Dear YJ Fest Writer 2017

[maeve_of_winter]

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Dear YJ Fest Writer,

Please excuse me if I ramble on a little bit. Don't get worried when I talk about the comics--I know this fest is about the TV show! :)

If you’d like to read about the history Gar’s character, or that of the various Terras, I found a very long and detailed analysis here.

Gar Logan is definitely my favorite DC character of all time. One recurring theme in later comics books and adaptations that continually frustrates me is when Gar is shown as incompetent, completely lame, or a total joke to make other heroes look more cool. I’d really like to have a fic where Gar’s leadership and/or strategy abilities are emphasized, as well as his kindness and generosity.

I loved his characterization in Wolfman and Perez’s New Teen Titans comic book: he runs his father’s company in his absence, he’s still traumatized from losing the Doom Patrol, he falls for Terra only to be betrayed by her, and then his pain from losing her is resurrected when Terra II comes along. I like that as friendly as he seems, he still has a dark side, as seen when he kills Madame Rouge and attempts to kill Slade Wilson. I also liked that Slade was sort of Gar’s mentor for a while.

One aspect of his character that's been shoehorned in during recent years which I really don't like is Gar's worries that he's becoming more animal than human. To me, this is a very forced, contrived conflict at best, and is less writers actually looking at Gar's past and personality than a case of writers deciding that his powers would automatically bring him these worries. I despised Geoff Johns's run of the Teen Titans comics as well as the animated series for including. It's an incredibly inorganic characterization that reeks of writers desperately searching for some sort of fresh new angst to give to a character rather than actually examining the character's background and history.


General Likes
Characters being badass, characters surprising other people with their talents/competence, iron woobie/determinator who refuses to quit no matter what kind of horrible stuff life throws at them, characters turning the table on someone who's trying to trick them, characters fighting for and earning their happy ending, hurt/comfort, angst, pushing forward through/after a trauma, characters being put through secret tests of trust and passing them, characters making enormous personal sacrifices to save others, characters being recognized for their accomplishments, characters revealing hidden pasts/traits/skills, and characters offering compassion to those who need it.


DNWs
Homophobia, biphobia, bi erasure, issue fic, misogyny, character-bashing, Raven or Damian Wayne being included as characters, Raven/Beast Boy, animalistic!Gar.

Ships
You certainly do not have include ships, but if you like, feel free. The only ships I would prefer not receive are Gar/M'gann, Gar/Raven, or Gar/Terra.


Prompts
I enjoy the idea of Gar having the full range of Martian powers, and if you think about it, with Miss Martian's blood, he should already have them. Feel free to include this aspect in any fic. Or if you want to write a fic with J'onn or another member of the Justice League coaching him onto use his abilities, go right ahead.

A fic with Gar killing Madame Rouge as he did in the comics and the rest of the team reacting to it. When Gar was sixteen years old, he killed Madame Rouge in a fit of madness, and immediately regretted his actions, denouncing the idea of murder as revenge. Yet even though most of his teammates, particularly Wally and Dick, would have had an issue with him killing someone, we never see their reactions. I'd like a fic about Gar killing a villain or common criminal either by accident or simply in self-defense, and the rest of the superhero community reacting to him. What do his teammates think? Is the Justice League more wary of him and deciding he needs to be assigned a mentor to monitor him? Maybe heroes unassociated with the League actually congratulate him on it, which upsets and confuses Gar?

Gar is a young teen (thirteen years old, and the youngest on the team) who has gone through enormous trauma. He's recently lost his mother and has had his life ENORMOUSLY altered. Maybe a fic with him working through the major changes in his life and coping with the resulting trauma?

An AU where Gar is working for the bad guys, either through brainwashing, desperation, or being forced into it, and then helping save the world (or similar) during a crisis and being welcomed to the team.

Along the same lines, an AU where Queen Bee raises Gar to be an agent of the Light or an assassin, but Gar defects and becomes one of the good guys.

I enjoy characters with dark pasts or inner turmoil, and I also like villains having a fascination for heroes. Maybe a villain is trying to sway or tempt Gar to the dark side, or something happens that Gar’s friends or other heroes begin worrying about this happening.

Gar is a character who I feel is often unfairly stereotyped and dismissed. Possibly a five times fic where a hero or villain underestimated Gar, only to have him prove them wrong? Or if you just want to have Gar interacting with other heroes and solving crises, that would be wonderful!

I would love a fic with Gar proving his competence to people, always being the team member with a plan, or simply being the supportive figure other characters can go to with their problems. I would love something with Gar proving himself to the rest of the team.

Thank you so much for reading my letter! I really appreciate you taking the time.