I Can't Believe It's Not An Index CCXXXIII - Jasdoif's Random Banter #233

[Lacco]

Why did you feel the need to bring up your stance on poly relationships when it comes to yourself at all?

I assumed it was just to prevent themselves from stumbling into one on random occassion.

You know "I went out one evening, helped an old lady cross a road, one thing lead to another and now I'm a poly relationship". The thing that happens in some - usually rather bad - romantic comedies.

It could have been an autocorrect mistake and "pony" relationship.

[Bartmanhomer]

Why did you feel the need to bring up your stance on poly relationships when it comes to yourself at all?

I just want to start a conversation that all.

[Mystic Muse]

I just want to start a conversation that all.

About what? Your post says they aren't for you. That's the entire content of your post. There's not really anything else to discuss there.

What exactly were/are you trying to start a conversation about?

[Bartmanhomer]

About what? Your post says they aren't for you. That's the entire content of your post. There's not anything else to discuss there.

What exactly were/are you trying to start a conversation about?

Well, I was going to say what's everybody going to do on Memorial Day today. I'm still got a four-day weekend off.

[DataNinja]

Well, I was going to say what's everybody going to do on Memorial Day today. I'm still got a four-day weekend off.

I fail to see what Memorial Day and not wanting to get into any particular relationships have in common.

[Anonymouswizard]

I assumed it was just to prevent themselves from stumbling into one on random occassion.

You know "I went out one evening, helped an old lady cross a road, one thing lead to another and now I'm a poly relationship". The thing that happens in some - usually rather bad - romantic comedies.

Now this I find kind of insulting. Yes, I get that you're describing a bad movie trope, but the idea you could just some into a relationship really annoys me. Relationships take work, poly ones take even more, there must at some point be a concise decision to be be in one.

It could have been an autocorrect mistake and "pony" relationship.

Now while I don't find this insulting, I think we should be respectful to those who would. And I can think of at least two different places to take 'pony relationship', so it would still have least to a lack of clarity.

Well, I was going to say what's everybody going to do on Memorial Day today. I'm still got a four-day weekend off.

Be in a superiorpolyamorous relationship I'm going to agree with DataNinja's musings here, what does this have to do with you not wanting a poly relationship?

Like, did somebody you like and have a date with reveal that they're poly and you need to just vent for a bit? I can understand they, even if I can't get behind it. Or is the Tripple P (Polyamorous Pride Parade) in town? Or has Tinder just thrown a stream of Polyamorous Potential Partners at you? I'm intrigued now.

[Lacco]

Now this I find kind of insulting. Yes, I get that you're describing a bad movie trope, but the idea you could just some into a relationship really annoys me. Relationships take work, poly ones take even more, there must at some point be a concise decision to be be in one.

Yeah, I agree - it was a bad joke.

Still, getting into relationship without knowing it? Been there, done that - and have a blocked number of my personal stalker to prove it. Still, that was 15 years ago and easy to avoid had I known she was looking for a soulmate without any filter (she only saw my photo and decided we were a pair). It was a situation from a sitcom... in RL.

Now being in a healthy relationship? Having a good working relationship? That takes a lot of work/effort/sacrifice - regardless of how many people are involved (and usually: the more people, the more work). So we are in an agreement regarding this - and I actually admire the effort you put into your relationship.

Now while I don't find this insulting, I think we should be respectful to those who would. And I can think of at least two different places to take 'pony relationship', so it would still have least to a lack of clarity.

I have no personal stance on pony relationships.

Still, I feel like sometimes people just state things here. And do not expect a feedback, or expect ANY feedback.

It's about the communication.

[Anonymouswizard]

Yeah, I agree - it was a bad joke.

Still, getting into relationship without knowing it? Been there, done that - and have a blocked number of my personal stalker to prove it. Still, that was 15 years ago and easy to avoid had I known she was looking for a soulmate without any filter (she only saw my photo and decided we were a pair). It was a situation from a sitcom... in RL.

I'm not denying that it happened, but it's it a relationship in the sender BMH and I were using the term? While stalking can be easy to brush up against the sides of I'd argue that stalking doesn't count as a relationship. I'm glad it's over now and that is in the use.

Now being in a healthy relationship? Having a good working relationship? That takes a lot of work/effort/sacrifice - regardless of how many people are involved (and usually: the more people, the more work). So we are in an agreement regarding this - and I actually admire the effort you put into your relationship.

Yeah, I still remember the days when I was naive about how much work any kind of relationship took. I exhausted days from juggling conversations, but it's worth it.

Honestly, these days my main problem with relationships is that I kind of can't be openly poly at work, mainly due to resident opinions and the company discrimination policy not actually covering it.

[QUITE]I have no personal stance on pony relationships.

Still, I feel like sometimes people just state things here. And do not expect a feedback, or expect ANY feedback.

It's about the communication.[/QUOTE]

Honestly? I was mainly confused by the specificity of the original post. If it had just said 'I only want to engage in monogamous relationships' I wouldn't have replied. But there's a difference between open relationships and a closed triad/quad/quint(/ect), and I was wondering if BMH wanted to discuss such things.

[Rater202]

You ever read something that's part of a long-drawn-out series/franchise and realize that the entire thing is kind of a plothole?

Underworld is a comic from 2006 about Jack "Jackie" Dio, an old-school 'godfather/goodfella' type gangster who hates 'superpowered freaks' ever since his father was killed in a confrontation with them, who gets out of prison after 10 years, tries to get back in the game, only to find that a member of his old gang who set him up(and is later established to be his little brother) is now a superpowered brute and his attempts to establish himself end up with him being manipulated into gaining superpowers himself and forced into becoming a proper supervillain(named Underworld) in order to pay off his inadvertently collected dept.

The first step of his getting manipulated into acquiring powers has him bust up a shipment of SSS.2 being smuggled by Vince's, his brother's, employer and accidentally rupturing a canister, being exposed to the contents.

Underworld takes place in the Marvel universe. SSS.2 is a mass-produced drug that is described as a "gaseous version of the Super Soldier Serum that made Captain America" and Jackie's 'accidental' exposure grants him peak human strength, peak human senses, peak or near peak human intelligence, peak human reflexes and agility, peak human toughness, peak human stamina, peak human health, and peak human healing. It doesn't make you eternally youthful like the perfect serum, and it's ambiguous if test subjects have perfect memory or just very good member, but otherwise, it's everything someone is looking forward to in a super soldier

SSS.2 is presented as a mass-produced drug that is sold for a killing on the black market not because it's rare but because lots of people would pay an arm and a leg for a dose of a one-shot drug that makes you a genius super-athlete with perfect health.

Which raises the question? Where does it come from and why hasn't the Government get in on this? The gas has side effects, but "a couple of hours of dizziness and you pass out for a little bit in the middle of it so the gas can do its work" is a small price to pay for perfection.

In the Marvel universe, the government spends billions every year trying and failing to make more Captain Americas, and then it turns out there's a relatively cheap mass-produced drug that does it.

You'd think there'd be a hell of a lot more supersoldiers than there are.

(and, as far as I can tell, Jackie is the only person ever to actually use this drug, despite it being presented as common)

[Lord Raziere]

I mean most of Marvel comics that I know of takes in in either New York or wherever the heck the Avengers/X-Men travel to. We don't see most of the criminals committing crimes.

But its probably a plot hole yeah, a pretty massive one, however if I were to imagine a explanation anyways: since its a superhero universe and the SSS.2 sounds like the marvel universe version of Flying Brick that even if they DID get the powers of Captain America, its not actually all that special and there is tons of people more powerful than Cap and especially people with his powers but none of his training, experience, team mates to back him up, resources of the Avengers and so on to improve his chances of survival, and thus even if they are "peak human" it doesn't mean that much because "peak human" in a superhero world is like being armed with a knife or a holdout pistol, sure its better than nothing but its nowhere near enough to face guys carrying around AK-47's, missile launchers and grenades. Cap's just a guy who can use that holdout pistol really really well. But technically has more than that, his shield kind of upgrades him in a very important way: an indestructible shield tends to improve your chances of survival

thus people who get that gas probably have a high turnover rate due to not being properly trained on HOW to use their new power to its full potential and thus get overconfident real quickly when they easily arm wrestle their criminal friend or something. Then they think "hey Captain America can fight with the Hulk right? therefore I can to!" and try to commit a crime thinking they can get away with it....then Thor or Hulk actually comes along and takes them out easily like any other mook, because that package doesn't mean much without skill.

[Form]

I have no personal stance on pony relationships.

I, uh... I *shifty eyes* Did... did it suddenly get hot in here? *tugs collar*

[Bartmanhomer]

I fail to see what Memorial Day and not wanting to get into any particular relationships have in common.

Be in a superiorpolyamorous relationship I'm going to agree with DataNinja's musings here, what does this have to do with you not wanting a poly relationship?

Like, did somebody you like and has a date with revealing that they're poly and you need to just vent for a bit? I can understand them, even if I can't get behind them. Or is the Tripple P (Polyamorous Pride Parade) in town? Or has Tinder just thrown a stream of Polyamorous Potential Partners at you? I'm intrigued now.

Mystic Muse told me that so I decided to change the subject. No, it was nothing like that. It was all started in a Youtube stream that someone asks if you into a poly relationship and the Youtuber said no. So I question and decided that I'm not into the poly relationship as well.

[Rater202]

nowhere near enough to face guys carrying around AK-47's, missile launchers and grenades.

Keep in mind that peak human is enough to dodge gunfire in this universe.

[Bartmanhomer]

It's cold in New York City today. I'm wearing long John and this is the end of May.

[Lord Raziere]

Keep in mind that peak human is enough to dodge gunfire in this universe.

And?

this is a superhero universe Rater. gunfire is already useless unless your a nineties Anti-Hero with way too much dakka to be reasonable, probably because nineties anti-heroes have unknown superpower to somehow allow them to be. nothing has actually changed.

[Rater202]

And?

this is a superhero universe Rater. gunfire is already useless unless your a nineties Anti-Hero with way too much dakka to be reasonable, probably because nineties anti-heroes have unknown superpower to somehow allow them to be. nothing has actually changed.

If you can dodge a bullet to the head at point-blank range while unconscious and suffering from vertigo after the gun has been shot and only fully wake up after successfully dodging* then you can probably dodge AK fire, rocket launchers, and grenades.

*Jackie Dio goes to a back alley doctor after getting doses with the SSS.2 because he's dizzy and feels awful and doesn't know what it is. In the back alley doctor's office, he passes out before he can say anything. The doctor decides to test if he's been exposed to SSS.2 by laying Jackie out on an exam table and then shooting at his head with a handgun at point-blank range.

[Lord Raziere]

If you can dodge a bullet to the head at point-blank range while unconscious and suffering from vertigo after the gun has been shot and only fully wake up after successfully dodging* then you can probably dodge AK fire, rocket launchers, and grenades.

*Jackie Dio goes to a back alley doctor after getting doses with the SSS.2 because he's dizzy and feels awful and doesn't know what it is. In the back alley doctor's office, he passes out before he can say anything. The doctor decides to test if he's been exposed to SSS.2 by laying Jackie out on an exam table and then shooting at his head with a handgun at point-blank range.

Now your just mixing the metaphors Rater, and taking said metaphor too literally. The point is that a peak human is nothing special in a superhero universe no matter how much you play up their abilities. most other superpowers are in some way better, and being a little strong is nothing notable:

Spoiler: relevant texts from superheroes comic

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[Keltest]

If you can dodge a bullet to the head at point-blank range while unconscious and suffering from vertigo after the gun has been shot and only fully wake up after successfully dodging* then you can probably dodge AK fire, rocket launchers, and grenades.

*Jackie Dio goes to a back alley doctor after getting doses with the SSS.2 because he's dizzy and feels awful and doesn't know what it is. In the back alley doctor's office, he passes out before he can say anything. The doctor decides to test if he's been exposed to SSS.2 by laying Jackie out on an exam table and then shooting at his head with a handgun at point-blank range.

I think the doctor should test himself for brain damage first. If youre unconscious, youre not "dodging" anything. You might coincidentally spasm in such a way that you dont get hit, but thats just a lucky twitch.

[Bartmanhomer]

Hey, I have an interesting question to ask: Can a person who's invincible or immortal can lead to arrogance?

[Fyraltari]

Hey, I have an interesting question to ask: Can a person who's invincible or immortal can lead to arrogance?

Err, yes. Arrogance isn't tied to any particular kind of superiority. You can be arrogant about being a great ping-pong player or about being very rich or about being immortal or about anything really. You can even be arrogant about how humble you think you are.

[Lacco]

Yeah, I still remember the days when I was naive about how much work any kind of relationship took. I exhausted days from juggling conversations, but it's worth it.

Yeah, the switch of view from "no relationship" to "relationship!" comes as a surprise first time. "You got to your target! Congratulations, here's a completely different game!". It's like a boardgame that starts like a "Sorry!", turns to "Pokemon" combined with "Cluedo", then switches randomly between "Eldritch Horror", "Talisman" and "Dorn" and you still feel like you've explored only 1/4 of the content. Also, you get only 1 try to go through these... and there are quick-time events and RNG.

Honestly, these days my main problem with relationships is that I kind of can't be openly poly at work, mainly due to resident opinions and the company discrimination policy not actually covering it.

And this is something that I can not understand/that irritates me.

While I prefer 1-on-1 relationships (because they work for myself) and I am the kind of person that has an opinion and likes to share it, I will also not judge the person based on their relationship choices. Especially at work. It makes little sense in most workplaces.

I, uh... I *shifty eyes* Did... did it suddenly get hot in here? *tugs collar*

Well, Bartmanhomer said it's extra cold in NY... so not really?

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...okay, I'll admit: I'm bad at reading pony expressions/body language. Explanation. Pleeeeaaaasseeeee? *Walrus Eyes* (imagine the look that Puss in Boots gives, but on a walrus with a handsome mustache)

[Rater202]

I think the doctor should test himself for brain damage first. If youre unconscious, youre not "dodging" anything. You might coincidentally spasm in such a way that you don't get hit, but thats just a lucky twitch.

Technically, the noise of the gunshot woke him up and he dodges on reflex while groggy.

Spoiler: Spoilers for a 15-year-old comic

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Also the Doctor wasn't really a Doctor, but the guy who was manipulating Jackie into becoming a Supervillain in the first place.

This man, the "Consultant" is basically a guy who gives advice, military-grade Supertech, and power granting/enhancing drugs to supervillains in exchange for a nominal fee.

Vince Dio, Jackie's little brother who got into a fight with Jackie, got his ass kicked and was told to leave town over it, but who instead sold Jackie out to th police ten years before the start of the series went to the Consultant and got treatments that turned him from a scrawny weakling to n eight-foot tall wall of meat with superhuman strength and toughness and then refused to pay.

So the Consultant fund Jackie, figuring he'd have a grudge, and the entire five-issue miniseries consists of the consultant using a variety of disguised to enhance Jackie and put him in confrontation with his brother and his brother's employers in order to 'deal with him.'

Then he has the nerve to send Jackie a bill for the cost of the different 'consultations' and enhancements he was given.

In addition to the Super Soldier treatment, he was also over the course of the series provided with a drug that makes you immune to dizziness and vertigo(but has a side effect f temporarily impaired vision) to clear up the side effects of the SSS.2 more quickly, a pair of indestructible sunglass that automatically adjust to give you perfect vision and come with a variety of augmented vision options including thermal imaging, infrared and ultraviolet, weakness scan, and target lock-on, a pair of high-tech guns that shoot adamantium bullets that will change direction and trajectory in mid-air to hit whatever he's locked on to with the glasses, injected with a serum that gives him a powerful healing factor*, and a long coat that has a 'titanium-steal alloy' woven into the fibers that protest his limbs and torso from conventional blades and bullets as long as you're wearing it.

Ultimately, exactly what Jackie needed to survive Vince's attempts to kill him and kill Vince in return.

After killing Vince, Jackie is forced to become the supervillain 'Underworld' in order to pay for the very expensive treatments and tech lest the consultant send another manufactured supervillain with a costume tailored set of powers and gadgets to kill him.

He appeared as one of the Kingpin's enforcers working as a double agent to kill Hammerhead and then disappeared off of the face of the Earth so either he failed to pay off his debt and was killed off-screen or after killing Hammerhead Fisk shipped him off somewhere where the Consultant couldn't get him.

*By powerful healing factor, I mean, 'heal terminal injuries and the effects of the failed surgery to save his life, regrow perfectly healthy teeth after most of his adult teeth were knocked out or broken, replace all scar tissue in his body with healthy tissue, regrow the eye that got shot out in a fight with the police a decade earlier, and seemingly purge the toxins in his body all within minutes of getting the shot so quickly and painlessly that he doesn't notice.

He's laying in a bed in the hospital at Rikers after being shot to hell and left for dead by the Punisher, the consultant in his 'back alley doctor' disguise shows up claiming his check bounced and gives him the serum because 'dead men can't pay their debts' and makes him get up and head into the attached bathroom. He throws up in the sink, looks back up, and notices that his facial scars are gone and his eye is back.

Granted, I'm not asking why there are no other criminals using sss.2 but why, if it's so common, the Government hasn't stepped in to use it.

They never wanted to make a single elite soldier. They wanted to have an entire military—Army, Navy, Air Force, and everyone else, enlisted, commission, and reserve.

We've got a mass-producible drug that does everything the serum does except for the eternal youth, which was not an intended effect of the Serum but instead an unexpected but not unwelcome side effect.

You'd think that would have come up, since the Government in-universe has spent 82 years, hundreds of lives, and countless billions of dollars trying and failing to make more serum or an equivalent of the serum. You'd think the Government would have seized shipments, and in a world where 'training to resist having your mind read or controlled by hostile telepaths' is part of Basic, SSS.2 exposure would be part of being in the military.

[Peelee]

Technically, the noise of the gunshot woke him up and he dodges on reflex while groggy.

Im impressed that he also has the ability to time travel, apparently. Most bullets come out of the barrel faster than the speed of sound.

[Rater202]

Im impressed that he also has the ability to time travel, apparently. Most bullets come out of the barrel faster than the speed of sound.

Marvel's idea of peak human drastically overplays peak human reaction time and reflexive movement.

Compensation, I suppose, for their underestimation of peak human strength: Several of Cap's greatest feats of strength have been met or exceeded by real-life people.

[Peelee]

Btw, Rater, Ive been meaning to ask. Have you seen/read Invincible, and if so, what are your thoughts? I caught season 1 and fell in love with it.

[Rater202]

Btw, Rater, Ive been meaning to ask. Have you seen/read Invincible, and if so, what are your thoughts? I caught season 1 and fell in love with it.

Eh, did not catch my eye.

Might check i out eventually but right now my free time is split between working on my writing, watching an MELE long-play, and watching Fist of The Northstar more or less blind.

[Peelee]

Eh, did not catch my eye.

Might check i out eventually but right now my free time is split between working on my writing, watching an MELE long-play, and watching Fist of The Northstar more or less blind.

Understandable. If you ever do dive into it, I'll defo be interested in your thoughts on it.

[Rater202]

"Flash Thompson was a bully. Then he was a soldier. Then a superhero. And then he was dead. Now he's a dragon..."

This brief summary of Thompson's 60ish year character arc, i probably the single greatest summary of how weird and insane American Superhero comics can get.

[Peelee]

This brief summary of Thompson's 60ish year character arc, i probably the single greatest summary of how weird and insane American Superhero comics can get.

Seconded. I would read the hell out of that.

[Rater202]

Seconded. I would read the hell out of that.

Note: He was technically still dead when he was a dragon.

He comes back to proper life by his dragon self fusing with and therefore reanimating his own corpse.

Judging from how it happened with Carnage, he's now basically a reanimated skeleton wrapped up in an eldritch space dragon shapeshifted to look like human flesh.