I think I want to make a Jason Todd video for my Everything Is Lit series. I want to address how disrespectful DC is towards his character.
But I don't want this to be a fan rant. I want to approach this from a literature analysis perspective that outlines the inconsistencies with how Jason is portrayed in their media versus how they market him.
The thing is, this is going to require me to read a lot more than I frankly want to, and I'll also have to lay out some lit analysis basics for the notorious comics fans who lack (or eschew) literacy. Because of this, this "video" will probably have to be a series.
I would love your help. You can link things in the comments, DM me, or send me an ask, I don't care which:
Send me videos of people already doing this kind of literature review or character analysis if you have any. (Do not send me tiktoks, I do not have an account so I cannot watch them.)
Share non comics Jason Todd media with me that you find interesting or relevant to this discussion. For example, if you think his portrayal in Gotham Knights is worth mentioning, let me know! Bonus points if you have easy-to-access descriptions (e.g. screen shots of Jason's bio in Gotham Knights) for reference. That will help in case I can't watch or play the thing myself.
If you've seen my videos, let me know what approach you think would be appropriate for a video/series like this. For example, does bringing in examples of meta/fandom behavior like I did in my It Doesn't Exist video on Goncharov make sense for this? Should I bring in point for point comparisons to similar characters like I did in Joker Is A Hero? I promise this isn't just a shameless plug for my series, I just appreciate the feedback. This video/series will be important to me (and hopefully you, too).
Check out this post every so often, as I'll be updating it as I progress with scripting.
I appreciate this fandom so much. Even when we disagree, I appreciate how much love we all pour into this space and the characters. This is as much for Jason as it is for all of you. Thank you in advance!
Video structure (in progress)
Publication history, with emphasis on the gap between Dick and Jason's debuts
A quick definition of DC's canon timelines
Review of key literary concepts: authorial intent, showing vs telling, characterization via DNA (dialogue, narrative, action)
Fan theory: M3GAN and The Black Phone were rejected Five Nights at Freddy's scripts.
I think that as Blumhouse tinkered around with what the FNAF movie would finally look like, there were so many ideas that ended up not going into the film that someone came along and made two other films out of the scraps. Points to consider:
All 3 films released in the same year. This indicates to me that they were in production around the same time.
All 3 films were announced to have sequels in the same year.
The three films are thematically linked, specifically with the premise of a girl who is special for some reason with an older family member trying to protect that girl.
The Black Phone in particular features a serial killer who kidnaps and tortures children, set in the 1970s, with supernatural elements — including ghost children who try to help the main character. These are elements that are essential to the FNAF lore.
M3GAN features an animatronic that becomes sentient and fixates on protecting her owner, a girl who has lost her parents, by killing any perceived threat. We see this show up in the actual FNAF film.
I wanted to make an EIL video about this but never got around to it, so here's a freebie. Let me know what you think!
Our three main characters (Bruce, Clark, and Lex) form a triad reminiscent of Paradise Lost. Our God figure (Superman) must contend with the responsibility he shoulders and the expectations of others. The Devil figure (Batman) diametrically opposes him in theme, method, and stance, and consigns himself to taking down the God. And Lex fashions himself as the Man figure, who must use the Devil to conquer God and claim the world for himself. What's fitting is that all three see themselves as the heroes of the story (though it's important to note that none of them see themselves as good). Bruce and Lex switch roles in the final act because Bruce acknowledges Clark's humanity.
The haunting architecture, cool color scheme, smoky and damp scenes, and fusions of magic and science underscore this as a folktale by narrowing our focus almost claustrophobically on these characters and their interactions. The moral seems to be that pride and fear will lead to our downfall.
2. Women at the center
Both the meta text and the context center women, despite Superman and Batman often being coded as hypermasculine and thus presented almost exclusively for the male gaze. This film, however, presents its leads sensually, which caters traditionally to the female gaze. We see romance between Clark and Lois (not sex), we see soft contours when Bruce trains (not hard lines), we see gentle, consensual touches when Bruce dances with Diana (not grabbing). (Keep in mind that this is all heteronormative because we're talking in binaries.)
Within the text, the female characters are also the ones who further the plot. Lois uncovers the plot to frame Superman. At the end, she's the one who knows exactly where the kryptonite spear is (because she tossed it in the water). Diana foils Bruce's attempt to steal Lex's files, and in the end helps defeat Doomsday. And Martha (though not consensually) is the entire reason Superman and Batman come to a truce. Even Senator Finch provides a voice of reason that has to be snuffed out for Lex to proceed with his plans. (And I have to point out that Holly Hunt plays Senator Finch, who advocates for oversight of Superman's activities but rejects Lex's plans to research and use kryptonite. She also plays Elastigirl/Helen Par in The Incredibles, which is largely about supers having to go into hiding because they are liabilities, with the villain trying to commoditize superpowers to make everyone super. Though the sequel hadn't come out when BvS was released, it is about supers coming back in a more regulated way but then corporate greed takes over.)
3. A retelling of Gilgamesh and Enkidu
I got this idea from someone else's fanfic, and as soon as I remember the name of it I'll link it and the author. I provide specific quotes from the epic with gifs from BvS and Justice League here, but the long and short of it is that the gods created Gilgamesh to be this perfect being and ruler of men; then, because he was a menace, created Enkidu to be his friend/lover and rival. They're both excited when they hear about each other and fight when they first meet. Gilgamesh defeats Enkidu and wins his friendship and respect, and together they become unstoppable.
My raw notes are below the cut and go into more depth but are way less organized.
Modern gothic themes: location, dark/magic artifact, doppelganger/duality, deal with the devil, science used for evil
Other themes: Paradise Lost paradigm (God/human/devil), duality of man, defining "natural"
God/Devil:
this duality is set up in the juxtaposition of how Kahini describes Superman and the trafficking victims describe Batman. Kahini describes the sky cracking/opening and fire raining down (godlike imagery) and asks how he (Superman) decides whose lives matter. One of the victims says that a devil (Batman) has saved them and still lingers in the area, and shows that they're afraid to leave.
Later, it's revealed that Batman brands criminals which makes them targets by other criminals, and one of Kahini's neighbors says that Batman is angrier and meaner now.
Batman asks Supes if he bleeds (because if it bleeds it can die).
God/Man:
Lex positions himself as the icon of man and resolves to defeat Superman the god through wit and invention. He carefully maneuvers all the pieces in play to have his way, eventually causing Batman and Superman to fight, which is a win/win scenario for him. As he says, God this bends to his will. However, by creating Doomsday with a literal blood sacrifice (precursor to Superboy????) he makes a deal with the devil and thus becomes the devil character in this paradigm.
In Bruce's recognition of Clark's humanity, he reclaims the role of the man figure.
Man/Devil and the duality of man:
Bruce has to wrestle with his own demons to see clearly. He is aligned with Lex Luthor so much throughout the majority of the film that Lex eventually falls back to let Batman kill Supes for him. Also, Bruce's response to seeing Wallace get himself and several other people killed trying to hurt Superman in his own grief and rage is to double down, rather than take it as the cautionary tale it is.
Alfred warns him in the beginning that anger and helplessness will breed cruelty in good men, and Bruce is haunted by nightmares.
He keeps Jason's suit just outside his changing room as a constant reminder of what his mission has cost.
He claims that killing Superman will be the only thing in his life that matters, not, as Alfred points out, "20 years of fighting criminals," indicating he's lost faith.
Interesting stuff:
Lex knows who Superman and Batman are from the very beginning, as indicated by him inviting them both to the gala, and holds those cards very close to his chest until the very end of the film. He clearly wanted them to meet (and jokes that Bruce shouldn't fight Clark and suggests he and Bruce can work together on the future).
At the gala, when Clark asks Bruce about his thoughts on Batman operating outside the law, Bruce doesn't defend Batman. Instead, he uses a straw man argument that Superman is just as bad.
If Lois hadn't thrown the spear into the water, nobody would have known where it was. It likely would have been buried under rubble.
Batman and Superman seem to just resign themselves to being bad. Bruce doesn't argue for his goodness or seem to consider himself worth much; Clark seeks solace after being criticized for all the collateral damage and eschews Superman as an idealistic remnant of his father. Meanwhile Lois actually tries to absolve herself through action, namely investigating LexCorp.
Holly Hunt plays Senator Finch, who advocates for oversight of Superman's activities but rejects Lex's plans to research and use kryptonite. She also plays Elastigirl/Helen Par in the Incredibles, which is largely about supers having to go into hiding because they are liabilities with the villain trying to commoditize superpowers to make everyone super; the sequel is about supers coming back in a more regulated way but corporate greed taking over.
Future of DCEU:
Injustice Superman as per Bruce's dream/vision of the black ops people wearing the El sigil and someone from the future telling Bruce he was right.
Superboy, prophesied by Lex trying to combine his and Kryptonian DNA.
A new Robin???, there's an insinuation that Batman has lost a Robin and if they're following the Beyond theme of having Tim become Joker then we could see either Terry or Damian; otherwise if it's Jason who died maybe we'll get Tim.
Major Farris exists, so Green Lantern (Hal Jordan specifically) may be coming.
We have 6 Justice League members – seventh could be GL or Manhunter????
I'm thinking about starting to livestream me doing lit analysis on things like movie trailers, ads, and whatever else would be interesting and not traditionally considered literature. For example, I'd love to react to and analyze the trailer for Jordan Peele's new movie HIM.
Recently read the Impostor Jason arc of '96 Nightwing, and besides being incredibly weird, it got surprisingly deep –
– like this scene, in which psychiatrist Clancy has to spell out for Dick that Jason is impersonating him because idolizes him (and Dick had gone missing for a year because Infinite Crisis shenanigans) and he legit Doesn't Get It™️,
and this one a second later, in which Clancy asks if Nightwing (Dick) lowkey wants to retire and sees Jason as an out...which is strangely parallel to how he ponders quitting being Robin in "The New Teen Titans" and eventually sees Jason as an out/successor,
and this one where Jason is trapped inside a mind-reading spider slug alien thing (like I said, fucking bizarre), and his subconscious takes the form of Dick/Nightwing (left) because he thinks big brother can save him. Bonus points for projection Dick being pretty mean to Jay, which goes to show how Jay thinks of their relationship,
and how even under duress Jason subconsciously refuses to reveal Nightwing's secret identity.
I hesitate to say this arc is good, but it's fun??? and weirdly deep sometimes. (Shoutout to the line of symmetry between Dick and Jason going up against a pair of metahuman twins with opposite powers, and one's a hothead while the other is cunning.)
A truism is a statement that is inherently correct but completely banal or cliche. Usually it is said to sound profound but once the audience sits with the statement, they realize how hollow or meaningless it is. In this case, this is just a simple truth: there are 2 hydrogen atoms in one molecule of water and only one star in the solar system (the sun). There is nothing profound or symbolic about that.
Truisms are usually used to be funny on purpose. They make for good memes!
