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threewaysdivided · 2 years

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do you have any favorite dp or young justice fics you would recommend to your readership? or even fics outside of those two fandoms.

thank you! deathly weapons is one of my favorite things to read- and i especially love reading your meta on the subject- so anything you’ve read that you think is great/ has an interesting premise would be cool to see.

(Young Justice: Deathly Weapons)

💜🤍🖤 Thank you as well!

I’m always astounded and delighted when people tell me they're rereading Deathly Weapons or anything else I wrote. To me, one of the elements of a good story is it being something that you can return to, and it’s lovely to hear that I’m doing something right on that front.

(Also I’m just so humbled that you would give my story your time like that. I put a fair bit of my own time into Deathly Weapons, but that’s still a little piece of your life in return and it’s just… amazing.)

For me writing and meta are things that kind of ouroboros together. I tend to engage with stories in a very inquisitive/ interrogative way - I want to understand the characters/ events/ world it’s trying to create as well as the mechanics behind the curtain - and I have a special place in my heart for stories that were constructed with enough thought to reward that kind of curiosity. Which then reflects in my own writing and the behind-the-scenes planning work I do to make sure things hold up to inspection by other puzzlers.

3WD's Meta Collection

Young Justice Season 1 (and also DW) Let’s Analyse the Light | A Different Take on Martian Bigotry

Actually Critical YJ Analyses Masterpost | Invasion: a Detailed Dissection | Antithesis of Heroism (Bonus Rhyme)

And now…

Fanfic Recommendations

This one is actually a bit of a challenge for me because I consume media (and analysis) quite widely across a lot of fandoms. I tend to draw eclectic inspiration from my whole ‘source-pool’ and its meta-patterns, so it’s hard for me to point to any one thing and say: ‘that specifically inspired part of DW’.

It’s also a little tricky because Deathly Weapons was partly inspired by me having some specific itches that I couldn’t find any stories to scratch. “People won't write the books I want, so I have to do it for myself” and so on and so forth. If you would like to make any recs based on DW then please do so, I would love to see them.

That said, my FFN Favourites and AO3 Bookmarks double as general recs lists - I tend to use my bookmarks/faves as quick-access for stories I want to revisit, so you can take anything on there as something I would potentially recommend to other people.

What I’d like to do now is give a more specific list of stories that are somewhat DW-adjacent or are doing interesting things with their premise/execution/characterisation:

Danny Phantom

Alibi (FFN) by MyAibou Gen | Complete | Post series (no PP) He was Dash Baxter. Football star. King of Casper High. The world was supposed to have been his oyster for at least another decade. So how did he end up in the basement lab of FentonWorks working for the dad of the kid he used to beat up in high school? And how far would he stick his neck out to protect that kid and whatever secret he was hiding from the government?

A Ghost Story (FFN) by Cordria Gen | Complete | Slowburn mystery AU Maddie finds a strange toy airplane in a field, and it leads her to learning some very interesting things about her family.

You know how I said I can’t usually point to something as direct inspiration for DW? This is one of the exceptions: Maddie’s realisation very much inspired Robin’s similar one in CH12: Answers.

What Little Girls are Made Of (AO3) by Haiju Gen | Complete | Dani-centric reveal fic Phantom and his younger double save Amity Park from a monstrous ghost, nearly destroying themselves in the process. The Fentons have always hunted ghosts; now it's time to save one.

Young Justice

Before we begin, I would like to share this AO3 filter I use for YJ fics published pre-2019. It won’t pick up any still-updating fics or older fics that might have migrated to AO3 since, but if you want to revisit what the fandom felt like before the Fire Nation attacked then this will come pretty close.

Age of Heroes (AO3) by VelkynKarma Gen | Complete | Zombie Apocalypse AU The apocalypse has come and gone and the Age of Heroes is long since over. There’s not much left to live for, but Wally’s never been one to give up without trying, and maybe there are still a few miracles—and heroes—left in the world.

The Fedora Verse (AO3) by itsxandy Gen | Series | Complete | Villain!Wally Elseworld Wally West is the newest, fastest thief in Central City. His biggest offense so far? Making crime look this good.

No One Said Flying Was Easy (AO3) by Wrtrmd2 Gen | Complete | Robin origin story Eight year old Richard Grayson has just watched his parents fall to their deaths. Hurting and alone, he struggles to adjust to the new life he's thrown into. Bruce Wayne takes him in, but seems to have no idea what he's doing. Can they help each other put the pieces of their broken lives back together?

Morals (FFN) by WonderWalrus Spitfire | Complete | CW: graphic depictions of violence When a mission takes a turn for the worse, Wally is captured by Shadows and held captive in a secret base. Alone and afraid, he finds himself talking to the only person who will listen: the blonde archer guarding him who refuses to give her name.

Coming of Rage (AO3) by BlackFriar Gen | Complete | CW: graphic depictions of violence Batman is infected with rage, leading Robin and Kid Flash on a mad dash through Gotham to find the cure before Batman destroys either himself…or someone he cares about.

Danny Phantom x Young Justice (or Teen Titans)

Turning Tables (FFN) by Blackwolfhunting TT x DP | Gen | Complete | Post TUE AU | CW: experimentation When the Teen Titans face a new apprentice from Slade, what are they to do especially when this one can turn Invisible and hide from their sights. Though they receive surprising help that just might help reveal the mystery around this new apprentice and why exactly he hates one Vlad Masters' guts.

Shoutout to this as the first proper fanfiction I ever read and the one that started me on the path into fandom. If you’re wondering where ThreeWaysDivided began, you can look here. (I ask that you not hold it against them: they knew not what would happen and no doubt meant well).

Unfair Justice (FFN) by Daruku Janubu DP x YJ | Gen | Discontinued |CW: Post-dissection fic Within the cargo box of a missing truck, the team found something that would redefine their view on justice. For sometimes, believing you are doing what is right makes innocent people suffer; and sometimes, saving people's lives is not enough to make you their hero.

Not the first YJ x DP fic I ever read but this is the first one I remember really sticking with me. Warning for heavy content but lovely style. Also, coincidentally, by the artist who drew the cover which first enticed me into checking out Turning Tables. Because life, like fic, is sometimes very well written.

The Heart of a Hero (FFN) by Rookey DP x YJ | Gen | Hiatus/ Discontinued | Post TUE AU With the whole world blaming him for an accident that killed thousands, Danny Fenton finds himself living day-to-day in a rather peaceful city he thought to be widely overlooked by the Justice League. But the heart of a hero knows no bounds, and Danny finds staying hidden to be much harder than he anticipated; especially when Happy Harbor isn't nearly as "overlooked" as he thought.

Control (FFN) by nikodark DP x YJ | Gen | Abandoned | CW: kidnapping & violence Dick Grayson gets kidnapped a lot. A whole lot. We all know that tired trope. But this time he gets kidnapped by a ghost.

The Half-Finished, Half-Assed Guide to Being Half-Dead: By a Half-Ghost (AO3) by ItsyBitsyBatsySpider DP x YJ | Gen | Ongoing Dick Grayson is thrown into a world he didn't even know existed, with powers that he can barely understand, and Danny Fenton did not expect to become a ghost mentor when the Justice League came knocking on his door.

Red Eyes (FFN) by art-is-a-bang-yeah DP x YJ | Gen | Complete | Post TUE AU | CW: abuse During a benefit Bruce and his charge meet Vlad masters and his son Daniel, a boy with blood red eyes. When Bruce notices a few things seem off about the teen, he decides he should investigate and what he discovers is much darker than he thought possible.

Ghost of A Chance (AO3) by MirrorandImage TT x DP | Gen | Complete | CW: PTSD & former abuse At a financial gala, Robin finds a curious girl who only has one thing to say: "Tell Danny I'm alive."

Other fandoms and crossovers

E.Nigma Investigations (AO3) by Gh0stWriter, zorasublime (Dr_Skeletons) Batman Elseworld | Gen | Series | Quasi-1940s Noir Mystery Recently-reformed and even more recently-released from Arkham Asylum, Edward Nigma is struggling to find work as a Private Eye. A changed Gotham greets him; marred by the scars of a harrowing catastrophe that put real fear into the public and shifted the dynamic of the Rogues. Cobblepot is on the rise and, with the Joker leaving burned bridges in his wake, the city's underworld is more dangerous for Harley Quinn than she wants to believe. Police, doctors and former friends on all sides, suspiciously-specific fires breaking out in the slums and Whispers of something more horrifying on the horizon. What a time to try to go straight.

What the Cat Dragged In (AO3) by Kryal Miraculous Ladybug x Early MCU | Gen | Complete Tony's pretty sure it's written into cosmic law somewhere: superheroes are not supposed be cute. Apparently, no one's told these two. He’s okay with that.

They're Us (FFN) by Goldenbrook15 Young Justice x Justice League Unlimited | Gen | Abandoned When Young Justice’s Team land themselves in another dimension by accident and then manage to escape the entire Justice League (who strangely don't know them at all) and flee into the world outside, Batman can only come to one conclusion, "They're us, from a different world."

Happytown (AO3) by TMBrown Zootopia | Gen | Complete | Buddy-cop investigation A special assignment leads Judy and Nick into a tangled web of history in Nick's childhood home, while Judy deals with the consequences of her fame back in Bunnyburrow.

Good Neighbors (AO3) by PitViperOfDoom My Hero Academia | Gen | Series | Complete | Leverage AU Sometimes you miss your calling, but that doesn't mean you won't find it again in an unexpected place.

the family brooklyn (AO3) by tactfulGnostalgic Spider-man: Into the Spiderverse | Gen | Series | Complete A series of fics set in the Spiderverse, about home and its variations.

Developmental Milestones (AO3) by audreycritter Batman (comics) | Gen | Complete | OC Centric Dr. Kiran Devabhaktuni is a neurosurgeon. He's the neurosurgeon that cut a tumor out of Bruce Wayne's skull. At first, Dev was just coming around for tea with Alfred. But somehow he's now working as the doctor for the Wayne Family. And the Wayne family? Also the Batman Family.

I don’t usually recommend OC-centric fics but Dev is one of the best support characters I have ever encountered. 10/10 very good Batdoctor.

Demonology and the Tri-Phasic Model of Trauma: An Integrative Approach (AO3) by Nnm Good Omens (TV) | Gen | Complete As soon as Aubrey Thyme, psychotherapist, had opened her office door and seen her new client, Anthony J. Crowley, sitting in her waiting area, she was observing and assessing him. At first glance, she paid attention to the following: --His clothing was expensive and stylish; --He wore very strange but noticeable cologne; --His relationship to the seat he occupied could only, very loosely, be described as “sitting;” --He looked angry; --He was wearing sunglasses. What Aubrey Thyme, a professional, thought, upon first seeing her new client was: you’re going to be a fun one, aren’t you?

Other media recs

Going to finish off with a little tangent (as is my wont). Sometimes I get the sense that Deathly Weapons is built a little different from the average crossover fic, and I think part of it is that I draw a fair bit of inspiration and stylistic influence from traditionally published media across a bunch of genres. Here are a few of those:

Works that directly influenced Deathly Weapons

The Millennium Trilogy Book Series | Mystery/ Modern Noir | Trilogy | Complete | CW: MA15+ Millennium publisher Mikael Blomkvist has made his reputation exposing corrupt establishment figures. Enigmatic delinquent security specialist Lisbeth Salander is a genius computer hacker who tolerates no restrictions placed on her by individuals, society or the law. They were men who hated women, and she was the woman who hates men who hate women.

This is one of my favourite mystery/ crime series and provided a fair amount of inspiration for DW in terms of structural, tonal and stylistic elements (especially in chapters like the Prologue and Phenomenon). People familiar with this series might recognise some direct stylistic homages in future chapters. Trigger warning: This series deals heavily in subjects of bigotry (especially misogyny), abuse (personal, sexual and institutional) and violence against women, and includes explicit depictions and discussions. MA15+, reader discretion is advised.

The Kingkiller Chronicles Book Series | Fantasy | Trilogy | Incomplete (2/3 Published) I have stolen princesses back from sleeping barrow kings. I burned down the town of Trebon. I have spent the night with Felurian and left with both my sanity and my life. I was expelled from the University at a younger age than most people are allowed in. I tread paths by moonlight that others fear to speak of during day. I have talked to Gods, loved women, and written songs that make the minstrels weep. My name is Kvothe. You may have heard of me

One of my favourite fantasy series, and a big inspiration in terms of prose and style as well as some character dynamics. Fans may recognise direct homages in some of DW’s chapter titles, such as Roads to Safe Places and Ill-Lit Ships.

The Book Thief Book | Historical Fiction | CW: War, Nazism/ Antisemitism, Death It’s just a small story really, about, among other things: a girl; some words; an accordionist; some fanatical Germans; a Jewish fist-fighter; and quite a lot of thievery. I saw the book thief three times.

This book has my all-time favourite prose in terms of lyricism and imagery, as well as its ability to speak to loss and find beauty in the human condition even under horrific circumstances. I sometimes re-read it as part of preparation for writing emotionally heavy chapters like Roads to Safe Places, and fans might recognise some direct stylistic homages.

Avatar: The Last Airbender TV Series (Animated) | Fantasy/ Martial Arts In a war-torn world of elemental magic, a young boy reawakens to undertake a dangerous mystic quest to fulfill his destiny as the Avatar, and bring peace to the world.

What can I say about A:TLA that hasn’t already been said by a million other writers and story analysts? I certainly took some structural and emotional cues from this show and the discussions around it when planning DW’s overarching story.

Other ones you might like

I’m going to bundle Psychonauts 2, Leverage and Spiderman: Into the Spiderverse together as I have discussed them at length in another recommendation post but if you enjoyed any of the story flavours in Young Justice Season 1 then these will probably scratch some similar itches.

If you like young adult spy stories that are played more for tension/ intrigue than fantasy then you may enjoy the Alex Rider book series. I reread the first book, Stormbreaker, while working on the last third of the Black Gold mission.

The Bartimaeus Sequence is a very entertaining series of YA Urban Fantasy political intrigues featuring magic and demons, narrated mostly by a djinn who has some pointed comments to make about humanity. Those who like their Urban Fantasy with intrigue/ crime elements, villain protagonists and/or banter may also like the Artemis Fowl series (YMMV on the last 2 books, which were written later and somewhat divisive for their shift in style and focus).

Speaking of morally ambiguous intrigue-heavy Urban Fantasy, the Death Note manga is a fun cat-and-mouse murder-thriller between two ruthless strategists.

Fullmetal Alchemist is another deservedly well-renowned modern fantasy manga with mystery/ political intrigue elements, which has some broad-strokes overlaps with A:TLA in terms of structure, tone and general thesis on humanity.

Spiritfarer is a cozy indie management game about dying. This might seem like a bit of a dark horse offering but a major component of DW Arc II’s planned main character thread is about the journey through (and specificity of) grief. If that is something you enjoy then Spiritfarer is a concentrated dose of that in an exceptionally executed, insightful, gentle and touching form, with a gorgeous soundtrack.

Another dark horse offering coming in to land (heh) is Air Crash Investigations (also known as Mayday: Air Disaster), a documentary series about aviation forensics. As discussed here, it’s a very good example of fair-mystery style investigative storytelling grounded in human tragedy - especially from Season 11 onwards. Fair warning: if you have issues with planes or flying then you may want to tread carefully here.

And with that I think we’ll stop for now. Hope you find something you like in the list. Please feel free to add on any recs of your own!

#also shoutout to Keys to the Kingdom and Dragon Booster who I was knocked flat to realised parts of DW's climax/ending was riffing on #young justice: deathly weapons #young justice #danny phantom #fanfic reccomendation #fic recs #YJ fanfic recs #DP fanfic recs #YJ Meta #DP Meta #mygoldfishateit #3WD Answers

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threewaysdivided · 1 year

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a part of your story i’m really hyped for!! i want to see cujo and wolf interact, if you’re planning on it! also, seems like zatanna knows what’s up with the GZ due to that ‘thought you’d go for something more purple’ comment, and i’m REALLY excited to see that come to fruition. hope this cheered you up a bit!! there’s so much i’m excited for, but mostly i’m excited to see where you take things. you have a really great perception and in-depth knowledge of the fanon and canon for both YJ and DP, so reading deadly weapons has been great fun.

Aww, thank you!

Now, as for things coming up in Deathly Weapons:

Cujo and Wolf are each planned to have scenes in later chapters and shenanigans will ensue for both, but at present those two particular doggos are unlikely to cross paths. One the other hand, there is a different canine compadre of confusingly similar name, who Wolf may run across as we move towards the late-game.

When it comes to our favourite backwards magic child... Usually I would be tempted to tease with some ambiguous wording about how ~oOoOoh you might be onto something~, but in this case I think I need to walk myself to the stocks and clarify that I dun goofed. Because I am crotchety and not-at-all hip with the youth.

The 'I thought you'd go for something more purple' line in Chapter 16 was actually meant to be Zatanna making a reference to a very old pulp/ newspaper comic superhero. A character called The Phantom, also referred to as "The Ghost Who Walks" and sometimes going by the civilian cover name of "Mister Walker" hence why DW's Phantom responds to her by joking that 'Walker's already taken' - a nod to both him and DP's own ghost-warden Walker has appeared in news-print comics since late 1930's. He actually pre-dates all of the DC comics characters as the first wide-print hero depicted in a skin-tight leotard and white-eyed domino mask. In a way he's sort of a proto-Batman, as well as being one of the earliest legacy heroes. The Phantom still runs as a daily newspaper strip as of 2022, in addition to a handful of comic-book issues released over the years (one of which was done by DC themselves).

The main point, though, is that The Phantom was actually the first "comics superhero" I was ever exposed to, thanks to my Dad's love of catching the weekend comics strips back when print newspapers were still a thing I was a kid, and I didn't realise how niche and obscure he was until I posted that joke and exactly zero people got it. All you really need to know is that his leotard is exceptionally purple.

Sadly that means no dice on Zee currently knowing more about ghosts that she does in canon. However, as mentioned previously, I have been looking to give her a little mini-arc (as sort of an apology gift for her treatment in i terribili sequels) so her not knowing much now doesn't mean she isn't going to end up knowing more later. Watch this space, especially when there are signs of mystical ghosty business afoot.

Tell me about a thing you’re hype for IRL, a part of my story you’re really looking forward to OR send a 🌻 for a flower photo

#young justice: deathly weapons #positivity ask game #thanks for playing 💜#mygoldfishateit #3WD answers #Chapter 16 #Second Impressions #Have some trivia as an apology for my inability to make current and understandable references #failing to make jokes is my oldest and most reliable signature move #I have ended up with a weird number of headcanons about Zee learning ghost magic #(especially to do with how it would place her relative to my headcanons for the dynamic between Clockwork and Nabu)#but all of that will be Meta-text for DW's actual story so feel free to Kill the Author kids #Anyway the mundane lore of the DW!verse is that The Phantom comics were printed on Earth16 and Zee is aware of them via Zatara's newsreadin #(also - fun fact: if you align YJ's canon timeline to real time I would be in the same rough age range as The OG Team.)#(Ergo my bad highschool memes are plausible. I was there Gandalf. I remember what it was to be teenaged in 2010.)

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