zonenightz - Tumblr blog

[zonenightz]

I love the symbolism of the mask being the "true" identity of a killjoy ... normally masks are used to shield a person's identity , but in Danger Days its one of the truest forms of self expression . When you leave battery city BL/ind. owns your face and your identity, so by making yourself a mask you're expressing your individuality in a way BL/ind. can't take from you . You die with your mask on because its the identity you crafted for yourself instead of the one better living bought . Which complements the fact that BL/ind. uses the drac masks to take away your identity . When they replace your mask with their own they literally take away your soul . You can take this headcanon from my cold dead hands

[zonenightz]

oh also, everyone in the City has the same heartbeat. It's another effect of the pills, making one, slow pulse beat throughout the City. If you listen closely, you can hear it underneath the hustle and bustle of the place - and so can the BL/ind wolves. it's also how they find the kids who aren't on the pills.

[zonenightz]

Killjoy HC’s I will probably never do anything with

The Girl is hard of hearing and/or semi verbal and uses sign language as a primary form of communication

Kobra is missing the pinky finger from his right hand, it is unclear if he lost it somehow or if he was born without it

Kobes is scared of thunder, like really frightening by the sound of it, Party has tried to help him get over it but they’ve had no luck

Kobra’s really into taking apart radios, he can’t for the life of him manage to put them back together in working order, but he’ll go out of his way to look for them when they go to neutral settlements or scavenging. Jet has noticed this and brings them home whenever he can, Kobe’s still hasn’t caught on that Jet gets them for him because he cares

Jet has epilepsy and has had seizures triggered by the flashing of ray gun fire during a fight

Ghoul smokes and instead of using a lighter he has to be extra and light it with his gun, this has gotten them in trouble numerous times but he refuses to stop

Kobra’s genuine laugh sounds really fake and forced

[zonenightz]

Something something um Ghouls scar being made by Kobra because they fucking hated eachother for a while not for any particular reason. and one day no one was around to stop them from going too far and one of their fights evolved and they hated eachother but theyre crew so despite it all, they know eacother, and they both say some horrible things that hit where it hurts, and theres a knife, and then ghouls on the floor, cheek slashed open, and kobras probably concussed and his nose is broken, the break that made it so crooked, the one he could never set right, and it hits them both at once, that theyve taken this too far. And they hate eachother but again, they're fucking crew, so Kobra runs inside for the first aid kid and stitches up the wound he made, and they talk, for the first time, and theyve both left marks on eachothers faces that will stay with them for the rest of their lives and theres something kind of meaningful in that. And thats the day they stop hating eachother.

[zonenightz]

Can’t believe I never drew the original sillies before. So I had to correct the flaw in my life.

[ID: a digital drawing of Vaya and Vamos on a pink background with stars. Vaya is looking at the camera smugly while Vamos is beaming brightly. /end ID]

[zonenightz]

if you’re making your own Danger Days slang please check to see that you’re not accidentally re-using and mis-using terms that are already established slang or vernacular, or accidentally repeating slurs or derogatory terms.

I’ve seen “china doll” be repeated in a few fics as an endearing term for “someone precious to you” when the author doesn’t realize that it’s also a long-established derogatory term for Asian people used to make them seem exotic and fragile. I’ve even seen someone shorten “Japanese” to just the first three letters, which is a huge slur (do not ever refer to someone that way; if you’re shortening it in writing, the abbreviation is “JPN”)

The above are especially unsettling considering the heavy Japanese influences present in Danger Days (which are already used for mainly aesthetic purposes anyway; its own issue completely)

The terms “Batt Rat” and “zone rat” seem common; I won’t say to write them off completely, as calling someone a rat isn’t problematic in itself, but be mindful of who gets referred to in this way— “rat” has been used against Asians (Japanese specifically during world war 2) and Jews (by, again, antisemitic ww2 propaganda).

Keep an eye out for misused terms from Black culture too, since the punk scene and especially the 90s aesthetic lots of people use in Danger Days fan content draws from Black American culture specifically, and we all know AAVE gets so heavily butchered online as it is.

Just. Do research instead of slapping down words. Please.

Also. If you headcanon a character who has a lot of monkey-related motifs, named Hot Chimp, as black… just don’t do that for the love of gd.

[zonenightz]

Mostly angsty Fun Ghoul headcanons lets go

Out of everyone in the gang he’s gotten the most injuries, and has the most scars. These scars vary from burns he got from testing a faulty bomb to slicing his palm open from trying to open a can of power pup with a screw driver. His biggest scar is on the back if his right shoulder extending down his arm from detonating a bomb too close to a car which he couldn’t dodge in time during a fire fight.

He always carries something that belongs to his crew mates on him wherever he goes. He believes they are good luck charms and will keep him out of trouble. He has a lightning bolt keychain from Kobra, a cool rock that Jet gave him, and a piece of Party’s hair he braided into his own.

Ghoul is the most huggable fucker in the zones, he will hug anybody and everybody. Its his way of greeting people and coping with feeling distant, it helps him stay grounded. Physical touch is his love language so simply having some contact with someone will cheer him up. When he’s not sure someone wants to be touched he always asks them before he does so. It also makes him feel like he has a sense of community and that he hasn’t been completely rejected by everyone. If you hug him he will lean into you with everything he’s got.

Ghoul doesn’t mean to be reckless, he just can’t seem to stay grounded and pay attention most times. Due to years of being in survival mode its the only way his brain allows him to process anything. He’s constantly disassociating and this can lead to random bouts of panic and sadness. His sense of danger and consequence isn’t so good either, and his spacial awareness is pretty much fucked too, which makes him a candidate for getting injured a’lot. This also leads him to make dangerous decisions in the moment, which can lead to the people around him getting hurt, and this more than anything makes him feel like a terrible person. To him the worst thing he can do is hurt the people he loves in any way. He just isn’t aware of himself most times, and when he realizes this and what it entails it causes him to shut down. He relies on the others to keep him sane a’lot, because he’s lost the ability to healthily do it himself. The gang have learned to work around this, especially Party. They always make sure to pull Ghoul back to reality however they can in the moment, from a tight hug to simply snapping their fingers. He tries to brush it off a’lot, but needs a’lot of reassurance that he’s not a horrible person.

Ghoul is 90% deaf in his left ear, due to an accident with one of his explosives. Hearing aids are hard to come by in the zones so Kobra managed to fashion him one. He’s become more wary of his surroundings because of this, and always makes sure to double check where a noise is coming from.

Nightmares, he has a’lot of them. He doesn’t like to talk about them either. On nights where he has them he cries in his sleep. If the others don’t notice he doesn’t tell them, but they know when he’s had a bad night from the dark tint under his eyes and how he flinches more than usual. He also breathes heavier throughout the day afterwards and refuses to sleep unless someone is there with him for the night.

If theres one thing that’s undoubtedly true about Ghoul its that he’s sincere. He will always try to help out someway even if he doesn’t really know how to. He does his very best with what he knows and always tries to make things work. His loyalty to his loved ones is unmatched and he will gladly die for them if it mean’t it would keep them safe.

Sometimes when he’s stressed, he takes some of his bombs out into the barrens of the desert and just blows them to shit. Watching the explosions eases some of his tension so it doesn’t boil over into making everyone else feel like shit. He’s mostly quiet about his frustrations but when he feels like its getting too bad blowing things up is one of the only things that makes him feel better that doesn’t put too much stress on his loved ones, ironically enough. The gang don’t really approve of when he does his but they understand him enough so they let him be.

He has this tendency to randomly throw things around. Especially when he’s bored, he’ll definitely be hurling any random object he can get his hands on at walls, ceilings and even the others because why the fuck not. He’s mindful of what he throws at people though because he doesn’t want to kill anyone on accident, which almost happened when he threw a wrench and Jet randomly popped out from behind the garage door. If he does throw shit at anybody it’ll be something annoying like sand or confetti.

Ghoul is very spiritual, or at least an avid worshipper of the Phoenix Witch. He prays to her often, especially before fire fights. He sometimes leaves her offerings at his bedroom door in hopes that she visits, these can range from trinkets and feathers to bones. He also finds that his faith keeps him grounded. He finds it comforting to know that there is something out there watching and maybe even listening to him in the dead of night when he can’t sleep. He visits the mailbox often too, to pay silent respects to the joys that have fallen. He also takes whatever he finds in the desert there if he thinks it belongs to someone, and if its still there the next time he stops by he’ll know they’re still alive.

He sometimes forgets he can feel pain, and if anything he sees pain as an inconvenience and an annoyance. It makes him think of his incompetence, which is an illusion to everyone but him. Sometimes he wishes he couldn’t feel anything because he believes that it would just slow him down. He gets sad when the others dress his wounds sometimes because it makes him remember that even if he wanted to, there will come a time where he won’t be strong enough to protect them.

[zonenightz]

Semi-Canon Timeline of the Danger Days Universe

(it’s not completely canon, cuz I made a lot of things up for my new fic and ppl have different opinions to me. Also, danger days canon is like, impossible to make sense of)

1973 - The idea of Better Living Industries is proposed and Mom and Dad, it doesn't go very far, however, Marquez persists, gaining support until the Helium Wars 

1978 - The First Helium War starts, leading to the destruction and death of several millions. This war goes on for several years

1983 - after 5 long years, the First Helium War ends, the plans for Better Living Industries are put aside, and the company is founded to produce ammunition and weapons for the next war; early Industry workers see profit. 

1987 - The next couple of years lead to more bloodshed and death, during the Second Helium War. Bombs are dropped, leaving Europe and Asia in near-complete ruin. Some historians debate against whether there were several wars instead of just two, due to long periods of peace through the years.

1989 - Mom and Dad rise in the US, becoming the main governmental entities, promoting peace.

1990 - The Helium Wars are officially over. Better Living Industries provide relief for victims of war, creating a name for themselves, after profit increase from weapon manufacturing (something which is covered up quickly). The original Battery City is based in San Francisco, one of the few American States left completely standing. However, Battery City remains mostly unpopular, due to standards and the fear of new technology (first versions of droids, headphones, etc, etc.). People don't believe the promises made by the city. 

1998 - The Analogue Wars begin. These wars are less bloody and severe, dubbed the Clean Wars, however, Australia is sunk and the rest of the world is ruined. Several people band together to create crews and gangs (The A.K.A.s), like Los Angeles-based Mike Milligram and The Original Fabulous Killjoys + Dennis and the Books on Tape during the Wars, and fight for a chance of freedom. The Zones are introduced after the Wars. 

2003 - Battery City finally grows into the modern city populous that it is. Pills are introduced and further developed. Mom and Dad are corrupted by the Books on Tape. 

2004 - Mike Milligram (personally affected by Mom and Dad as a child) combats the corruptification of mom and dad + this new version of Battery City in Los Angeles.

2005 - Mike Milligram is finally successful in destroying Mom and Dad, and bringing the downfall of Battery City, however, this is not the end.

2008 - the next couple of years are spent covering up the mess Mike Milligram left behind - he and his allies are 'terminated'; they do not get to grow old. A new science is invented for the pill, citizens grow artificial and 'ideal'. 

2010 - The Director is introduced into the city - she will become a leader of the Industry. She successfully covers the story about the A.K.A.s, landing her in a much higher position. The world goes on, however, the city is still redeveloping after the major chaos of Mike Milligram. The term 'killjoy' lives on in the desert, for all rebels.

2011 - Rumours of DESTROYA and the Phoenix Witch gain popularity for stray rebels in the Zones and abandoned droids.

2012 - The Great Fires of 2012 take place, causing tragedy for the rest of the known world. The causes of the Fires are still disputed over, though B.L.I seems to have something to do with it. The Industry rises as a 'saviour', promising a better future for civilians, provided they take the pills offered - 'Have a better day' - and follow rules and guidelines. Memories are wiped, headphones are introduced to keep the bad thoughts away, pill dosages are increased for some.

2013 - Ranks are introduced in Battery City - proper Exterminators were introduced to the Zones; citizens of the city are unaware of this military strength, and of the Zones as a whole. The artificial 'slums' of Battery City are created (dubbed 'the Lobby'), to give citizens a false belief of control - modern Droids are introduced as well.

2013 - Jet Star (aged 16) loses her family and crew in a firefight between early Draculoids. These Dracs are not as developed as the modern ones, and tend to malfunction.

2013 - the new Party Poison (aged 17) and the Kobra Kid (aged 15) escape into the Zones and begin to make a name for themselves.

2013 - Fun Ghoul's first crew disappears mysteriously at 16. The cause is unknown.

2014 - Modern Draculoids are introduced, these are much more effective and easy to control; they're more deadly. 

2014 - Korse runs into Party Poison and the Kobra Kid; Poison finds a mortal enemy.

2015 - Jet Star, Party Poison, Fun Ghoul, and the Kobra Kid form the next Fabulous Killjoys (the Fabulous Four) (they are unaware of Mike Milligram and his killjoys). 

2015 - Korse is assigned to the Four

2017 - The Four stumble across the Girl

2019 - The Killjoys 'die' in their 20s trying to save the Girl (aged 8) (this doesn't work with some canon, she might be much younger).

2028 - The Girl manages to destroy Better Living with the help of DESTROYA. Rumours of the Four finally seem to die down. Show Pony disappears after the deaths of the DJs. 

2032 - History repeats itself. The Director may be gone, but her late followers find themselves the catalyst in Better Living's next rise. Mom and Dad are plugged back in by an unsuspecting ex-citizen, who remains unknown. The Girl is forced to flee back into the desert. She disappears again. 

2033 - Dante, aged 35, wakes up. Jet Star is sighted near the previous Nevada

2034 - Party Poison and the Kobra Kid are sighted. 

[zonenightz]

and now, presenting: the fabulous killjoys as quote images i found on pinterest

fun ghoul:

kobra kid:

party poison:

jet star:

cherri cola:

show pony:

[zonenightz]

An Open Letter to the Danger Days Tumblr Community:

Now that you’ve read that overdramatic title and are wondering who fucked up, I have something to say about the Danger Days Tumblr community: I Love You.

Danger Days was the first fandom I ever posted for on any site. All the way back in middle school (ho-ly shit). And let me tell you what I found out even way back when: this is not an easy fandom to be in.

For one, most people don’t even know it exists. For two, even less know it in the way it’s been cultivated on Tumblr. Almost every single person has such a niche interpretation of every little detail, that it’s impossible to draw a line through any two versions of the story. Which is a fact I personally love, but I also think it scares a lot of people away. You have to work to be in this fandom. Both as a passive and active fan. It requires patience and tolerance for disappointment.

But that’s exactly why I want to encourage everyone who creates and everyone who listens to Keep Doing That. Like I cannot stress this enough, that is what keeps this fandom and IP alive. Danger Days as a universe would be absolutely nothing without fan work (re: the California Comics), especially a decade later. Without fans who care about this story way more than it has warranted us to care, it would be six feet under. And sometimes I really think that’s what it deserves (and maybe the writers think that as well), but for the life of me I just can’t let that happen. I’ve tried to let this fucking thing go, believe me.

And funny enough, that exact feeling is evidenced by the community on this site too. Which has changed faces almost completely from what it was three years ago for better and less better in some cases. And it’s something I still struggle with adjusting to, but I look at the tag daily. I look everyone’s posts and blogs and art and effort. If you have posted even once in the dd tag my eyes have 100% seen it. So even if I still feel a little out of place, like a ghost of fandom’s past, at least I know everybody. And I know people feel the same way: No rest for the wicked.

When I reanimated from my fandom coma I was fully expecting to find that the community had gone extinct. Partially because all the blogs I used to frequent had straight up died in the three years I was gone. But I pulled up to the gates of the Danger Days tag like Rick Grimes outside of Alexandria, fully expecting to be devastated, only to find New People tilling the fucking field. And it didn’t matter that I now had no idea who any of you people were, it was The Most welcoming thing ever.

I’ll be the first to tell you this fandom bares almost no resemblance to the one I left, and I’m not going to lie and say it’s better now, but the foundation didn’t get blown away in the storm. That’s what I find uniquely profound. That everyone here still wants to try. And that makes me really want to try. And I’m sure everyone would agree that there is often little reward for the effort; but that’s precisely my point in saying all this shit. That even despite the not fun aspects, we all still clock in; and there’s a new post, headcanon, drawing, or fic every freaking day. It’s commendable, really.

If you’re lurking, or post sometimes but feel afraid to actually take a leap here because (the fandom is comparatively tiny to the greater MCR fandom) you’ll be way more out there, and the already established figureheads of the fandom will definitely see your stuff: post post post. This is my formal endorsement to Just Post That Shit. And Interact With That Shit. I spent a year gathering the courage to publish the tiniest thing while behind the scenes I literally wrote about 60+ works. You have to respect your own creativity and trust that other people will give it the time of day.

So do not feel crazy or discouraged about your ideas here! Like we literally need them to function, I would not be here if it wasn’t for all the people three years ago who just posted all their thoughts about Danger Days. About everything. Obscure or not. It’s truly a gift that this fandom has attracted people who are willing to work their brains because the original creators let it fall flat. I cannot tell you how much being in this fandom has actually helped me out in my writing and analysis skills.

So yeah. I fucking love this fandom, I love being in it and I love seeing that people are still stoking the flames. I wanted to say all this crap because I knew I’d be able to articulate it for the people who can relate but don’t want to be the first to say it. Which is okay, understandable. As I said earlier this fandom is like yelling your thoughts out into a very echoey room that only has a few people in it. So I’ll shout first and maybe it’ll make other people more comfortable to shout back.

[zonenightz]

Just…pals being pals, nothing more

[zonenightz]

Finally got around to doing a Zone Map.

[zonenightz]

I think the polls should be canon to the danger days universe. Jet Star getting shaken awake in the death plane to fight the personification of death herself,

[zonenightz]

hi! your zone map is so cool omg. can i ask what the lamp is? :)

Yes!

“The Lamp” or “La Lámpara” is the killjoy slang-term for Las Vegas. The reason it is called the lamp is because it’s the brightest source of light in the Zones. It is the location of one of the most popular “crash tracks” in the Zones and the only facility that could be called a real hospital.

During the last Helium War, Vegas was one of the last cities to be abandoned. BL/ind tactically pulled all the remaining military units in the west to LA shortly before the end of the war, so Vegas was spared of bombing.

BL/ind planned to return, but never did, and the city has been abandoned for about 15 years. Some of its power grid still works for this reason and the attractions along the Strip light up at night.

Killjoys have little practical use for the city though, apart from clubbing and concerts and such it’s just a run-down blip in the middle of the desert. And it is difficult to reach without cutting through Zone 3 (derogatory) or making a gigantic loop around Zone 5 (nice windshield views and the Hoover Dam, but time consuming).

[zonenightz]

finally a drawing i’m happy with

[zonenightz]

Misc Fab Four headcanons:

- Jet and Kobra used to butt heads all the time and their way of resolving it was fighting in the driveway (Kobra’s idea). Kobra always lost and dumped sand in all of Jet’s shoes afterwards. When Ghoul asked him why he keeps doing that if he’s never won, Kobra just shrugged said, “Cuz one day I might.”

- Ghoul was so used to roaming the desert alone that he forgot you’re supposed to treat humans and animals differently. When he met Kobra, his first attempt at friendship was to throw a can of soda down a hill and tell Kobra to go get it. And Kobra actually did.

- The first place Party Poison and Kobra ever lived in the zones was at a Gravel Gertie’s Orphanage in Zone 5. Party was the oldest kid living there, which sucked 90% of the time because they had to share sleeping quarters with twenty 6-year-olds, but they refused to leave Kobra behind; so they worked as a janitor/teacher because they were able to read. And their payment was not getting kicked out.

- Jet knows everyone in the zones. You could go to any function and he’d recognize someone, or someone would recognize him, and they’d spend 40 minutes talking while Kobra made mounds in the sand to pass the time. Jet has known Cherri Cola since he was twelve, he met DJ Hot Chimp when she was nine, and is family friends with Dr. Death Defying. It comes in handy when you want to get into an event for free.

[zonenightz]

ME AND MY FRIEND WERE TALKING ABOUT THE KILLJOYS AND WHAT COWBOY BOOTS THEY WOULD WEAR AND THEY SENT ME THESE AND I WAS LIKE SHOWPONY ‼️‼️‼️