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merk94.bsky.social
Merk
@merk94.bsky.social
590 followers 200 following 1.9K posts
He/Him — Born Nov. 14, 199X

Writer, podcast host, gacha addict.
#Paragons
#Locacacast
#Nikke

Bots and bigots get blocked.
Minors DNI with my labeled posts.
I don’t do obligatory follow-backs.

https://linktr.ee/ChrisMerkelStudios
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merk94.bsky.social
#Paragons

Sameko’s childhood was so far from normal.
Spent the first several years of her life as a feral child hunting in the Sea of Japan until a whaling boat brought a whale she was hunting onboard, where she was attacked by the crew and forced to kill them in self-defense. Then right after that, she fought a man in a costume who knocked her out, abducted her, and spent months feeding her and gaining her trust before he started teaching her how to read, write, communicate in sign language, and fight.
November 19, 2025 at 6:25 PM
merk94.bsky.social
Blackbody (from a post-apocalyptic parallel universe in #Paragons) actually has tattoos on his back of the long-term nuclear waste warning message:
This place is a message... and part of a system of messages... pay attention to it! Sending this message was important to us. We considered ourselves to be a powerful culture. This place is not a place of honor... no highly esteemed deed is commemorated here... nothing valued is here. What is here was dangerous and repulsive to us. This message is a warning about danger. The danger is in a particular location... it increases towards a center... the center of danger is here... of a particular size and shape, and below us. The danger is still present, in your time, as it was in ours. The danger is to the body, and it can kill. The form of the danger is an emanation of energy. The danger is unleashed only if you substantially disturb this place physically. This place is best shunned and left uninhabited.
November 13, 2025 at 5:50 PM
merk94.bsky.social
We posting cats? Have a Siri.
Chonky gray and white cat stretched out on her side, her head on a binder.
November 4, 2025 at 3:43 AM
merk94.bsky.social
#Paragons
Charlie (The Word): Seamus Hart, PI, the main character of his comic book series. Dahlia: A chupacabra, a terrifying creature from her family’s culture. Voss (Moonlighter): John Wayne, an action hero from Voss’s childhood. Sameko: Her favorite character from one of her romance or magical girl mangas. DJ: A rockstar like David Bowie or Gene Simmons. Plain Jane: Bride of Frankenstein. Mr. Q: Michael Meyers. Roentgen: A pumpkin.
October 31, 2025 at 2:48 PM
merk94.bsky.social
Post something random.

Or don’t. I’m not your mom.
October 30, 2025 at 4:12 AM
merk94.bsky.social
Meanwhile me when I haven’t seen or heard either one of the two cats in this house in the past two days (they’ve still been eating their food and using the litterbox):
Chicken Run farmer: “Those bastards are up to something.”
October 20, 2025 at 5:11 AM
merk94.bsky.social
How about Kefka?
Kefka Palazzo (FF6)
October 17, 2025 at 8:24 PM
merk94.bsky.social
The celebrities I’ve thought about for #Paragons basically fall into two categories: Lawyer-safe cameo and industry parody.
Black Dahlia’s favorite band is Drown Your Sorrows, which is basically not My Chemical Romance. The frontman of the band, who is not Gerard Way, is named Jerry Method. One of the antagonists fought by the West Coast Paragons is Major Motion Picture, a reality warping Hollywood exec that basically embodies everything wrong with the movie industry. His son, Chris Picture, is an actor who basically represents nepotism.
October 17, 2025 at 6:25 PM
merk94.bsky.social
Currently writing a story about superheroes. This here is one of the main characters, Sameko. (Drawn by @mollyskyfire.bsky.social) She was adopted by the superhero Moonlighter after he found her as a feral child on a derelict whaling vessel a few miles off the coast of Japan.
An anthro blue shark woman delivering a standing side kick. Drawn by Molly Skyfire.
October 9, 2025 at 1:20 AM
merk94.bsky.social
In #Paragons…
There’s Martians, specifically one ancient Martian city brought back to life by a Department of Temporal Corrections “reset bomb” that was stolen and activated on Earth but then launched to Mars before it detonated. There’s also the Oberoons (inhabitants of the planet Oberon Prime), Migo the Conqueror’s species. The Statesman, Earth’s first publicly known metahuman, is a Promethean, launched into space as an infant by his parents to spare him from a period of worldwide ethnic cleansing on Prometheus.
October 8, 2025 at 2:44 PM
merk94.bsky.social
#Paragons

If we assume this is an AU where the fate of the world isn’t at stake (or at least where the nature of the threat is one where they’re can solve it through sportsball)…
The Word’s never really been one for sports, so something low-key like bowling for him probably. Dahlia’s dad is a big baseball fan and would definitely have taught his kids how to play (side note, Dahlia’s immediate family is almost large enough for a full baseball team). Sameko would be an absolute beast at water polo. Moonlighter is already built like a linebacker, and still has a lot of strength for an old guy. (American) football it is. I could see DJ applying what they from observing their rat friends in the habitat they built for them to hustle at billiards. Plain Jane would probably be pretty good at breaking through defense in basketball. Hard to guard someone who’s hard to perceive in the first place. I’m thinking golf for Mr. Q. His enhanced dexterity means he could hit the green on the first swing every time, and he wouldn’t even need a golf cart or caddy as long as he could get spectators to look away long enough for him to teleport to the ball’s location.
October 5, 2025 at 3:42 PM
merk94.bsky.social
But wait, there’s more: Absolute chonker Siri.
Laying on a cat bed in the laundry room, kinda drowsy. Same cat bed, but now sleebin’. Same cat bed, but she’s sitting up and looks done with everyone’s shit. Loafing in the living room, looking up the stairs at the photographer.
September 27, 2025 at 9:23 PM
merk94.bsky.social
Fluffy being a spooky gorl.
Sitting in the entryway, looking at the photographer. Lying in her cat bed in the laundry room, still staring at the photographer. Under a desk, staring at the photographer, looking real spooky. Sitting in the living room, looking back at the photographer with spooky eyes.
September 27, 2025 at 9:20 PM
merk94.bsky.social
Gonna answer this specifically for some of the fliers in the #Paragons universe.
The OG, the Statesman, is a very skilled flier, and varies his form, typically using bullet-position when he needs to go fast, hovering when he’s at a standstill. Maelstrom flies by pointing his hammer in the direction he wants to go. Unlike Statesman, he can’t hover, but he can glide by holding his hammer up while falling. Ironclad flies using a suit of armor with various rocket propulsion systems. The operator is a skilled pilot. The original Ad Astra is an android who isn’t particularly concerned with appearing human. She flies in a standing position at all times. The second Ad Astra isn’t as skilled as Statesman when it comes to flying, as seen when she hovers (arms out to stabilize her). Bombshell (not the electric zombie Marilyn Monroe, the other one) has powers fueled by her confidence. After suffering a major defeat in her career, her confidence is shattered to the point where she can’t fly without getting drunk, and when drunk, her flight form is very sloppy.
September 27, 2025 at 7:12 PM
merk94.bsky.social
#Paragons
Charlie (The Word) is a jovial drunk, more extroverted than usual, and more willing to take risks. Dahlia is not old enough to drink in the first volume. She tried a beer once and didn’t like it. Voss (Moonlighter) is a teetotaler. Sameko is a sleepy drunk, and due to her digestive system not being optimized to process alcohol (not a lot of fermented fruit in the ocean), it doesn’t take a lot to get her drunk. DJ cannot consume alcohol or become intoxicated. Jane is a friendly drunk, like Charlie, but more likely to take a complete stranger home to bed with her. Mark (Mr. Q) is a belligerent drunk, but typically knows when to cut himself off.
September 21, 2025 at 4:13 PM
merk94.bsky.social
I, the undersigned, certify that all of my characters consent to any activities they have been or will be drawn or written as being involved in.
Signature: “Merk”
September 20, 2025 at 4:42 PM
merk94.bsky.social
Sameko Voss (commission drawn by @mollyskyfire.bsky.social)

She’s a character in my serialized web novel #Paragons, which is about superheroes. She was found as a feral child on a derelict Japanese whaling ship by Moonlighter (basically Batman) and adopted as his daughter and trained to fight.
September 16, 2025 at 6:09 AM
merk94.bsky.social
#Paragons is a perfect universe for this question. Let’s do this.
The Thor equivalent in-universe is called Maelstrom. Weather control, super strength, flight, and yes, a magic hammer. His doesn’t have a worthiness enchantment, though. More a loyalty enchantment. And with some of the stuff Maelstrom’s done, I’d doubt he’d be capable of lifting the real Mjolnir. The Captain America equivalent in-universe is Gold Standard, but he’s unquestionably a villain and would not be worthy. Cicada-Man (the American one) might be worthy. The original Japanese Cicada-Man not so much. The Word’s reality warping powers are stronger than the hammer’s enchantment. If he writes that someone lifts it, they lift it. DJ and Migo’s Meteor Men could probably lift it just fine, since they’re androids and thus not considered living by the enchantment. Nimrod is worthy.
September 14, 2025 at 3:25 PM
merk94.bsky.social
#Paragons
The Word — This was a tough one to pick. I think red and yellow for his first costume would best compliment the team, especially once they lose the gold from DJ’s first replacement body, but then maybe white and red for his second costume. Black Dahlia — Black, obviously. She’s got that goth aesthetic. With Mystifier’s magic, there’s also some green added to the mix. Moonlighter — Black and red, later navy and gray when he goes back to his classic costume. Sameko — Blue. She’s a blue shark hybrid. DJ — Gold. Their original body is very cobbled together, but gold is one of the main colors present, as well as THE main color of their second replacement body. Mr. Q — Brown. His hat and trench coat. Plain Jane — Purple. Mr. Q already got the earth tones, so I want something low-key for her.
September 12, 2025 at 2:22 PM
merk94.bsky.social
#Paragons
Adam Voss (Moonlighter) was a multimillionaire in the 1970s, but after the death of his wife and stepson, he stopped taking an active role in managing Voss Enterprises, and when the corporation started to see major losses, most of it was sold off to Midas Holdings International. By 2004, Voss is no longer a millionaire. He’s still richer than the rest of the team by far, but not nearly as rich as he once was.
September 11, 2025 at 7:13 PM
merk94.bsky.social
badhandwriting.jpeg
Yellow post-it that says “On phone with doctor. Please do not enter.”
September 10, 2025 at 6:11 PM
merk94.bsky.social
#Paragons is a superhero story, so new costumes are definitely a thing.
At some point during the two years between Vol. 1 and 2, the Word designs his own costume, replacing the one that gets damaged during his fight with Gold Standard. Dahlia’s first costume is basically a hoodie and a makeup-as-war-paint domino mask. She upgrades to proper armor when she joins up with the rest of the team. Moonlighter actually has to go back to his 1970s costume in Vol. 2 for… spoiler reasons. DJ gets themself a whole new body built after joining up with the New Paragons, and another one during Vol. 2, first by Moonlighter, second by Max Midas VIII. Mr. Q briefly trades in his overcoat for a black business suit for… spoiler reasons… during Vol. 2.
September 9, 2025 at 4:45 PM
merk94.bsky.social
#Paragons has a few:
Moonlighter, being the smartest man on Earth and leader of the titular team, qualifies. But his long game is preventing the apocalypse. If Moonlighter is the smartest man on Earth, Maximilian Midas VIII is a very close second. He’s definitely a more straightforward example of a stereotypical chessmaster. The Watchman, the overarching villain of Vol. 1 and 2, is a textbook chessmaster, managing to manipulate even Max Midas into playing along with his plan. Vincent Viti Vichy Debonair, main villain of one of the spin-offs, manages to discover the weakness of and trap one of the most powerful superheroes on Earth so he can hold an entire city for ransom.
September 8, 2025 at 7:27 PM
merk94.bsky.social
Like the Bat said.
Panel from Frank Miller’s The Dark Knight Returns. Batman is breaking a shotgun in half at the stock with a furious look on his face. “This is the weapon of the enemy. We do not need it. We will not use it.”
August 31, 2025 at 2:44 AM
merk94.bsky.social
“Morning” lol it is 11:21 as I type this, LoS.

#Paragons
Anyways, for Sameko, this is a non-issue, as due to her lack of vocal cords, she’s already mute by default. On the flip side, this sucks for Dahlia, as despite her gloomy goth appearance, she’s actually rather sociable. She probably wore out her throat from singing along to Drown Your Sorrows (the in-universe equivalent of My Chemical Romance). Fortunately, she heals fast.
August 28, 2025 at 6:21 AM