#pj holt

[s-darling-art]

Sticker versions of my tiny teen titans

[littlemissonewhoisall]

I’m having a lot of thoughts about a superhero named “Fairplay” being autistic and how interesting that could be if they played on the high sensitivity to unfairness in autistic people, the way that he was abused by Granny Goodness, and how that all might affect him as a character…

but I also know that it’s probably just there to make him seem like a genius savant and it almost certainly isn’t gonna inform any nuance or depth to his character.

[cer-rata]

"Reasonable Expectations"

Art by @salagubees

...Idk I just think they're neat.

[artandbrimstone]

fairplay teen titans I can’t wait to see more of you I hope you’re silly

[batgirl3000]

i am actually SOOOOO excited for this line up… because i have whimsy and hope in my soul i believe this is gonna be a good book YAY

[bobbinalong]

DC K.O.: The Kids are All Fight Special #1

the all fight special was okay at best, forgettable at worst but i did really like this page

[castlewyvern]

New Teen Titans by Daniele Di Nicuolo

[dcdreamblog]

So, you implied that you're an individual with autism in your article about Mirror Master. Are there any heroes with autism who you admire?

The unfortunate answer I have to give here is "no". A confluence of circumstances surrounding how private most superhero lives are and the fact that the public understanding of autism and related spectrum disorders has been increasing in leaps and bounds inside my lifetime means that there aren't any publically confirmed examples of a superhero being on the autism spectrum that is also old enough for them to have been around when I was a child.

The only possible example, that I'm sure many of you are thinking of by now is...at BEST the excuses of a very, very sick man. And at worst an outright fabrication meant to elicit sympathy for a villain who has done an unconscionable amount of harm.

But we can cancel that out with a brand NEW example who will hopefully be paving the way for a better understanding of autistic heroes in following generations.

(An artistic rendition of Aquaman dueling Black Manta by Lucas Meyer, found on reddit)

If you were to hear Black Manta tell his own tale the beginning portion would consist of a sob story surrounding his early orphan years, institutionalized from the already overtaxed foster system due to a low functioning form of autism that saw him deeply pained when in contact with most common materials save for the sensation of being entirely immersed in water. The point where I call bullshit revolves around his insistence that not only was his CHILDHOOD institutionalization conducted at ARKHAM ASYLUM, a mental health facility that has never included small children among its roster because why on God's green Earth would it?! But also that a mad science-esque "medical experiment" conducted by an unidentified doctor "cured" him of basically all mental, physical and emotional symptoms of the disability before the beginning of his life of crime.

This contrasts with AQUAMAN'S version of events, where Black Manta was very much NOT an orphan and in fact the son of low grade pirate Jesse Hyde, whose death during a confrontation with Aquaman in his pre-heroic life caused the young man to swear vengeance on the nascent sea king. This is more heavily supported by...EVERYTHING observable about Manta's life and capabilities. Where he is known not only as a technical genius but also an eloquent speaker, accomplished martial artist, and callous murderer (including of Aquaman's firstborn son).

The autism "story" is at best an open fabrication meant to try and summon sympathetic ears, Black Manta being one of the supervillains whose open and violent antipathy toward his heroic counterpart is most pronounced. Anything he can do to hurt Aquaman's reputation, standing or emotions is an avenue he will take with relish.

Taking a wider view, there is of course RAMPANT speculation as to the spectrum disorders that might apply to any hero you can name. I've heard names as diverse as the 2nd Flash, the first Green Lantern, Cyborg, the original Sandman and Mister Terrific just to name a few. Now of course NONE of those are confirmed. Multiple of them CAN'T be confirmed. And those are just the most realistic ones. I've heard the idea that the MARTIAN MANHUNTER could be on the spectrum which doesn't even make SENSE because Autism is a human developmental disorder and wouldn't occur in a man who doesn't even share the same CELLULAR STRUCTURE as a human being let alone our fetal development cycle.

Mister Terrific, however, has provided us with our first confirmed example in the form of his son and newly minted sidekick Fairplay. While it's early days yet, Fairplay has racked up an impressive array of accomplishments that are still being written. So while *I* might not have had an autistic hero to admire. The generations that come after me almost certainly will, and he will almost certainly not be the last.