Twice-Damned Harlot (As A Term of Endearment)

[redbrunja]

First of all a rec:

No Dawn, No Day, Stephanie Brown/Damian Wayne

(Read the pdf of the main story first, then if you desire, look at the side stories.)

(There are two endings, btw, and both are awesome for different reasons, but one involves character death.)

I was so thrilled to stumble upon this fic. It’s long, it’s character driven, it’s GLORIOUS.

It takes all the threads of Stephanie Brown’s stories – basically, all the ways that DC screwed her over (the not-really-a-Robin thing, Bruce-Wayne’s-Batman’s lack of trust in her, the teen pregnancy) and resolves them in natural ways that feel organic to the story. It hit me in the middle of the story that, without feeling forced or preachy, the author was gracefully acerbating and then healing all of this trauma that Stephanie carries with her.

She also deals with the toxic Batman legacy vis-a-vis Damian Wayne and Jason Todd as well. I’m not 100% sold on her Jason Todd characterization, but especially towards the end, there are some fantastic character beats for him.(Milkshakes! Stephanie’s ringtone is “Walking on Sunshine”! He answers the phone in the middle of a gunfight!)

Other things that I loved about this story:

• Damian being head-over-heels in love and terrible at expressing it!


• An adorable kitten!


• An epic Pretty Woman-esque moment, followed by a truly epic verbal bitchslapping!


• Damian being the most amusing brat ever!


• Great upgrade of Harley Quinn!

Now, it must be said, I get the majority of my opinions about the Batfamily second hand (but I trust y’alls taste, so).

That is one of the MANY reasons why I think it’s a TERRIBLE idea for DC to try and reboot Batman with Batman vs. Superman.

Besides being a not-great idea for a movie in the first place, what DC really needs to do is create a Batman (and a movie-verse) that can believably have a Justice League. Which is why a trilogy of movies about the Batfamily could be so brilliant.

First, a Batman who is, by definition, interacting with another superheroes logically leads to a world that could support a Justice League. Secondly, a Batman who has a Batfamily (especially a Batfamily dealing with the weight and hypocrisies of his legacy) is so much more interesting than some square-jawed dude brooding. Third OH MY GOD HAVE YOU NOT PAID ATTENTION TO THE DRAMATIC POTENTIAL DRIPPING OFF THESE CHARACTERS? Dick Grayson, who both broke broke away from and struggles to be his father-figure! Jason Todd, who Came Back Wrong and with a morality that 85% of theater-goers are going very as 100% valid vigilante justice! The unsinkable Stephanie Brown, who is a hero because she refuses to be anything less!

(Sidenote, think about how visually perfect Stephanie Brown would be in Gotham’s night – her blonde hair as this light in the shadows, the visual representation of her innate optimism and the triumph of the human spirit. Awww, and now I’m imagining a conversation in a dark room between Stephanie and Jason, where she’s sitting in the stripped light that’s coming in from the broken blinds and he’s leaning against the wall, the only thing visible the glint of his eyes, the glow of his cigarette, and that shock of white hair.)

(Sorry, Timothy Drake and Cassandra Cain, I do not have opinions about you.)

Basically, DC. MAKE ME A BATFAMILY MOVIE.

In other news, all the speculated casting for Batman I’ve heard has been terrible. So, so terrible. I know! It’s time for a round of Batman-verse fan-casting. And…. go.

Comments

[redbrunja.livejournal.com]

It was the initial meeting between Steph and Jason that threw me out. I have stolen some of your headcanon (oops) so I kind of assumed that if they ever crossed paths that Jason would not have the issues with Steph that he (I assume) would with like, Tim or Damian, because Steph both comes from the same place as him (the streets), is female (which I do think would affect how Jason deals with her, both in the sense that I think he’d feel less threatened by her as a former Robin and because she’s the type of person Jason is most interested in protecting, i.e. abused and female). That said, I LOVED Jason being the first person in the batfamily that Stephanie told about her baby, and he is SO going to be that kid’s godfather, it’s going to be amazing.

Also, the thought of Jason calling Stephanie Little Sis or Little Sister just... ugh, feelings attack.

[bellonablack.livejournal.com]

So you mean, they rewrite the canon or they ....fix it somehow later?

(I would be interested in this especially if Quinn is in it somehow, with an upgrade, but I kind of have mixed feelings about Damian)

But I like Stephanie. So I'd be game, I'm just curious as to which it is?

[redbrunja.livejournal.com]

So you mean, they rewrite the canon or they ....fix it somehow later?

Like they fix it somehow. To give just one example, Stephanie has a lot of history (and issues) with being told that she is not good enough in general, and not necessary to The Batman in particular. Damian is Batman at this point, and it's made very clear that she is necessary to him. She saves his ass, he respects her as a hero, she doesn't hesitate to call him on his shit - basically, it's better that she's there.

And then the author does that for multiple strands of trauma on Stephanie's part.

Harley Quinn just has one scene, but it's a great scene.

[bellonablack.livejournal.com]

Ah, Okay, and I think they know where they are pulling the Damian batman idea from, and that's pretty cool, as a premise if Stephanie is there. (mainly if she is ahaha), and yes. :)

I get that, and sure, I'll give this a go then, thank you.

Well let's say I'm looking forward to her!

[ladymercury-10.livejournal.com]

You know, I saw a Tumblr called twice-damned-harlot once and I wondered if it was a reference to that fic. :P

Have you read "Shake Your Tailfeathers"? That's Steph/Dick and it's a lot of fun.

A Batfamily movie would be the best thing. It would probably also hit the center of the Venn diagram of "confusing to people unfamiliar with the comics" and "insufficiently grimdark," though, and thus DC cannot be bothered. I did hear they're making an animated movie about Damian though.

I also want a Batwoman movie. Kate Kane is amazing. Or an Oracle movie, guest starring the Batgirls. Okay, I've gotta stop, I want too many movies. :P

[mistaria.livejournal.com]

Oh my god yes please to a Batwoman movie or Oracle movie!

[ladymercury-10.livejournal.com]

:D

[redbrunja.livejournal.com]

Have you read "Shake Your Tailfeathers"? That's Steph/Dick and it's a lot of fun.

I just read that - it was SO much fun.

A Batfamily movie would be the best thing. It would probably also hit the center of the Venn diagram of "confusing to people unfamiliar with the comics" and "insufficiently grimdark," though, and thus DC cannot be bothered. I did hear they're making an animated movie about Damian though.

I agree that it doesn't hit the 'grim and dark' tone that comics movies are so in love with, but I would argue that it really wouldn't have to be confusing to new viewers. I mean, take away the specifics (lazarus pit, etc) and it's all about family dynamics and sibling inferiority complexes, which I think A LOT of people would instinctively relate to.

[ladymercury-10.livejournal.com]

I love the part where they go out for waffles in costume. SO ADORABLE.

This is true, there are a lot of very relatable family dynamics. I guess the key would be how well they could streamline/explain the thing about there being five Robins and three Batgirls, many of whom have had two or three different secret identities. If they could handle that, it would be so so great to see all the batchildren on screen, oh wow.

But then again, DC thinks Wonder Woman is complicated. *flails hands*

[mistaria.livejournal.com]

The only good suggestion I've heard for Batman is Idris Elba and WB/DC won't ever do that.

Also I will definitely check out you rec! I love Steph (and Cass--and now you're making me want to get you into Cass :p)! I would kill for a good Batfamily movie.

[redbrunja.livejournal.com]

Idris Elba as batman would be AMAZING.

[lady-with-cats.livejournal.com]

i'm a sucker for good long fic even if i have no idea who anyone is beyond some bored googling haha. i'll bookmark that for a rainy day! :D

[redbrunja.livejournal.com]

It's perfect if you don't know the fandom. I'll doubt you'll have many, if any, questions.