Lord Malignance has Returned

Greetings and Lamentations, I AM Lord Malignance, RETURNED from the Accounting, and you WILL crouch before me once more!

(Villains excepted, of course).

The Accounting was accomplished in just 54 days, quite a bit more than last year, and proportionally quite a greater volume of work was done in this time. While One was gone, quite a lot has also been going on in Villainy in One's absence, and One will take a moment to address these issues before One returns to the great work of enslaving all mankind and attempting to rule the world.

Blog Comments and Trust

There have been some very unfortunate comments posted on One's blog and in other locations, and activities to tear down trust between colleagues have been made. Terrible things have been said by Villains: False Accusations, Mind Shattering insults, and ridiculously feeble lies. Likely instigation by trolls is also likely present, and in the end, all of this doesn't matter. It is an issue of trust, and it is simply: "Who do you trust more? Villains you know (who are sneaky and ruthless), or people you don't know." The answer ultimately is; You confront your suspicions, you come to an understanding, and you choose to trust Villains. Always. There doesn't have to be true trust, or honor or friendship or good will among the Evil. There is only ever the purpose driven will to take from nothing and create something marvelous.

That being said however, you may know that Lord Malignance is a Villain of Honor (at least between Villains), and slights against One's benevolence are not easily overlooked or forgiven. Still, it is known and held true that you never truly know a person until you fight with them, so even in this, Villainy finds strength and advantage.

One will now temporarily break the rule on Freedom from Comment Moderation in One's blog, and delete some recent objectionable posts. While in all cases, true affection towards Oneself is seen in them all, One will not contribute to the diminishment of Villainy. Behind the scenes and in privacy of course as necessary to purpose, but in public, our strength is our unity and shared purpose.

Upcoming Schemes

Contracting with a Villainous resource for a New Website, Blog Revamp, Facebook Networking, New and Better Youtube Videos, Sinister New Schemes, New Minion Training, New Communication Technologies (GoogleVoice, Skype, Instant Messaging/Google Messaging, etc) IP Analytics, and some way to engage the ArchNemesis since he revealed another name.

One will not trade in the Currency of Real Life Identities, nor condone this activity, and will hold responsible those that through petty maliciousness attempt to harass, stalk, threaten or bring fear to others. Even worthless superheroes and insect like trolls. The Great Battles that are joyous to be part of, are battles of ideas and aspirations, and not cowardly personal attacks that put real people in danger of harm.

And a new Fourth Estate in the Portfolio of Villainy (the existing three being Creativity, Community, and Crushing Heroes) - "A World without Superheroes", based on the premise that if all you do is lean on those of vastly inferior intellect (superheroes) then you are inferior too. This new estate will be an area One will want to explore and develop. Villainy for the purpose of cultivating a better Villainy. One will still remain present in those previous areas too, for they're easier and so much fun.

Diabolical Madame X

While gone on the Accounting, Diabolical Madame X and her two cats have taken quarters at the Lair. The last two Accountings have provided quite the impetus for turnover in staff. Last year, Bob the Minion and Ghost of Nixon left, and this year the acquisition of Diabolical Madame X, 9 closets of clothes, a portion of the drive, 2.5 spaces, and twice the screaming. She screams at things all day long, but she is learning the requirements of crouching.

Volunteers vs Minions

A lesson on the distinction between Volunteers and Minions: Volunteers serve by choice and enjoyment. Minions must serve, and are treated poorly that they may know their low station. They cannot go away by choice, so a host is free to remind them of their place. A Volunteer however must be respected, and their good graces curried, or they will leave. Rent Free at the Lair, is never truly "Free".

Bob the Minion could never produce any food with Carrots, Potatoes, or Garlic as he was pathologically afraid of them. And Mirrors! Bob could not abide mirrors. The Lair now has mirrors again (people in helmets seldom miss mirrors until they are returned). New Goal (After Radon Abatement - more on that later): One must lose some hotel-living weight. Some sunlight might not be a bad idea either.
The Future
When One left, Villainy was on the doorstep of entering into the Golden Age of Villainy, the Promised Land One alluded to in the previous post "why superheroes will always fail". So many new and accomplished Villains working together and producing great works, all striving (mostly) in general good (Evil) will. Villains contributing to the work of others, encouraging the work of more, and all looking for the fulfillment of a nascent vision of community. One stepped away for the Accounting understanding that the Potential was ripe for a leader to step forward uncontested and take all this energy and shape it into something remarkable.
It didn't happen.
Instead we have the B-side of that record. Perhaps the Golden Age of Villainy may still BE achieved, but until that time when Villainy is ready to leap forward, we will BE in this Be-side future. The "Be Future". Things we will find will be different in this Be Future, and we'll all have an opportunity to see how it develops. To this end, One has removed the Guidelines for Villains One has proposed from One's website, will restrict activities One employed in past to protect and guide Villainy, and all Villains will be free to indulge their many less disciplined appetites and savor the fruits of their actions. It's a New Paradigm that is the genesis of this experiment.
The Evil will know however, that IF you become unworthy through your actions, One will no longer associate with you, until you earn favor once more. It isn't a permanent banning (heroes "ban" because they are weaklings), but it will be a period of time equal to your disfavor.
And we move on.
Villainous Honor
People without a proper understanding of the phrase "There's no honor among thieves" assume it to be transparently true. In reality however, there very definitely IS honor among the Evil, and it goes something like this (language changed for a broader audience);
1) "If you don't come after me, I won't come after you."
2) "If I think you're coming after me, then I am definitely coming after you."
3) If you go after someone, you finish the job. It eliminates the obligation of Honor Revenge and sends a clear message to your peers that you are not vulnerable.
Every professional in Evil understands this simple and elegant process, from the lowest streets to the highest boardrooms, the Militaries of the world, the Religions, and politicians, as it allows for smooth and mutually profitable operations. Again though - this will be the new Be Future: No Rules, variable discipline, and random obligations. Perhaps a new single Rule will gestate over time? Some phrase that encapsulates all the new qualities of a different Evil.
Villainy is always exciting and there will always Be something new. Opportunities for change and growth appear and they are embraced as tools to foster evolution as they should be. Who'd want to be as predictably plodding and inflexible to change as superheroes anyway? Poor dumb dinosaurs doomed to extinction.
-Lord Malignance
The mind is alive with excitement for the future, one One hopes yours will be too.
It could also be the candy bars...