Life is so much better when you're dead
| Fanfiction | |
|---|---|
| Title: | Life is so much better when you're dead |
| Author(s): | toluenesister |
| Date(s): | 2008-2011 |
| Length: | 114,604 |
| Genre(s): | slash |
| Fandom(s): | Batman, Nolanverse |
| Relationship(s): | |
| External Links: | Ao3 reupload |
Click here for related articles on Fanlore. | |
Life is so much better when you're dead is a Bruce Wayne/Joker fanfic written by toluenesister. They also produced accompanying fanart for their work. This story was originally posted on Ao3 and Livejournal[1] but it was taken offline for a period of time to be reworked.
On March 18 2024, toluenesister reuploaded the story to AO3, as well as the Dissolve & Absolve series, which present a prequel to Bruce and The Joker's relationship.[2][3] The author rewrote parts of the story, calling it LISMBWYD 2.0:
Another reupload of ancient B/J fics from me! Maybe some of you remember this story, and if you do, you might notice this is a bit different than the original. Re-reading it after all these years, I fully expected to cringe myself into oblivion, but I actually ended up thinking that hey, this is actually kinda fun. It deserves a glow-up. And here it is, LISMBWYD 2.0. I'm still in the process of rewriting some stuff (and having so much fun with it!), so I will be reuploading the chapters gradually. Basically, some parts got streamlined, other parts got fleshed out, some stuff is completely different. I hope you enjoy it, feedback is always more than welcome![4]
LISMBWYD is often praised as an in-character depiction of the Batjokes relationship. toluenesister's Batjokes stories were known to be well written dark fics, and while this story was being written, readers were uncertain if these two could end up together or if one would kill the other in a tragic ending.
Summary
During the two years following the Joker's escape from Arkham, Gotham city gradually becomes rid of its criminal element in a particularly ghastly way. The appearances of Batman and the Joker become more and more scarce as well to the point of vanishing from the public eye, leaving the city fairly clean. At the same time, Sofia Falcone decides to take over the syndicate, but in the course of gathering resources she accidentally finds out what both Batman and the Joker have been preoccupied with while they were away from the streets. As she videotapes it, another mystery unravels itself and she finds out the true identity of Batman. Blackmailing ensues, attacking Bruce just when he is at his most vulnerable.
Reactions & Reviews
The best therapist!Joker/damaged!Bruce fic. Bruce is being blackmailed after his relationship with Joker is discovered. He goes to Joker for help. What I love best about this fic is that it starts with a very violent relationship; Bruce is using Joker to exercise his own guilt. But then the relationship begins to grow and change at a believable pace and it becomes...loving, but in a wonderful, non-fluffy way. Characters are in character and emotionally complex. The interactions are spot on and hot as hell. There is even artwork to accompany the story![5]
The final chapter of LISMBWYD was posted to the Livejournal comm on 31 December 2011. Here are a few comments from that final post:
I'm so glad you finished this. I can honestly say this has been one of my favorite fics in the fandom, one with great writing and character development. I'm not even certain how you managed to keep everybody in character through all of this, but damn, you did. And I'm pretty thrilled to have a happy ending, and one that is believable to me at that.
Thank you for the awesome ride! I feel a little sad to see it come to a close, but you should know you made lots of fans squeal with glee every time they saw an update! Happy new year. [6]
This has been the most perfect, brilliant, genius story I've ever read in batfandom. In any fandom, really. I can't even describe the feels this thing has given me over the years. This little world you dreamed up for them, the refreshing take on the characters, the ocs. Oh Christ, the ocs. Where would I be without that splendid young lady of yours, hmm? Characters like her are such a rare find, I think you should honestly be proud of what you've done with her. The idea of canon!Sofia is like, laughable compared to our dear Ms Falcone. And I love your Bruce and your Joker more than most things in life, but she's seriously been my favourite part of this fic throughout the whole thing. I'm gonna be really sad to see her go. Like really sad.[6]
I'm sad to see it end but glad that it ended so perfectly. The way you gradually brought Bruce around was believable and perfect. That tends to be the thing people screw up on--how does Bruce reconcile his attraction for the Joker? How does he allow himself to care for someone he's supposed to hate? You made it seem perfectly natural; not pushing it too fast but not making him agonize about it for longer than necessary either. My favorite thing about the way you write them is how you show their attraction to be a sickness; the longer they're together, the worse it gets. Yet, to separate them would be to kill them. They seem to exacerbate and neutralize one another at the same time. The way they are, it's not romantic, it's not sweet--it's ugly and passionate and perfect. Their love is too dark and obsessive to even use the word to describe what they have. It comes off more real to me than most romances I've ever read or seen. I feel like I can relate to it better too. [6]
Related & Inspired
A scene from LISMBWYD by Toluenesister
A scene from LISMBWYD by Toluenesister
References
- ^ Ao3 (archived link), LJ (archived link)
- ^ Reupload of new version of LISMBWYD to AO3 https://archiveofourown.org/works/54566779
- ^ Reupload of the Dissolve & Absolve series to AO3 https://archiveofourown.org/series/4025812
- ^ LISMBWYD Chapter 1 Notes by toluenesister at Ao3, 2024
- ^ Recs by cyranothe2nd [batmanjoker] at Freak Like Me: A Batman/Joker slash community, 2013
- ^ a b c Comment on Chapter XXII post at lismbwyd.livejournal.com