#Really fun esp the babs dick and tim bits

[misspickman]

You should read gates of gotham if u havent btw

[bluebeetle]

honestly since its on my mind here is my rankings of jason ships off the top of my head:

jayt1m, bruj4y, j4ydick,j4ydami, jayt4lia, jaysl4de: theyre bad scoob. inc3st and p3do shit galore; jayt1m woulda been more bearable if tim hadnt been adopted right before jay came back, but still has issues esp re: how jay acted towards tim and tim being a minor while jay is an adult, ableit one very close to his age. tbh i dont trust anyone who likes any of these for obvs reasons. anyways jay has a rly interesting dynamic with all of them except slade tbh and making it romantic ruins it for various reasons, but also bc family is SUCH a driving point for jason!!!! 

jaybabs: i am so tired of DC putting babs with every man they can lol. she deserves better. anyways i dont like it, the few interactions we see with babs and jay prior to him coming back have very older babysitter-like energies, she is supposed to be older than dick (who was already 18 when jay was 12!!) and has known him since he was a child its a weird age gap and they rly dont have a lot in common other than a shared trauma over the joker. its not good and does a disservice to what could be a good platonic relationship that could allow them to heal, esp jay. 

jayroy: i prefer them as friends. they have such good energy with jay as roys’s friend’s little brother who somehow became his friend but as a romance its kinda dull to me, and im not the biggest fan of their age gap 

jaydonna: only ogs will remember when DC tried to push that jay-kyle-donna love triangle on us lol thanks dan didio. honestly its not the worst, i could maybe see it, but donna being around dicks age still makes it a lil weird and the love triangle sucked. donna deserves better, but hey, its better than donnas canon husband tho! 

jaysionis: no comment.

jayanita: yes this exists it appears in 1 issue of the young justice comic during the world without young justice storyline. in this jay is about 18 and alive, with something akin to his pre-crisis backstory. hes shown to have been in a relationship with anita, who i believe is around 16-18 and then he dies lol. would be interesting to see them meet in normal canon but anita hasnt appeared since like 2007 and who knows how old she’d be now with the wonky ages. has potential ig but its in a grey area. 

jayrose: i feel like they have potential BUT it is ruined by the fact that it only ever seems to exist with them already together and interested in each other, with basically no build up or real chemistry as a result. it feels forced and more like out of a necessity to pair people up. they could have a fun dynamic, esp around damian but it feel like its never done right, and often at rose’s expense

jaykyle: their ages are vague due to varous timeline fuckery in DC but i always assumed they were both roughly college age by the time they interact, with kyle being a lil bit older . has a lot of potentiall imo but they havent interacted much in so long. got that sorta bad boy x tortured artist thing going on i like it.

jayconnor: tbh i would love to see them interact more. i feel like this is the superior jay/archer ship tbh tbh. i think it could rly work esp bouncing off each other with their different personalities but they still have a lot in common. they def should interact more now that connor is back in the comics.

jaysteph: speaking of ppl who need to interact more... DC has fucked with their ages a bit since they want to age up jay but not age up steph, so that is an issue, however originally they were only about a year or two apart (since jay is a few months younger than cassandra cain and steph is older than tim by about a year). they have a lot in common with their backstories and their roles in the batfamily so i think it could b cute! much better jay/batgirl ship than babs tbh... would love to see them just TALK. also funny to imagine jay rubbing it in tims face.

jaytemis: i rly like artemis and can see potential in this one so i really do like it! however scott lobdell is NOT the one who shoulda been telling their story and thus they suffer from his writing heavily imo. has a lot of potential and is def my fave bat x amazon ship.

[daemons-not-rogues]

@toastedside asked in a gc for rec's of where to start w/ Batman comics and it turns out I have a lot of Opinions™️ about this so I thought I'd make a longer post :)

Basically, it boils down to:

Start with what you want to read!

Admittedly, that's not very helpful if you don't know where in the comics to find the bit you want to read, so we'll work from there! I've listed below what I think can be good entry points to the Batman (& the Batman Family of comics) based on what you might be looking for. [Keeping in mind that this list leans heavily away from DC's Rebirth/New 52... maybe someone who likes the newer stuff enough to keep up with them can help me out there??]

[Note: links go to the full comics on https://readconiconline.to - BUT! I *highly* recommend using an ad-blocker with this site! Some of the ads make me really uncomfy. You have been warned!]

Also, the ⭐s aren't important other than that they represent some of my personal faves :)

1. Looking for slightly-silly, lighthearted classic tales (from long before you were born)?? Try:

Batman: the Classic Casebook (includes The Rainbow Batman⭐ and Batman Meets Bat-Mite)

2. How about stories featuring Batman's two original partners? Check out:

Batgirl/Robin: Year One for an updated (circa 2013) take on Dick Grayson and Barbara Gordon's origin stories.

Or, if you've ever heard a reference to Babs' time in Congress and want to know more, try The Batman Family (1975) (Note: this is most definitely part of pre-crisis continuity and has little relation to the rest of the stories on this list, but it's a fun read ☺️)

3. Already know who your favorite Robin is? Are you sure about that? See:

For Dick Grayson, the OG™️ Boy Wonder:

Robin: Year One (above)

A throwback, but Batman & Superman's first Golden-age team up in World's Finest Comics #71 kicks off the "two dads and their son just having a good time" era

Not a Batman comic exactly, but New Teen Titans (1980) #1-8+ has the (pre-flashpoint/infinite crisis) origins of probably the most recognizable cast of the Teen Titans team (& features Dick striking out on his own)

Personally, I have... never really cared for all the retconning in 2005's Nightwing: Year One, so I'd recommend starting with either:

Nightwing (1995), the 4-issue limited run featuring #discowing ⭐ (honestly, the * isn't even for the story. The art is insane absolute gold. Dick's flowing locks. Alfred's green pinstriped suit. The artist's obvious thirst way they draw Dick & esp. when he's stripping off the suit. I just... can't even with this series. It never fails to make me giggle)

Or Nightwing (1996) #1 if finger-stripes are more your style (welcome to the Haven, Dick 😉)

For Jason Todd:

Batman (1940) #408 ⭐ (stealing the tires from the Batmobile will never not be a classic),

Batman (1940) #366-368 ⭐ (pre-crisis, but you will have to pry this version of Dick passing the mantle from my cold, dead hands),

Superman (1937) Annual #11: For the Man Who Has Everything (A throw-back: it's Clark's birthday at the fortress of solitude, and Robin saves the day!)

Legends of the Dark Knight: Norm Breyfogle (TPB, collected 🦇 comics mostly from the 80s, many of which feature Jason as Robin)

For Tim Drake:

Batman: A Lonely Place of Dying (1990) (collected from Batman/Teen Titans, Tim's first appearances after Jason's death),

Robin (1991) (Tim abroad, featuring Shiva and King Snake),

And Robin II (1992) ⭐ (Batman's out of town, but don't worry - Tim and Alfred have got this covered 😆)

For Stephanie Brown:

Honestly, you for Steph you *have* to start with Spoiler's introduction/origins. See: Detective Comics (1937) #647-649 ⭐, and

Showcase '95 #5 ⭐ (for the Spoiler stand-alone story)

From then on, she shows up every few issues in Robin (1993)

For Damian Wayne:

honestly, I... probably wouldn't recommend starting here? Maybe I'm too biased towards the 90s, but I just think you miss out on a ~lot~ of Batfam history if you do

If you're sure though, his first appearance is in Batman (1940) #655 circa 2006

4. Does Oracle's all-around badassery make you swoon? SAME

It's not her earliest appearance (that's in the 80s run of Suicde Squad, believe it or not), but for her origin story, see 'Oracle: Year One', in The Batman Chronicles (1995) #5 ⭐

Birds of Prey is iconique Oracle!Babs. See Black Canary/Oracle: Birds of Prey for the start of their adventures (and if you fall in love like I did, there's a good reading order by ComicBookHerald here, since there are a half-dozen differently-titled one-offs and mini series before the start of the BoP serial in 1999)

5. Love you some Cassandra Cain?? Me too!!

Her first appearance is in Batman (1940) #567 - BUT, it's the middle of the NML run, which is sooo good I recommend the whole thing. Depending on how much you want to bite off, I'd even recomend starting as far back as Batman: Contagion, because it's really really good.

Below I've listed the progression of major arcs in that era (most bridge the entire Batman Family of comics, from Detective Comics, Shadow of the Bat, Robin, and Nightwing, to Azreal, Catwoman, etc.). Any of these could be a good place to pick up the comics!

Batman: Prodigal (after B broke his back in the Knightfall arc, Dick Grayson temporarily takes the cape. Great for Dick & Tim brotherly bonding, plus flashbacks where Dick retells his origins)

Batman: Contagion & Batman: Legacy ⭐ (Ra's Al Ghul tries to take Gotham out with a plague)

Batman: Cataclysm & Batman: Aftershock/Road to No Man's Land

Batman: No Man's Land ⭐⭐ (Cass!!! The whole Batfam!! Oracle and the GCPD!! Huntress!!! Plus the A++ characterization of the rogues *cough*Ivy*cough*Two-Face*)

What do you think? Do you have different recommendations?

[dyketectivecomics]

So...what ARE you feelings on bruce being a Pisces? Let alone that Cass is an Aquarius, Dick is an Aries, Jason's a Leo and Tim's a cancer?

I slowly shut my laptop and set it aside on my bed, staring ahead at nothing in particular as I reminisce on a favorite Pisces in my life. My best friend since childhood, a girl who i’ve known for well over a decade, more than half of my life really, who happens to share the exact same birthday as Fictional Character Bruce Wayne. A Pisces-cusp.

I think on the similarities I see between them, the qualities of her character that only I and a few others would know, and try to think on how others have perceived her before joining our friend group over the years. I admire her empathy, her passion for music and video games, her willingness to put all of her friends above herself. 

And then i remember how she drunk-texted our group chat last night just to tell us she loved us & that she couldn’t wait to hit up a gay bar with us when we’re all back in town.

And I cackle. Because if no one else does, I do see these qualities in Bruce Wayne’s character. Just a hair below all the so-called brooding and angst. Bruce is a water sign who’s a little emotionally stunted in that he tries to hide his feelings, but he feels oh-so-very much. He’s a Pisces trying to emulate a Scorpio and falling just short (bc lets be real, he’s got too many kids that he definitely dotes on) but yknow… it’s something that when he’s done correctly by writers, they somehow manage to fit those qualities in without even realizing, I think. Sure, he’s not a kid that I grew up with and there’s plenty of differences because my friend is, yknow, an actual person who’s more than a couple of personality traits. But damn if I don’t see similarities….

Now, as for the rest of the kids & others that I relate them to… (under the cut, tagging as “long post” for mobile users just incase tumblr wants to be a butt again) Also a warning bc some of this will sound like I’m ripping from astrology sites but honestly just narrowed things down from my own personal experience with these signs. Take all of this observation & comparison with a grain of salt, if you wish.

Cass is an aquarius, like myself. And I’d be lying if I said that I didn’t see more than a few similarities in what few scattered stories I’ve been able to read so far (or even that I might be prone to reading a bit too much into some of it bc hey, I have a fav now & I want to see myself in her, sue me). One of these days I’m probably going to sit down and really dive in, but for now, I gather what I can, listen to the meta that others have, and ofc, try to form my own opinion. 

That being said, an eccentric-ass Aquarius is really the only choice to take over the mantle from a sensitive-ass Pisces, and everyone can fite me on this. Aquarians & Pisces, my friend and I, Bruce and Cass- all on a similar wavelength, esp when they’re encouraging each other and learning to grow from one another.

Cass is an air sign that most people only see as being grounded because of the discipline David Cain instilled in her from childhood. She’s funny, wise beyond her years, and intensely dedicated to the mission at hand bc of what it means to help others as a whole. And this is fault that I see in myself and in her: she’s got plenty of empathy for those she might already be close to, and absolutely cares about humanity in a greater sense, but caring for individuals without getting to know them can be uncomfortable. She’s driven, but can be blindsided by that dedication and burn herself out easily if others don’t intervene. Also, an introverted extrovert, one who’s absolutely ready to meet with others and collaborate/team-up, but can get a little lost in her own head from time-to-time.

…

Now, Dick the Aries. My other best friend since childhood also shares this sign with my First Favorite Robin. And I do see more than a number of parallels between the two of them. My aries friend has a penchant for taking over projects and setting themselves in charge of the operation. But they also have the charm and ingenuity to make themselves to seem the perfect and best fit for that leadership position. They’re rebellious, a little brash in decision-making, but they’ve also mellowed out over the years in many small ways. Still on fire about what they’re most passionate about in life, and more than willing to achieve it by any means necessary, damn anyone who thinks that they won’t.

There’s a popular consensus in fanon to make dick a kind of hufflepuff who’s just there for his friends & loves hugs and is lovey all around- but Dick is driven. He cares for his friends fiercely and will help them absolutely, but he’s ready to avenge them too. He’ll punch you in the face, pirouette with the utmost amount of sass, and then make you feel bad for making him do it in the first place. He’s got that bit of deviousness that will make you second guess his intentions. But if you’re already part of his inner circle, you have nothing to fear from him. And that’s where his lovey side then has room to come out.

…

Moving on to Jason the leo, and I know you didn’t ask, but Im adding Stephanie to this discussion as well since she’s a leo too. A few leos that I’ve gotten to know over the years can be summed up very lovingly as this: attention whores. (again. very lovingly. i love each and every one of those bitches so damn much, this is something they’ve each used to describe themselves lmao)

Leo is the King of the Zodiac, commanding attention in the room whenever they walk in. They’ve got plenty to say, of course, and they’re excellent diplomats/socialites in many ways. Often best suited for a leadership position. They know how to read the conversation and the room and turn it best into their favor. They will dazzle you with their wit and charm, but also in their knowledge of the subject at hand. If they have an Opinion, they’ll absolutely let you know what it is, and they’re not afraid to hold back on what they perceive to be a truth. Some will have a bit more tact than others, but they’re a fire sign, after all. 

Did this just describe Jason & Steph? well maybe not to some, but I definitely see their drive to complete their own missions & joining up Bruce’s crusade as Leo qualities. Steph and Jay are willing to do what it takes and butt heads with whoever they must if it means doing what they see is right. They’re absolutely social people too (maybe Steph a bit more than Jay will be), and you can’t deny they’ve both got a certain kind of charm over the rest of the family.

…

Tim the cancer sign… this is… difficult actually. One of the few signs that I don’t recall having significant interaction with. (& honestly the character & Robin that I have the least personal interest in. I do want to like him but I just…??? Havent rlly found the time to put into reading up on him more)

But just going off the water sign aspect, and knowing water signs in my life… Emotions & emotional intelligence are obviously going to be at the forefront. From what I’ve gathered on Tim, he’s very well-rounded in all areas of his life, and driven to succeed at whatever he’s set his mind to. I can absolutely respect the strength his character has commanded over the years, and his popularity is absolutely earned, I think. Writers have worked hard to make sure he’s distinct from Dick & Jason before him in many ways, and I’ll have to look deeper into his character & listen to more meta on him before I’ll be comfortable to speak further on that.

…

To round out this discussion, I want to bring Barbara into the mix, because she’s had a fixed birthday for awhile now. And tbh she’s just as much part of the family as the rest I think (yes, I know some people get Babs fatigue bc she’s the first batgirl & gets the other girls lost in the shuffle but hey! I’ve loved her for awhile now!) She is *drum roll* a Libra!

Now, this ones a bit tricky, bc the most important Libra in my life is my mom. Buuuut, she and Babs are both cusps… on opposite ends of this zodiac sign. I admire my mother for her resolve, inventiveness, work ethic, and stability. I also loathe her tendency to micromanage projects, become overly involved in the work of others (to the point where she WILL find out whats going wrong) and how she tends to overwork herself (just this past spring has been really really difficult. I’m surprised she hasn’t worked herself into the grave with the amount of stress she puts on herself)

Now some of these qualities, I absolutely see in Babs. But I also see a bit more awareness in her character, esp when she’s grown up into her Oracle persona. She seems able to recognize what she’s doing and how she’s affecting others, and will sometimes use that to her advantage. She’s a character who’s grown into the adversity she faces & doesnt let it change her resolve for completing the mission, even if it needs to be from a new (& probably better) angle. She adapts well to change, or forces the change to adapt to her. She is a force to be reckoned with and admired.

…

All of this to say… at the end of the day, the stars are still just balls of gas and light that sit some billion light-years away from us. Do they really control our personalities? I mean, probably not. But there’s enough similarities in those traits to make you wonder… and it’s honestly just a Good Fun Time regardless.