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#dick absolutely had a crush on one of the dp characters
phoenixgrl1412 · 9 months
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DpxDC - Danny Phantom Comics Idea
I've seen a few posts where Danny and the others are huge fans of the Justice League and of certain members. Like, having posters and getting autographs and having merch. Or knowing a hero's entire public history.
But what if some of the Justice League members were the fans, and the Danny Phantom universe was a comic series in the DC universe? And many of the JL heroes grew up on the Danny Phantom comics, which inspired them to become heroes.
I'm imagining Clark Kent, Barry Allen, and even Bruce Wayne grew up in the height of "Phantom mania", when the comics were at their most popular and the phandom was reaching peak numbers. There was also talk of a television show and movies on the big screen. The comic run during their childhood is widely regarded as one of the best runs/timelines, and is the same as DP Universe we know.
The "Phantom mania" as it was called, happened before superheroes/vigilantes, villains, and metas were a thing. And once all of that did became common place, civilians stopped reading that genre. People didn't want to read about real life, they wanted an escape, and the Phantom comics were not that. There were still phans, of course, but not enough to keep the series profitable.
The Phantom comics were not the only hero comic happening at that time, but they did outlast the rest as the writers/whoever else refused to quit working on it until they had no choice. Unlike most hero comics of the time, the writers were able to give the Phantom comics a somewhat rushed and imperfect ending, giving some closure for the series. The comic issues covering the Phantom Planet incident are widely debated by the phandom, with some treating them as canon while others regard it as bad fanfic (for the purpose of this AU, I'm leaning towards Phantom Planet not being canon to the DP universe, but an attempt by the writers of the DC universe to give the series closure when so many other hero comics ended in the middle of a story arc that would never be finished).
There were a few attempted reboots of the Phantom comics, but were poorly done and so different from the "best" run and of such poor quality that they were all flops. The serialization that happened when Clark, Barry, and Bruce were kids is considered to be the last/best/official version of the comics.
For those three, and for other heroes too, the character of Danny Fenton/Phantom and his journey in becoming a hero is such an integral part of how they develop as heroes.
Does Bruce get the idea to become a vigilante/hero thanks to his childhood comic book hero, Phantom? If so, you can't prove it. And so what if he based some of Brucie Wayne's antics on things that Danny or his friends did, you can't prove that either.
(You also can't prove that he dressed up as Phantom for Halloween two years in a row. Alfred can though, and he threatens to pull out the pictures to show the batkids when Bruce is being particularly stubborn.)
For Barry, it's the lab accident. He goes through something similar to what Danny does in his lab accident in the comics (lots of electricity and either chemicals or ectoplasm). Barry struggles with coming to terms with his accident and accepting his new abilities. He isn't sure what to do at first, but he gets reminded of the Phantom comics from when he was a kid. And yeah, Danny isn't real, but his story is still an inspiration and a source of comfort.
Barry rereads through the comics shortly after his accident, and the beginning issues hit home in a way they hadn't before. Danny Fenton had a traumatic lab accident, just like Barry did. And while Barry wasn't half dead, he did come out of his accident with incredible new powers, just like Danny. Those first issues, where Danny is struggling in figuring out his new normal and learning about his abilities through trial and error, resonate with Barry. There are his fears, laid out in print for all to see. Every argument Barry has with himself about what to do with his powers is also there, and it's comforting to know that someone else, even a fictional character, gets it.
Barry decides to become a hero and calls himself The Flash. If his very first (and short-lived) costume design was black and white, and not his now-icon red and yellow, you can't prove anything.
The scenes where Danny is bullied by Dash, after Danny has his powers, might resonate with Clark more than the other bits. Maybe Clark takes the interpretation, as some of the phandom does, that Danny doesn't fight back physically because, with his powers, he could seriously hurt Dash if he did. Maybe he could even kill him if he wasn't careful. And Clark, who at the time is struggling with his own emerging abilities and identity as an alien, rereads his childhood comfort series and sees those scenes. And Clark understands in a way he didn't before, the fear that he could hurt someone accidentally with his strength. And seeing Danny struggle with being accepted by his parents and the town, but knowing he had the unconditional support of his friends and his sister, helps Clark accept himself.
And years later, when he meets his clone, Conner, Clark is infinitely more prepared for the situation and actually handles it well.
And if Clark refers to Lex Luthor as a fruitloop after that, well, only the phandom will understand.
(Lex is furious when it gets brought to his attention. He isn't a phan, but he grew up during that era and couldn't avoid the comics or people talking about them. He resents the implication that he is anything like Vlad Masters, because Lex is clearly more successful. Obviously. But he can't exactly sue Superman for comparing him to a children's comic book villain. Or can he?)
At some point, maybe after a debrief or something, a few of the Justice League members are chit chatting. They somehow start talking about nostalgic things from their childhood. Flash brings up the Phantom comics, and is surprised to learn that Superman and Green Lantern are also fans.
Wonder Woman and Martian Manhunter are unfamiliar with the series, prompting a long conversation about the series and its importance. Superman agrees to lend the pair the first issues to see if they like it.
Meanwhile Batman is just standing in the shadows, wanting to participate in the phandom conversation going on but he can't because it isn't something Batman would do. He eavesdrops instead, making a mental note to acquire another set of the comics for himself.
Bruce's set of comics from when he was a kid, was discovered by a young Dick Grayson. Dick was Robin at this point in time, but the mythos surrounding Robin hadn't been fully developed yet. Dick fell in love with the series, which was one of the only comics to feature a teen hero, like himself. I'm not saying that Dick's love of puns and banter came from Danny, but I'm not saying it didn't.
And does Dick use these old comics he stole from Bruce to bond with his new siblings? Absolutely! He introduces them to Jason first, and they spend hours reading and rereading them together. Jason is the one to discover Danny Phantom fanfiction, and shares it with Dick, who is thrilled to have new Phantom content and something else to bond over with Jason. Dick eventually convinces Jason to write his own, and Jason bounces ideas off of Dick.
(Neither is aware that Bruce overhears one of these conversations and seeks out Jason's fanfic. He reads it and subscribes, and leaves a review that Jason gushes about for weeks).
(And After, when Jason is back but is so, so angry, Jason finds that Danny Fenton is even more relatable then he was before. Where else would there be a character who is half dead and makes death jokes? Reading those comics with Dick are some of the memories that he can look back on without seeing green.)
Tim knows about the comics, when Dick drags them out, but he isn't really a phan. He does like the tech though, so some of his leisure projects are trying to recreate the weapons or making a PDA he can hack the pentagon with. He says he doesn't have a favorite character because he isn't as obsessed with it as Dick and Jason, but he totally does. I want to say it would be Tucker, but that feels like a cheap take, so maybe it is one of the ghosts. Or maybe Dani?
Now, Damian isn't too interested in the story of Danny Phantom, the Halfa Hero. It is his first introduction to comics and that storytelling format though, and Damian is a fan of that. He goes on to learn about other comics and manga, but the Phantom comics will always hold a sense of nostalgia for him as they were his first. And Dick forced Damian to read them with him, and Damian does look back on that forced-bonding fondly, even if he would rather stab himself than admit it. He absolutely makes fanart or a fancomic for Dick for his birthday one year, but makes Dick swear to never show it to anyone else or reveal that Damian drew it.
Dick has put a picture of it in the family chat before Damian is even done talking.
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All this being said, please imagine all the chaos and fangirling that would arise if post-canon Danny, from the DP universe, somehow ended up in the DC universe and in front of the Justice League.
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Things I Would’ve Loved To See In A Danny Phantom Reboot
I’m a big enthusiast when it comes to storytelling, and Danny Phantom literally has so much potential. And I’m very upset Butch was too coward to go darker. So here are my thoughts on if DP had a reboot:
Deeper ghost lore and kinds of ghost, A lot of fanfiction I have come across have so many versions of lore that all totally make sense and are supper cool (e.g. Ghost core types, states of ghosts, the idea of ghosts being ghosts, ghosts’ obsession). Ghosts that wreak havoc upon Amity Park because they are so filled with rage and need to be contained and put back in the ghost zone. Ghosts that, despite having moved on from their past, stay because they want to see the next Cowboys vs Aliens 3 movie happen and only cause trouble for the fun of it (exhibit A, Johnny). 
Spookier ghosts, just give us way meaner ghosts! Ghosts that have eyeballs hanging out! You can’t just give us funky ghosts and funky ghosts only. From the physically gore-ish to the psychologically horrifying ghosts (Like Penelope Spectra!), I would have loved to see these kind of ghosts and episodes.
Different cultural interpretations of ghosts. Of course, done respectfully, with deep research and understanding of said culture. So many cultures touch on the spiritual aspect of ghosts and spirits. It makes for incredible stories and ideas.
Danny Phantom being Trans, need I say more? (Butch Hartman can suck a dick)
Danny Phantom with much more unique, mysterious powers, he’s a Halfa, of course he’s a mystery, a phantom! While other ghosts have powers solely linked to an obsession or something they relate to closely, Danny doesn’t have that. He’s a mystery. I want seasons of Danny exploring and discovering powers he doesn’t have the means of understanding or controlling because it’s just that bizarre and one of a kind. Maybe he can tap into the memories of ghosts when they are extremely emotional, something about having the human connection?
Hilarious quirks about being a half ghost, like Danny showing up in photos looking like a cryptic entity, being super silent, scaring the shit out of people. Fun ghost stuff.
The bullies need to have their character development moments!! They had so much potential for character growth and exploration. Topics like toxic masculinity, abuse and bullying could’ve been explored through them! GIVE THEM THE CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT THEY DESERVED
The friendship between Tucker, Sam and Danny being tested in the form of their own self reflection. People have also written good fanfiction about it, and the one I love the most is when Sam is being questioned about being friends with Tucker and Danny because of her favoritism towards unconventional-ism to spite her parents (Of course, Sam loves her friends with a passion). Or maybe when Danny has had a tough day (i.e getting found out by his parents and just showing up to Tucker’s home) and the two have no idea what to do, but in the end, they just needed to be there for Danny and likewise. Friendships like relationships are complicated. I would love to see these things being explored.
Danny’s ghost powers becoming a little more unpredictable in the later season. In relation to the earlier comment about ghosts obsession, ghosts can also become powerful with fickle emotion, especially aggression. Danny has always tiptoed the line of human and ghost, but when he gets too angry in a particular episode, he goes absolutely feral, intense ghost form and stuff. It’s a new thing he has to struggle with and it even makes him fear becoming ghost.
More Danny and Jazz moments, because siblings need so much screen time to annoy each other. But also, I would love moments where Jazz has Danny’s back and sometimes, covers up Danny’s disappearances in front of their parents with humorous excuses.
Danny’s secret is revealed to his parents in an unfavorable situation, and his parents struggle to accept and understand Danny’s revelation. Jack and Maddie have spent their whole lives thinking ghosts are bad, and the only way to solve a ghost problem is to shoot at it. With Danny, its a whole ‘nother stack of cards to deal with. From the fact that their son is no longer human, throwing a wrench into everything they know about ghosts, to holy shit, we actually killed our son. Maddie especially finds it harder to accept, believing that they need to help Danny get rid of his ghostly half, even if it meant destroying his core. But Danny doesn’t need help, he’s long accepted that he’s Halfa. Slowly, the Jack and Maddie learn to accept it, and a comically unsure about their jobs as ghost hunters.
Hey that movie about Planet something, never existed. Saving a planet from an asteroid is suppose to be the peak finale of Danny’s reveal to Amity Park as a half human half ghost?? Get outta here
Instead, let’s have a season finale of an epic ghost showdown that even Danny himself, will struggle terribly to defeat. He has to face off against a ghost that even with the help of his friends and his ghost powers, seems almost impossible. Even the ghosts of Amity Park are threatened if they ever get in their way of world domination, and they don’t hesitate to crush the cores of the ghosts. Its a culmination of the past relationships he has made with the ghosts, friends, family, allies, and even nemesis, working together to stop an ultimate evil. Because when he first faces off the ghost, he’s alone, and in their final showdown, he has people who will stick with him thick and thin. With everything he has learnt, struggled to control, and mastered his ghost powers, there is an epic showdown.
Trust me, I have so many ideas for the season finale showdown in my head. The ghost having the power to just grab and destroy a core, or control it. They have their ghost armada and they enjoy playing mind games, torment any poor soul who dares get in her way. Danny Phantom attempts to stop her in the ghost zone before she can enter the human world, but he gets absolutely destroyed, almost having his core taken from it and you can bet that shit will hurt like hell. He gets trapped in the ghost zone, too weak to make it back to the human world and alone, until Vlad of all ghosts, manages to fish him out of the ghost zone and Danny finds that the humans and ghosts have taken refuge from the big Ghost boss. 
As much as I dislike Butch Hartman and his homophobic cowardly ass, make no mistake that he pioneered a generation of cartoon and art. He made a style uniquely distinct that even artists reference when it comes to character design. But his stories have so much potential that we can’t shy away from. We need more mature themes for kids to learn, more openly LGBTQ+ friendly episodes and of course, more diverse characters and cast.
Feel free to add more! There’s just so many ideas for a DP reboot, and they really are amazing
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