Thursday, March 28, 2019

Robert Redford - Watchmen (1986)

American actor and businessman, Robert Redford announced his candidacy for the 1988 presidential election, which was reported in a number of newspapers at some point after November 1985.

After Hector Godrey's two-column story was scrapped due to its anti-Russian sentiment, Seymour David suggested that they run the story about Redford for The New Frontiersman. However, Godfrey dismissed this notion, declaring that he would not dignify the news as credible and sarcastically remarked about anybody wanting "a cowboy actor in the White House."

The New Utopia - Watchmen (1986)

Rebuilt and rebranded from the damage caused by the Alien Monster's arrival in New York, The New Utopia as it now became known began operating again, choosing to screen films created by Andrei Tarkovsky such as The Sacrifice and Nostalgia.  

Burgers 'N' Boяscht - Watchmen (1986)

A new fast food restaurant chain that was founded in the months after the New York Massacre of 1985,  Burgers 'N' Boяscht embraced the socio-political climate of the "One World, One Accord" - the peace treaty between America and the Soviet Union - selling food from them both nations.

One of their stores replaced the ruins of the old Gunga Diner on the corner of fortieth and seventh, which was frequented by Seymour David on his lunch break, also taking out burgers for his employee Hector Godrey of The New Frontiersman.   

Pyramid Construction - Watchmen (1986)

A construction company contracted to help the reconstruction of New York City in the aftermath of the Massacre in November 1985, Pyramid Construction had ties with Adran Veidt, the man responsible for creating and unleashing the Alien Monster in the first place. 

Among the areas of New York that they were working on was the intersection of 40th Street and 7th Avenue, demolishing what had been left of the Institute for Extraspecial Studies so they could reinforce and suport new developments. 

Neptune's Trident - Young Justice: Outsiders (2019)

A powerful magical artefact and weapon, Neptune's Trident was used by Prince Orm's alter-ego, the super-villain and would be usurper Ocean Master in combat.

Despite being in Atlantean custody for six years, the trident still remained in his possession by the 29th of September, becoming integral to the prince's plan to murder several of the partners of the Justice League and their children as part of the Light's Nuclear Option.

Due to not being affiliated with them and jeopardising their secrecy, Queen Bee ordered for the assassination of Ocean Master, which was committed by Lady Shiva. Whilst cleaning up the crime scene, his decapitated body, head and the trident fell into the Light's possession. 

Traya - Young Justice: Outsiders (2019)

The daughter of John Smith - the android body of Red Tornado - Traya was friends with many of the children of the Justice League.

Invited to a playdate being hosted at the West-Allens, she accompanied her father to Central City, arriving shortly before the last guests Lois Lane and her son Jonathan. She would go on to sit with Artur Curry and Lynn Stewart-Pierce, talking to them as the others played noisily around them.

Traya was almost killed by Prince Orm when the disgraced Atlantean Prince threatened to use Neptune's Trident to initiate The Light's Nuclear Option, an act of vengeance against the League and the Light for his six-year imprisonment in an Atlantean prison. She was saved by Lady Shiva, who was hired to assassinate Ocean Master and ensure his presence was never discovered.

Wednesday, March 27, 2019

"The Wicked Witch of the East" - Wicked: The Musical (2003)

Replacing her father as the Eminent Thropp of Muchkinland, Nessarose ruled over her subjects as an "unelected official", where she began stripping them of their rights and freedoms in an effort to keep her unrequited love - Boq - with her. Among these rules, she put in place a complete ban on the Munchkin's abilities to leave her region. Her people soon turned against her, believing that she was just as "wicked" as her sister, the so-called Wicked Witch of the West that was flying around Oz fighting for the liberties of Animals and speaking out against the Wizard's rule.

In a fit of blind rage upon learning that Boq was in love with Glinda and was only in her service due to her being in a wheelchair, something he had been keeping from Nessa since he first invited her to the Shiz University Ball when they were younger, she attempted to use a spell from the Grimmerie to curse him. However, due to her mispronunciation of the magic words, the spell caused his heart to begin to shrink away into nothingness. Realising what she had done, she begged Elphaba to save him from death, mournfully calling herself the Wicked Witch of the East as she pleaded for him to forgive and stay with her. As Boq - now fully sealed within a suit of tin - ran screaming into the night, she blamed and cursed Elphaba that everything that had happened was her fault.

At the suggestion of Glinda, she was used as a pawn by Madame Morrible and the Wizard in their efforts to catch Elphaba, being crushed by a falling farmhouse that was carried across the sky by a twister. The only thing of hers to survive was her silver slippers, which had been recently enchanted by Elphaba to allow Nessa to walk. She died being despised by the people of Munckinland.

Her death dealt a massive blow to both Glinda and Elphaba, straining their friendship to the breaking point. Elphaba would go on to blame herself for this action, declaring that she would not use her magic for any "good deed" as nothing she seemed to do could save losing the people she cared the most for. This pushed her to further take on the moniker of the Wizard's bane: the Wicked Witch of the West.

Doc Dread - Doomsday Clock (2017)

The costumed alter-ego of Bobby Fradon, Doc Dread was a former "super-villain" that fought against Metamorpho using a range of chemical and biological weaponry. In reality, his persona was created by the Department of Metahuman Affairs, who paid him to play that role.  

Dread was among three former" rogues"/agents of the Department that publically outed themselves as actors, whose actions were used by the American government to perfect their first lab-created metahuman hero Metamorpho, aka Rex Mason. 

Furthermore, he had personal ties with Mason, having grown up together as childhood friends. 


Bobby Fradon - Doomsday Clock (2017)

A childhood friend of Rex Mason, Bobby Fradon was hired by the Department of Metahuman Affairs to act as a "super-villain" for the American hero Metamorpho, joining Mason's rogues' gallery as "Doc Dread".

In November 2017, he would be one of three "former enemies" of Metamorpho to go on record with his ties to the DOMA. 

"The Prosecutor" - Doomsday Clock (2017)

A meta-positive American citizen, "The Prosecutor" was among the numerous members of Metamorpho's inactive Rogues Gallery to publically go on record as being agents of the Department of Metahuman Affairs.

They were paid by the DOMA to undergo extreme physical trauma in an effort to trigger their metahuman abilities, as well as play the part of "super-villain" for fellow agent Rex Mason to fight.