#oh you haven’t read batgirl 2000?

[franollie]

my favorite hobby is going into comic book shops and mansplaining my favorite woman-centric comics to the guys in there

[mattzerella-sticks]

hi! i’m new to reading dc, because i hear new 52 and rebirth kinda suck, do you have any batfamily recommendations?

Welcome aboard! I’m gonna say something controversial - new 52 and Rebirth aren’t totally bad. Don’t get me wrong, before Flashpoint Batfamily was GOING PLACES. But I think they started strong with Batman in new 52 (like the Court of Owls wer fantastic and Julia Pennyworth is amazing) but then the aftermath of this Batman v. Joker fight during Scott Snyder’s run kinda fizzled the Batman run. And don’t get me STARTED on the bullshit Tom King has done. Not even James Tynion can save the Rebirth Batman title (but that’s because the powers that be probably had a vision that’s most likely been canned given how a lot of the brass was let go). I digress...

For New 52, I highly recommend: Batman (up until the Batman mantle gets passed, which is 50 or so issues in), Grayson (I enjoyed the spy atmosphere, plus the introduction of Helena Bertinelli, Tiger, and Midnighter - officially), Red Hood and the Outlaws (although the early issues and how they treated Kori are iffy), DEFINITELY Batgirl (especially the Gail Simone run and then the Babs Starr run, Batgirl of Burnside ftw) and - I’m including her into the Batfamily - the Harley Quinn series, because that’s good no matter WHAT. Things I’ve heard good things about but haven’t fully in-depth read were We Are Robin and Catwoman, although the former ends kind of unsatisfyingly. And, again, not Batfamily but adjacent - Gotham Academy. I was SO MAD when it ended because it was one of the best comics DC was producing. Oh and there was a Robin series where he has a giant bat!!! That was really good, too. 

Rebirth they really fucked themselves over for the Batfam. Don’t even look at Batman, the first few issues are okay but then it gets muddled in this Bane plot and ‘War of Jokes and Riddles’ which was the WORST Batman storyline ever. Went on too long imo because you kind of forget this is all Bruce telling Selena about his ‘worst sin’ even though she’d be DTF no matter what. Plus there’s so much emphasis on Kite Man (i think even an issue is dedicated to his POV which makes no sense given the context the story’s being told but again Tom King SUCKS). It’ll make you feel like you read a comic book of How I Met Your Mother. Only Batman issues I recommend are the ones that are Flash crossovers because those are my favs for obvi reasons. What you want to do is get into first year of Rebirth Detective Comics because 1) Cassandra Cain 2) Stephanie Brown 3) Kate Kane 4) Clayface!?!?! 5) Tim Drake 6) Dr. Oktober; Honestly it was such a good ensemble piece (James Tynion is an awesome writer, he’s not a miracle worker unfortunately). That was a good run, although it does change plot at a certain point - which was sad - but it still feels like a Batman book even after the ensemble leaves, better than the actual Batman title. So sticking with that over the Batman main series is good. I think Rebirth Outsiders was trying to capture that magic except the writing isn’t that good plus there were a bunch of creative differences that delayed the first issue and I lost any excitement for it (which was sad because I love all the characters in it - Duke, Black Lightning, and Katana). Batgirl, again, although you’ll come to a point where it stops being amazing - and that is when she ditches her Babs Starr costume for something AWFUL. #BringBackBurnsideBatgirl Once you see the costume change either lower your expectations or move on because it doesn’t recover. I’ve heard good things about the Catwoman series but I haven’t read it. What I have read is Harley Quinn (again unofficial Bat family member) and that has been consistently amazing (even if the last few issues gave Harley questional/straightwashed tastes). DEFINITE reads though that shouldn’t be too long (because DC likes ending good things) are Batwoman and Batgirl & the Birds of Prey. The Batwoman comic was too good for this world, we need more Kate Kane in our lives. And the Birds of Prey series felt like the movie a bit. They definitely seemed like friends (unlike the new 52 version, which was AWFUL) and there’s one story where the men of Gotham get sick that is so good I’m waiting on DC to turn it into an animated feature. Those titles are both like twenty or so issues. There’s a Midnigther and Apollo miniseries that was so great (also unofficial member). Red Hood and the Outlaws I liked, but after Roy leaves it lost the magic. Rebirth Nightwing was good at first, but Tom King ruined it even though he doesn’t write for that title. Best storyline was when he gets involved with this group for reformed criminals while in Bludhaven. The most recent storyline wasn’t bad, in a sense. The characters brought on were interesting. It was just apbrupt and clearly not what the actual writer had in mind, but they had to write around Tom King. And overall the character of Nightwing suffered. Young Justice doesn’t feel too canonical (and Drake is a stupid name); Teen Titans is okay but Damian is an edgelord. 

Moving on from that, outside of Rebirth and New 52, some other titles that I’ve enjoyed featuring the Batfamily were: Cassandra Cain’s Batgirl, Stephanie Brown’s Batgirl, Gotham City Sirens, Batman, Inc., Batman & Robin (with Dick as Batman, Damian as Robin), the Outsiders (the spin-off from Titans, probably in the mid-2000s with Dick Grayson leading)...

There was an interesting Detective Comics arc I read about the GCPD starring Renee Montoya that dealt with her ‘coming out’ (in the loosest of terms given how it happened).

A Batman/Superman arc I love revisiting is when they re-introduce Supergirl (and speaking of Batman/Superman, find the issue(s) where Superman gets affected by silver kryptonite and turns into a stoner because THAT was funny)

I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention No Man’s Land or Batman Year One because those two kind of establish Gotham and the Batman character... You could read the Killing Joke but you can easily sum the entire story up with one panel (probably one of the first images that pops up when you google The Killing Joke). A better, edgier Batman story - imo - is when he gets addicted to Venom. Or the Death of Jason Todd - which reminds me Under the Red Hood is a good story! (I didn’t read the comic lol but I did watch the movie - Jensen Ackles ftw).

If you’re looking for kooky, anything from the 40s up to before Crisis on Infinite Earths where ANYTHING went. From World’s Finest to the Batman title, they got to some pretty insane shit. Very campy. Although the nineties-early 2000′s were campy in their own way, like so on the other end of the spectrum from ‘camp’ that it became camp again. There’s two different Batman storylines that were VERY anti-drugs (Shadow of the Bat was the running title, I think; one story against weed and the other against LSD) that were so ridiculous and trying to push kids away from doing drugs that you couldn’t help but realize how ridiculous and over-the-top this was.

Finally there are Elseworlds titles. Everyone always raves for Batman: Gotham by Gaslight but I think two very interesting takes on a Batman of a different world are: Batman - Holy Terror, and Batman: Nosferatu. There’s also an Elseworlds with Barbara as Batwoman and a female Joker (Batgirl: Thrillkiller I believe) and one that has Catwoman as the hero of Gotham and Bruce Wayne as a sadistic killer.

Hope at least one of these suggestions helps 😀

[captainlordauditor]

i want to get into dc comics, especially the batfam. recommendations on where to start?

I can give you recommendations, but they’re gonna depend a lot on what you like to read. They’re also mostly based on what I’ve read, which means not a lot post-new 52.

Batman #408 -  This is an issue, rather than a run, but it’s basically the start of modern Batman. Come here for a mix of dark noir and wacky shenanigans. I’m not kidding - the early 400s of Batman range from “someone stole all of the church bells in Gotham” to “the Russians are trying to assassinate President Reagan”. I recommend starting with 408 specifically because it’s just post-Crisis and is the issue that introduces Jason Todd. Tim Drake, who’s Robin for most of the modern age, is introduced in #440, but I really do think his introduction reads better with the context.

Nightwing (1996) - if you like mysteries or cop shows, this is a good place to start. A lot of people really don’t like this run, but I loved it. It is one of those comics that feels very... seamed. You can really tell where events messed with the writer’s pacing, and there are times where I felt like the writer clearly wanted to do something that the editors wouldn’t let her, but overall it was very good and enjoyable. I think it works as a place to start because while it takes place after the batfamily is formed, it’s mostly about Nightwing establishing himself in his own territory and what he does after he establishes himself. There’s a decent amount of crossover with other books, but there’s a lot of plot on its own, as well. Let Devin Grayson go feral.

Batgirl (2000) - If you’d like something that’s similarly emotionally heavy but less gorey than Batman or Nightwing, or if you hate reading dialogue, read Batgirl. If you like seeing disabled kids get mostly-supportive parenting, read Batgirl. If you like martial arts, read Batgirl. Everyone should read Batgirl you guys. It’s so good. I highly recommend this one for beginners, because it rarely ties into what’s going on in other series - for the most part, Batgirl does its’ own thing. It also follows a character who, prior to the run, had only very recently been adopted into the family, so there’s not a lot of prior knowledge needed to go into it, though I do think Bruce’s actions have a bit more depth to them if you read it after Death In the Family (Batman 426-429). 

Teen Titans (1980) - This ones like, a half a recommendation. A lot of people really like this run (I think mostly because of nostalgia), and there’s a lot that happens in the Teen Titans that’s fairly important, and is a good way to discover new characters. This run is generally good Silver Age-esque fun, where things are high stakes but you know everything will turn out alright, and all the characters are super great and lovable. It’s also aged extremely poorly. While Nightwing and Batman both feature sexual assault, it’s usually addressed as a traumatic experience, or at least attempted to. Teen Titans does not. At all. Teen Titans features such questionable decisions as, oh, Terry Long’s entire existence. So, GIANT warning symbols on this one, somewhat smaller ones on the others.

another recommendation courtesy of @rainbowfoxes is to read Crisis on Infinite Earths, and then pick some characters you liked there and follow their runs afterward. I haven’t tried this, so I have no idea where it will get you!

Anyway, everyone should go read Batgirl (2000).

[jinmukangwrites]

Dear Jin, you've cursed me. I told myself superhero comics were dumb and conveluted but I honestly love your work and I've fallen in love with the characters you've written even though I barely know who they are??? The only DC exposure I've had is Teen Titans and the Nolan movies but I desperately need more content,, great Jin If it's not too much trouble would you recommend some good batfam comics to get started?? -a humble emotional wreck _(:,3」∠)_

OH MAN. OKAY.

So I'm still trying to get all caught up on comics, so I don't exactly have a whole lot to recommend, but I'll try! I'm just gonna recommend pretty much everything that I've liked, so this will be a long list cuz I like a lot. You'll notice a lot of these have to do with Dick...

A common misconception with comics is thinking you need to start from the beginning! Hate to break it to you, but Batman has been around since before the second world war so good luck with catching up with comics lol, the best way to get caught up is to pretty much look for the classic comics that the fandom has embraced. Wiki the character you want to know and read the comics recommend to you! There's a lot of stuff to know about these guys!

New 52! I'm not sure how accepted the New 52 reboot comics are in the fandom, but I love these comics! Granted, Dick's costume is weird, but it has some amazing stories and one of my favorite arcs ever "The Death of the Family". Joker manipulates and mind tortures all the Batfam and captures them to get to Bruce and it's amazing. The family dynamic of the Batfam in these comics is what I most closely base my fics off. I have mostly just read the Nightwing comics in this one tho, but I plan on getting to the rest of the Batfam in these comics eventually! (If the comics have 2011 after them, they're New 52. 2016 is the current Rebirth comics)

Nightwing (1996): SOME GOOD CLASSIC DICK GRAYSON COMICS. Dick moves to Blüdhaven, the only place in the world worse than Gotham, and makes his debut as Nightwing! Some very good classic stories in this one. Be careful with issue 93 though! There's a lot of controversy with it.

Robin Year One: a simple modern retelling of Dick Grayson becoming Robin! It's super cute and it shows how Bruce turns from a unfeeling vigilante into a hen mom. Super freaking good. Dick gets beat up by Two-Face and it's great.

Forever Evil: an evil version of the Justice League attacks earth and aims to destroy the world! Doesn't focus on Batfam, but does have a lot of Batman and Nightwing! Nightwing gets captured and his identity is revealed to the world and it's great. Leads into Grayson where Dick pretends to be dead so Bruce can send him on a dangerous, undercover mission.

Red Hood and the Outlaws: I'm only a few issues into this one and I'm loving it! Jason Todd (Red Hood) reluctantly joins a Amazonian named Artemis and I believe a reject Superman clone named Berserk I think, sorry I'm not too far in yet (-_-;), but he pretty much goes on whacky slightly illegal adventures and cause Batman more headaches than normal.

Batman and Robin (2009): Bruce is dead! Assassin Damian Wayne is Robin and Gotham needs a new Batman! Dick Grayson steps up and basically raises Damian and slowly gets Damian to warm up to being a normal kid until Bruce returns. It's been awhile since I read these, but I remember really liking almost everything about this one! The only thing I didn't like about this one is how Red Hood is portrayed as a super evil bad guy. Otherwise, I loved a lot of the stories in this one.

Robin 1993: TIM DRAKE Y'ALL. About Tim and his adventures as a recently made protector of Gotham! I haven't read all of this because it's so long and I have a short attention span, but what I've read is super good!! It's older, and older comics are usually VERY GOOD.

Red Robin: TIM DRAKE BUT ANGSTIER. Pretty much, because Bruce dies and Damian takes Robin, Tim is forced out to take his own superhero persona, again I haven't read much, but so far I love it!

We are Robin: DUKE THOMAS Y'ALL. Bruh, I just started reading his comics and I love this idiot. After Joker infected the entire city to become basically mindless Zombies and also attempted to recreate the death of Batman's parents with Duke and his mom and dad, Duke runs from the foster care he's placed it to try to find his parents who were infected and went missing. He runs into a group of teens calling themselves Robin's and he sort of reluctantly joins them!

Batgirl (2000): Cassandra Cain and her backstory! Taken under the wing of Barbara Gordon, the former Batgirl now Oracle.

You can always go back to the classics as well! Experiment with the ones you want to read! All I recommend is not reading DC Rebirth for a little while, they kind of all suck, except Young Justice, I actually enjoyed reading that so far!

[dyketectivecomics]

{{ Ohhey, I don't know if I've ever seen you talk about this before: Do you have any ships for Rose? (feel free to expand in a "why or why not" sort of way!)

Oh absolutely! My first exposure to Rose was waaaaay back in 2013/14 when I was reading through the TTG! comics ofc, but I wasn’t especially involved in shipping her at that point. Flashforward to when I started this blog & started seriously reading for Rose, I remembered how her appearance in TTG was one of the few times I genuinely enjoyed watching the show fjkdlsaf; so ofc shipping her & rae both platonically & romantically has a soft spot in my heart, if for nothing else but the Potential they have. especially since I haven’t read any significant interaction in any other canon for them either fjdkla;fs

when i was reading McKeever’s run of TT, i really liked how he developed her & eddie’s relationship! kinship found through some shared feelings of ostracization? even if it wasn’t the other titans’ intent, they found something to bond over & a way to cope by seeking solace in each other. I’ll have to revisit that run again with a more critical eye bc I was rushing to finish it. but yeah! EddieRose is cute!

I saw a little bit of support for JayRose around that same time. & I’m aware that they have a previous relationship established Somewhere in the comics, but I havent read it yet for myself! From the snips i have seen & what I've seen from fandom (with them being generally antagonistic/toxic) it’s certainly something I’m interested in reading up on & exploring (bc when it’s done right, that drama is absolutely my jam idk guys. i Just Think Its Neat)

now above & beyond my FAVORITE potential ship for Rose that I want to do a deep dive on eventually? CassRose! reading through Batgirl (2000) & having that wonderful, if brief, moment where Cass recognized herself in Rose & mused on their similarities??? the fact that, if pushed together they could be really great foils, and already have such an easy in for a rocky start to their relationship? i want to see them growing together, them embracing their differences. i just think it’d be really damn cool to develop them together above all else. 

there’s probably some others that i’m forgetting, but that’s really all I can think of rn! just like most dc gals, if theres another gal i can reasonably ship her with, i’m absolutely open to the possibility haha

[preciousthingsareprecious]

1/2 Hello . I'd like to ask something about Damian. I read a lot of fanfic with Damian in it but comics-wise I've only read Supersons. Now, from what I've seen so far from both supersons and also numerous pannels here on tumblr that are extracted from other comics it seems to me that Damian actually acts more child-like in canon than fandom?

2/2 I’ve grown used to him being all sophisticated, almost like an adult in child’s body and using those formal speach patterns all the time (which is very funny and I prefer him like that tbh), but I’m suprised to see that in actual comics it’s not quite the case? Idk? So what’s the thing with that, is fandom exaggerating with his behaviour or is he truly like that but I just haven’t read those particular runs that fandom bases it’s depiction of Damian off of? Thanks

Hey Nonie, this is a great question, and I think it’s layered. Damian, like any character written about extensively in canon and fanon is going to have discrepancies between how you see him and how other people see him. 

I’m going to give you some canon evidence for his being ‘formal’ and then talk about him in fanon as well, it’ll get kind of long so I’m going to put the rest under the cut.

Also, quick disclaimer, I haven’t read everything Damian’s been in so there’s probably a lot I’m missing from here. And there’s just so much to him I can’t cover everything in one post or attempt to and do him total justice. 

I want to start with the idea that Damian has more than just one defining characteristic (like most people). He’s a kid (8-13 yrs) who was raised under strict rules and with assassins. He spent much of his life before joining the Batfam being groomed to be the next Alexander/ruler of the world.

So he struggles between being a kid and everything else he was taught. He wants to be seen as older and respected for that, but he is still a kid. 

Initially Damian is written very bratty, he was meant to be an unlikable character so almost every one of his actions and words displays that in older comics. Once he joined the Batfam and became a character that was going to stick around for a while he started to even out personality wise. 

A good deal of his formal tone shows up in his pre New 52 comics like the Batman and Robin run where Dick is Batman, Red Robin, Batgirl, and other Batman spin offs from the early 2000′s. 

These are from Batgirl, Streets of Gotham, Red Robin, and Batman and Robin. 

In comics this is the period where Damian is still adjusting to being in Gotham, and being Robin. He’s learning to be a kid instead of the next world leader that his mother trained him to be, so he’s got a lot of conflicting emotions across the comics. Many are like my examples, but there’s also times where he is shown more kid like, with actions and words. 

Once New 52 hits and he is Bruce’s Robin he still carries some of that formal tone (Especially depending on the writer) but it’s often shown in flashbacks to his early childhood or in earlier comics with him. That doesn’t mean it’s not there, it’s still part of who he is and how he was raised, but over the course of comics he’s gradually been allowed to become more of a kid (especially in Tomasi and Gleason’s writings).

These are from Batman and Robin (the Tomais and Gleason run) and Robin: Son of Batman

Damian also shows a bit of his formal tone in Rebirth titles. Especially Nightwing. (Though I should add that in Nightwing Damian is also shown as being very kiddy as well, which is amazing)

Nightwing

So there is some precedent for Damian’s speech in canon, but I also have to agree that part of how prevalent it is in fanfiction is partially fanon. 

There’s a few reasons I have for this, the first is that many writers write what they read, secondly Damian has been so inconsistent in canon (in the past and recently) that it’s easier to find a strong voice for a character and stick with that.  It’s also a very distinct voice, which for a lot of writers is something to latch onto. It’s something you read and can go, “oh that’s Damian” without needing an indication that it was him who said it. 

A lot of writers (myself included) like to write the Batfam in this nebulous out of canon area where they all exist together, and have a fairly stable relationship with each other. Which hasn’t really happened in canon before (the closest was the 2000′s and even then it wasn’t all sunshine and rainbows). But the point of that is that this is the time when Damian was most like this, and his pull between the two times in his life was greatest. 

Something I want to emphasize about Damian is that he’s a kid who is dealing with the dichotomy of being raised to be ‘the best’ and being part of a large family unit. Not only that, while he might be Bruce’s son by blood, he spent many years simply trying to belong to the family. Bruce rejected him initially, he went from being an only kid to the youngest in a large family,  and very few people around him liked him. So he’s constantly trying to prove himself, and constantly trying to be the best while also trying to learn how to work with his family and be a part of it. He is self-assured and also always on unsteady ground. 

It’s because of this I think a lot of writers stick with his formal tone in fics. It’s something that helps (at least me) get into his head and think about what he might be dealing with. 

That said, he has grown a lot over the years, and he does act much closer to his age in comics now than he did in the past. So maybe part of the difference is fic writers catching up to what is in canon instead of sticking with what we’re used to writing. 

Either way, it’s an interesting question an I’m not sure I’ve given you a sufficient answer, but it is what I have. I hope this helps. 

[tenscupcake]

my first, and possibly only, official statement on the new doctor.

i've honestly been truly and thoroughly baffled, and rather disappointed, by the lack of discussion occurring around this polarizing issue. in fact, in my brief experience on various social media platforms, discussion is rarely, if ever, allowed. the tiniest expression of discontent with the new doctor immediately elicits a slew of insults and accusations of misogyny. i have yet to have an actual conversation with anyone about this, aside from close personal friends who share my views, because those who don't share them will not even engage them. they instead immediately resort to name calling and shut down any attempts at conversation i make. honestly, it has driven a wedge between me and doctor who and its fandom like i've never experienced, not even in all my suffering through the moffat era.

i hesitated for a while about coming back on here at all. but i figured it would be wrong of me to not give my friends and acquaintances here a chance to really hear me out, since before i took a hiatus i hadn't really properly articulated my reasoning (for the aforementioned reasons). so to anyone interested in my thoughts on the matter (and let me explicitly mention here that i am referring only to rational people who are willing to either read silently and go about their day or else engage in a polite discussion with me, not people who are just going to send me vicious anonymous asks), here they are.

i’m sure it’s no surprise to any of my followers that i haven’t been actively watching the show for some time now. in fact, i stepped away indefinitely sometime early season 8, not because i had any issue with capaldi, but because i didn’t feel moffat’s writing had improved any since the last season.

so, it may have come as a surprise to many of you that i even had a strong reaction of any kind, be it positive or negative. and i can certainly see where you’re coming from, if that’s the case.

when it was announced early last year that moffat would finally be leaving, i threw a party. i literally did. i got together with my one other real-life friend who watches the show, watched rtd episodes, and made blue cupcakes (that were supposed to be TARDIS colored but turned out more of a pale teal and baby blue combo). i can’t even explain how happy i was at the mere suggestion of him leaving. because in my eyes, he took my favorite show and turned it into something i resented. it was such a slow and painful process to come to terms with the fact that a show i once loved was causing me so much grief, and finally part ways with it (at least in the sense of following along with the new episodes; i’ve obviously remained active in the rtd sect and continue to devote a significant chunk of my life to the doctor and rose *blush*). but i just couldn’t deal with the constant disappointment and rage anymore. i knew it was for the best.

i liked broadchurch well enough, with the exception of the second season, and i thought there was no way chibnall could be worse than moffat. and best case scenario, he could potentially resurrect the show into something i’d enjoy again. maybe it was foolish to hope for such a thing, but i owe far too much to this show after all it’s done for me to not give it a second chance under new leadership. so when, a few weeks ago, they told us the date they’d be announcing the new doctor, i got properly excited again. to put a face to my renewed hope in the series? it was hard not to get excited. the sound of the tardis still makes my heart swell with joy and gratitude. i’m still invested. just look at my room or my wardrobe. i’m a self-proclaimed doctor who geek through and through. if i wasn’t, i don’t think it would be possible for me to be genuinely upset about anything that happened to the show. the things we love are the things that can hurt us the most.

so, without prolonging the inevitable any longer, i’ll try to explain why i was/am upset by the casting announcement.

i really have three main reasons.

1. the issue of representation.

let me start out by saying i am a passionate advocate for better (i won't say more, because i don't think that's the issue at hand) female representation in media. especially film. i desperately want more intelligent, strong, powerful women in fiction. but what i absolutely do not want is to recycle traditionally male characters into female ones. doesn't this seem counterproductive to anyone else? its almost as though a man always has to pave the way, and only once he's established a character can a woman potentially take over. it’s trite and more than a little insulting.

give me more original female characters who kick ass. give me more natasha romanoffs, more reys, more elle woods, more leslie knopes.

don’t give me more batgirls or supergirls. don’t take a character as prominent and culturally significant as the doctor and morph him into a woman after 50+ years (or 2000+, depending on your perspective).

and you know, i've actually seen people say (addressing people who are upset about the casting): ‘a character’s gender doesn't have to match yours to be a good role model for you.’ you know what? to an extent, i actually agree. as a matter of fact, i strongly identify with and take inspiration from the doctor, even though he's a man. does nobody hear how hypocritical it sounds to say you want a woman to play the doctor purely so girls can have another role model, and then turn around and in the next sentence say gender is irrelevant to role models? yeah, this one really floored me.

but though i do think that one’s role models don’t have to match one’s gender 100% of the time, it is important to have some that do. and i do think there is an imbalance in the number of strong male leads in tv and film versus the number of strong female leads. keyword: strong. i’m tired of sexist stereotyping and failed bechdel tests, too. probably more than most, actually. but i think taking existing male characters and gender bending them is the absolute worst way to go about rectifying this imbalance.

2. the issue of the nature of gender.

i want to preface this by saying that, until fairly recently, i was something of a fundamentalist when it came to gender. but over the years, i’ve realized how problematic such views are. i’ve invested hours upon hours of my free time scouring reddit threads and watching documentaries about trans issues to understand this crucial part of the LGBT community. to learn. and what i’ve gathered from my thorough research, and heard from the many personal experiences of transgender individuals i’ve read, is that gender is something distinct from biological sex that is immutable. the gender you’re born with is the gender you are for life. (and yes, as i understand it this does also apply to genderfluid individuals - they’ve always been genderfluid even if it was not always expressed.) and changes made to physical appearance are merely affirming one’s gender, not changing it.

changing the doctor into a woman flies directly in the face of this very concept. and to me, it really, truly feels like an insult to the trans community.

it’s going back to the regressive fundamentalist view that sex = gender. that because the doctor has a woman’s body now, he must therefore identify as a woman. though this hasn’t been explicitly confirmed in so many words, given the widespread use of feminine pronouns and the term ‘woman’, i think it’s safe to conclude this is the case for the show. and this is so contrary to the whole message the LGBT community is trying to put out.

now. i’ve heard several potential counterarguments to this, so bear with me as i go through them.

first, people say ‘but the doctor is an alien, not a human. our gender expectations don’t apply.’ true. yes. he is an alien. but is the show really about his alienness? i think you’d be hard-pressed to convince me that it is. the truth is, though it’s told through tales of distant planets and creepy aliens, it’s really a show about humanity, and always has been. doctor who has always espoused a meaningful kind of secular humanism. it’s explored what it means to be human in so many impactful ways. and it’s because the doctor looks and acts human much of the time, succumbs to human emotions and has such human flaws, that he is so relatable. yes, it’s a sci-fi show about time travel and regeneration and spaceships, but if the doctor were completely alien and had no human qualities, it wouldn’t have become such a hit. don’t try to deny that. trying to distance the doctor from humanity is a detriment, not a benefit, to the show.

and though some may argue we ought to hope for and potentially work towards a future where gender is irrelevant, the fact is in today’s society gender is exceedingly relevant. and important. transgender people and feminist movements wouldn’t exist - wouldn’t need to exist - if it weren’t.

second, i see people say ‘the doctor has no gender.’ this one admittedly really throws me. no gender? where is the evidence for that?

for one thing, what point would there be to differentiating between time lords and time ladies if gender was not of import on gallifrey?

there is also a plethora of evidence to the contrary: the doctor has in fact consistently identified as a man. starting JUST with ten:

in ‘the christmas invasion’: he says ‘same man, new face. well, new everything.’

also in tci: ‘oh, that's rude. that's the sort of man i am now, am i?

also in tci: ‘no second chances. i’m that sort of man.’

in ‘fear her’: ‘look at my manly hairy hand’

in ‘evolution of the daleks’: ‘the only man in the universe who might show you some compassion’

in ‘utopia’: ‘i was a different man back then.’

in ‘voyage of the damned’: ‘i’m the man who’s going to save your lives’

in ‘the end of time’: ‘even if i change, it feels like dying. everything i am dies. some new man goes sauntering away.’

a couple of these quotes actually indicate that he has an innate sense of being a man that transcends regeneration. depending on his current level of angst, it seems, he sees himself as a different man or the same man, but the ‘man’ part remains the same. he doesn’t say ‘person’ or ‘character’ or anything to that effect. he says ‘man.’

not to mention, the doctor consistently objects to being called a human (or martian), and corrects those who mislabel him as such, but never once objects to being called a man (which is quite often).

and just so that no one accuses me of singling out one doctor too much, here’s a quote from the first doctor from the pilot, an unearthly child: ‘i’m an old man. how can an old man like me harm any of you?’

right off the bat. the doctor has been identifying as a man for literally thousands of years.

sorry for lingering on that sub-point for a while. it’s just so mind-boggling to me because there’s so much freely available evidence to the contrary.

third, i’ve noticed there seems to be some level of collective amnesia of the backlash from when the master made a comeback as missy. given what i’ve observed of people praising the decision retroactively, no one seems to remember the fandom’s response from that revelatory episode anymore. but i remember it vividly. a number of people were furious, the trans community and its allies in particular. and this outrage returned with a vengeance when missy kissed the doctor (12) later on. though i had already given up on watching the show by then (at least as long as moffat’s hellish reign continued), the anger and frustration i was seeing really resonated with me. 

i have never forgotten that, and it is undoubtedly a big part of the reason i’m so angry and frustrated now. i am at least consistent, if nothing else. but conversely, there seems to be a lack of consistency among much of the fandom, as i sense none of the widespread ire from the past making a resurgence now, and it’s unclear why. the same issues regarding gender are at play. it’s leading me to assume that many people are embracing this decision purely for perceived representation, while disregarding potential cultural issues it may raise, which i think is dangerously selfish and shallow.

3. the choice of actress.

i’m not going to pull any punches here, since i’m already putting my blog’s reputation in jeopardy by making this post at all. i don’t like jodie whittaker, specifically. i think she’s a terrible actress.

this is based purely off of watching broadchurch, because it’s the only thing i’ve seen her in. but her performance paled miserably next to david’s and olivia’s, and even some minor characters’. i mean, beth’s life thoroughly sucked, and everything in it went from bad to worse for a while, but i didn’t really care. she didn’t make me care. i think that’s a huge red flag for any actor. because, i mean, compare that to olivia’s performance. i mean, SHIT. miller made me feel things every episode. intense things. and beth didn’t. at all. ever.

so, even IF the other two issues were somehow resolved, i still wouldn’t be happy with the casting choice, because i am not at all impressed with this person’s acting ability. the doctor is a huge role. a critical one. and i’m honestly not sure what she did to earn it.

so, that’s it. it’s not every nook and cranny of my position, but it’s the gist of it.

as my final thought, i’ll reiterate what i said at the beginning, to anyone considering responding to this: hostile ad hominem responses will be resolutely ignored, but (time and volume of responses permitting) polite intellectual debate will likely be engaged. but let it be said that though i’m willing to listen to reason, it’s highly unlikely anyone will change my mind.

i don’t want this to widen the chasm between me and the fandom. i already feel so distant from it already, like i’m hanging on by a thread. in all likelihood, i won’t discuss the subject at all any more after this post, save for when responding to others’ comments or questions about it. and even then, i will do so privately whenever i can. because i really don’t want to dwell on it anymore. i’ve finally sunk myself back into ep after an extended hiatus due to surgery and work, and that’s what i’d really like to dedicate my free time to from here on out. that and my other d/r fics. that’s what makes me happy; not bickering with people who don’t agree with me.

so please! feel free not to respond to this at all. it is completely optional and even somewhat discouraged, because i am tired of thinking about it and being yelled at and insulted for it. i’d love to forget about it and move on, at least until i’m forced to confront it again this christmas. i want to get back to what my blog is all about - nine and ten’s era. david. the fun smattering of friends and parks gifs. but above all else, the doctor and rose. the couple i’ve dedicated the past four years of my life to.

no matter what happens, i’m going to stay with them. whether or not i stick around on tumblr, i’ll continue posting my fics on ao3. they’re my happy place. these characters mean the world to me. and doctor who will always be very dear to my heart, regardless of how the future of the show pans out. i hope my followers never doubt that.

[redrobin-detective]

Oh hey, if you don't mind, I would like to know what you believe is the best story arc for each Batfamily member. Like, if you could choose only ONE, for each member, which story arc would it be?

Uggggggg so haaaaaaaaard also, be aware, my bias will be showing.

Bruce- The Long Halloween/Dark Victory, I’m counting DV cause it’s a direct sequel to TLH showing the fallout and consequences. My unabashed favorite Batman story has it all: a compelling mystery, great characterizations and development, plus DV has the best Dick Grayson origin.

Dick- … I love my son but I haven’t read a lot of his stuff. I’m really attached to how he is in Robin Year One but I also think he’s fantastic as Batman in the Black Mirror. I keep meaning to read Chuck Dixon’s Nightwing run and I’m sure when I do, I’d list that as my number one Nightwing.

Babs- Batgirl Year One because it is an AMAZING story and I know she’s done a lot with BOP but I haven’t read it.

Jason- Under the Red Hood/Lost Days: Jason’s first reappearance is still I think his best and future endeavors have not been able to compare. The Lost Days tells Jason’s origin from resurrection to UTHR and, aside from the gross scene with Talia, it’s just as good.

Tim- Red Robin, no comparison. That’s not to say Tim doesn’t have many other wonderful arcs (His first arc with him approaching Bruce to losing his parents and fully taking the Robin title is bril as well) but RR is just so stand-out good.

Stephanie- This is really a toss up but I’m going to go with Stephanie in Tim’s Robin run, sometime during the early 2000’s when Tim was Robin, Steph was Spoiler and things were good between them. Steph had some great scenes and development that I treasure. (also her Batgirl run is magnificent, especially the first arc, and I could’ve easily picked that)

Cass- Again, Cass’s Batgirl run, as for Cass I would do the last arc of her first run which was when she confronted Shiva and the LOA. That was just allover iconic and I’m so proud of my girl.

Damian- The ultimate Damian is 2011 Batman and Robin. I hate the N52 but they got Damian right in that series. Born to Kill is good and Pearl has a great story arc as well.