splinterofpandora

[splinterofpandora]

Okay, I get what I was trying to say, but I couldn't find the thought the first time.

Batman Ninja vs. Yakuza League looks at DC and says: Thank you for existing.

Every detail of the project is a revelation. The rebirth of Superman is a realization of how somewhat Clark is important. Jessica almost always works on a team here because she loves one-partner teams. That's what you need when you want to love (in a global sense) but are afraid of the world. You pick one and take his complete trust.

Or when the Robins make jokes, they're timeless duets. Tim and Dick. Jason and Tim. Dick and Damian. Because classic teams. I know we touched on the idea. Just expanding on it. When we talk about love, we never fully understand it. Because the feeling is too big. It's like...a falling island! Looking for words is hard because you just know what it does. It's doing the right thing. It understands everyone. And why I like Harley so much...

She's always there when you need her.

[splinterofpandora]

For the fans. Enjoy. Batman Ninja Part Two.

As you might have guessed, I love Batman. But what you couldn't guess is that I love good music. What does Batman have to do with it?

Both Japanese and Americans play the guitar of the Soul. Lyrics from "What I Believe" by Skillet rock band...

The world around me is lost in misery.

The only good I've got in my life is you.

The life of Jessica Cruz from the comics is the perfect portrait of someone possessed by Anxiety. She wouldn't leave the house, afraid of phone calls, constantly thinking about her impending death. The Lantern Ring broke the rules. It took a while, but soon Jess was herself again. Strong, brave, and a very gentle, sincere person. And she is the first character we meet in "Yakuza League".

Why? It's a different world, and you need to show the viewer how different it really is from the main one. Because we've seen a violent Aquaman. The Flash? More like a comic relief. Evil Superman? Please! It's so often and unoriginal! Jessica is very different from her standard. Usually we see either a closed girl or a violent, aggressive attacker.

These are two ways in which the psyche reacts to deep fear. However, it is different in anime. Confident. Enjoying war. Arrogant. Playing dirty. You'd think they broke Jess.

But it's evolution. She was born in this here. Cruz's recent developmental tendencies take the girl to the golden mean, which means relative calmness coupled with rage when she doesn't conform to patterns of behavior/events. As she gets older, this will only intensify, which explains her fierce but quickly fading reaction to Dick and other heroes. Arrogance is a side effect of status. Because when you constantly think you're better or worse than the people around you, you can't really respect them. Playing dirty? Do you really believe that a Fear driven person would give you a chance? Defeat is death. You don't lose. It's the small details.

But from these elements we get...

No meaning, no other reason.

When everything feels wrong I feel right with You.

Opening is important. Because that's how you show attitude towards what you've created. Yakuza League's opening is the flashback. But it's not about continuing the events of the original. It's about the idea again. Remember Damian's monkey? She's playing chess with Batman. Then it just goes away and we have more action. The emphasis is on heroes and battles.

The first part explored the topic of what Batman is in terms of his philosophy. Not even so much the hero himself, but his importance to the world. You can make any setting you want, and as long as he saves the world, it will work. Part Two is Legacy.

We already know who he is and all we have to do is enjoy the show. We exit openening...

So madly, desperate deeply.

Obsessed your love is better than mine to me.

Can I have this moment forever?

To meet Harley. I know, I'm breaking the timeline a little bit. But it's a good song!

I absolutely love Harley's unpredictability here! Because she's not exactly the Joker's girlfriend anymore. But she's not exactly Diana's girlfriend, either. Or Batman's. Whoever. Harley is a hurricane, and I love that the authors remember to show that. Her presence makes the movie feel more alive. That's the moment to talk about dynamics.

For any art form, the pacing of the action is important. In this anime, scenes switch quickly. It's mostly action. Why doesn't it have time to get boring? It uses different styles all the time. I mean, we see a variety of genres. There's a retro oopening, and it doesn't break anything because it's part of the universe and not just a random scene because of desire. Japanese culture is amazing, and that's what Part One was telling us. However, the second one is not about Japan. It's about Japan's perception of Batman. They project cultural experiences onto the adventures of the Crusader in the Cape. And so you get a wild mix of their favorite projects and typical Batman in the best way. 80s tv drama, crazy mythology elements, stylish criminal epic...God, just let them do it! They're saint!

You are what I believe.

I'll live and die for You.

This is all that I need.

When nothing is real you are my truth.

How do you show your love for characters without development? You take their best!

First of all, it's living history. We have elements of modern, New 52, even 80's in the costumes. We have a huge fleet of vehicles. Movies, comics, animation...you'll find it at Batcave. That costume from...no spoilers!

See how they choose. Look at everything I said above. It's not random. How do I know? Because it's love. Only a fan can make a response to the main villain in the name Detective. Only a fan can write EVERY dialog the way it sounds in the comics. This is classic Demon motivation. It's the Joker's flirtations with Batman. It's Harley being a fan of Wonder Woman. It's all part of the comics. Their dna.

In the darkness You shine.

Can You keep me safe tonight?

Did "Yakuza League" create one of the best images of Diana in media? Well, yes.

Wonder Woman works so well at contrast to Batman. Because Diana actually knows war better than he does. I say this not because Bruce hasn't seen enough, but because Diana knows Compassion. She never waits for a fight. She brings Peace. She's willing to make the sacrifice, to destroy an entire army if necessary. But she will always look for a better way. The anime says a lot about her kindness and wisdom. Everyone in her house is a guest. And she will die to protect it. Will always appreciate courage in people. Never betray. Wouldn't cheat.

It's not news. However, in the anime we see a strong emphasis on nuance. Every aspect of Wonder Woman is revealed to the viewer. Her tragedy of being the main protector. Her broken relationship with a friend, what may be an illusion on the Amazons after her departure into the world of men. Her desire to take the fight. And even the ability to take joy in the process. Best WW description ever.

When we started whole hearted.

I never needed anything or anyone else.

I was broken you made me whole again.

The only one I trusted more than myself.

There are some things that you don't expect, but that become the heart of the work for you. For me, it was defeating Superman.

Bruce's words about people worked even without context. Because it's always the victory of the ordinary man over the superhuman. That's a good point, and I respect it because we have to be stronger than the circumstances. But sometimes it's bad for Clark.

Because the kindest hero is made utterly evil or just a dumb thug. The anime literally screams the opposite. This isn't his Clark. And Bruce tells you who the real Superman is. That he would fight even without powers, because that's his idea. They truly value their friendship and infuse every phrase with meaning.

It's not just human and meta anymore. It's a battle for a friend. For a man Bruce admires.

So madly desperate deeply.

I will live for you completely.

I want to go back to Harley because her role here mimics the tone of the project. You can watch this in any mood and it will work because humor, epic and drama dance around. And it's unpredictable, too. The director sets the record according to his mood. How do they get the balance after that? They divide it into heroes.

Each role is completely in character. And I love that Harley doesn't have a role for that very reason. Because that's what she always does. She's looking for herself. Especially after breaking up with the Joker. I love her!

Because her fidgetiness and antics make her charismatic. Just listen to HOW she talks!

Can I have this moment forever?

So, why "What I Believe"? This song has the urge to scream after the despair is over. Anime does the same thing. When you turn it on, you're not thinking of some kind masterpiece. Because the first part was just good. It worked, it gave some good ideas. But at the end of the day it's just a fun show for fans of the theme.

Batman Ninja vs. Yakuza League takes everything you love the DC universe for and throws it in your face without warning. You see dynamics that you should see all the time, but you've never really seen.

I think his core value is in being important without being important. Being ultimative without really being everything at once like Lego Batman. You just enjoy good music, beautiful narration and funny jokes.

Skillet also works. You feel it. You live.

[splinterofpandora]

Let's get to know each other!

First things first, thanks to everyone who read my take on the future of Batman. I think it's important in the context of not only the character's history, but also the brave new adventures with him. I want to talk about my tastes, what to expect from this page, why I'm doing all of this. Oh, yeah, and memes!

I am not a professional analyst, but I like an analytical approach to things. So I look at DC from a factual perspective. This applies to explanations of the world's structure, how it works, Gods issues and the evolution of comics outside and in-universe.

I've been a fan for as long as I can remember, and for the last...well, +/- 13 years I've lived here. I don't have a favorite genre or format. My entire “genre” is DC. I love old comics, I love new comics. I love the Wildstrorm universe, I want to talk about Vertigo, Hellblazer issues, and how beautiful the world of Road to Perdition is.

I consider the sensual (sincerity) element to be one of the most important elements in Art. That's why couples like Diana/Steve, Tim/Steph, Kate/almost all of her girlfriends are special to me. Just heroes...

A lot of DC's heroes are fairly complex, but I love the “lost ones”. The ones who push through pain and suffering to find a better future at the end of the day. Whose childhood wasn't the best...maybe even horrible...but they remain good and loving people. Because hate and cruelty...oh, it's boring, you know.

So, yes. Cassandra Cain is my wife. Bette Kane is sunshine. Maxine Baker and Jon Kent are my children! And we have Rose-sex queen and absolute insanity master-Wilson!

So we're going to talk structure, new works, lore, crossovers, and more! It won't be without criticism, either, because...Hush 2, ah. Welcome and thanks for following me!

P.S. Can't decide between Superman movies! Donner, Singer and Snyder deserve equal love and care!

[splinterofpandora]

{BrightKnightUpcoming} <---------------------

-------------don't miss part 14 by tag💡💡💡

Recommendations. Base of modern classics.

To understand any topic, you need a quick navigation through it. I prefer personalized lists, as I've always felt that the “must read” format just gets in the way of proper fandom development and greatly reduces the diversity of voices in a thread. However, this works for long-lived universes. Those that already have a good baseline. We're talking about a new topic, so we need proper lists.

I used 3 items for this. We start with the ideas of the past, which are heavily dominated. Then the balance between the old and the new. And our theme at the end.

Part One. Unhealthy Beaten Batman.

Batman: White Knight has a beautiful turning point between the past and the future. You have Bruce, who didn't get to meet happiness enough, but who hasn't felt so much injustice that it breaks him as a hero. From the old here's the approach. Fighting to the end, family confrontations, darkness deep inside Bats. Plus some roles.

On the other hand, the status quo changes in the sequel. And the third part breaks the pattern of Batman's constant pursuit of purpose. Murphy's whole world is about legacy. You understand why Wayne became like this. Why Alfred had to die. Why Harley isn't a villain anymore. Speaking of motivation, there's a lot of thoughts here about the functions of the cape. As well as the relationship of the Knight's legacy to society. That's why we need Sean in his entirety. Curse, Beyond, Presents...you got it!

It was surprising even to me. Batman: Soul of the Dragon sees the difference between obsession and striving. Not much Wayne here, but you can see how the boy who doesn't know how to stop turns this around in his favor. Moreover, we're talking about unique old fighting movies vibe, working with team without lead it, relationship trying.

No, I'm not crazy. You really should try The Jiro Kuwata Batmanga. We're talking about Bruce + society. But often cheats and is above the rest of the people here, just like in the old days. On the other hand, this is a largely loyal to Justice person with a big heart and long arms. I think it's similar to Rebirth. He has a good relationship with Dick. Doesn't think he's better than him. Occasionally learns from Robin. Is a teacher himself. Not kinda legal person. But not the vigilante type too. Sentai character like.

Part two. Wait! He is real! He is really real!!!

Multiple choices let you see him go from being a completely bad person to the nicest guy in the building. Batman: The Telltale Series shows the transformation of someone who can't sleep into someone who changes Gotham by human steps. You can help Gordon with your word like Bruce. You can agree to live with Selina. You can leave town. Just tell Wayne he has a right to be happy. You'd be surprised how much this world will change.

Two approaches from Batman: The World. "Funeral" is important for bigger perspective. Because I'm not saying he can't be dark and creepy now. It's about a new level of connection with people. He knows when your soul is not ok. He helps the ghost because he believes in proper retirement.

Number two is "Closed for the Holidays". It's very easy. Being Batman is cool. He really loves it. He's found happiness because of it. Why delete it? Wayne on vacation is boring.

Briefly, because we had a conversation about it. You introduce Batman separately from Bruce to then make them one. You see him making Robin's life better by believing in her. Not by dragging her down into his dark world. But it's also trauma, and you see the results of living without fully analyzing yourself. You can see the obsession beneath the smile. Batman: Creature of the Night is the best jumping point. It's talented, so kind.

Part Three. The new is a mirror of the old.

I know what you're thinking. Oh, this guy just took the happiest versions. He's really not very smart person. But that's not my point.

Batman: Universe works because Bruce is really enjoying the ride. Batwheels is about family. He's healthy and the best dad to his kids. Batman'66 has an epic poem about Wayne loving life. He respects the Law so much that he's willing to go to jail to prove that the system works. You say it's an obsession. I'll say no, because he knows he'll be free soon. The idea is not to save the system at all costs. It's about Faith. And he trusts even the Joker. Everyone can change.

And of course you have all those funny, little ridiculous, and loving heartfelt Batman stories from the Golden, Silver, Bronze ages! And we've been here before, really? Check it!

Final words and acknowledgements.

I remember Adam West's memorial ceremony well. The city used the Batsignal back then. A beautiful gesture of love...

I loved Adam because he was Batman in the real life. He loved the fans, he helped the kids. However, he wasn't Dark because...well, it's not just the series' vibe. He was always smiling, showing a willingness to talk. That's why he...and afterward the whole world...called himself The Bright Knight.

I'm the Bright Knight, I'm not the Dark Knight with all the violence and the explosions. No, my work conveys laughter, curiosity, and good feelings.

Now you know why I chose that title for the post series. I know there's a lot of pain in Batman. And I love him for it, because I've been well aware of what it means to feel pain since I was a kid. I know when you're alone. When the world is trying to destroy you. I love Bruce's battle. But you always do it for someone. I mean, he really didn't believe in himself much. He didn't die just because the mission was more important than him. More important than the man. Than human body.

So when he found his first Robin...and then another. When he found Helena, when he met Stephanie, when he helped Gotham Girl...he realized which things really matter.

When I think about his story, I see that it's different. But every variation of it protects us with absolute loyalty. Adam is amazing because he made it fun. Funny gadgets, clever tips, memorable look. He was perfect!

He was showing love for Humanity. I mean, it was like the comic books, but without the dark violence. That's why he's so important.

Speaking of equally important people. The first thing, @beerrej did was help me with good advice on choosing titles and individual phrases. She kept this cycle going and it took +/- month for writing. Thanks, Lima!

Last but not least there is @la-guarido-del-perrozorro. We've been talking at length about Bruce since way back...wait, Gotham War ended when???????

Cool conclusions, smartest ideas, and good spirits is She. Oh, and the arts inspire me!

Thanks for reading, guys! And I look forward to your responses, because...that's what fandom stands for, I guess.

[splinterofpandora]

{BrightKnightUpcoming} <---------------------

-------------------don't miss part 13 by tag :O

Final Chapter. Kurt Busiek and John Paul Leon. Or how to save the hero in four issues.

The road to hell is paved with good intentions. It may have been the best joke of the era. Maybe it was just a funny plot detail. But in Batman: Creature of the Night, Bruce literally has to take pills to get rid of Batman.

No spoilers. We're talking about a world in which The Dark Knight exists and doesn't exist at the same time. There are full comic books history here. There's Batman as a phenomenon of popular culture. The main character, Bruce Wainright, experiences similar events and one day, dreaming of a protector and justice, actually finds Batman.

We can talk about Busiek's comic at length, parsing it for metaphors, the relationship to the image in the popular mind, and the author's tortured fact and fiction details.

However, I want to focus on approaching Batman as a symbol of Light, so I ask you to explore the rest of the material on your own. It's really worth it.

In my opinion, people often make the mistake of distinguishing between the infantile playboy that Bruce is only in public in modern comics and the always serious being in disguise. In fact, since Crisis, Wayne has always had a little enemy inside in the form of a little scared boy that seeks vengeance. Kurt delves more deeply into the process of developing that style of thinking. Parses how the inner wall, which in the future will become the basis of the character and give start to many “I work alone” memes, is formed in the mind of a not-so-weird or frightening, but still peculiar teenager. Wayne is really taking the thought of parents to the back burner here. He successfully finishes university, runs a big business and even has a psychologist.

But trauma keeps life from going happily ever after. He fixates on the idea of pain and cruelty. On wanting the world to conditionally compensate him for his parents' death by defeating all the bad guys.

My point is that this is not a comic book with a good ending or about an easy fate. However, it does have its Robins, Gordons, etc that Bruce saves. The world doesn't change - Bruce is angry. Bruce is making a difference - that's cool, but it's not enough. It's a very simple and clear pattern.

The grand finale of the comic is the release of all the anger at the world that sat inside the man. When that goes away, and all that is left is peace, his life changes drastically. As does the symbol himself. Because we definitively lose the image of the hero in the traditional way. What is a superhero in DC?

These are the people with a lot of weight on their shoulders. The ones who get into the strangest situations all the time. Who wear cool, recognizable items on their chests.

I'm not talking about high morale, ability, or meta factor. We have a lot of characters that belong in the term superheroics from DC's perspective. But in a massive sense, it's about bringing fighting to the forefront.

Batman has always fought. In the Creature of the Night, he doesn't do that anymore.

In other words, what if Batman is literally just a regular person? What if his struggle now is proof that the model works, in which Batman is Harmony with Society, himself?

Because then he's still working great as Bruce Wayne, who does nothing but then becomes everything in the cape. Now the mask finally loses its meaning. The code is important, but it is no longer an obsession.

Chip destroyed the meaning of the fight. Batman hurt those who weren't guilty. We're not taking away the path he traveled earlier. But transform it into a different ideology.

Because in this model, Bruce, on the one hand, is actually capable of hurting loved ones quite badly. On the other hand, he won't do it because he believes that every action he takes affects hundreds of souls around him. Remember The White Knight.

It's a modern classic classic classic. Sean Murphy gives us the arguments with Dick, the complicated relationship with Babs. There are two portrayals of the Joker (we'll talk about him one day too), a reworked in detail but also exploring the legacy and fortitude of the fight with Azrael.

He's leaving because he stopped being a symbol that people could believe in. That they could always trust. I'm talking about freakin' love for 14 texts! Chip didn't scare Jason. He didn't break Dick's bone. He didn't betray Tim. He didn't turn his back on Renee. He didn't beat up Selina. I mean, he did. But at the level of the idea, it's about the reader.

Because you're changing the most important detail. You're removing awareness. Why is that...because he did the thing and here...it works in other comics? Because he's really sick at Kurt's. But he agrees to find a solution. He loses really everything in White Knight. No Alfred, no home, no sidekicks. And Wayne, who embraces mistakes. By the way, he does it at the end of Nolan's movies. Just by way of retirement. Or he's just happy, like Telltale is. There's variability there, but you got it. The main universes...

You really want to revisit Scott Snyder, the whole Cassandra story, Tom King, the BatCat phenomenon, the friendly hangouts with Clark and Diana? See, Batman's not evil at all. Not dark. Not “dead inside a long time.” Not bloody blows. Not screaming at tired villains. It's as much a mask as Bruce's social life in the headlines. It's there as periods. Like Jason's long stress...which turned into an obsession, but zayem he coped and gave up his revenge and self-hatred. Or Kate's lostness. Babs's chair.

The darkness reflects the light. Where do the rays go? To all the people around us. We're forcing Bruce to let the light in. To feel it.

Please stay for the last chapter. It will be useful if you liked my work.

[splinterofpandora]

{BrightKnightUpcoming} <---------------------

----------don't miss part 12 by tag🐧🐧🐧🐧

Chapter who cares. Modern. Classic. Action.

I want to make this intuitive, so let's do it again. Bruce was...

Refusing to understand any potential threat.

Years later, he wanted to understand more. To understand other people and himself.

Often it was painful.

Almost always it wasn't particularly legal.

Sometimes he used people. At times he was compassionate enough to be sincere. Sometimes it's feelings at odds, and if he wasn't honest, it was more with himself.

But the most important thing is the end of the day. And even after Gotham War, we saw something good.

The point is, when you think of Batman, you think of a story of huge success and the transformation of a symbol that just scares criminals into society's favorite hero.

I think the acceptance of not Batman by society, but society by Batman is the key point. Why? As we can see, people have always helped him to stay himself and do the right thing. That's not to say that Bruce doesn't have his own moral compass. But you can't take something from nothing. You need a role model to learn from. You need an understanding of how to do things differently. When you feel the world's love for you, you open yourself up in return, and he has done that before. In the old comics...

I'm using a broad term, and it's more about style. That is, we're not just talking about pre-Crisis stuff. The Brave and The Bold 2008, Lego Batman Movie, Batman Forever, White Knight, Batman/Santa...what do all of these have in common? He fights for others.

Chip's main problem was that Bruce was fixated on himself. His legacy. His soldiers. His parents. But had that gotten in the way before? With the Court of Owls. With New 52 Joker. With all that Batmen initiative from v3 of Detective Comics?

He risked his life for Gotham, random people, maniacs. This is not just heroism, but an image of the defender of the innocent elevated to an absolute degree. Moreover...

His whole journey, his caring for the city, the children, the world, the multiverse...it was about being able to show the weak and scared or absolutely lost people how to fight to protect themselves. But shortly after Rebirth began, he was actively learning the opposite - to live a daily life. The simplest, unencumbered, uncomplicated, never-ending control. Sometimes more difficult than hundreds of battles.

What if a good reimagining for Batman would be the opposite message - teaching people to be...weak.

But weak, of course, not in the context of being depressed or developing a willingness to give up in the face of adversity, but in the context of being able to retreat, like the protagonist of Creature of the Night, at certain moments?

What Creature of the Night?! Heh, that's our next article...

[splinterofpandora]

{BrightKnightUpcoming} <---------------------

-----------don't miss part 11 by tag💔💔💔💔

Chapter Fifteen. Destroyed the village.

There are many stories of the Dark Knight spending time in tranquility after the fall. In the old temples. The homes of wise women. In the company of lost cultures. He comes to his senses so his emotions don't betray him. Not override common sense, as they already have...

...with Cass...or Jason...

...Jim...

What I'm trying to say is that he was hitting painful emotions. That's why, as part of his training, he learned to be detached. And the rest, in an already positive way, you know thanks to...all that text works early.

Even at this point, we realize why Gotham War doesn't work. Bruce doesn't just give in to emotion. He does it instantly. Without any kind of fatigue. Without the “incentive” to break down.

Well, what about the crazy mind in his head? Zur's plans and manipulations. It's not.

Bruce has done it a million times. With Court of Owls brainwashing. Or Venom addiction. Fifth Dimension Tricks. Or even the Joker's poison. He always found a way out before he hurt innocent people. But here he takes offense to Tim and hurts him with words, simply because he doesn't fully agree with his position. He accuses every member of the Batfamily of betrayal. Yet he's still analyzing the situation. So he fully understands what he's doing and why he's doing it. After that, all of Bruce's actions become deliberately designed to inflict maximum pain on the family.

Look at the words he says to Jason. On the strength of the blows. That's not self-defense. He chooses the most horrible topics for their minds. He calls Jason a victim and his soldier. He points out his weaknesses and mistakes. He physically hurts Stephanie, which she doesn't forgive. Constantly pushing Tim's trauma with his parents. Forcing Cassandra to choose a side, which you can't do. Draws Damian into the War, as he will almost always be for his dad, right or wrong.

It's been years since the comics where Bruce clearly spelled out what the Bat-family means to him, and why he would never leave it. A bunch of issues have brought to life the idea that for all the general understatements and difficulties, sometimes even a couple of slaps, nothing can break them as a team, as a strong and healthy construction.

And what does Batman do? Without warning and hits exactly the places that no one will ever forgive or forget. He destroyed a family. He destroyed an idea. He destroyed the trust of the people closest to him.

Let me say this clearly. Chip Zdarsky's Batman is a criminal who beats up people who trusted him with their lives. There is no excuse for this, because the power of pain is incomparable to anything we have seen before. Because Wayne did stupid things out of inexperience. He learned from his kids.

Good Lord, for the first time in his life, not only is he not afraid, but he even thinks it's right to hurt them! It goes further in future.

Zdarsky laughs at the idea of any version of Batman. Keaton can't turn his head! His Bruce is more than Miller's drowned in Darkness vision. But jokes was on him...

The real Bruce on construction. He has built strong alliances. His legacy is in each of his students. He needs silly things like a mansion to be happy. He defeated the demons of the mind long ago. Chip is fighting for fighting. There's no purpose to it. Even parents don't really make sense, because he puts the death of one criminal above the lives of all of Gotham.

That's why I say Batman is dead. It's not like it's two steps backwards. It's a transformation from human to monster.

[splinterofpandora]

{BrightKnightUpcoming} <---------------------

------------don't miss part 10 by tag❤️❤️❤️

Chapter Thirteen. Bring back the colors!

If you want to redefine the symbol, you have to go back to the very beginning. To the point where it was formed. And it's not the Bat. Bruce rebuild the gun. He made it through embrace.

I love Night of the Monster Men because the concept it offers is very simple. It's a classic plot where Good triumphs over Evil in the form of a mad scientist. It's also a Batman classic, but we're getting off topic. It makes it clear that anger, hatred, rage...any negativity now does not prevail over Bruce. Of course, there are still conclusions to be drawn, but watch him change!

He trusted Black Lightning, an outsider, and what resulted was a team that became an important point of growth for modern-day Cassandra and Duke. This is also where Katana found her place. The concept itself is the foundation of every volume of this team. Before, however, Bruce used to give the orders. Now he asks.

He refuses to fight Ivy because he believes in her Humanity. That's how he saves the world. No understatement, a whole world.

And of course he concludes after the battle with that laughing monster. He knows he's not the best. Or not the most effective. But he makes his best, trying. That's the point.

Chapter Fourteen. BRING THEM BACK!!!!!!

...BAM!

In the beginning there was darkness. Darkness created the Bat. The Bat created the city as we know it. The Bat couldn't have done it alone.

So this is the story of his teachers who allowed him to know what Wisdom is.

It's a story about being proud of his own children. Success as a father. And as a lover.

As a friend. As a team leader. As an understanding, kind and supportive person.

I know you want a quick answer and simple arguments. I know this text is not perfect and I should add more examples. But we'll never understand each other without all that.

BRUCE HAS ALWAYS BEEN A GOOD PERSON.

The gun shoots Detective Comics #1000. The story from Kevin Smith and Jim Lee shows the reader how guns literally become a means of defense. This is the outer level.

On an internal level, you see Batman's thoughts on the kind of man he was. For arts, it's battlefield. Endless villains like there was nothing else. But the thoughts duplicate the postulate of the collection. His family is by his side. He won. Because that's what it's all about, being better. And giving others the opportunity to do so.

And now we go back and ask ourselves what Rebirth was really about. Ever since the New 52, he's been a loyal friend to all the lost souls, all of Gotham. Learned to be a friend even to his enemies.

Detective Comics vol 3 tells how he has their backs all the time. He catches people if they fall. He's always offering opportunities for you to see the Light. All-Star Batman is it. Yes, the story of all his students, his children, his cape-wearing allies is about that.

Selina makes him think about life without a cape. But his friends say it might be possible even with it. It just needs to be done in a way that isn't so...dark and gritty.

Already in pre-Flashpoint, everyone knew that Batman is friend. Otherwise, where would the Bats' own army come from? Whence the respect of the entire police force? An enemy of the public can't have that. He's a friend. World's Symbol...

I hope we heard each other, because the next chapter is not going to be pleasant.....

[splinterofpandora]

{BrightKnightUpcoming} <---------------------

-----------don't miss part 9 by tag💜🖤💚💙

Chapter Twelve. Round and round.

Okay, let's quickly recap what Bruce/Selina is in terms of modern history. Their relationship began immediately. Rooftop, street, ship...don't think about location. There was always a spark that attracted them. They saw the darkness and the light in each other. Saw that a partner was different, different from just their domestic environment. Selina wanted to have fun. Bruce gave fun. Wayne wanted Justice. Kyle had it. That's the starting point. Next...

Next was the attitude towards people. No matter how creepy he was, Batman always helped those in need. He didn't care what you had in your wallet. Cat saved animals, and Bruce respected this unusual principle. He did it a lot himself in different comic eras. Plus, you know, Selina and money. She helped orphanages, gave to churches, cheered up doctors, good people. Yes, she took her own, but that's her nature. A good hunt deserves to be paid...like Bats+no gun.

Yeah, they're different codes. Selina loves money, but she can live without it. That's not a problem. For Bruce, murder is a tragedy. And that's where the area of conflict begins. Or rather a basic misunderstanding of how they can help each other if they're going to live together. They are, aren't they?

When we've talked about Bruce in past posts, it's been about friendship, i.e. stable communication and common topics/challenges. When we've talked about kids, we talked about growing up and Batman's role in that. Both sides are giving something. Both sides get their prizes. Don't get me wrong, it's not about profit in the literal sense. But it is about feelings that have a strong base outside of...the feelings themselves. BatCat, most of their life, is fun.

Hot nights(both ways), quick intrigue, temporary rescues. It was with Talia, it was with Kathy, it was with Sasha. Was Selina different globally? Actually, yes!

You see me talking about modern times but using pictures from the past. Because that's the way it's always worked. The only things that changed were backgrounds and methods. The statuses changed a couple times. Selina did make Bruce softer, because she herself was easy on life. She was serious when she saw he was really hurting, and she always tried to help him. After the murder verdict. When Bane took over Gotham(yes, I love Nolan's movies). Or pretty much every Tom King story they went through together. So he knew all her tricks were a mask.

But Batman's soul knows great pain, and only a man that knows how to combine pain and code could stop him in times when the thirst for Revenge and Paranoia took over.

Bruce believed in Selina when it was easy. But he shut down during periods when it was too hard for him. And yes, he did that with the Robins, with Alfred. But they were too close, so eventually he opened up to them. For her...it took a dead wife(Silver) and some crazy stories involving his son's mother. If you remember 2010, he made a move on her and they became a good couple. And Barry decided to ruin it.

The New 52 canceled big part of the relationship, but kept the final feelings and position. The best example here would be Gothtopia, where Bruce was actually happy with his partner and soulmate. It was just a dream, and when Bruce realized it, he tried to pull Selina out. She resisted. When it was over, Catwoman spoke again of a chance, but Bruce was wounded in his soul, and the mission was still above him. My favorite phrase here:

Why can't you believe in us?

She wants it. She's ready. And as we already know from the last post, Batman will be ready soon too...

The comics did it great, but I want to use animation because it makes it simpler but deeper at the same time.

Batcat had a great time in Batman: Hush(2019). They are happy fighting together, happy living together. But Selina talks about taking a vacation, and Bruce insists it's too soon. He has to do a better job for Gotham. A small conflict turns into a disaster when...I'm not Stephanie - you know the ending!

The point is that Selina talks about retribution and disappearance and Bruce says no. In the original comic, Batman let fear win, but he's objectively right in 2019. He's right because it's his life's choice, and now Catwoman is telling him to destroy it. But how can he? Is that really fair? Is that love? No. And she sees it. She leaves in tears because she realizes he won't give in, nor will she wear the mantle forever. They're both right here. It's no longer about the internal fighting. But their paths are too different.

What's all this for if there's nothing at the end? There's a lesson at the end that it's nobody's fault. That life isn't a castle in a crystal ball, but it's not an endless fall either.

Selina teaches Bruce the simplest lesson of all. He's not alone as long as he believes in life. He's human as long as he combines the mantle and Wayne. Sound like Rebirth? Yes.

See you in ten hours!

[splinterofpandora]

{BrightKnightUpcoming} <---------------------

-----------don't miss part 8 by tag🖤💟🤎💗

🤍 Chapter Eleven. Bat-world reborn in living colors

The first steps of Rebirth, the world we are in now, have been modest if we compare them to anything post-Crisis. You can remember how many episodes we had, for example, for the first big event. Shadow of the Bat, Legends of the Dark Knight, the two main ones(Batman/Detective) of course. And so the whole story up to Flashpoint. Confidential, Gotham Knights...those are just my favorites. The New 52 was a bit smaller, but then again, it's The Dark Knight, Eternal, it's (off Earth) Legends of the Dark Knight. The more ideas, the better! That's the point!

It's pretty remarkable that Rebirth started with just two series, Batman and Detective Comics. They didn't share any common storylines or any direct conceptual ties, but spoke differently to one key theme. This is Batman and Bruce Wayne defeating the monster inside. And so have their villains. Their families. Their...his world. Detective talked to the reader about the future and expanding Bruce's perspective.

In the beginning, Bruce is trying to deal with a new enemy, so we see a lot of pressure. It's already different because he's constantly talking to everyone. He becomes Stephanie's support when Tim dies. Holds Cassandra to his heart when she cries over her mother. He supports Drake in his endeavors and warns him of the possibility of repeating Batman's path, shields him from an obsession he knows very well himself.

This culminates in the line of their constant enmity, originating from the pre-Flashpoint period, running through the New 52, becoming one of Kate's major sore points.

She and Bruce give each other a chance but can't accept each other's methods because they are different sides of the same radical approach. Wayne considers the city only his territory and isn't ready to put up with Batwoman's insolence. Kane is too bogged down in misunderstanding who she wants to be, as well as guilt over her own mistakes. Too much in common, too much different. So, they argue, only to end up admitting their mistakes and reaching out for help.

Of course, it's much more complicated than that. It's how Kate uses the symbol to avoid dealing with personal issues. She's afraid of making it worse again because of her experiences with her sister, with her girlfriend, with Beth, with her father. The weight of a lot of problems, non-acceptance by non-society, constant enemies and emotional disasters, knock her out. And so Kane is often quite aggressive and passive. That's not to say that Batwoman is bad. I'm just saying that she can be difficult to live with because she prefers to only talk about work and get away from dealing with difficulties as a civilian as much as possible if they arise.

Bruce does it differently, but it's close to him. However, he doesn't trust her right away, and so he uses threats, warnings, and orders instead of normal help. He puts himself above her. Of course, it's so stupid practice.

At the beginning of Rebirth, Bruce still needs some time to understand himself and others. Hence the conflict with Brown, dialogues with Zatanna, flashbacks with Azrael and Bat-Gordon. He's not perfect at Tom King's either.

The funniest thing about Batman(2016) is the context. With Jim's help, we see how crazy things are the norm in Gotham. Aliens, falling airplanes, war...oh that's Monday again. These are the things that everyone treats with a dose of irony, because they're just weird things that comics stands on.

It's important because you always have the realization that King's comic = Bruce's entire journey since the 40s. Hence the mention of the Court of Owls. Hence Batman #1 and Year One. Hence "I'm Batman!!!!". He's doing what we talked about a minute ago. Carries the experiences of the past into a new reality. Family gatherings for shareholders are now the norm. Constant support and fun are too. Yes, he's ready to take her as his wife. And yes, Bane is obsessed with the Knight again, but that changes at the end of the global plot. Look at those muscles.

It's big and scary Bane, and he's just like Wayne. No! Why? Because Bruce's crusade was built on helping people. He made mistakes, became an enemy to good people, corrected himself, picked up and changed methods. Bane didn't do that, that's why he's here.

After the last defeat, the big guy backs off and one day still uses a new one. He's trying to change his approach. Already through help, not through force. And what does Bruce do? He helps him do it. Their eternal battle is over.

You see it in Harley, who has long been a hero and outside of Gotham. In the neutral (some time later) Ivy, in the changed Clayface, in Freeze's transformation into first a good guy and then...yeah, just a guy who enjoys being evil. Not everyone becomes a hero here. But everyone's status changes.

Oh, wait! I think I missed our wedding!

[splinterofpandora]

{BrightKnightUpcoming} <---------------------

-----------don't miss part 7 by tag🖤🤍🖤🤍

🖤 Chapter Ten. Flashes of Light

The New 52 was an important period for more than just Batman. It was a combination of concepts. The characters and events remained the same, but became more accessible to new readers. Globally, it's entirely a classic story, with the main feature being the charm of the era and the emphasis on Bruce's ability to fight for Gotham on his own. The joke is he's not alone. Every major event here is a family. Robins, Batgirl, new members.

You're gonna say, wait a minute! It's already happened! You mean Knightfall came without Tim, without Dick? No. No. No.

I say back then it was more chapters of life that were becoming part of Bruce's life. New 52 was about how every enemy of Gotham is now their personal enemy. Court of Owls, Hash's evil intrigues, Cain's business is now entirely a family business, each of them individually. And together as a team. This evolved into a future project from the beginning of the third volume of Detective Comics, but we've gotten sidetracked again.

The family was new, but most of the ideas and stories from the past were there. Therefore, the Bruces were easy with them. And no one needed to go through the personalized arc with him anymore. It allowed the entirety of the conversation to be about Wayne, pulling forward his positive sides. From 2011 through 2016, comics and media regularly speculated about Batman's retirement, the importance of his role in the Robins' growing up, what Gotham is to Batman, why it's incompetent to consider him close to the Joker.

The kids rarely asked for advice. They became adults. Now they were all communicating with Bruchen on the same level. Of course, we had little Damian, and it was here that he and Jason tried to clarify their attitudes toward each other. To put it simply, they began to understand each other well on the level of not only words, but also thoughts and emotions.

Batman's main allies during this period were his enemies. Not literally. But most of them worked their way up to anti-hero or just an ambiguous character. Scarecrow rescued girls from the fire, Croc protected the homeless, Clayface helped Batwoman, Harley did a great job, Bane tried to...

The main line is that the villains evolved after Batman. Not directly. Not because of him in-universe. But because of the development of the character globally and the traits they already had. Let's take Croc as an example.

Waylon debuted as a gangster and then became a bloodthirsty monster already without the mirage of being an important person. I mean, he was awful from the start, but as a gangster at least outwardly he looked like someone who wouldn't kill just for fun. Sure, he had a backstory with skin problems, there was social rejection. What did it matter if he continued to be a sociopath in the worst way?

The writers then drew a line with life in the sewer for several years. Croc was like an urban legend that left real bones. Over time, the traits of gangster and crocodile began to merge...

Near the beginning of 2010, meaningfulness began to emerge for the first time. Croc didn't want to kill people, but he didn't know how to live any other way. Every attempt he made to go out into the world inevitably ended in blood, and the reader saw that society too can be complicit in creating psychopaths. It didn't make the Killer any kinder, but it did allow us to understand his motives.

The New 52 said that Crock wants to live the good life, but he can't. Even if he leaves Arkham, the world doesn't accept him and he has no choice but to return to the sewers. Oh, and the system doesn't want to make him different. The system likes a monster it can arrest and blame all its sins on.

Waylon escapes into the sewers where he protects lost children, helps Batman, makes Roy Harper's life make sense. And Bruce puts his trust in him because he believes in second chances for everyone.

It's a good example because we're talking about the right thing to do by a still not the right guy. Jones is the villain. Jones is a Killer. But he's gotten better, and without Wayne's faith, it would have been a lot harder.

Near the finale, Batman loses his memory and cape. Not the most important or unexpected moment of the story. But it coolly shows why Jim, Wayne Ent, etc. are in the story. They are fully independent now.

So, the New 52 was the first chapter of happiness for the Dark Knight and his entire world. But what were the consequences of this?

Beware of part 9!!!!!

[splinterofpandora]

{BrightKnightUpcoming} <---------------------

-----------------------don't miss part 6 by tag

Chapter Nine. What are you talking about?

Any hero is an Idea. Lots of ideas that work for different themes. Batman beats Superman. Joker and his philosophy versus Bruce's code. Does the Dark Knight kill? Family is...

We've already talked about why Bruce got angrier, why his children are so important. How friendship worked. Why teams were necessary. You can see how at every single moment it becomes more complex, and that makes it more interesting.

The character will work as long as his problematization works. The more problematics, the more immortal the character is. Not every Concept will work for everyone, but you can come up with a lot of interesting ones.

You might remember comics about slavery, about going to the stars, about nuclear war. You can see how Batman remains only as a mantle, how religion becomes a curse for a person. We were warned about artificial intelligence, government madness, diseases, global warming.

But where is the general idea here? The Struggle. Batman always fights for what he believes in. The whole of Gotham is doing it.

If we say that Batman is no longer working, we are talking either about the absence of a battle, or about the fundamental destruction of the reasons why he does it. However, this is the future, and we have focused on the period after the Crisis and before Flashpoint.

Batman was getting closer to people to know himself, because Bruce Wayne of those years is Batman's mask. Hence the endless storylines about a broken identity because that's how he understands what it consisted of. Stories about the lack of technology because he has to understand what spirit is guiding his body. About poverty, because we have to realize that it's not money that creates Bruce. And he should, of course. Here were dreams...

About eternal love. The desire to see happiness. About children (before Damian). All the simple joys of life. He couldn't afford them because the Mission would always be more important. And because he was afraid that happiness would be fake. How badly?

It's hard to say. On the one hand, it's wrong to present Bruce as some kind of schizophrenic. Yes, he abandoned Selina, left Sasha for the right reasons but in the wrong way, often lied to all the people in his family...

Batman was like a flame that burns everything it dwarfs even if it doesn't want to. And he often didn't want to listen, didn't believe, humiliated. At the same time he walked the weak to their homes, he built orphanages, he used all the resources of the corporation to help people. Bruce suffered with the criminals if he saw the pain they were going through. And the idea of the darkest Good has always been there. In Azrael, in Black Spider, in Harvey Bullock...

Remember our first thought? Good things are best experienced inside a broken soul. So tell me, what have we been talking about for 7 parts in a row? This is the story of a boy who gave up his childhood so that other children could live happily ever after.

To be continued...

[splinterofpandora]

{BrightKnightUpcoming} <---------------------

--don't miss part 5 by tag🧡❤️🖤💜🤍💙💚

Stephanie Brown's Guide to the Mentorship

I love the Robin period in Stephanie's life because it shows us how kind Bruce has become towards the children. It would be fair to say that Brown was the most unideal Robin, however that was her value. With a lot of mistakes made, she kept an optimistic attitude, did things atypical even for this mask like sweet talking to citizens right during a patrol, always tried to have fun, but delved deeply into the cases of really hurt people. Bruce couldn't just give her orders like he did with Dick or Jason. But again, he was a different person and they were different kids. They were kids. Tim and Steph were teenagers.

I don't think age was the deciding factor, but it was a case where he could be relied upon. More complex topics, easier connection on a thinking level, he knew she wouldn't listen under pressure. Stephanie was the first person with whom Bruce fully tried to decide to behave differently and accept how different by his standards she was.

He didn't feel guilty, and he did get something out of it when she, during a mission, would say things to him like, "Oh, you're talking to Barbara? Tell her I said hi!"

Her dismissal as Robin was also easy. Because he knew she'd screwed up, but it wasn't a big deal. And when they continued as Batman and Spoiler or Batman and Batgirl, they kept the contrast of the relationship. He had her back as a partner and could rely on her, but he also knew it wouldn't be intuitive and direct, which was the case with Cass, Dick, Tim.

Robin, in terms of his function, was Bruce's responsibility, for in every case, even under Drake, took its origin from Wayne's consent or dissent. But Stephanie's career as Robin began with a deal. And it wasn't more firmly in his control because Batgirl and Spoiler were never a direct result of his actions.

Stephanie taught him to separate the masked heroes who went after Batman and his inner circle. In the future, this will allow for the start of Batman Incorporated.

Damian Wayne, or you have all the time in the world🤍

Damian was a difficult kid. He could be violent. He constantly put himself above others. He would get into fights even when he was treated well. He could get into fights with other family members for no reason at all. And he didn't really listen to his father half the time. But he didn't have a childhood either. Jason grew up in pain, but at least for a minute he was allowed to be a child. Dami was immediately born a leader, and he had to prove superiority. So this boy needed a special approach.

What's most interesting is that although Bruce used all the lessons learned to raise him, he also came up with a lot of new ones. For example, he became not just affectionate toward his son, but gave him many hugs and revelations. Family events, fun holidays, playing ball with the dog...Wayne and son have become an ordinary family in the best of senses.

Very importantly, Damian wanted to be a decent son and a cool Robin, one day becoming Batman. We see an understanding of the importance that Dick had in the beginning, but which for Bruce is not an obsession now. Wayne helps his son overcome his inner demons, and now even a literal part of him, part of Batman, can live free. Can choose. Bruce kills the idea of the mantle being an extension of himself.

And here's what else he does as he studies his new Robin. He helps destroy all the negative aspects that are out there. Turn them into strengths. Cruelty? Why are you angry? Arrogance? Why do you need it? Humiliation? Is that how you defend yourself? From what? He keeps asking questions, and he answers them to himself as well. Bruce now knows that he cannot make better someone until he is better himself, however he will not push to achieve it.

And that's how he gets an answer to one of the big questions. Was Batman, as a symbol, a tool against Evil and Chaos. It was. But should it remain that? The answer took some time...

I'll teach you everything, but I have nothing to learn. Duke Thomas.

Duke was not a complicated issue because all the complicated issues had been resolved by then. So we just talk about support every step of the way. I think the most interesting thing about Duke in the context of Batman is the lack of “over”.

There's no excessive control here like there was with Dick. There's no excessive guilt and fight of position like there was with Jason. There's no horizon of trust like there was with Tim. There is no fear of legacy as there was with Cass. No miscommunication in individual moments like with Stephanie. No Damian's prejudices. He also spent a long time trying to figure out how not to accept Barbara's injury as a mistake. I don't think it's identical to Jason because Gordon had just moved on and wanted to talk, but that had to be accepted too. And Duke himself was simpler as a person.

Damian's been a fighter since the beginning, for example. Thomas trained for this. He doesn't have that big a line, but we can do an all-media analysis.

In Batwheels, we see a cute kid who is bought ice cream and allowed to play with his sister. This is exaggerated if you read the comics. But that's how it works in the comics, if Duke was in the beginning and Wayne always had it inside. What I'm trying to say is that Thomas is important, but as an indicator of Bruce's global willingness to make Batman only and only a symbol.

Bruce can be without Batman. Batman can be without Bruce. It's no longer a legacy issue. It's a question of how you want to spend your old age. Or who you want to spend it with...

[splinterofpandora]

{BrightKnightUpcoming} <---------------------

-----don't miss part 4 by tag💙🖤❤️💚💜🧡

Chapter Eight. Weakness is the greatest Strength.

Robin was the answer to Bruce's inability to do anything. I use Robin in a universal sense because it applies to Batgirl and many of his children as well. Because it's always a metacommentary. On the one hand, Robin criticizes and destroys the silly idea that Wayne is only Batman. That he's rude, dark, insane. On the other hand, Robin really makes him constantly be above the situation he's in. Of course, this works the other way as well, but we're only interested in Bruce, so let's focus on Robin helping him.

Dick Grayson, or why regular kids are so misunderstood.

Dick was the boy without whom there could be no other Robins. Of course, it wasn't that this acrobat was perfect. No, he often broke the rules, didn't listen to Bruce, could put his life in danger. But Dick was good at recognizing where Bruce shouldn't be driven to anger. He didn't joke if things were really bad, but he did it when he felt it would help Bruce. He was successful in training and didn't have any bad habits, and even his girlfriends were usually nice. Safe. He knew etiquette, liked to live outside the mask, could make Bruce be more father than Bat.

Their conflicts usually took the form of simple misunderstandings about how to care for a child, how to respond appropriately to pain, and how to make other people's decisions. Because Bruce didn't know how to do it himself. No, he's not selfish. But he could act selfishly. The most important thing about this story is that they were both trying to be good at what they do.

So even after Nightwing, after the fighting, after Agent 37, after the Owls...they remained a family. And Dick really likes to repeat this simple thought:

"You were a good father. You've gotten a lot better, but you couldn't have been any better back then because it was already yours 100."

Jason Todd was never his fault.

This story isn't about mistakes, though at first Bruce decided it was. Jason became a part of Bruces' life most spontaneously of all the Robins. A homeless boy who stole a tire. He had to trust Tim. Guilt wouldn't let him leave Dick. But Jason was entirely his choice, the abandonment of which wouldn't break anything inside Wayne. He decided to take a chance because he saw something inside that child. And this was the first time Bruce allowed himself to be more open to Robin on a regular basis. Whether Jason was becoming violent literally or was just being eaten up by inner pain, Wayne missed the point in the boy's growing when it's worth it to offer advice and follow up with a student.

The good days are over. Todd was victimized by the Joker, and we all know what the first time back was like. However, Red Hood didn't want(we're going way past 2010 again, yes) to become a weapon, didn't want to be a monster, and at some point they talked.

I think eventually Bruce realized that he had been too hard on him and didn't let his own pain go. He couldn't accept that his son was killing, that Jason had chosen a very different path, but decided to keep the Bat.

But then he realized that everyone has the right to choose. And then you're going to say we just said that. Dick! That's right. But in a different way.

Dick was a hero. Jason wasn't. Dick didn't use guns. Jason did. Dick was brutally beaten by a criminal, but survived and became more cautious. Jason died and went insane. This complex caused Bruce to turn his back on Todd for a while. Plus he still saw his death as his mistake. That's what Bruce saw in front of him.

The people after Jason had changed Bruce and it was easier for him to accept the bird back. But it wouldn't have been possible without a basic faith in his son. And it was here that Bruce proved that his principles and oaths could not stand above his Family.

Tim Drake made logic work for him and won.

Bruce believed in Dick because Dick believed in Bruce. Jason believed Bruce because Bruce believed in Jason. It seems we've forgotten the piece between these ideas. Because you can't give faith in another person if you don't believe in your own strength. I mean, he and Jason were in conflict, and Bruce couldn't reach out right away because Jason attacked him. So he couldn't just put his trust in the boy and wait for a wonder. He had to believe in his own ability to let the pain go. In this context, Tim makes his debut.

You can remember this poor man who decided to go through all the horrors of the world because of the loss of his son. Drake explained that Batman will always need Robin, and he can't just say no to that. He can't let the Joker win. It was a simple motive that Wayne easily accepted because of Drake's abilities. Tim already knew a lot, and he had Bruce's back well covered.

It wasn't for him...the only one like Dick or Jason, but he still considered him his son, even if he never said it outright. The ease of communication, freedom of movement and remoteness of Tim, his trust and relatively moderate in number, but still quite frequent humor, the very ability to make Bruce smile, did their job. He was the first to make the Batcave very comfortable place. So Bruce began to communicate with his partners more often outside of work.

That's how he began to realize where he was wrong. And he really started apologizing more often, started doing things differently.

She's perfect. She's not mine. Cass Cain.

Bruce felt euphoric when Cass got to him. A great fighter, she knows the code, she understands it. She's single-minded and motivated. Cassandra is true daughter.

Then he had to be disappointed, because she was killing. And disappointed again when she broke the code again because of Shiva. Here again we see how Jason's theme works. Only Cassandra's story isn't about a direct argument, it's about Wayne trying to figure out if he needs the legacy itself.

The answer was mixed. After much torment and conversations with Barbara and Alfred he realized he just wanted happiness for this girl and it didn't have to be part of his own journey. On the other hand, he just put the legacy aside without abandoning the concept altogether, which will complicate the relationship with our future guest.

I think the most important thing here is maintaining the importance of family to Bruce. The boys showed that there is a world beyond Batman, but they would never be able to defeat the Dark Knight. Cass was wiser and showed that the Caped Crusader himself could be different. That Bruce doesn't just need to be perfect, as Tim has shown, but also can always openly show his true feelings and they will be accepted.

You see again that each Robin is important in understanding what is going on. Take one away, it's no longer Bruce. See you next part!

[splinterofpandora]

{BrightKnightUpcoming} <---------------------

-----------don't miss part 3 by tag💜💚🖤🤍

Chapter Seven. Before kids, there was Cat.

We can't ignore Selina's influence. It wasn't as global as the others on the list. And all decisions related to her came more from Bruce. She is the catalyst of Batman's quality of life.

Their acquaintance was a good signal to discuss a more global topic. Does Batman always follow the rules? No. He let her go. He let her go every time because he enjoyed the game.

If the rules weren't broken, he'd show her his best side....

But she's never been a good girl.

She wasn't a monster. She wasn't a killer. She was a vigilante. Whereas his friends were heroes and servants of the law. So Selina was good at seeing the line between real Evil and what was written in formal rules. That makes her like Diana...with a few exceptions:

1)Difference in positions

Kyle sees the edges of evil. Prostitution, domestic violence, street life without the beautiful stories of politicians - it was never a dialog about pure ideals. She knows that a person from the bottom can rarely rise to the top legally. Knows that even the lives of children in many families look scarier than the creepiest movie. And that's what we talked about in Bruce's life as well. Every day, especially as the Dark Knight, he watches the decay of Gotham and tries to stop it. He knows it won't help much in the long run, but it's the best he can do. And Catwoman supports him in this game.

2)She could be anything

To the Amazons, the idea of weakness is largely offensive, so Diana just doesn't happen to be weak. However, Selina likes to defer to Bruce even when she has the advantage on her side. And it just depends on her mood. A princess in trouble, the worst enemy, a conniving seductress, a supportive friend...

We're talking about a girl who, unlike him, doesn't fully see life seriously. And so we get an ideal that makes him constantly question, but never goes to extremes. She even assisted the police! The perfect ally.

No wonder he's drawn to her. After all, she's broken too...

It changes, but globally Selina there is a conflict of questions of how to live and why to live. She travels the world because she doesn't understand exactly who she is, and she doesn't have one home because she can't afford to stop, because then she will fall.

Bruce considers his life a fall, and he doesn't mind crashing when his time comes. But there will never be such a time, because the goal is to protect people, and they can't be safe. When we look at him and Selina, we're looking at people who aren't used to relying on others, but are often saved because of others. But it only takes one thing to do that...reach out in return.

We'll come back to the dialog later when we're done with the rest.

[splinterofpandora]

{BrightKnightUpcoming} <---------------------

--------------don't miss part 2 by tag💙🖤❤️

Chapter six. My closest friend.

I think she understands him better than anyone else. Because they were both born into battle and have seen Hell with their own eyes. They've seen how badly people can break. They both know when it's necessary to be violent. They know that sometimes peace can only be achieved through war.

But Bruce attacks immediately. He's used to taking the high ground with fear, with pressure. Diana had always preferred peace, and knew how hard it was to keep it even for a moment.

I'm saying that it's natural for a princess to see both sides with a clear eye, which is not the case with the idealistic Clark or the suspicious Bruce. At the same time, she's as stubborn in her personal faith as Wayne.

Batman respects that. Respects her eagerness to help people who ask for it. But he can't act against personal rules himself. If someone is “guilty,” they must be judged. But not for the princess. This is a difficult principle because it allows for impunity for individual acts. Of course, Batman can forgive theft, as we know from the example of Catwoman. But murder is different.

The more complex the system, the harder it is for Bruce to figure out what is right. That's where he needs Diana. Being able to be centered allows her to show that there is a judgment of the heart. He doesn't see it right away. But realizes one day. It is Compassion.

Chapter six.one. There's always a solution.

It's an ideological struggle. And it's based on trust. It doesn't negate Jim's contribution, because it was never about the influence of just one person.

Clark helps Bruce realize the value of being human. My favorite example here in the movie, but we have to see the context of the situation. Their duo, we once learned, formed when they were children. Two kids whose fathers had crossed paths over a broken car, playing ball and talking about nothing and everything.

Thomas had never been a man who believed in harmony with the world. He taught his son the right things, but often did wrong himself, even toward his family. This partly influenced the son's closed-mindedness and character. However, he was not reluctant to help people and had the principles of a physician, which again influenced the boy.

Pa Kent, on the contrary, taught his son that the whole world was his big place, where every corner was filled with life. As a result, Clark has one boy clinging to the Earth while the other tries to sort of soar above it.

However, for the same reason Kent didn't run away from home, while Bruce had unscheduled outings around town. While Clark was running around the safe fields with the other guys, Wayne was discovering many inequalities and horrible things.

The streets end up taking the parents of one. And the fields and people send the other to the sky. That is, while one side was constantly met with distrust, the other side saw only support and sunshine. This was all before the alley trauma.

That's why when the boys meet, they ask questions that help them understand the other's position. As an adult, Bruce begins to evaluate every potential threat as an enemy to be dealt with, and Superman's style here plays against him in Batman's eyes. Bruce refuses to listen, and at first Superman becomes more of a necessary partner for him than an deep and good person.

However, the more he watches Superman, the more he understands Clark. His actions are so pure that they carry no hidden meaning. He literally does what he says. And that breaks the reality of a person who is used to understatement. To mistrust.

Yes, he tries to keep him out of Gotham, but he knows Kent won't let him down. Step by step, through small tests, a strong friendship begins to build.

This reaches a peak when Clark personally gives Bruce the famous green stone, capable of crushing the Man of Steel at any moment. Superman openly supports and accepts the sometimes bizarre methods of the Knight. Because of this, Bruce also has to make concessions, but he does so willingly since Clark doesn't push.

If we look at most storylines involving Superman and Batman, we find that they are simply exciting. They don't close complicated cases like Bruce usually does. And it's grounding him. That's why we can't put the League next to Diana and Clark when it comes to influencing Wayne.

Chapter six.two. When Darkness falls.

In other words, my point is that he can relax. Not be the smartest and strongest, but not feel a lack of strength either. He's comfortable at Trinity. Which is perfectly revealed in Zack Snyder's Trilogy. We start the journey with Superman as a threat that Batman needs to solve in a complicated way.

Soon, however, Bruce sees him as a human being. And this is something that repeats itself time after time. Clark is more human than Bruce in many ways, but that doesn't make Wayne a monster standing next to an angel.

In other words, Zack is saying that they are both deluded. The Dark Knight is too distrustful. The Man of Steel is too trusting. And that's Diana's at the center theme again.

We see it returning to the same points each time, but changing appearance in the context of time. So here, in talking about Batman after Crisis and before Flashpoint, I use a lot of footage from other time periods, after 2011, 2016, 2022. It is a timeless story that takes on new contours because of the changes within the hearts and minds of the characters. And it's one of many hands that lead Bruce to a greater Light.

Most of all, however, he learns the most from those who are always by his side. Kids.

[splinterofpandora]

{BrightKnightUpcoming} <---------------------

-------- don't miss part 1 by tag🖤💜🧡💚💙

What about Batman? The 70s taught him to be pleasant even with his enemies. Mutual accusations, threats and beatings? Yes! Dialogue, respect, compassion? Also yes! If Bruce saw an opportunity to pull a person out of the pit of crime, he did his best to achieve it.

Readers were given a version made up of contrasts. A variation that prepared Batman for new challenges centered around friendship, parenting, and wrestling with his own voice. A man who could be cruel, but always, always! He knew how to stop in time. Perhaps that's why he was destined to die...

Chapter Four. Darkness on the Edge of Town.

Why? Why did Batman's image have to merge with the Darkness? He wasn't someone who hated the world. Or afraid of it. Or something...

No. But he was someone who carried great loss in his heart. The human mind works best on contrasts. We remember the Good more easily if it's something rare. If achieving Love was difficult, it seems more worthy to us, some kind of feat. We may think otherwise. But our emotions inevitably lead us there.

After Crisis (and shortly before), The Dark Knight began to work differently, but didn't change ideologically. Carrying out justice for the sake of other people. Keeping loved ones safand put their lives before his own. Being multi-faceted. That stayed inside.

But we started earlier and went deeper. From now on, Batman's first case isn't just a story about a good man fighting in disguise. It's a complex story that could be, depending on origins, anything. Anything human. Batman has become a counter to the monster in a multitude of ways, because Bruce's chosen mode of existence couldn't lead to any other. He wanted to be alone to escape life. Wanted to be closed off to avoid caring. Wanted to be scary to repel people. For if he did otherwise...he would lose again.

Batman continued to reveal himself through deeds, while bringing the ideological aspect forward. The gallery of enemies began to reflect the negative aspects of the Knight, but disfigured and elevated to an absolute. The relationship with his family, which would become the focus of several posts, developed over decades, traveling a difficult path of non-acceptance and humility.

One of the main people was Jim Gordon. You know well what they experienced during Year One, how the framework of their friendship took shape, why they always remained partners. My favorite story has an arc that began during the time of Knightfall.

Bruce's mental fatigue robbed him of his ability to talk to people normally, causing his relationship with Jim to begin to deteriorate. The commissioner could have saved the day, but he was in a terrible state himself. In the end, Wayne's departure, Azrael's lies and cruelty, and the constant reticence after the masked owner returned nearly destroyed their bond. Put them on the path to war.

After the madness of No Man's Land, they have a frank conversation that becomes one of the first and most important points in Bruce's realization of the importance and power of words. More importantly and influentially, Bat opens up to the commissioner. He takes off his mask, but Jim doesn't want to see his face.

In retrospect, you realize how right it was. The ignorance of the greatest secret kept them both from possible mistakes, but the very fact of openness gave faith in each other. Perhaps that's why after the horrible incident with Sarah, Batman does nothing. He knows that Gordon needs that support, and that his old friend will never let him down again.

Chapter Five. What team?

Batman doesn't work on a team that is his equal. Batman doesn't work on a team that is weaker than him. Batman does not work in a team that does not listen to him.

God, so many rules! But he needs to be the best, and he needs professionals, because we're talking about people's lives. Professionals shouldn't be opposed to ways to eliminate them if they get out of hand. Professionals should always be emotionally invulnerable.

The main lesson Bruce takes away from the League, Outsiders and other teams under his direct and formal leadership is that people can be weak, it's okay.

He doesn't want to hurt, but his enemies use his secrets to do this. He admits a mistake, but it's a security mistake, not the very fact of having a “knife” that targets people who trust him.

The teams give Batman the truth. The truth about how boring, creepy, and unfriendly creature he can be. And it's...yeah, you know. It's normal.

The thing is, most of the time he's isolated. Gotham is his hunting ground. No one there tells Batman he can relax, because Jim, for one, isn't very good at it himself. Alfred tried. Tries every day. It's not working. The teams are exposing this problematic point.

It's not like our hero is suddenly listening to them(he tries...sometimes). But because those knives are stabbed into them. Innocent people. Do you remember who Batman swore to protect?

Okay. He's got it. How does he solve it? With the help of his friends...

Next chapter's coming up!