House of Almerac Maxima Appreciation 2021

[Thor-Ul]

Just this conversation alone has been more thought given to OG Maxima than DC has provided in years.

Then now, some art!!

maxima__empress_of_almerac_by_gentlebrightdragon_d3gajv2.jpg

maxima_and_superman_by_grzegorzmalecki_de9xwq1.jpg

[Ascended]

I'm actually currently mulling around their first interactions (for a couple projects) and why she got, well, corrupted by his good qualities (as would be perceived by Almerac's nobles) and I think part of it is altruism is just not something she understands. Their culture seems pretty transactional emotionally.

Hit me up with your thoughts, I haven't read any of those scenes in a long damn time.

Sidebar, I've taken to calling New 52 Maxima "Maxima, the younger" and in futures where OG Max lives after being deposed or Maxima, the younger takes over "Maxima, the former."

It's a title, right? I feel like it's pretty clear by the person who simply IS Maxima who is in charge and everyone else requires a modifier. It feels natural for a culture with a title that's inherited like a name.

Originally I think "Maxima" was just her name, and her underlings called her "highness" and "my Lady" and maybe once or twice, "queen" or "empress." But yeah, I think one of the more recent arcs (in Supergirl? I didn't read it but heard about it here) established that Maxima is a title that's treated like a name. My question is how the naming conventions work; if Almerac is such a harsh, violent culture where royal assassination is seen as a perfectly viable political tool and an heir might not live to gain the crown, how is the mantle of Maxima passed? Did Max have a real name before gaining the throne? Is her secret shame that she was called "Debbie" until becoming queen? Was she "Maxima, the Younger" from birth, and graduated to "Maxima" when she took the throne? If so, how does that square with the likelihood of assassinations and royal coups? Was Maxima "Maxima the Younger" while younger siblings were "Maxima the Youngest Younger?"

EDIT: Also, was it ever "the empire?" I know that in my take, she's the Empress of a multi-planet empire of Almerac (the capital of which is also a planet of the same name), but I could have sworn the comics had Almerac be a planet with her as its reigning monarch. Am I losing my mind?

I wanna say that writers have called it both over the years. Vaguely, I think that originally Maxima ruled over a single planet, but somewhere along the way it became a full fledged empire with colonies spread across the stars. I think one writer even claimed that Almerac covered entire galaxies. In each case, the homeworld was Almerac, as was the name of the empire.

In my head, it's a fair sized empire with a good number of systems under its control. But Almerac is turned inward, trying to deal with their own problems and they rarely engage with the outside galaxy in any meaningful way. Almerac is a sleeping giant. By rights, they should be approached by the United Planets, they should be invited to the "G-7" type summits, but they keep to themselves and don't engage with anyone else beyond a small trickle of trade, so they're often forgotten when the big, galaxy-sized decisions are being made.

[Robanker]

Hit me up with your thoughts, I haven't read any of those scenes in a long damn time.



Originally I think "Maxima" was just her name, and her underlings called her "highness" and "my Lady" and maybe once or twice, "queen" or "empress." But yeah, I think one of the more recent arcs (in Supergirl? I didn't read it but heard about it here) established that Maxima is a title that's treated like a name. My question is how the naming conventions work; if Almerac is such a harsh, violent culture where royal assassination is seen as a perfectly viable political tool and an heir might not live to gain the crown, how is the mantle of Maxima passed? Did Max have a real name before gaining the throne? Is her secret shame that she was called "Debbie" until becoming queen? Was she "Maxima, the Younger" from birth, and graduated to "Maxima" when she took the throne? If so, how does that square with the likelihood of assassinations and royal coups? Was Maxima "Maxima the Younger" while younger siblings were "Maxima the Youngest Younger?"

This is more or less where I would go with it. Everything about the line of succession is tied to birth and blood, so it stands to reason the proper successor is bred to be the next Maxima. I don't think there would every be a Youngest Younger because that supposed that failure is possible, hence a backup. The other children, should there be any, would be referred to by their name and possibly an honorific. Hypothetical:

OG Maxima is no longer Empress, and is well known for her expansion of the empire, becomes Maxima, the Conqueror. Essentially, the title and accomplishments become her identity/surname for the intents if history and lineage. Maxima, the former would be used while she's still alive if not deposed in recognition of her service, much like how we still call former Presidents, well, President.

Titles can be reused by adding [numeric order] of her name as will be shown below.

Her daughter, the current ruler, would be Maxima.

A possible son of OG Max would be [Name], son of Maxima the Former/Conqueror. They can rise above and create their own titles through accomplishments but otherwise are defined by their connection to the throne.

I don't know about disgraced Maximas. I kind of like that they have their own classification like Maxima, the Disgraced, seventh of her name. Bunching the traitors/weak together and writing them off as heretical makes a lot of sense to me for Almerac, with possibly Maxima, the Redeemed for those disgraced but vindicated by history because I imagine Almerac also holds big grudges.

I have put more thought into this than I should. lol

And that's all the free world building I'm putting on the net for right now.

I wanna say that writers have called it both over the years. Vaguely, I think that originally Maxima ruled over a single planet, but somewhere along the way it became a full fledged empire with colonies spread across the stars. I think one writer even claimed that Almerac covered entire galaxies. In each case, the homeworld was Almerac, as was the name of the empire.

In my head, it's a fair sized empire with a good number of systems under its control. But Almerac is turned inward, trying to deal with their own problems and they rarely engage with the outside galaxy in any meaningful way. Almerac is a sleeping giant. By rights, they should be approached by the United Planets, they should be invited to the "G-7" type summits, but they keep to themselves and don't engage with anyone else beyond a small trickle of trade, so they're often forgotten when the big, galaxy-sized decisions are being made.

For my intents and purposes, it's basically a sector of space ruled from the planet Almerac. I imagine they have colonies elsewhere, but you could be forgiven for comparing their reach to the Klingons in Star Trek TOS/TNG, at least in geographic terms.

But yeah, it's an empire and Max is feared, but respected. I think life under her reign may actually be pretty good if you can get with their lifestyle, though her temper can be wild so don't step out of line.

New 52 Max would absolutely try and change everything. Almerac and OG Maxima are clearly problematic so in every version of those two I write, she's the progressive deemed unfit to rule because she doesn't agree with their ways and wants them changed.

As soon as I replace my tablet, I'll ink and color my redesign so you can all have a good laugh.