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Dbda - Blog Posts
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Ooh, now that we’ve seen N!Edwin and DP!Edwin talk about Feelings could we see the same with N!Charles and DP!Charles?
As simple as that.
Edwins version
ko-fi
finally got around to the dead boy detectives episode of doom patrol.
I absolutely love that Edwin Payne is a huge bitch in every continuity 🤣 MY BOY
I love how Larry saw Edwin and Charles and immediately went "these bitches gay. good for them"
underated part of the dead patrol episode is that edwin gets called “judgey harry potter” which is not only hilarious but also a lowkey accurate comparison
Role Reversal. Charles is from 1916. Edwin is from the 80s. Charles dresses formally, maybe a nice waistcoat. Edwin has a modest alternative look going. Charles, after 70 years in hell, smiles through anything to keep from looking broken. Edwin, who'd been living during the HIV/AIDS crisis, would never breathe of or process his sexuality. Maybe they still maintain their brain and brawn dynamic. People just get really confused when this kid gentleman is great at fisticuffs and pulls boxing gloves (or knuckle dusters!) from his bag. They get intimidated by the looks of this dark-clothed twink that chills everyone with a bitchy look and a little spellcasting.
Something about how they still find each other, and themselves, in every universe no matter the circumstances.
insane how people act like charles is ‘the jealous one’ like edwin didnt spend the whole first episode screaming crying throwing up every time charles looked at crystal and not him
Dead Boy Detectives | Season One (2024) insp.
may I suggest school spirits ? it another ghost/mystery TV shows that takes place in a high school.
The plot is simple: Maddie is transformed as a ghost and is stuck in her highschool along other students and teachers who died her as well. she doesn't remember how she died and with the help of her (living) best friend she tries to solve the mystery of her death.
The second season is still being aired (last episode is out tomorrow!!!). There is good queer rep and a great soundtrack as well. Definitely check I out.
seconding (thirding?) the ask that suggested shifting efforts to uplifting other supernatural/mysterious queer media! if anyone has recs of things that scratch a similar itch, i’d love to see them in the replies! i would personally recommend cemetery boys by aidan thomas to anyone looking for something with dbda vibes
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i don't think that hearstopper or red white and royal blue are not made for queer people. it is just that they are about being queer rather than directly for queer people.
hearstopper, especially, is about teenage queer experiences (first love, coming out, discovering your identities...). while dead boy detectives plot doesn't revolve around the queerness of the characters, since its a detective show.
and rwrb is something else, even. I would say it represent an in-between: although important part of the plot focuses on alex's sexuality crisis, the subplot revolve around politics and international relationship.
rwrb represents the middle ground of the queer media venn diagram. It panders to straight people by offering a clear and distinct representation with some explanation of queer identities while having queer characters whose identities don't solely revolve around being queer.
i say that we need all of those kind of stories, some like hearstopper, some like dead boy detectives and some like red and white and royal blue, because they serve different purposes.
while stories like hearstopper help straight audiences or young queer people to understand queerness and its diversity and struggles, shows like dead boy detectives further humanizes LGBTQ+people by representing them in casual yet meaningful ways with all of the nuances that come with being queer.
as someone who is a huge fan of other queer content (like heartstopper and red, white and royal blue), dead boy detectives feels so incredibly different.
despite how much i love those two, they don’t feel like they’re made for queer people.
in a lot of ways, they feel like media made for cishet people about queer and trans people which is fine and doesn’t make it unenjoyable, but dbda has a totally different feel to it.
it feels like queer media made FOR queer people.
they have so much nuance to their characters and don’t shy away from it. charles openly flirts with both edwin and crystal despite the fact that he never says anything about his sexuality and edwin’s backstory doesn’t try to hide the horrifying way that queer people were treated historically and i think that’s really important.
though he is very clearly repressed, he is still unapologetically queer. he showcases his jealousy loudly and there is no doubt in the viewer’s mind that he is queer even for a moment.
same with monty and the cat king. they’re so vibrantly and boldly queer. monty begins flirting with edwin nearly the moment we see him and as does tck. what i really appreciate about tck is his gender nonconformity. i think that’s so important and i honestly really appreciate that they don’t even mention it.
with tck in particular, his actions can be considered rather predatory, but we never really feel like that’s due to his queerness which is FASCINATING because that is a really harmful stereotype of queer people, but it never feels like that’s what they’re going for or like they’re using it to demonize queerness.
with jenny, she says so casually that she’s attracted to women and it’s not even something that they have to discuss again. it’s such an unimportant aspect of her character, but it’s still so unabashedly there. i love that niko doesn’t even say anything about it when she learns, she just accepts her, no questions asked.
even with simon, he very clearly discusses his sexuality in E7 when he tells edwin that he liked him, but he never has to say the words. we just KNOW contextually because he talks around it. he i would argue that he is the only instance of a character discussing shame in their identity and it immediately results in one of the loveliest quotes in the show.
“if you punish yourself, everywhere becomes hell.”
he has spent over a century repressing himself and when he finally tells edwin, the boy he liked and treated terribly because of it, he is immediately told that it is not torture to be queer. he is immediately told that there is nothing wrong with his sexuality.
the confession scene btwn edwin and charles in E7 and the scene in E6 where edwin is TRYING to confess are so fucking important to me. nearly immediately, charles tells edwin that it doesn’t make any difference that he’s queer and that he accepts him. when he does confess, he doesn’t make him feel bad for it. he tells him that he loves him too, but that he can’t say he does in that way right now, but that he’s the most important person in his life and that that will never change.
the scene in E7 where they’re on the roof and edwin tries to apologize for potentially having made things awkward, charles shuts it down immediately. he says “it doesn’t.” and that’s the end of it.
this show exemplifies queerness through a queer light and it’s very clear who the intended audience is for dbda not to sound like i’m hating on the first two pieces of media (rwrb is literally one of my special interests, trust me, i adore them both), but maybe that’s why hs was given a third season and dbda was cancelled within five months of airing. i feel that these two pander to straight people in a lot of ways, but dbda doesn’t. it’s something that is incredibly important to me and i’m really happy about it.
so, edwin enlisting charles’ help in learning how to kiss, right?
charles being like, “all right. before we get started, show me what you think you know about kissing.”
and edwin looks at him nonplussed. “charles, i do not know anything about kissing. that is why we are taking part in this ex—”
“nah, mate, i know that. but, like, you’ve got to have some idea, yeah? like… what you’d do in 1908, or whatever.”
“i was eight years old in 1908.”
“you know what i mean!”
and edwin is all, “…fine.”
and he sort of… sits lost in thought for a minute. charles is expecting him to go in for a very chaste peck, or something. even a kiss on the cheek.
but edwin reaches for one of charles’ hands instead. picks it up delicately, curls his fingers around charles’ in a loose but undeniable hold that charles could pull free from, if he wanted.
edwin dips his head, and glances up at charles through his lashes as if for assent, and then he raises charles’ hand to press a brushing kiss to charles’ knuckles, not looking away all the while.
“charmed, i’m certain, mr. rowland,” he murmurs, still bent low over charles’ hand.
and just as quickly, he’s let charles’ hand drop again, is withdrawing his own back to his lap, looking at charles like he’s expecting to be graded.
and charles is like, what the fuck??? was that??? blushing. completely flustered. gobsmacked. taken out at the knees. can a hand kiss make him fall in love???
DEAD GIRL DETECTIVES
I just know that they got what was going on between them much faster
netflix… if i see you in the streets…
When I first started watching DBD I did NOT think that the repressed edwardian twink is gonna be the character I relate to the most but here we are...
This is so true and I fucking love it
i love the idea that part of the reason edwin is such a little bitch (affectionate) is that charles just fucking encourages it. the first time edwin gives him attitude in the attic (“because i wish not to” or something that) charles gives him the biggest heart eyes. and, like, edwin said he wasn’t great with people, so obviously he’s going off of charles’ responses to figure out how to interact with people. and charles very much likes it when edwin is bitchy.
which is why, when we see them in 2023, edwin is so cunty. because charles has spent 34 years fucking encouraging it and giving him heart eyes every time he acts like that.
"You're obsessed with me.."
I AM. I REALLY AM.
In addition:
The office's sofa
Things that have inspired countless fanfics and fan theories after only a few seconds of screen time:
the Cluedo games in the closet
the Cat King’s private audience chamber
Niko’s manga collection
Edwin’s maps of Hell
the boys as orbs
I love this fandom.
I wanna be sillies.
Hello dead boy detectives fandom! Let's do something fun again.
Sorry for the last few, I didn't have enough space for everyone so I had to group a few characters.
I might be controversial, I know a lot of people don't like it, but in my opinion Crystal dresses the best 💜💜🖤. Post amnesia Crystal too. Her outfits are loud and weird but that's what I like about them.
Bravo if anyone picked any of the last 3 options! Interesting choices👏👏👏.
Hey hey, Tumblr.
Pssst pssst pssst
Charles worshipping Edwin's scars.
I wish there were more fics that focused on them having physical scarring. Because there are so many interesting stuff we can do with it.
The insecurity, the trust you need for showing them.
And we already know Charles adores Edwin's flaws. He doesn't just accept them, he loves Edwin's flaws- him being bitchy and mean is genuinely a flaw and Charles loves that about him.
Charles would've loved kissing all of Edwin's scars👀 maybe scars from hell, or scars from being tied up.
He would've loved staring at him with heart eyes thinking he's the most perfect thing ever.
It doesn't have to be sexual, I just want them adoring each other's form. Loving each other's flaws and everything. Because they would. They would adore each other's flaws.
So. Just saying.
Living this out in the air.
If anyone wants to write that....
Please @ me.
On one hand, I love Crystal my girl and she deserves to appear in my case fic.
On the other hand, if I'd let her appear she would've defeated the villains in 2 seconds and take away all of my excuse for angst and Charles gay panicking over Edwin fencing, and then I'd have no plot.
I'm sorry my girl, you're simply too much the goat for this I'm afraid. I can't let you appear.
We can't always win.
My personal headcanon for how Crystal was able to go through airplanes security but didn't know her full name even though she needs her ID and such for this stuff-
Guys. Come on. She 100% had multiple fake IDs, are you kidding me?
In the show we see her going to a bar in the first episode, where David catches her again when she's hiding at the bathroom, and we know she's not a legal adult.
Crystal is 100% the kind of girl that had a bunch of fake IDs. Be for real.
She probably didn't have her real one on her. David must've left it behind and used just the fake ones to get into places.
She probably hypnotized people in the airport with her powers to not look deep into them and let her go pass security. (Not my original headcanon but I've seen it somewhere and I agree with it).
She probably had some cash on her too at the start, for the flights and one week's rent (she tells Jenny she has rent on her when she comes in, and "you're the only room in town I can maybe afford". So she might've had some cash in the beginning (she got some clothes too, didn't she?) but it has probably ran out during the show).
The real question is why the hell did they need 3 plane flights *and* a ferry?? Maybe it was for a comical punch. But that's still a bit weird. And such a waste.
Maybe the fact she didn't have all of her identification papers is what made them have to take a more complicated route.
This hold up for sure made Edwin get pissed too. He probably bitched about it to Charles the whole way.
Haven't posted in a while because sessional depression is no joke, but posted a new fic!
https://archiveofourown.org/works/62805880
Fluffy chorb one shot, Charles exhausted himself on a case and Edwin lectures him a bit :)
But he can never stay mad at Charles for long.
Under 1,000 words. Just a bit of domestic fluff for your heart.
Constant headaches I would probably have.
Another day, another Dead Boy Detectives question! ✨
In the hopes of getting the fandom tag trending and getting more eyes on Dead Boy Detectives, please use the tag "dead boy detectives" when you reblog to reply.
Today's question:
If you were a psychic, what do you think you would like least about your powers?
How much I can know and control my situation more thanks to that. I'd get power high.
Another day, another Dead Boy Detectives question! ✨
In the hopes of getting the fandom tag trending and getting more eyes on Dead Boy Detectives, please use the tag "dead boy detectives" when you reblog to reply.
Today's question:
If you were a psychic, what do you think you would like most about your powers?
You've probably heard that Dead Boy Detectives got cancelled.
What you maybe haven't heard is that there is an extremely active ongoing campaign to try and get it renewed. You might have seen our billboards around lately. ✨
Want to join the campaign? Here are some things you can do to help: 💀 There's a petition to get the show renewed! It has 21,000+ signatures and counting. You can sign it here. Ask your friends to sign. Ask your family!
💀: Follow this Tumblr! Since you're here on Tumblr already, it's the easiest way to get news about the campaign.
💀: Join our Save Dead Boy Detectives Discord server. This is where a lot of the planning happens. We post regular updates and easy action items that members can take to help make the call for renewal more visible.
💀: Participate in our letter-writing initiative. Sending physical mail is one of the very best ways to get a company's attention.
💀: Keep streaming the show! Watch numbers are a huge indication to streaming services that there's audience demand.
As the cast and crew have said, never say never. Let's give them all a chance to finish telling their story. ✨
Chaos.
Another day, another Dead Boy Detectives question! ✨
In the hopes of getting the fandom tag trending and getting more eyes on Dead Boy Detectives, please use the tag "dead boy detectives" when you reblog to reply.
Today's question:
If the core four made a snowman together, what would it look like?
Stealing for myself!
+26. Any other question you'd like to ask me yourself!
I haven't seen any floating around, so I thought:
Dead Boy Detectives Ask Game!!
Encourage some more interactions amongst the fandom! Reblog for people to send you asks.
(Be kind and send an ask to the person you reblog from, and the people who reblog from you 😉 it helps makes the game more fun ❤️)
1. Who is your favourite character?
2. Which is your favourite episode? Why?
3. A character you think is underrated/ underappreciated.
4. Something you wanted to see in season 2?
5. Which character do you relate to the most?
6. A fanfic rec or fanart rec!
7. Favourite headcanon from the fandom so far?
8. A headcanon you have (that you havent seen talked about yet)!
9. Have you seen/read any of the other Dead Boy Detectives media? Which?
10. DBDA tumblr user you follow you want to shoutout 🥰
11. Favourite ship in the show?
12. If you existed in the universe would you hang around as a ghost? (What would you do?)
13. Favourite case we see the detectives do?
14. Least favourite character?
15. Favourite line in the show?
16. A Rarepair you like?
17. Theory you have/had for season 2?
18. Opinion on Edwin and Charles' dynamic? (Is it Romantic/ Platonic/ Secret third thing?)
19. Favourite actor from the show?
20. Which characters style do you like the best?
21. Something you wish had been done differently in the show?
22. Personal favourite female character? Why?
23. Song that reminds you of the show..
24. What would you mail the netflix execs if you could send them anything?
25. Why do you recommend the show?
(Feel free to reblog and add some more questions!)
Now that I'm finished with my fencing fic, which fic should I write next?
Idk mates I'm mostly going out with a vibe but I'm curious to see Tumblr's preference. I have like 20 fics ideas, this is just what I feel like the most right now.