#i have liked wally since i learned about the yj cartoon | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

ectonurites · 4 years

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One of my problems with the Young Justice show is that none of the characters I knew from the comics felt like themselves to me? Like, Kon is the most obvious, but Dick, Wally and Roy also felt just a little... off. A little to one-dimensional, maybe, idk how exactly to describe it. Then they killed off Wally as part of DC’s vendetta against the character, which has always ticked me off ever since it started. And then later when they brought in more characters I love, like Tim and Cassie and Bart, it was weird then too. I get why Bart was different, because they changed his backstory to him being from an apocalyptic future with a mission, rather than him just being from the future and raised in VR, so his personality is a little more serious, a little more calculating. But characters like Tim and Cassie we barely even got to know. Even in Season 3, they focused a lot more on characters like Brion and Violet, who aren’t big at all in the comics, if they’re even in the comics at all idr, and so were essentially blank slates for them to do as they pleased with, like Kaldur, Artemis and M’gann pretty much were in the first season. Idk, I love getting to see characters I love show up and be seen, but they don’t really feel like themselves

Oh yeah I completely agree. The thing about the Young Justice cartoon is it really was the creators just wanting to do their own entirely new version of things using the basic build of the DC universe, and by establishing a world like that with so many very drastic differences, it ripples out (not necessarily in ways they were even thinking about when writing it tbh!) and makes some things hardly recognizable in a lot of ways.

Some of those changes are actually good, their version of Artemis is a super interesting character and same with Kaldur, and I thought the Roy cloning thing was cool and honestly until they just started Infinite Frontier as a reboot in the comics I was pro the idea of using something like that as a way to let Pre-New 52 Roy and New 52 Roy coexist because they’re so wildly different and people wanted the original version back.

But... all those changes make things so different. Superhero cartoons based on existing comics... are adaptations. And with adaptations, people are always going to be comparing to the source material. There are always going to be changes made just because of medium constraints (time being a big one), but for something to be a good adaptation it needs to keep the heart of the original work, or in the case of criticizing how a character was adapted, having the same core values/features/traits. This is why I think Young Justice ultimately kinda falls flat as an adaptation of the DC universe, because out of their main cast the majority is pretty unrecognizable. That doesn’t mean it fails as a show or even is bad because of it, like that’s not what i’m saying, but overall as an adaptation it doesn’t... properly adapt things. it drastically alters them and expects us to just go along with it, which we can, but... you know what I mean. I hope that makes sense?

But so that, where we know even the characters we do get to know well are altered drastically, then that leaves us in this super weird position with the characters who show up, and are familiar characters from the comics, but we don’t get to learn about in this universe. Are we just to assume that they are approximately the same as in the comics? Or are they different in ways we just don’t know? Are we ever going to know? Because man, personally, knowing just how different the characters we do know well are, I don’t really feel safe making any assumptions abt others! Especially when the little bits we do see of them don’t have the same character relationships or even necessarily personalities. Bc man, your friends do shape you in a lot of ways, and so does your history/past. Versions of Tim, Cassie, Bart, and Kon who didn’t get to go through YJ -> Teen Titans together are going to be so unrecognizable because it was so formative for them?? A world without the Teen Titans in general just changes SO MUCH for SO MANY characters. So it’s just. A lot.

Sometimes I just imagine a world where they deadass made a cartoon in this style but with all original characters so that A) they wouldn’t have people comparing it to the comics thus they could do more things without people getting annoyed at how different things are, and B) they wouldn’t feel the need to include so many fucking cameos and characters that distract from what’s going on, rather having just... the characters that will actually be relevant and explored in the plot.

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hintofcolor · 4 years

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Things I’ve managed to convince myself are canon:

Dick was born in Romania and spent his entire childhood traveling with the circus not once settling down therefore when his parents died in America (supposedly just another country they stopped in) he was forced to stay there. Meaning dick was an illegal immigrant for a long time while Bruce constantly was trying to use his money and power to get Dick legal without him leaving the country OR anyone finding out

This also means Dick couldn’t really speak English when he moved in with Bruce (this is backed up by him constantly dismantling the English language in the YJ cartoon)

All of the bat kids were bullied brutally in school

Bruce encouraged them to fight back just like Alfred did with him (“never throw the first punch but if get hit make sure they’re the ones that stay down”)

Dick spent a couple weeks in juvie after his parents died and it was the worst couple weeks of his life

Dick had a childhood crush on Wally (who is straight) when dick was 16 he sat Wally down and told him. He told him he expected nothing out of this confession he just hated feeling like he was lying to Wally, Wally understood and was really nonchalant about it nothing changed in their relationship

Jason grew up loving wonder woman and considered her his greatest inspiration in being a hero when he was robin

In return Diana absolutely adored Jason

When Jason got older his respect for Diana only grew and Diana constantly stood up for him, even going as far as (subtly) threatening Bruce a couple times

Jason can’t handle the smell of drugs at all, he always has to wear a filtered mask during drug busts just in case

Jason used to smoke but ever since coming back the smoke just reminds him of the explosion (I saw this somewhere I can’t remember where shout out to you tho)

Jason hates the color green

Tim was severely neglected as a child

Tim learned multiple different languages from all the nanny’s he’s had

Tim is an amazing photographer

All of Bruce’s kids are really close with Selina and go to her to talk or just if they need a break from Bruce and she absolutely adores it

This is one of the main reasons Bruce wanted to marry her

Bruce might be a little awkward and socially inept but he is a good father and loves all of his kids and even tho he might slip up sometimes he would NEVER (I’m looking at you Tim king) NEVER EVER intentionally hurt one of his kids physically or mentally BECAUSE THAT IS EXTEREMELY OUT OF CHARACTER @ ANY WRITER WHO HAS MADE BRUCE A JERK GOD LEARN YOUR CHARACTER JEEZ

Damian is a phenomenal artist and is considered a prodigy

It is something he keeps to himself however

Both Dick and Tim have gone and worked under Selina during thier robin days for a few weeks

The only person who is close to Dicks level when it comes to acrobatics is Selina

There are days where you are only allowed to speak in your native tongue to help Everyone keep up their language skills (Tim speaks Filipino dick speaks Romani Jason speaks Italian Stephanie speaks Portuguese Damian speaks Arabic bruce switches Cassie speaks Chinese) these are the days duke feels like slamming his head through a wall

All of the bat kids have green lantern shirts

Tim has a habit of stealing clothes from literally anyone

Tim prefers tea over coffee

Ace and Titus are both trained service dog however Titus is Damians specifically while Ace is trained to alert Alfred of Bruce and to alert Bruce of Dick Tim and Jason

Bruce is think about getting another dog for Cassie steph and duke because he doesn’t want to overwhelm Ace with 3 more people

Nobody in that spoiled family except for Jason and Alfred can make ANYTHING other that ramen cereal and toast

Dick is insanely healthy because that’s how he grew up in the circus AND the manor

Bruce once lit the refrigerator on fire trying to cook. No one knows how. He denies he ever did such to this day

Dick was considered a heartthrob as a teen and actually was featured on vogue in native dress and took the opportunity to talk about his culture

Vickie was fuming but so was Lois

Dick dresses like Harry styles. Convince me otherwise. I dare you.

However his go to look is a Hawaiian short tucked into black skinny jeans and black converse

Just like Selina everyone in the batfamily has a tendency to confide in Dinah

No homophobia sexism or racism is allowed in the Wayne house hold if you display any of the following you will promptly be kicked out. It has happened before

Cassie has punched lex Luther in the face at a gala

Bruce laughed

Cass has also only worn sweats and a sports bra to a gala

Cass is a ballet dancer and likes teaching her brothers the moves she has learned

When Bruce came back from the dead and found out the justice league thought Tim was going insane with grief and didn’t do anything about it he yelled and screamed for a solid hour. Then he went silent. for weeks he didn’t say a word. It was the most terrifying he had ever been

Duke hangs on to the fact that he is the only meta allowed in Gotham with absolute pride

All the robins check in on the kids from the ‘we are robin’ movement every now and again just to make sure they are okay

Adults are terrified of the bats however children love them

Every member of the batfamily has been called over by child screaming out their window only to spend the next hour helping said child with their homework

Batman makes sure he is approachable to children he wants them to feel safe enough around him to ask for his help no matter what

That has led to him: 1. Patching up stuff animals 2. Calming down imaginary friends 3. Giving opinions on important matters such as which color is the best 4. Helping with homework 5. Trying to be persuaded into convincing the parents not to make broccoli anymore. It’s his favorite part about putting on a mask

Teenagers tho a little more hesitant also approach him with a little more serious matters and more for advice. (How can I help my friend with depression? How can I help my anxiety? I think friend is doing drugs how can I help. I don’t think these are good people I’m hanging out with but now I’m too scared to stop)

However if teens catch any bat sitting on a rooftop close to their windows they ask more stupid type of questions

“Hey nightwing how do you ask out a girl?” “Red hood I’m trying to write this book so hypothetically how long does it take some one to bleed out?” “If I payed you would you take my physical for PE for me?” “How good do you think you would do on the pacer test?” “Can you tell my little sister to shut up, she’ll listen to you?” “How much do I have to pay you to scare my friend?”

Talks between people and the vigilantes from rooftop to window happen a lot and it is always the highlight of the patrol. They like that the people of Gotham trust them.

Jason was brought back via whatever that superboy reset was (I’m still a little fuzzy, sue me) clawed his way out of his grave and then found by Talia. He was then but in the pit for his head injuries. Making it easier for the shadows to manipulate and brainwash him into hating Bruce. However that’s the only thing they manipulated him into. Jason didn’t go ‘insane by the pit’ and his thoughts and stances on killing are his own. And the way Bruce handles Jason being back is what made Jason continue hating Bruce even aged the brainwashing ‘wore off’

The day his dad died was what Jason considered the best day of his life

Dick is extremely intelligent and was considered a child prodigy (this isn’t a headcanon this is actually canon some of y’all just forget and need to be reminded)

Dick loves math (also canon)

Jason can sing. Like really really well.

Theater Nerd™️ Jason Todd

Jason is scared of thunderstorms

Damian is afraid of heights

Lady shiva absolutely adores Tim

They have all been arrested a few times each for varying reasons when they were teenagers

If Alfred or Bruce yell one thier full names the other kids will cover for them but ONLY if they use the full name other wise it’s every man for himself

I know this one isn’t batfam but I think kon playes the electric guitar and has a really unique punk-ish vibe type singing voice (think hobo Johnson)

Dick has naturally curly hair

#comics #dc comics #tim drake #damain wayne #jason todd #dick grayson #bruce wayne #bruce is a good dad #alfred pennyworth #selina kyle #wally west #birdflash #kon el

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bluegarners · 4 years

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Who are your fav dc chracters? Why?

Hey, thank you for the ask! You're very interactive :)

I think it's pretty clear who I'm into based off of what I post: mainly Dick Grayson/Nightwing and the rest of the Batfam. I've loved Batman since I was young, and since I wasn't exposed to much comic material, I grew up with looking at posters and watching the Dark Knight trilogy and other animated movies as my main source of material to base my favoritism off of. My obsession with Batman became sort of a joke in my family, as they would get me things like ornanments and funny cards with the caped crusader on them.

But honestly? I have no idea why I liked him so much when I was younger. Looking back, I'm 70% confident it was because I had this weird hate boner for Superman and I was in this darker edgy phase, so sunshine and rainbows wasn't my thing. Batman brought out that more gruesome, edgy, and gritty aspect of superheroes that I really liked; up until I turned about 13, I had no idea most superheroes came to be from tragic backstories, and I think we can all agree Batman's is one of the mos popular, so that's why I originally thought his story was the most intriguing. From my pea brain sized mind many years back, I saw Superman as this overpowered (which he still is), happy, and kind of stupid superhero where he always saved the day, everybody loved him, and was just this ray of light and smiles. I wanted to be "not like other girls" and developed a weird hate for Superman (I don't anymore, just to clarify, I freakin love Sups now) and an obsession for all things Batman.

Now that I have more material and the internet to research and learn more about DC characters, Dick Grayson has come to be my favorite hero. Since I've gotten over my edgy phase and my strange anger for Superman, I see Dick as a mixture of both. He's the quintessential hero in my eyes, and because he's one of the oldest superheroes created by DC (meaning been around the longest) there's so much history and lore about him and his connections to others.

I watched Teen Titans and Young Justice growing up, and those were my main source material for who Dick Grayson was as a person and as Robin. TT Robin was edgy in a way that made you realize that this wasn't a game for him and that he isn't always this happy and smiling leader. Actually, TT Robin had some serious issues that I feel like don't get talked about a lot, but that's for another day. TT was also the set up for my immense apprecition for Dick/Kory. Freakin love them as fumbling teenagers in cartoon, and love them as sensible adults in the comics. Not going to lie, I had the fattest crush on YJ Robin/Nightwing; he could literally do everything and was so cool under pressure. YJ did a good job of showing how intelligent and gifted Dick was, whilst also showing his stuggle of living up to the Batman mantle and how much pressure he was constantly under to perform with perfection. YJ was also where I fell in love with the couple of Wally West/Artemis Crock. Wally was hilariously goofy, and an awesome boyfriend in s2. Artemis was a badass who used archery as her main fighting style, and it was so wonderful to see an asian on screen. I myself am asian and dabble in archery, so I felt a connection of sorts to her character.

There was also the Justice League cartoon, which aired in 2001, and I'll say this right now: if you have not watched it, please, please, please go watch it. It really gets in depth with its characters and makes them feel real and not just 2D people on screen. It introduced me to a likeable Wonder Woman (I still have issues with her in other forms of media, as I feel like DC has done the same thing to her as Marvel has done to Carol Danvers) and made me like the calmer, less depressed Batman. The Batman in JLA was willing to talk things out, and the interactions between characters was superb.

All in all, I'd say my top favorite characters are Dick Grayson, Bruce Wayne, Wally West, and Kory/Starfire.

#Dick Grayson #Nightwing #Batman #Bruce Wayne #Wally West #koryand'r #Justice League #Teen Titans #Young Justice #Superman #Flash #Artemis Crock #Clark Kent

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bia-wayne-west · 4 years

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Stolen kiss – Wally West

Synopsis: You are Wally's tutor of English literature, because you were in need of money to buy a dress. Iris would buy the dress if you helped Wally get a B+ in school. Wally realizes he has a crush on you and decides to steal a kiss from you

Characters: Wally West, Barry Allen, Íris West and Reader [Touch]

Warnings: None.

A / N: Sorry for the mistakes in English, I wrote this in a few minutes and I didn't have time to correct the words. I'm a Latin girl and I'm still learning English. Sorry.

I'm watching YJ and I'm completely in love with Wally's cuteness and how he becomes an idiot around girls. Lol. I hope you like my fic.

Requests are open

Masterlist

[I imagine Wally is like that. Ginger, beautiful and cute.]

Wally West was never good at English literature. He always got C- or D, and that wasn't pleasing Batman or Aunt Iris. Batman decided that all members of Youth Justice should do well at school and get at least one B- at school to stay at YJ.

Your mother is best friend of Iris West and she commented to Iris about how you got A + in every class. Iris offered you $ 400 to teach her nephew and you agreed, since you needed $ 400 to buy a dress for your sister's wedding.

You went to Iris' house and Barry opened the door, a handsome blond man who was trying to be funny. You struggled to laugh after he told the third boring joke.

Iris called you to introduce Wally. You smiled when you saw the red-haired boy with pink cheeks and freckles on his face. He seemed to be cute and funny. Wally stammered when greeting you and you smiled at the scene. Wally wondered if you could hear his heart beat as fast as he could run.

— Wally, this is Y / N. She's my friend's daughter and will be your tutor. — Iris said, with a beautiful smile. She was so beautiful with red hair and bright eyes. Barry, her husband was a very lucky man.

— Hi, Wally. - You said, placing your backpack on the kitchen chair. You approached the boy and held out the hand that was taken by Wally's hand. He squeezed your hand slightly and you could have sworn he vibrated with the contact. — In the coming weeks, I will make you love English Literature.

— Ahh... — He said, trying to find words. — I'm good in other classes but I don't see anything interesting in English Literature.

— When we study Shakespeare, you will be confused at first but then you will love every word and poetry. - You said, trying to sound sweet and sincere.

— Y / N, do you want to have a drink or do you want to go to Wally's room to study? — Barry asked, entering the kitchen holding a shopping bag.

— Thank you, Mr. Allen, but I already had lunch. If Wally wants, we can start now. — You questioned Wally, who was looking at you as if you were a goddess and did not hear what you said. — Wally?

— What? — He asked, looking scared to you.

— Do you want to drink something or do you want to go to your room to study?

— To my room? — He said, it seemed that you spoke Greek. You giggled, grabbing your backpack from the chair and walking over to the redhead.

You put your hand on Wally's shoulder and squeezed it lightly. He was even more ashamed.

— Can you show me where your room is? My backpack is heavy and I have to be home before 7 pm.

— Of course. My room is upstairs. — He said, finally leaving the kitchen and heading towards the house stairs.

You followed the redhead, with your backpack on your back. Iris's house was large and there were several rooms. You followed Wally into a room with the blue door, that was full of band stickers and a big “DO NOT ENTER”.

The inside of the room was gray and had a double bed with a Simpsons sheet. A bookcase was full of comic books and teen books.

A black desk had an expensive computer and a gaming chair. You thought he spends the day playing video games. He turned on his bedroom television on a cartoon channel.

— Wally, I came to teach you English Literature and not to watch cartoons. — Your voice was in a high tone, showing that you were angry. Your body sat on the redhead's bed and started taking some books out of his bag. Wally also sat on the bed and you started teaching him some things about poetry.

(...)

It had been three weeks since you went to Wally's house every day to be his tutor. He was very hardworking and always looked at you with bright eyes. You were lying on Wally's bed while he read a poem he wrote about his favorite video game. As soon as he finished quoting the poem, you applauded him. He was learning fast.

— It's great, Wally. You'll get an A. — You celebrated, getting up from the bed and giving the redhead a hug. He stood and did not return the hug. He was always blushed next to you.

Did you ever hear Barry make a joke when Wally blushed when you said the boy was cute. You were so embarrassed by Barry's comment that you stopped looking at Wally's uncle.

It was only a week before Wally's grades arrived and you stopped being Wally's tutor. He looked sad that you wouldn't be going to his house anymore.

— Wally, I can come here to spend time with you, if you want. Can we be friends. — You said, still hugging the boy.

— I don't want to be your friend.

— Did I do something you didn't like? It's okay if you don't like me. If you get an A in English Literature I will be very happy.

Wally looked you in the eye for a few seconds. Your mouth opened to say something but you were stopped. Wally's lips beat against your lips. The redhead's hands went so quickly to your waist that you wondered if it was human speed.

You looked scared at the boy when he stopped kissing you. His cheeks were as red as his red hair. You let out a breath before you speak again

— Wally, what did you do?

— I like you, Y / N. You are so beautiful and cool, when you smiled at me, I felt my legs shake and it was like in the movies when a beautiful girl walks into the room. — He said, with his hands shaking in an odd way, they seemed to be vibrating. He was smiling like a fool and his lips had a bit of your MAC gloss.

— I don't know what to say, Wally. You are so cute and kind, I thought you were just being nice to me.

— Y / N, you are so amazing that all the guys in the world wanted to go on a date with you. - He said, still with the stupid smile on his face.

— And do you want to be the guy who is going on a date with me? I heard that an ice cream shop opened near my house, I think it would be a good idea to have an ice cream in the afternoon. — You said, running a hand through your hair while looking at the floor in Wally's room.

— Of course, it will be an honor to eat ice cream with you. — The red-haired boy said, taking your hand.

— I will let Iris know that you are taking me home. I bet your Uncle Barry is going to make a joke about it. — You said, ashamed. You picked up your bag and collected the books with Wally's help.

You went down the stairs, listening to Iris talking to Barry about putting a sprinter in the garden. When she saw you and the boy coming down the stairs, she smiled.

— Have you finished studying? Wally's teacher said he was doing great. Thank you, Y/N.

- Wally worked hard to learn. He will get a good grade. - You said, adjusting the bag strap on the shoulder.

— I will take Y / N home. - Wally said. Did you hear Barry hold a smile.

— It's a great idea, Wally. It is dangerous for a pretty girl to walk alone after 5 pm. — Iris spoke, while mixing a cake batter. — If you want to wait, I'll make a delicious banana cake.

— Sure, Mrs. Allen. All the cakes you make are incredible.

— Thanks for the compliment, dear. — Iris asked you to butter a cake pan so that she could bake the cake batter. — You are such a sweet and kind girl. I'd love I would love it if you and Wally were together.

You blushed and looked at the floor. Barry laughed and squeezed Wally's shoulder.

You helped Iris make the icing on the cake and make coffee. After you had a piece of cake and watched Wally and Barry eat 6 pieces each, you decided it was time to go home.

After you said goodbye to Iris and Barry, Wally walked beside you to your home. He looked nervous and he had a beautiful smile that made your stomach full of butterflies.

At some point along the way, you decided to hold Wally's hand. The red-haired boy was shaking and sweating. He was so cute.

As soon as you got home, you smiled at the boy.

— Thank you for accompanying me home. — You said, still holding Wally's hand. The boy looked at you intently and seemed to want to tell you something. Before he said anything, you leaned over and placed a small kiss on the redhead's soft lips.

Wally returned the kiss quickly. His hands went to his waist and his hands went to the boy's red hair. The kiss was so good.

As soon as his lips came off, he stroked your hair and gave you a bright smile. You gave the redhead a hug before walking to your front door.

— Come pick me up at 7:30 pm to have the ice cream.

Wally waited for you go into your house to do a victory dance. He checked that no one was looking and used his speedster speed to get home.

That was the beginning of your love story with Wally West.

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tzigone · 5 years

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Wally ...jobs and secrets

Do you like Wally having a secret identity or prefer the Flash being public?

Do you think he should be of independent means or work for a living?

I admit, I like secret identities.

I thought about jobs. I know he was a mechanic at one time. And I guess he talked about going back to school for his PhD another (which was a little odd because I thought his post-COIE self didn’t care for school and never finished college because of lottery win?). His YJ cartoon self was very sciency (he was rather academically minded in silver age, too).

For my in-my-head reboot, I tried to think of a job that paid well enough to facilitate a much-pared-down version of his going a bit wild after lottery win. I thought maybe electrical engineer. Imagine my amusement when I re-read his KF days and saw his father (the pre-Crisis nice one) was an electronics engineer (I think electronics and not electrical, it’s been a while since I read it).

But for today’s continuity - when he comes back from the dead and has his family back because that has to happen, dammit - I’m not sure what would be best for him.

What do you like?

EDIT: So, Wally is only character-assassinated, not actual assassinated. I’m bitter about it. I do actually know basically what happened in HiC, but death would have been preferable. Actually, when I first heard about the story, I thought he was dead (understandable, given the plot) and only learned full details later. I do misspeak on it often. Because the actual story is worse, and still hasn’t cemented in my brain. I also forget Roy is dead sometimes - just don’t see it sticking.

So, sorry for my brainfart. But after the entire HiC story is hopefully somehow wiped from existence ala Identity Crisis, what would you like? Or even in your own reboot, what would you like?

#Wally West #The Flash #Kid Flash #in my head reimagining

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fba-art · 5 years

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Just out of curiosity, why don’t you like young justice??

aight, so i knew i was gonna wait to respond to this ‘til i had some time to explain.

and i want to start out by saying that i don’t think Young Justice, as a property, is a bad show. in fact, i think it’s a show that had GREAT potential. i watched every new episode via livestream every saturday lol. and now, i’ll be honest when i say it’s been some time since i’ve rewatched it, and i’m always open to changing opinions. a few years back, i wanted to give it another, fresher perspective and dove in for a rewatch, but ultimately didn’t finish. i don’t remember my reasoning exactly, but i recall being disappointed.and it’s funny i received this ask this week, b/c my friend and i were planning on giving it another rewatch for shits and giggle after finals ( sober or not is tbd ).

but so, here’s where i stand on the show.

i started watching YJ when it was abt 5 episodes into s1. and i binged those first five and stick to my guns that holy SHIT 1-3 are bomb as FUCK. super strong start! Independence Day will never not get me SO HYPE and remind me why i fell in love with DC’s teenage heroes in the first place. it’s so… youthful. a fun conversation for another time.

and now, when i started watching YJ, it was like four months into my making my TT!Kid Flash rp blog, and two months after i’d gotten into reading comics; when i found out Wally was like a biG DC CHARACTER, NOT JUST AN OLD CARTOON ONE-SHOT, i went EVERYWHERE to get my hands on more about Wally West. ironically, the first purchase i ever made from a comic store was a silver age Teen Titans tale, issue #2 of TTY1, and two issues of the old Young Justice comics ( still some of my favorite comics to this day; more on that later ).TL;DRi saw a commercial for YJ, ft. my fave DC char and my fave comic title and went “HOSHIT”.

as the episodes pushed the show’s plot along, it was fun and explorative of a more intense side to the idea of a group of superteens in the DCU. and again, very TEENAGER-Y, which i say in the BEST of ways, considering that was the target audience as well. but, as part of that audience at the time, one of the things that had started to bother me was the character relationships. yeah, i was loving on most of the main cast at the time, but for the first half of the season, the team’s supposedly-close friendships were pushed to the backburner ( EXCEPT for KF and Rob’s, which was one of the only things that got me through the season ). the first season WAS about straining relationships. the social drama was palpable. you NEED conflict in your plots, and char-v-char is especially fun. but i remember feeling like there was little bonding. they were a group of acquaintances, learning to co-habitate the same space- not to say that they didn’t seem like friends, but there was a lack of balance between “teens being professionals in their field” and “teens being immature teens”. both were squeezed in, but both consistently felt forced.

which brings me to the next point: forcing relationships without developing them!i wasn’t sure why i was supposed to care about Roy, like. At all. the team always bringing up that they trained alongside him, grew with the guy, and then??? nada, except when the plot needed edgy tantrumy angst.then there was spitfire. i ship spitfire now, but the ENTIRETY of s1 i was SO FRUSTRATED, because all those two did was bicker. wally was pretty foul to artemis, who was also just plain mean to wally. and i say this with the two of them as my TOP FAVE CHARS.and don’t get me STARTED on the best char on the entire team, KALDUR’AHM!!!! who was shit on by EVERYONE– fandom and plot, alike. actually, i do recall in my last rewatch starting two tallies of everytime kaldur was DISRESPECTED and TREATED LIKE GARBAGE BY TEEN AND ADULT CHARS, versus everytime he was treated respectfully. this boy was BRUTALIZED through s1.m’gann and conner, too– a cute concept, but borderline cringey, even creepy, at times. i was rooting for supermartian. i was. but it was like the writers didn’t know how to write a slowburn. the idea was honestly better on paper than in execution.

the YJ spinoff comics filled in a lot of these gaps, i’ll admit. it explored the chars, their relationships, and their behavior in ways the show seemingly didn’t have time to do, and i LOVE the spinoff series. but i also firmly believe that you shouldn’t need a second media to fix the first. it’s capitalistic and no fun.

through the duration of the show, there were also issues such as the hiatuses. i don’t recall them coming with much warning at a time, nor sticking to much of a schedule. i don’t actually remember what they were for, either. but, before and after each of (three?? was it three?) hiatuses, the showrunners would introduce a new character during a new arc, give said character some liners or plot fodder, and do away with them for the rest of the season ( i.e Rocket, Zatanna, Garth and Tula, etc. ).

i have some other, nitpickier issues– why was wally That Way, why was clark Like That, how come bruce was the ENABLER the entire time, etc– but many can be argued as whether they affected the show as a whole or not.my actual biggest problem was the direction.the director.Greg Weisman.bc idk what the hell he was doing half the time, and i don’t think he knew, either. the writing wasn’t GREAT, but at least it was consistent. Weisman truly had a marketable property, a fan favorite, and one of CN’s best running shows at the time. but between the hiatuses, the writing’s faults, the insufficient character development, and a HUGE ego thanks to his fanbase, Weisman was unable to uphold the integrity of his show. there was both fan-pandering, AS WELL AS consciously going AGAINST fans’ wishes. there was that whole “Ask Greg”-thing, too, where he would get back to a fan once every blue moon and answer background questions about the show’s universe, which became a scene of hot debate. Greg Weisman became the JK Rowling of DC, and lost a lot of my respect with his lack of damage control, and impulse control.

then, with the very inception of the show– and i don’t actually know if i can blame weisman for this or not, but i wanna know who pitched it, otherwise– the show’s CONCEPT. why was Young Justice made with this particular cast of characters, cherrypicked through DC history, aged down or revamped or just cut-and-pasted where they didn’t fit? why was its concept, “COVERT TEAM OF ADOLESCENTS WITH SUPERPOWERS WORKING TOGETHER WITH LACK OF SUPERVISION”? why was the show called “Young Justice” when what they wanted was the TT v3 comics? WHY DID WE NEED TO TURN SUPERMAN INTO THE UNAVAILABLE-FATHER TROPE????? questions that will forever remain unanswered. that’s a lie, i can answer most of them, myself.but all in all, a show with great potential that failed in execution.

season 2, i actually enjoyed more than season 1– it felt like there was more of a handle on the story and cast, alike. did i approve of season 2 and what went down? debatable. but that’s a very subjective view. objectively, season 2 flowed better than season 1, but still didn’t follow through on subplots, nor resolved relationships or even characterization ( m’gann, girl what the fuck?? ). very little team bonding, save for, once again, two chars out of the whole team. again, another season of SO much potential, but one that fell short.

its pros, however– i really enjoyed the darker themes, getting darker as time went on. there was a lot of tragedy in s2, and different perspectives and walks of life to watch through different lenses. a much more diverse cast, and very different conflicts to tackle. i was impressed. i don’t think all the controversies were resolved, but i also wasn’t quite as upset that they weren’t; open-ended conflict is frustrating, but is a great lead-in to another season.

————which, for better or for worse, we weren’t supposed to have.i personally would’ve rather the show ended there, not quite on a high note ( are u fucking kidding me fjaoisdfjoaifio waLLY, this was during the n52, too ), but with a concrete END. of course there was more to explore, the world they’d built was a big one, but we didn’t need to.

i was literally just yesterday chatting w my sis, bc after school lets out, we wanna watch season 3. i really do. i’m upset that there is one, but i do wanna know what happens to my faves. and, on top of that, i’ve been meaning to do one BIG rewatch, anyways, to get me set up for s3. as a student of film, it’s a huge philosophy of mine to rewatch EVERYTHING and go in with the intent of giving it a fresh start and a clean slate– both medias i love, and medias i hate. it’s important to analyze pop culture critically, and even things that aren’t good can still be enjoyable.

for me, Young Justice wasn’t a phenomenal show to begin with, from its technological side to its creative team to its politics, and i stopped enjoying it pretty early on. but, that isn’t to say it didn’t accomplish GREAT things, and isn’t UN-enjoyable; it has its moments. also i would DIE for most of the cast, i fucking love the characters.

i don’t think anyone is wrong for liking Young Justice. i try to stay in the loop about it, and form new opinions based on whatever information is out there until i can get ahold of the source material. and, i do like aspects of the show. but ultimately, it just isn’t my cup of tea.

#Anonymous #LONG post under read more #rambley. sorry about that it's 1 AM

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sebeth · 6 years

Text

Young Justice: “Fears” and “Drop-Zone”

Warning, Spoilers Ahead…

Issue 6: “Fears”

We left off with Superboy declaring the thought of “destroying Superman” is constantly on his mind.

While Superboy’s teammates reel in shock, Dick decides to narrate his origin recap. But internally since Batman won’t let Dick share details about his personal life

We flashback to four years ago, the Flying Graysons (John, Mary, Dick, Aunt, Uncle, and Cousin John) were performing at Jack Haly’s Circus. Dick mentions he was nine-years old.

Dick mentions that “I never knew either of my grandfathers. They died a long time before I was born.” He also comments “I was the youngest of the troupe, so father said I wasn’t allowed to be involved with the most dangerous stunt the Flying Graysons performed.”

Dick continues “I was jealous of my older cousin, secretly wanting to be in his place. He would always mess up my hair and say ‘Don’t worry, squirt, you’ll get a chance sooner than you think. He always knew the right thing to say.”

We know what happens next: Zucco – tampered ropes – bodies hitting the floor.

“A lot of things happened after that. Most of them were a blur, even if I could concentrate, I didn’t think I would be able to say exactly what order things happened in. The next crystal-clear thing I do remember was Bruce Wayne.”

“My mother and father dead. My aunt and cousin dead. My uncle alive but paralyzed for the rest of his life. The only living family member I had was unable to take care of me.”

“Bruce Wayne came to my rescue and let me become part of his family.”

We know the rest – after training, Robin is born and Zucco is brought to justice.

This is the only instance I can recall of Dick having relatives other than his parents. Discounting generations-back Talons.

An odd choice to leave the uncle alive since he’s never mentioned again. The extent of the paralysis isn’t mentioned. Since it appears that gaining custody of Dick was never an option, I would assume the paralysis is from the neck down. It’s a safe bet that Bruce provided the best medical care for the uncle.

Poor Uncle Grayson. He lost his wife, child, brother, and sister-in-law! And, as an aerialist, he is now paralyzed. All in one night. Talk about your worst nightmare coming true. I wonder if Dick maintained contact with his uncle. He could use the support but he was dealing with multiple traumas and depression – would he have even wanted to see his nephew?

Wally interrupts Dick’s ruminations: “Robin, did you hear what he said? He just said that he wants to take down Superman!”

Superboy clarifies: It’s how I feel…sometimes. What if that’s why I was created? What if that was the only reason I was created? I just feel…I don’t know what I feel. Sometimes…thoughts happen.”

Dick agrees Conner has a valid point: “We really don’t know anything about what they did to him yet.”

Wally defends his friend: “We know he’s one of the good guys and we know he’s part of this team. In my world, actions speak louder than words. Superboy has proven his intentions with actions.”

Wally checks in with his other pal: “Hey, what’s with you? Not like you to zone out like that.”

Dick admits to being lost in thought.

The writers seem to be taking a nod from the Justice League cartoon and are establishing Wally as the heart of the team.

Wally asks Megan about her story. Megan gives a few selective details:

· Martians live underground as the surface is uninhabitable.

· Family lives are very entwined.

· Martians mostly communicate telepathically.

· Telepathy helps large Martian families maintain a sense of community.

· Martian families are usually quite large.

· Megan has 12 sisters, 17 brothers, and over 300 cousins.

· M’gann mentions that Martians are green, white, or red.

· Megan claims that her parents were green Martians and she was raised in a liberal environment.

· “Others were not as tolerant and the treatment of white Martians was especially horrible.

· M’gann states that she was the closest to uncle J’onn: “We had a great relationship.”

· We discover J’onn is the most famous Martian in history: “He grew to be a true beacon of hope and stood for what our society could achieve. Upon his return to Mars it was declared a day of planetwide celebration. When he came back it was not just for adulation. He also had a specific purpose in mind. Having learned about all of you, J’onn decided now was the time to introduce a younger Martian hero to earth. J’onn J’onzz came to Mars and decided he would hold a competition to find the next Martian champion that would be returning with him to fly among the heroes of earth.”

· Megan enters the contest – very shades of Wonder Woman and wins.

· “At first, Uncle J’onn seemed as if he didn’t want me to compete.”

M’gann has revised significant parts of her background as we discover later in the season.

I wish we knew more of J’onn’s Young Justice background. In the traditional comic book-verse, J’onn is the sole surviving Green Martian accidentally brought to earth by a scientist. The Green Martians were wiped out by a telepathic plague. White Martians were imprisoned/banished before the plague but small numbers turn up to cause trouble for J’onn and the Justice Legue at various points. White Martians are very barbaric and warlike. “Red martians” are an alien species found on Titan/Saturn – the most famous member is Jemm, Son of Saturn.

Taking Megan’s account at face value – which is hard as she is a very skilled liar – it seems as if Martians are thriving on their home planet. The white Martians don’t seem to have been banished or imprisoned but are not accepted by the green and red Martians.

I’m assuming the white Martians are still very barbaric and warlike which causes their isolation.

Megan states she was raised in a “liberal environment”. Does this mean her parents were White Martian versions of hippies – make love, not war. If her parents did adopt a more peaceful approach it could explain their isolation from the white contingent and the suspicion of the red/green groups.

M’gann’s White Martian nature explains her lax morals when it comes to her telepathic powers. The White Martians abuse of their powers was one of the main divides between the greens and whites. Assuming Megan’s parents left the “white nature” behind it doesn’t mean they were instructed in the strict guidelines the green/red follow. If the parent isn’t taught, it becomes hard to instill it into their children.

Megan’s desperation to escape her environment – and her hero worship of J’onn – is easy to see. The later reveal of Megan’s White Martian adds another layer of “J’onn didn’t seem to want me to compete”. It’s important to note that the other competitors were all green Martians. Megan, of course, is drawn as green as the big reveal hadn’t happened yet in the cartoon.

I’m curious if the White Martians ever attacked the Justice League in the YJ-universe? It’s the only reason I can think of as for why Megan is so desperate to have everyone believe she is a green Martian. Otherwise, there could be a whole rainbow’s worth of Martian colors – no one on Earth is going to know. It would also explain why J’onn brings in M’gann as his “niece”. It would eliminate any wariness the members of the Justice League might have about a White Martian being on their protégé’s team.

Does M’gann really have that huge a family? As I said earlier, she’s a very convincing liar prone to living in her own fantasy life – is this extensive family yet another lie/fantasy? Does her parents’ “liberal environment” cause her to be ostracized from this extended family?

Finally, how did J’onn arrive on earth? Was he accidentally transported by a scientist or did he arrive on earth as an explorer/ambassador? Is his wife and daughter still alive? How long was J’onn away from Mars before he returned?

The issue ends with a Cadmus flashback. Superboy dreams of confronting and killing an out-of-control Superman. A scientist informs Roland that the dreaming Superboy has cracked another containment pod.

Roland orders the scientist to “Keep him under and get a new containment pod in here!”

Another scientist comments “What the G-Gnomes make him see must be pretty real to him.”

We return to the camp fire as Superboy ruminates: “These are my thoughts. This is what they put in my brain. I remember…this is why I was created.”

We now return to “Drop Zone”. I mentioned the apparent time screw-up in an earlier post. Kobra’s invasion of Santa Prisca begins on June 19th. The next scene has Young Justice headed to Santa Prisca on June 21st – almost a month before the team actually formed.

I’m going with the assumption that June 21st was meant to be July 21st. Otherwise, we would have 1) missed a whole year’s worth of the team’s adventures, and 2) it only took the Justice League 48 hours to discover the Light’s plans for Santa Prisca. The Light would have a hard time passing itself off as criminal masterminds if they can’t even keep a plot secret for 48 hours.

Robin recalls Batman’s instructions to the team: “This is a covert and recon mission only. Observe and report. If the Justice League needs to intervene, it will.”

Robin asks the important question: “So who’s in charge?”

Batman and Red Tornado glance at each other: “Work that out between two.”

Robin’s smirk indicates he believes he should be in charge.

Dick put Bruce in an awkward position. Bruce can only feel one of two ways: 1) He believes Dick should be in charge but doesn’t want to “play favorites” or 2) He doesn’t feel Dick is ready but doesn’t want to tell him that in front of the others.

Covert costumes make their first appearances.

“No capes. No tights. No offense.” – Superboy doesn’t need your stealth tech, thank you very much. And all he needs to do is switch his shirt inside out in order to achieve stealth mode.

“It totally works for you.” – Megan is as subtle as Wally when it comes to flirting.

“Knew I didn’t need a line.”

“And yet creating a seismic event may not have helped us much with the covert.”

Give Conner a break – he’s still figuring out the extent of his abilities.

Conner and Wally aren’t well-suited for “covert” – they don’t have the temperament for it.

“Did you hear that?”

“You do have great ears?” – Wally and Megan need to have a flirting contest – points given if they actually achieve the “subtle” art of flirtation.

Aqualad, dropped off at a different point on the island, is the only one attempting to come up with/adhere to the plan. Dick’s already splintered off to do his own thing and Wally’s totally going to follow the plan as soon as he “finds Rob”.

Bane and his henchmen are having a shootout with Kobra operatives. Wally stumbles into it: “So much for the stealthy.”

Superboy jumps into the brawl. Bane tries a power attack but discovers it doesn’t work on a Kryptonian. Poor Bane is having a horrible time this episode – his strength is one of his top assets but this is the second time it’s failed him. It must be humbling to think of yourself as a physically powerful man only to discover you can’t compete with the real powerhouses of the DC Universe.

Robin launches into the fray: “What is wrong with you guys? Remember covert? Why didn’t you follow my lead, vanish into the jungle?”

To be fair, the Flashes don’t do covert – they are brightly colored heroes much loved by the public. Superboy is fresh out of the containment pod and doesn’t have the temperament or training for covert missions. Miss Martian’s powers are perfect for these situations but she’s a total newbie plus her entire race consists of telepaths – is “covert” even a concept on Mars?

Wally explains to Robin that they’re not mind readers – they didn’t know Dick’s plans.

Megan pipes in: “You told me I could only read the bad guy’s minds.”

Aqualad reunites with the group.

Robin recognizes the Kobra goons’ outfits. Kaldur and Dick agree Batman wasn’t aware of Kobra’s presence on Santa Prisca. Batman had to suspect something was different on the island. Why else would he send in the team – Bane has been running Santa Prisca/producing Venom since before he “broke the bat”. Unless this mission was only supposed to be a “training wheels exercise” in covertness.

Wally says it’s time to radio Bats: “Mission accomplished>

Dick disagrees: “These cultists aren’t on venom. Kobra’s hoarding the stuff. We don’t leave. Not until I know why.”

Wally and Dick argue over who should be leader of the team. Wally correctly points out that Dick is only 13-years old and ducked out on the rest of the group as soon as they arrived on the island. Dick counter claims that Wally isn’t that mature at 15-years old.

The boys continue to bicker. Superboy makes it clear that he has no desire to be a leader. Miss Martian forfeits herself due to the Mr. Twister fiasco.

A tied-up Bane and henchmen discuss plans while Dick and Wally continue to argue. Superboy overhears and the small smile on his face indicates Conner understands Spanish.

Wally and Dick wrap up their argument:

“Duh. You’re not Batman.”

“Duh. Closest thing you got.”

Bane bursts out laughing at this point: “Such clever ninos.”

Yeah, arguing like a pair of toddlers doesn’t help your credibility with bad guys. And in front of one of your dad’s villains! Shame, Dick! You know Bane’s bringing it up to Bruce the next time they fight.

Miss Martian attempts to read Bane’s mind but he’s “not that easy”: “He’s mentally reciting football scores en Espanol.” The moment is a testament to Megan’s youth and inexperience as a resident of earth. J’onn wouldn’t have been dissuaded by the “foreign language” trick.

Bane proposes the old “the enemy of my enemy is my friend” routine.

Bane and the team head to the factory. Dick is still throwing jabs at Wally’s expense. Wally again calls out Dick on his behavior: “A real leader would focus on getting answers.”

Dick is rather petty but he is only 13-years old. Not the most mature time of anyone’s life.

The group enter the Venom factor via a secret entrance. Robin promptly disappears.

Bane: “Has the young fool already been caught?”

A resigned Aqualad: “No, he just does that.”

Kid Flash decides he’ll get the intel and be back before Robin. Ignoring Kaldur’s “Wait”, Wally speeds off.

A sarcastic Bane: “Great chain of command.”

Robin and Kid Flash are in a control center, looking at chemical compounds. Wally’s love of science is demonstrated as he recognizes one chemical compound as Venom and the other one as the Blockbuster formula from Cadmus. The two combined make a powerful combination – and a permanent one.

Sportsmaster arrives on the island. Yes, the Sportsmaster! He’s a rather obscure Golden Age villain that I don’t even think has been used in the comics since the All-Star Squadron/Young All-Stars/Infinity Inc days. I’ve mentioned before that I love the creators’ knowledge and fondness of the complete scope of the DC Universe – this is just another example.

Off topic, the main reason I hate re-boots and re-sets are because of all the characters and elements of the DC Universe that are lost every single time. It’s the same reason I hate all the senseless deaths in comics. Boo to all of that!

Did the Justice Society and its respective foes still debut in the World War II era? Or was their debut pushed into a later decade – say the 1970s or 1980s? Sportsmaster is looking rather young for a non-meta who debuted in World War II. Not that aging is a problem for comic book universes – with all the magic, chemicals, radiation, and cosmic craziness it wouldn’t take much to explain the slow-aging of every inhabitant on earth.

Miss Martian spies on Kobra and Sportsmaster’s conversation. Aqualad attempts to reach the Justice League but the coms are jammed. Kaldur decides they need a plan.

Bane: “I have a suggestion.” Bane leaps down and starts fighting Kobra henchmen.

Mammoth storms into the factory but finds Superboy isn’t as easy a target as Bane.

Bane leaves the chaotic scene.

Wally and Dick enter the fray. Miss Martian telepathically links the team. Robin has – once again – disappeared from the scene. Robin intercepts Shimmer and Lord Kobra at their helicopter. Kaldur demands Robin return – and, surprisingly, Dick listens.

Kaldur orders a strategic retreat.

Dick wonders “How could my first mission as team leader go so wrong?”

Kaldur diplomatically points out: “You do have the most experience. But perhaps that is exactly what has left you unprepared. Fighting alongside Batman, your roles are defined. You two do not need to talk. But this team is new. And a leader must be clear, explicit. He cannot vanish and expect others to play parts in an unknown plan.”

Dick completely misses the point: “So I’m supposed to hold everybody’s hands.”

Dick doesn’t take criticism well. Not even the constructive kind.

Dick concedes: “You lead us, Kaldur. You’re the only one who can.”

Superboy chimes in with “Could have told you.” I’m guessing Conner thought Kaldur was the leader the entire time.

Kaldur graciously accepts, informing Dick “I accept the burden until you are ready to lift it from my shoulders. You were born to lead this team. Maybe not now but soon.” Kaldur’s not only the team leader but the team diplomat.

Lord Kobra finds his helicopter has been sabotaged.

Bane betrays the team. Shocking, I know.

Bane monologues while Aqualad devises a plan. Bane discovers he’s horribly outmatched against Young Justice including receiving a one-punch knockout from Superboy. The day has not been a good one for Bane’s ego.

Young Justice storm Kobra and his henchmen. Lord Kobra orders Sportsmaster to leave with the shipment. Sportsmaster is very perceptive as he’s gotten the drop on an invisible Megan twice in this episode. Kid Flash claims another souvenir.

Robin battles Kobra but is outmatched. Aqualad puts down Mammoth – a nice testament to Kaldur’s skill. Sportsmaster keeps Miss Martian and Superboy occupied which should be a nice testament to his skill but feels a bit ridiculous. He shouldn’t be able to last two seconds against a Kyrptonian or a Martian much less both at once.

Sportsmaster escapes in a helicopter but Megan planted an explosive device causing the copter to crash.

Lord Kobra now faces the entire Young Justice team and decides to exit stage left: “Another time then”. The team simply stands there and lets him escape?

Batman reads the team the riot act: “A simple recon mission. Observe and report. You’ll each receive a written evaluation detailing your many mistakes. Until then…good job. No battle plan survives first contact with the enemy. How you adjust to the unforeseen is what determines success. And how you choose who leads determines character.”

Sportsmaster meets with the Light: “All I recovered is a single ampoule of the Kobra venom.”

The Light intones “Enemies of the Light must not stand.”

One member of the Light is speaking French. I’m blanking on French bad guys in the DC Universe – the only ones I can recall are Monsieur Mallah, Madame Rogue, and Warp.

#Young Justice #Dick Grayson #Miss Martian #Aqualad #Superboy #Kid Flash #Robin #Wally West #Conner Kent #Bane #Sportsmaster #Kon-El

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