#Meghan Fitzmartin

[deancasforcutie]

Reminder that Castiel is ＡＵＴＩＳＴＩＣ

Gay Pride AND Disability Pride icon let's gooo 🏳️‍🌈♾️

[soleminisanction]

I think my least favorite internet criticism of Meghan Fitzmartin is the idea that she "just wanted to push her ship," meaning Tim/Bernard. Because honestly? I think that's straight-up bullshit.

Having read the Urban Legends stories, the Pride Special reprint, Tim Drake: Robin and Young Justice Dark Crisis, plus what interviews and social media she's been doing as these comics came out, there is zero evidence to me to back that statement up. If that were true, the Urban Legends stories probably would've been more about bringing Bernard back and re-establishing him as a character. Y'know, building up their relationship.

But it wasn't about their relationship. It was about Tim and his feelings, his internal conflict, what he needed. That's what Fitzmartin even said in the interviews after, that she, "felt like this was something Tim needed." And that's true going into TD:R too -- yeah, Bernard is there and their relationship is a prominent subplot, but he gets about as much page time as Darcy and Detective Williams, and the focus is always on Tim's ongoing story and his developing relationships with all the people around him.

That's why I like that they went with Bernard as his "closet key." Not because I'm super devoted to the pairing or anything -- I truly could take or leave the arrangement -- but because they're tolerably cute together and, more importantly, dating a civilian supporting character comes with far less baggage than establishing a relationship with a fellow hero. By their very nature, superhero stories are more heavily weighted towards the hero characters than their civilian support, that's just a fact, and, with rare exception, civilian love interests tend to act more as sounding boards to develop and reflect the leads. Making Tim's first boyfriend an old civilian friend means the story could be about Tim's personal character growth, internal conflict, and explorations of his sexuality.

I genuinely think that's the only reason Fitzmartin went with Bernard. She only had around 30 pages to tell that Urban Legends story (and I guarantee you, she was assigned that page count before writing), so bringing back a previous civilian friend meant she didn't have to try to establish a whole new relationship on top of introducing a villain faction and telling a superhero-based investigation story. And for whatever reason, Bernard was the most popular of Tim's civilian buddies to rare-pair him with before this all happened. (Just check AO3: Prior to the release of the Urban Legends stories, Tim/Bernard had ~42 fics, Sebastian Ives got 4, and Danny Temple had 1.)

When Meghan Fitzmartin says that she went back, read Tim's old stories, and felt he needed to come out of the closet, I believe her. And I'm happy she felt that way and was allowed to act on those feelings because it's something I felt too, reading those stories. Those feelings that had nothing to do with "ships" or even with characters like Kon or Dick and everything to do with Tim and who he is as a person.

To sweep all that away as "she just wants to push her preferred ship" just feels so... dismissive and rude.

[shyjusticewarrior]

Rebirth Detective Comics: A Lonely Place of Living

Tim Drake: Robin #3

[theonethatstoleyourshit]

WWBD?

fucking love the art

Also, on the topic of Batman, and to show the difference between Bat and Punisher that some peeps tend to forget

DC Pride: Tim Drake Special (2022)

[wonderbatpanels]

Justice League x RWBY: Super Heroes & Huntsmen, Part Two (2023)

"But Batman should know about Gotham--"

"No. He needs sleep. Let's check in with everyone else."

[extraordinary-heroes]

Tim Drake: Robin Vol 1 #7 (Cover art by Nikola Cizmesija)

[batcavescolony]

I'm rereading Dark Crisis: Young Justice and..... What the fuck was that?

[hotpinkstaples]

gonna be real, but the notion that “tim never liked bernard” is such a wack take on the whole Timbern dynamic when you look at the gap between bernard’s last appearance and his reintroduction into the story as a catalyst for Tim’s coming out. like storywise, these are DC characters who are essentially barbie dolls for whoever the hell has the pen. now, was fitzmartin the right writer for the story? fuck no, but you get what you pay for. BUT, how are you gonna be mad about characters coming out of the vault after existing as side-side-side characters knowing full well dc only cares about three IPs at best??? i cannot take ppl who say timsteph breakup and timbern getting together was an affront to tim drake’s development when he’s been tossed around like a wet dog like the rest of the yj crew. we are lucky he even got to become an adult. kon’s still in high school. humble yourselves.

[ultrameganicolaokay]

Tim Drake: Robin #10 by Meghan Fitzmartin and Nikola Čižmešija. Cover by Čižmešija. Variant cover by Gleb Melnikov. Pride variant cover by Travis Moore. Out in June.

"Robin and Batwoman are trapped in the lair of the Chaos Monsters! Will they be able to escape with their sanity intact?"

[a-ramblinrose]

The moment my local comic shop had a copy I ran down to obtain it for my hoard like the bookwyrm I am!!! 📚

[evilhorse]

I am stronger with you on my weakest day than on my best day alone.

[thebuhonerodazorrow]

Tim Drake: Robin #8 (2023)

Dc

[heroesriseandfall]

For every random commenter I’ve seen that claims Fitzmartin has feminized Tim Drake in his new solo, we should bring back another 90’s or early 2000s Tim Drake outfit that they would call “too feminine” or “too gay” today. None of them would survive Tim’s bright pink jacket or Mr Sarcastic.

[shyjusticewarrior]

Tim describing family in Batman #134

Tim describing Jason in Tim Drake: Robin #3

[whalehouse1]

Bendis, Taylor, Fitzmartin: We’re going to make social commentary and make these casts more diverse cause we’re proud allies!!!

Fans reading their stuff: Are…are you sure you have met anyone that you’re claiming you’re an ally of?

Dixon: I HATE THE GAYS!!! GOD WHY DO WOMEN THINK THEY CAN DO ANYTHING!!!??? UGH! DO I HAVE TO ADD A NONTHUG POC TO THIS!?

Fans: You’re an awful person, but thanks for the representation for all the people you hate with good stories.

[wonderbatpanels]

Justice League x RWBY: Super Heroes & Huntsmen, Part One (2023)

[Clip 1/2]

"Maybe with these abilities, I can do more. I can be like you... a warrior."