Recently, Mr Bolsonaro took refuge in the Hungarian embassy in Brasília for two nights when he feared arrest.

But there are no signs of central direction or co-ordination. The right in Latin America has long claimed that the Foro de São Paulo, a get-together of Latin American left-wingers, is a highly organised conspiracy. All the evidence is that it is a loose friendship network. That seems to be true of its right-wing peer, too. ■

— This article appeared in the The Americas section of the print edition under the headline "The Anti-communist International"

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kingliamappreciationweek · 1 year

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KLAW MASTERLIST - PART 2

(this poster is by the incredible @sazanes!)

Find Part 1 of the KLAW 2023 Masterlist here!!)

DAY 5 - FRIENDSHIPS/RELATIONSHIPS/AU

Friendships

Art

Liam & Blaine On The Rooftop by @/artbyainna, commissioned by @ao719

Fanfic

Friendship by @angelasscribbles

October Weekend Retreat by @tessa-liam

Movie Nights in Valtoria from Hinge by @angelasscribbles

Panty Hawk by @sincerelyella

A Glimpse of Us by @noesapphic

Relationships

Art

A Kiss in the Garden Maze by @sazanes, commissioned by @dragonknightofsummerset

Maze Tag by @sazanes, commissioned by @dragonknightofsummerset

Chibi Liam and Anastasia by @sazanes, commissioned by @dragonknightofsummerset

Liam Proposes to Reyna by @pilitella, commissioned by @ao719

Drake Comforts Liam by @/artbyainna, commissioned by @deb-1106

Liam and Sophie: The Cordonian Waltz by @sazanes

Character Appreciation

Liam's Forehead Touches by @dragonknightofsummerset

Edit

Marquise, Shanelle and their kids by @khoicesbyk (including a commissioned artwork by @pilitella)

Fanfic

Pride: A Lavender and Crimson One-Shot by @angelasscribbles

First Skirmish - Ch 2 of Royal Retribution by @angelasscribbles

Complicated by @angelasscribbles

The Start of Forever by @liaromancewriter

Skipping Across the Pond by @bebepac

Vivid Memories by @lorirwritesfanfic

Art

Liam the History Teacher by @cassiopeiacorvus

"Let's At Least Give Them Something To Talk About" by @/artbyainna, commissioned by @txemrn

Character Appreciation

Liam as a Friend, Lover and in an AU by @cassiaallen

Fanfic

Hands Down - Prologue by @sfb123

Savage Love - Prologue by @angelasscribbles

Ch 1 and 22 of Bad Romance by @angelasscribbles

Moodboard

Liam from Black Silk by @aussiegurl1234

Video

Reel Edit of Prologue: A Shadow in the Dark by @txemrn

If we have missed out on anyone's entries, please do let us know and we will add it asap! Also here is last year's KLAW Masterlist!!)

#king liam #kingliamappreciationweek #klaw #the royal romance #the royal finale #the royal heir #KLAW 2023 #KLAW 2023 Masterlist

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angelasscribbles · 1 year

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KLAW 2023 Throwback: Dark Elf

@kingliamappreciationweek

Chapter 1 of Dark Elf: The Dark Prince

This Liam is definitely darker, he's half-elf and on a mission to become immortal.

#kingliamappreciationweek #KLAW #KLAW 2023 #KLAW throwback #dark elf #angelasscribbles

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nepticmancer · 7 months

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Witch Rose?

Jack Klaw?

The Rose Witch?

🤷

#just dance 2023 #jack rose jd #Skarlett Klaw jd #Felicia jd #Witch Rose #A bit of a sneakpeak for you all #Boss witch jd

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rastronomicals · 6 months

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9:34 PM EST December 5, 2023:

Load - "Ivan Klaw" From the album Load (1995)

Last song scrobbled from iTunes at Last.fm

File under: Supersonic Motherfuckers

#Load #Ivan Klaw

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phantom-le6 · 7 months

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Ramble of the month November 2023: 90’s MCU phase 4 – The Secret Wars, the Defenders and putting French and Saunders in a comic book film

As we come into the first of our last two monthly rambles for 2023, I’ve decided to go back to unveiling more of my alternate superhero film franchises. I could go for more topical issues, but those will likely stress me out if I go too in-depth on them, and by sheer happenstance, episodes I’m presently reviewing from the last season of Star Trek: Voyager will cover these a bit. So, that being the case, I figure I might as well close out 2024 by going for subjects I can enjoy talking about instead of anything winding me up.

By now, I’m sure anyone reading these rambles on a regular basis will know the drill, but for any new readers, let’s recap. At the moment, I’m showcasing two hypothetical superhero film universes. One is a DC film universe where Christopher Nolan’s Batman Begins was the launch point instead of Zack Snyder’s Man of Steel, the other is a Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) that begins from 1992 instead of 2008. The change in time period means Marvel would have all their film rights still to hand (those weren’t sold until 1995), and a lot of casting and story choices would change because the source material would be different. To complete the re-cap, let’s check out the titles of films in the first three phases and do a quick plot summary.

Phase 1:

1992: Fantastic Four, Hulk, Iron Man

1993: Thor, Spider-Man, Ant-Man & The Wasp

1994: Captain America: Fantastic Four 2, Iron Man 2

1995: X-Men, Avengers, Daredevil

Phase 2:

1996: Spider-Man 2, Thor: Land of Enchantment, Silver Surfer

1997: Hulk vs Wolverine, Fantastic Four: Doomsday, Iron Man 3

1998: Captain America: Society of Serpents, Daredevil 2, X-Men 2

1999: Avengers 2, Spider-Man 3, Doctor Strange

Phase 3:

2000: Fantastic Four: World War III, Thor: Ragnarök, Daredevil 3

2001: Hulk: Rise of the Leader, X-Men: Fall of the Mutants, Avengers: Under Siege

2002: Doctor Strange 2, The Captain, Spider-Man 4

2003: Captain Britain, Fantastic Four: Enter the Negative Zone, Ghost Rider

Phase 1, as most could probably surmise, is very much about establishing the MCU and its characters. The Fantastic Four are done first to mirror their points of distinction from other superhero groups that hold true in the comics, with the Avengers and X-Men coming later on. Phase 2 then expands and develops those characters and brings about an early mantle change, with Tony Stark going down the route of alcoholism as in the comics and Rhodey having to become Iron Man, again as in the comics. We also see the death of Gwen Stacy, having built up to Norman Osborn becoming the Green Goblin in the films instead of rushing that arc in one film. Phase 3 then brings out a lot more of the third-film-loss trope we know from the real MCU. At the same time, we also get a lot of new characters introduced, bringing us to the slate for Phase 4.

Phase 4:

2004: Black Panther, Captain Marvel, Secret Wars: Part I

2005: Excalibur, Defenders, Ghost Rider 2

2006: X-Factor, Secret Wars: Part II, Heroes For Hire

2007: Namor the Submariner, Doctor Strange 3, Iron Man: Enter The Mandarin

With this phase, you can see we’re really trying a lot more new titles compared to past phases. This is because much of the cast of the MCU to date is tied up in the events of the two Secret Wars films, thereby leaving a lot of room for other characters and teams to be given the spotlight. How does this all pan out in practice? Well, let’s start looking at the films of phase 4, beginning with Black Panther…

Black Panther (2004) Directed by Tim Story

T'Challa/Black Panther = Chadwick Boseman

Shuri = Tatyana Ali

Ramonda = Alfre Woodard

T'Chaka = Courtney B. Vance

W'Kabi = Chiwetel Ejiofor

Okoye = Nia Long

Zuri = Joseph Marcell

Ulysses Klaue/Klaw = Andy Serkis

M'Baku = Idris Elba

As those who read my August ramble will know, my alternative MCU introduces the Black Panther via the Fantastic Four film World War III, in homage to the comics version of the character having the same debut. However, just as the real MCU version went on to a solo film after getting his cinematic debut, so too does this version of T’Challa. I’ve kept Chadwick Boseman in the main role as he could still play an adult King T’Challa back in 2004. The same can’t be said for Letitia Wright with Shuri, and some other roles would also need shifting around, hence the case above. The only other actor from the real MCU to retain their casting is Andy Serkis as Klaw. As for the plot, it’s strictly T’Challa versus Klaw for him murdering T’Challa’s father years earlier, so there’s less focus on challenge rites in this film.

I’ve also retained the real MCU’s depiction of M’Baku as a voice of dissent to T’Challa’s rule, but with the full intention of taking him full villain at a later point. As for why no Killmonger, I wanted to build up to him and not use up all of T’Challa’s most notable foes in one film. For direction, I felt it was important that it still be a Black person in the director’s chair, so from the directors active at this time, I picked Tim Story, the man who directed Fox’s Fantastic Four films. The first of those wasn’t too bad, and with a better studio to work with, I bet Story could do a good job on a property like Black Panther.

Captain Marvel (2004) Directed by Roland Emmerich

Mar-Vell/Captain Marvel = Jude Law

Yon-Rogg = Colin Salmon

Carol Danvers/Ms Marvel = Melissa Joan Hart

Ronan The Accuser = Ray Stevenson

Zarek = Avery Brooks

Talos = Dominic West

Emperor Dorek VII = Ray Winstone

Empress R'klll = Teri Hatcher

Now for the comic book neophytes wondering why Carol Danvers isn’t Captain Marvel, this is one of those plot-points that is only supported by a more recent selection of Marvel’s comic-book lore. The original Captain Marvel within Marvel’s source material was the Kree character named Mar-Vell, who was gender-flipped and played by Annette Benning in the 2019 Captain Marvel film, leaving Jude Law to play the villainous Kree Yon-Rogg. Carol Danvers was first turned into Ms Marvel following events in the original Captain Marvel comics, only to cease using the title after loosing her original powers to the mutant known as Rogue. Following adventures with the X-Men, Carol Danvers gained new powers and joined a group of space pirates called the Starjammers as Binary. Later, she came back to Earth and went back to her old Ms Marvel codename, then her old Air Force callsign of Warbird, before finally becoming Captain Marvel.

Now while I can’t say precisely when Carol became CM in the comics, I do know it’s sometime in the 2010’s, so a 2004 film won’t support her being the first Captain Marvel. Instead, this film goes back to the early comics and makes Mar-Vell the original title-holder, telling a fairly simple first contact story with Carol as the audience POV character. Rather than go for any obvious film actress of this time period, I decided it would be cool to see Melissa Joan Hart take on the role of Carol Danvers opposite Jude Law. We then have a mix of great actors, including Trek alumni in the form of Avery Brooks (DS9’s Captain Sisko). As we’re going down a first contact route without any Trek overtones, I opted for Independence Day’s Roland Emmerich to helm this one.

Secret Wars Part I (2004) Directed by Steven Spielberg

Steve Rogers/Captain America = Brad Pitt

Thor = Dolph Lundgren

Janet Van Dyne/Wasp = Catherine Zeta Jones

Clint Barton/Hawkeye = Kevin Costner

Vision = Casper Van Dien

Scarlet Witch/Wanda Maximoff = Kate Beckinsale

Quicksilver/Pietro Maximoff = Robert Sean Leonard

James Rhodes/Iron Man II = Samuel L Jackson

Jennifer Walters/She-Hulk = Lucy Lawless

Reed Richards/Mr Fantastic = Tom Hanks

Johnny Storm/Human Torch = David Spade

Ben Grimm/Thing = Bryan Cranston

Crystal = Dina Meyer

Storm/Ororo Monroe = Halle Berry

Polaris/Lorna Dane = Jeri Ryan

Havok/Alex Summers = Kevin Bacon

Wolverine/Logan = Tom Cruise

Peter Rasputin/Colossus = Henry Cavill

Remi LeBeau/Gambit = Zachary Levi

Peter Parker/Spider-Man = Wil Weaton

Beyonder = Ian McShane

Victor Von Doom/Doctor Doom = Goran Višnjić

Wizard/Bentley Whitford = Alan Rukk

Trapster/Pete Petruski = Eddie Jemison

Sandman/Flint Marko = Dwayne Johnson

Titania/Mary MacPherson = Amy Christine Dumas

Electro/Max Dillon = Eddie Cahill

Lizard/Dr Curt Connors = Dylan Baker

Magneto = Ian McKellan

Calisto = Carrie-Anne Moss

Sunder = Kevin Nash

Sabretooth = Tyler Mane

Pyro = Hugh Jackman

Mentallo/Marvin Flumm = Brad Dourif

So, what is Secret Wars? Well, there’s been at least three instances of stories with this title in Marvel’s history, at least going by the comics. The original was a mini-series in the mid-1980’s, where a being known as the Beyonder created a planet called Battleworld from pieces of other planets (including a suburb of Denver, Colorado for reasons I can’t totally fathom). He then transported a selection of Marvel’s heroes and villains to Battleworld and offered to grant whichever side won whatever they desired. Despite a brief usurpation of the Beyonder’s powers by Doom, the heroes apparently won and returned home. The second story was Secret Wars II, in which the Beyonder went to Earth and assumed human form in an effort to further his understanding of life in our universe. Frustrated by what he learned, the Beyonder almost destroyed reality.

More recently, around 2015, there was a new Secret Wars which was similar to the first mini-series, but involved some kind of multiversal crossover, the apparent idea being to amalgamate some of Marvel’s other comic book continuities like the Ultimates comics with the main Marvel comics continuity. For this film and its sequel, I’d be looking to do an adaptation of the original, but with greater emphasis on the war aspect. In this case, the Beyonder pulls off the same creation of Battleworld, but like the adaptation of the story in Spider-Man: The Animated Series, he gives the super-villains a little head-start to better challenge the heroes.

Now the bulk of the cast for this film is carried over from past MCU films in my alternative continuity, but there are a few new characters in the mix. In particular, Colossus and Gambit make their first MCU appearances, having both joined Storm’s band of X-Men since the events of Fall of the Mutants in the last phase, with Colossus being a returning former student whereas Gambit is a total newcomer. I chose Cavill for Colossus because he can look the part and is capable of doing other accents than his own, while Zachary Levi gets the role of Gambit due to being a native of Louisiana, not to mention he once played Fandrall the Dashing in Thor: The Dark World. As such, I can easily see Levi modifying his hair and accent just slightly to pull off a perfect Gambit.

On the villain side, the Frightful Four, Lizard, Electro and Mentallo are all new additions, the last character being part of Magneto’s Brotherhood for this film. Indeed, as Magneto ends up among the heroes to start with, Mentallo and Calisto set up a mutant-ruled fiefdom on Battleworld in this film, and for Magneto, the question asked of his character is whether he’ll tear it down or try to take it over. As the films will also be taking the war part more seriously, don’t expect the heroes to all walk ok by the end. This is also why Steven Spielberg gets to direct; who better than the director of Saving Private Ryan to handle superheroes having to get into a war?

Excalibur (2005): Directed by Christopher Nolan

Brian Braddock Jr./Captain Britain = Jamie Bamber

Betsy Braddock/Psylocke = Lena Headey

Meggan = Sienna Miller

Kurt Wagner/Nightcrawler = Daniel Brühl

Kitty Pryde/Shadowcat = Selma Blair

Banshee/Sean Cassidy = Liam Neeson

Courtney Ross = Rosamund Pike

DI Dai Thomas = Mark Lewis Jones

Detective Kate Fraser = Kate Winslet

Dr Moira Mactaggert = Olivia Williams

Mojo = Jim Carrey

Major Domo = Hugh Laurie

Spiral = Eva Green

Gatecrasher = Dawn French

Yap (voice-acting) = Jennifer Saunders

Scatterbrain = Clémence Poésy

Thug = Donal Logue

Ferro = Jason Isaacs

China Doll = Miranda Richardson

Longshot = Ben Foster

Alison Blaire/Dazzler = Julia Styles

Having given Captain Britain a solo film and scattered the X-Men in the last phase, the timing would then be right in this phase to bring about the British off-shoot of the X-Men that is Excalibur. As this MCU has yet to uncork any time-travel for its films, we substitute Rachel Summers of the original Excalibur comics for Brian Braddock’s twin sister Psylocke in the film version. At the same time, while Banshee does appear in the film, he’s taken out early and is then kept to the side-lines.

However, the plot still tries to echo the original Excalibur graphic novel; the interdimensional tyrant Mojo is hunting someone, and uses Gatecrasher and her group, known as Technet, to grab them. With Rachel Summers not being used, Mojoverse native and rebel hero Longshot is instead the target, along with his mutant girlfriend Dazzler. When the hunt spills over to Britain, Captain Britain, his sister and his girlfriend team up with Nightcrawler and Shadowcat of the X-Men on an inter-dimensional rescue mission, and thus Excalibur is born.

Casting-wise, everyone down as far as Detective Kate Fraser is reprising from past films. From Dr Moira MacTaggart on down, the cast is new to this film. Much like with Captain Britain’s solo film, I’d want a lot of British talent to be involved, which accounts for most of the casting choices. However, since a lot of the characters come from another dimension, there can be more flexibility regarding accents. This accounts for why the likes of Jim Carrey, Donal Logue, Ben Foster and Julia Styles enter into the film. I also cast French and Saunders here, though in a somewhat atypical fashion. Here, Dawn French would likely be in either a mo-cap suit or heavy make-up to play Gatecrasher, whereas Jennifer Saunders would be voicing a small talking creature named Yap, who is usually clinging to Gatecrasher’s shoulder. Add in the likes of Hugh Laurie and Miranda Richardson, both alumni of the Blackadder sit-coms, and we have some real British comedy gold in the line-up.

Direction-wise, it’s back to Christopher Nolan to keep the film British behind the scenes as well as in front of camera.

Defenders (2005) Directed by Sam Raimi

Dr Stephen Strange = Johnny Depp

Namor McKenzie/The Submariner = Christian Bale

Bruce Banner/Hulk = John Cusack

Silver Surfer = David Wenham

Valkyrie = Diane Kruger

Kyle Richmond/Nighthawk = Josh Duhamel

Patsy Walker/Hellcat = Mena Suvari

Wong = Will Yun Lee

Clea = Keira Knightley

Yandroth = Sullivan Stapleton

The original Defenders comics revolved around a superhero “non-team” that would unite when the need arose, but lacked a standing headquarters, charter, etc. like the Avengers had. This made the group something of a haven for the outsiders who formed it, namely Doctor Strange, Namor the Sub-Mariner and the Hulk, with the Silver Surfer becoming an honourary founding member later on. The team also gained a few more dedicated members in the forms of the Asgardian Valkyrie, wealthy industrialist Kyle Richmond, and superhero fan girl turned superhero Hellcat. This film basically shows the Defenders forming against Doctor Strange’s one-time foe Yandroth, in part because Yandroth unleashes some chaos while many other heroes are missing due to the events of Secret Wars.

Only the top four Defenders, plus Wong and Clea, are retained from past films in this MCU. The rest of the cast are new additions, but really, it’s combining the likes of Johnny Depp, Christian Bale, John Cusack and David Wenham into the core of the team that’s the real excitement. Mind you, the rest of the cast are all well-known and highly skilled actors as well. Direction-wise, I figured that since Strange and Yandroth are both on the mystic horror side of the Marvel world, a horror director of note like Sam Raimi would be good.

Ghost Rider 2 (2005) Directed by Tim Burton

Johnny Blaze/Ghost Rider = Connor Trinneer

Roxanne Simpson = Jessica Alba

Mephistopheles = Jeffery Combs

Orb/Drake Shannon = Michael Rooker

Blackout/Ray Carrigan = Johnny Whitworth

Karen Stirling = Jamie Alexander

Cynthia Randolph = Kirsten Dunst

Senator Stirling = Tim Robbins

Mark Crane = Nicholas Cage

Closing out 2005’s portion of this alternate MCU is a sequel for Johnny Blaze’s iteration of Ghost Rider, with Tim Burton back at the helm for obvious reasons. Only the top three roles are retained from film 1, while the rest is fresh casting. Story-wise, it’s a bit of a mash-up of a few different elements from the original Ghost Rider run into a single narrative. Following the events of film 1, Blaze is living a bit of a drifter’s existence as he tries to deal with the demon spirit within him always taking over. His girlfriend Roxanne is searching for him, and her scenes in the film are basically a kind of “will-she-won’t-she” break from the A-plot.

Said A-Plot is that a small town is being terrorised by a cult that has claimed the life of the son of a prominent senator. When Blaze arrives, it isn’t long before his flaming alter ego is up to his fiery skull in their business, resulting in cult leader Mark Crane making a deal with Mephistopheles to imbue two of his henchmen with demonic powers. Also caught in the mix are the senator’s daughter and a visiting reporter, each of whom is attracted to Johnny and reacts differently when he becomes the Ghost Rider.

X-Factor (2006) Directed by LeVar Burton

Cyclops/Scott Summers = Patrick Swayze

Jean Grey = Milla Jovovich

Warren Worthington III/Death/Archangel = Neil Patrick Harris

Beast/Hank McCoy = Alec Baldwin

Robert Drake/Iceman = Michael Weatherley

Angelica Jones = Lindsey Lohan

Xi'an Coy Manh = Katie Leung

Julio Richter = Alfonso Herrera

En Sabar Nur/Apocalypse = Faran Tahir

Plague/Pestilence = Gates McFadden

Caliban/Death = Joe Pantoliano

Autumn Rolfson/Famine = Bryce Dallas Howard

War = Joel Kinnaman

Raven Darkholme/Mystique = Connie Nielsen

As 2006 begins, we get another X-Men off-shoot, this time focusing on the original X-Men as the comics reckon things becoming X-Factor. The team is given some very different origins this time round, but it’s still the classic team membership fans of the original X-Factor comics know. In the film, Warren has lost his wings following injuries sustained in the events of the X-Men: Fall of the Mutants film. Consequently, he is duped into becoming part of the Horsemen of Apocalypse as the mutant known as Apocalypse rises to attack humanity. The rest of the X-Men alumni (Cyclops, Jean, Iceman and Beast) band together with encouragement from a government operative who is really the mutant shape-shifter Mystique, plus a trio of X-students currently in the team’s charge.

After the five mutants of X-Factor, we get mostly new characters to this MCU and thus a lot of new faces. In terms of character selection, that’s mostly about trying to honour the comics when it comes to the Horsemen, since only the 90’s animated series has ever done so with these villains. The whole original idea of the Horsemen was to evoke their biblical counter-parts, so anything not doing that isn’t doing the job right, at least not for the team’s original incarnation. Plague and Caliban, as former members of the Morlocks, are reprised roles from X-Men: Fall of the Mutants, while Famine and War come into the film new. As for working in Mystique, that’s someone we’ll certainly see in future films. Direction-wise, I like calling on Trek alumni to direct given some of the thematic overlaps between X-lore and Trek, hence my selection of Levar Burton.

Secret Wars Part II (2006) Directed by Steven Spielberg

Steve Rogers/Captain America = Brad Pitt

Thor = Dolph Lundgren

Janet Van Dyne/Wasp = Catherine Zeta Jones

Clint Barton/Hawkeye = Kevin Costner

Vision = Casper Van Dien

Scarlet Witch/Wanda Maximoff = Kate Beckinsale

James Rhodes/Iron Man II = Samuel L Jackson

Jennifer Walters/She-Hulk = Lucy Lawless

Reed Richards/Mr Fantastic = Tom Hanks

Johnny Storm/Human Torch = David Spade

Ben Grimm/Thing = Bryan Cranston

Crystal = Dina Meyer

Storm/Ororo Monroe = Halle Berry

Polaris/Lorna Dane = Jeri Ryan

Wolverine/Logan = Tom Cruise

Peter Rasputin/Colossus = Henry Cavill

Remi LeBeau/Gambit = Zachary Levi

Peter Parker/Spider-Man = Wil Weaton

Beyonder = Ian McShane

Victor Von Doom/Doctor Doom = Goran Višnjić

Wizard/Bentley Whitford = Alan Rukk

Sandman/Flint Marko = Dwayne Johnson

Titania/Mary MacPherson = Amy Christine Dumas

Electro/Max Dillon = Eddie Cahill

Lizard/Dr Curt Connors = Dylan Baker

Magneto = Ian McKellan

Calisto = Carrie-Anne Moss

Sabretooth = Tyler Mane

Pyro = Hugh Jackman

Mentallo/Marvin Flumm = Brad Dourif

Zsaji = Eva Mendes

By the time Spielberg brings us part 2 of Secret Wars, we’ve lost Quicksilver, ideals are getting blurred and our heroes are struggling, which isn’t helped by Doom managing to usurp the powers of the Beyonder. When this brings an unexpected peace to Battleworld, the heroes face the question of whether or not they should try and challenge Doom, assuming they can. The film will also honour the original comics by making it the origin of the Venom symbiote, something no adaptation has ever done. The one other change is the incorporation of the alien one-shot character Zsaji from the original Secret Wars, though in keeping with taking the war more seriously, she has a stronger role than just being a random healer and would-be love interest to Johnny Storm or Colossus.

Heroes For Hire (2006) Directed by Paul McGuigan

Luke Cage = Tyrese Gibson

Danny Rand/Iron Fist = Neil Jackson

Shang Chi = Garrett Wang

Misty Knight = Rosario Dawson

Colleen Wing = Olivia Munn

Jessica Jones = Christina Ricci

Willis Stryker = Bokeem Woodbine

Harold Meachum = Bill Pullman

Davos/Steel Serpent = Kevin Durand

Batroc = Georges St-Pierre

Scimitar = Jason Mamoa

Clay Quartermain = Patrick Wilson

Daisy Dugan = Hayley Atwell

Zebidiah Killgrave/Purple Man = Tom McCamus

Most of the characters Marvel and Netflix put in the Defenders streaming show would originally have been members of, or been acquainted with, the little-known Heroes for Hire group, primarily formed in the comics by Luke Cage, Iron First and Misty Knight. This film works in a few more street-level members, including Shang-Chi, Colleen Wing and Jessica Jones. The team consists of various for-hire vigilantes and volunteers who are trying to keep the streets of New York safe following the apparent retirement of Daredevil. When an enclave of organised criminals attempts to eliminate them, SHIELD agents Quartermain and Dugan reach out to unite the heroes into a team.

This is a new film and new cast, with some roles leaping readily to mind while others have taken a bit more thought to select. Again, I’ve gone for at least one Trek alumni by picking Garrett Wang of Voyager fame to play Shang-Chi, and I’ve also looked to sci-fi series Mutant X for another bit of casting. Tom McCamus, who played Mason Eckhart in that show, takes up the role of Killgrave for this film, though the character appears only in flashbacks, as I feel that’s sufficient for the film’s plot to showcase where Jessica is mentally and emotionally as the team comes together. Direction-wise, I picked Paul McGuigan based on the work he did on the film Lucky Number Slevin.

Namor The Submariner (2007) Directed by Gore Verbinski

Namor McKenzie/The Submariner = Christian Bale

General Krang = Tim Curry

Lady Dorma = Katie Holmes

Vashti = Naseeruddin Shah

Attuma = Danny Hutson

Llyra = Rachel Leigh Cook

Dr Walter Newell/Stingray = Rider Strong

Kicking off the 2007 films that conclude this MCU’s phase four is a solo entry for Namor the Sub-Mariner, who like Black Panther got his introduction via Fantastic Four: World War III in recognition of his first Marvel appearance (the character previously having existed under the company’s pre-1960’s name of Timely Comics). Having also appeared in the Defenders film earlier in this phase, this solo film has Namor return to Atlantis to find his throne under threat by a coup, involving the Nemurian Llyra and a traitor from within his imperial court. The film includes at least two other characters who have betrayed or openly opposed Namor in the comics to keep fans guessing and work in a little defiance of expectation. The film also works in another undersea superhero in the form of Stingray to give audiences a POV character for delving into Namor’s world.

Namor, Krang and Lady Dorma are reprised roles for this film, while the rest of the cast is new. For direction, I decided to look into the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise for directors with experience of filming anything at sea with fantastical elements, and based on this chose Gore Verbinski as he directed the entire original trilogy of that franchise.

Doctor Strange 3 (2007) Directed by Sam Raimi

Dr Stephen Strange = Johnny Depp

Wong = Will Yun Lee

Clea = Keira Knightley

Jericho Drumm/Brother Voodoo = Doug E. Doug

Valkyrie = Diane Kruger

Baron Karl Mordo = Michael Dorn

Dormammu = Bernard Hill

Umar = Ruth Wilson

Dweller-In-Darkness = Colin Firth

In this third and final solo film for Doctor Strange, our title hero tries to help his fellow Defender Valkyrie acclimate to life on Earth, and is also visited by fellow sorcerer Brother Voodoo. The time he devotes to his guests puts a strain on his romantic relationship with Clea, but when Baron Mordo returns with the backing of Dormammu once more, battle takes precedence. However, the battle is not all it seems, as Dormammu’s sister Umar and the mysterious Dweller-In-Darkness are lurking in the shadows. By the film’s end, someone will have to be sacrificed to keep Earth safe from a grave mystic peril.

A lot of the casting is retained from prior films, but Brother Voodoo, Umar and DID are all new roles. Ruth Wilson and Colin Firth are both chosen for the gravitas their villain roles need, while Doug E. Doug is my choice for Brother Voodoo based on the more serious moments he had at times when playing Sanka in Cool Runnings. For direction, I think it’s a good idea to stick with Sam Raimi on this one to keep things consistent with the Defenders film that precedes this one.

Iron Man: Enter The Mandarin (2007) Directed by Jon Favreau

Tony Stark/Iron Man = Tom Selleck

James Rhodes/Iron Man II/War Machine = Samuel L. Jackson

Justin Hammer = Christopher Lee

Bethany Cabe = Julia Roberts

The Mandarin/Xin Xhang = Chow Yun-Fat

Arthur Parks/Living Laser = Josh Dallas

Whitney Frost/Madame Masque = Alice Eve

Boris Bullski/Titanium Man = Alan Tudyk

Douglas Scott/Razorfist = Joe Manganiello

Kathy Dare = Cameron Diaz

So, let’s recap what we’ve had by way of Iron Man lore in this alternate MCU. The first two IM films are directed by Steven Spielberg with Tom Selleck playing Iron Man, dealing with similar story arcs to the first two films of the real MCU, prior to forming the Avengers in a team-up film under director Andrew Davis. IM3 then shows Stark fall victim to his alcoholism and Samuel L Jackson’s Rhodey taking up the Iron Man mantle, with Sam Raimi directing. After that, Rhodey’s Iron Man features in a second Avengers film under Davis and the Secret Wars two-parter with Spielberg. Here, we get the director of the real MCU’s first two Iron Man movies on hand to guide a film showcasing the comeback trail of Tony Stark and James Rhodes becoming War Machine, all to face Iron Man’s arch-foe the Mandarin.

For this film, a lot of things are different. First, while the Mandarin has his proper ten rings from the comics, he is still developed beyond a stereotype, being presented as a Chinese businessman first and foremost who is using alien tech rings to try and conquer what his corporate efforts cannot. He avoids some of his comic counterpart’s more flamboyant attire, but nonetheless has a fondness for China’s dynastic era and opposes its modern-day government. Second, we’re done with Happy and Pepper, and while Bethany Cabe is retained from IM3, we also include the insane stalker girlfriend Kathy Dare for the purpose of misdirecting the fans. After all, if we’re not doing it with the Mandarin, we might as well do it somewhere.

And that concludes our look into phase 4 of our alternate MCU. Next month, we’ll check phase 4 of the alternate DC movie universe. Until then, ta-ta for now.

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