#and then the real Robin (Damian) shows up and is Baffled

[lovelesslittleloser]

Just thinking of Danny in preforming at the Ice Lounge in a Robin costume and the only reason everyone knows he’s NOT Robin is because he’s chanting ‘WE AT THE HOTEL, MOTEL, HOLIDAY IIIIIIIINN’

[pickleking8]

Adoption Isn’t All It’s Cracked Up To Be ---- Chapter Four

Words: 1,107

Ao3 Link

Previous - Next - Masterpost

————————————–

     Batman, Nightwing, Robin, Orphan, and Signal all turned to stare at Tim as he rushed into the cave with a haste that was usually only displayed in emergencies. Batman straightened, instantly alert.

     “Red Robin, report. What’s the issue? Are you injured?” He spoke seriously, his tone leaving no room for hesitation or stalling. Tim gasped for breath, but quickly responded.

     “Jason- Jason’s alive! I saw him, I found him, he’s alive!”, his sentences came out in a flurry, triumphant and eager. This, at least, solicited a response. Dick startled and audibly gasped. Damian sucked in a large breath of air, and Cass and Duke both simply stared, slack-jawed, before Cass dropped heavily into a nearby chair. Relative to their normal emotional states, Bruce reacted perhaps the most tellingly of all; drawing in a stuttering breath and taking a small step back, which was quite the show of emotion for the man. 

     Just after he finished speaking, Tim reached into one of his side pockets and pulled out a small plastic baggie with a flourish. While his family was still recovering from his first statement, he took the opportunity to explain in detail what had happened. 

     “I saw Jason, just the way he looked the night he- nevermind, I saw him, sitting on a rooftop just swinging his legs. He was looking up the whole time, so he didn’t see me, but it was him. And, get this, he was moving like he had a big injury on his chest, and I saw bandages, and he was covered in bruises. It’s gotta be him. It’s got to be him. And! I have proof,” he said, waving the little baggie around as he did so. By now, Tim was speaking so fast he could barely be understood, but his point was made. Jason was alive. And Tim had proof. 

—----------------------

     Bruce could hardly believe it. His baby. His baby boy. He was alive. He could look into his room and see him, not a silent, too perfect picture of what should have been. 

     But… it can’t be true. It can’t be. He knows that Jason is dead. He saw the body. He saw how it was broken and filled with cuts and bruises and didn’t fucking move. Didn’t breathe. Didn’t get up again. He saw how he failed to protect his son. He knows.  He remembers the funeral. The burial. He knows that Jason’s body is in a polished grave with too perfect grass and a couple flowers strewn across the stone. He knows. 

     So, logically, this can’t be true. He can’t be alive, he can’t see his boy again, and Bruce can feel his anger rising at whatever sick prank Tim is pulling right now. Because that’s what this has to be, right? An awful, awful prank. The alternative, the idea, the hope that Jason is alive is too much to bear. Because he knows it can’t be real. And he doesn’t think he can stand having the hope crushed once more. 

     “...And! I have proof,” Tim finished, proudly presenting a little baggie with some scrap of cloth inside, and Bruce was quickly pulled out of his musings. Tim said he had proof. Proof was something Bruce could understand. Proof was concrete. Logical. It could make his Jason alive again. Bruce couldn’t let himself believe that, though. Not until he knew for sure. He wouldn’t hope. He hoped anyway, with all of his might.

     “Tim. What is in the baggie? What is your proof?” he spoke, hoping, hoping, hoping beyond belief.

     “Jason, he tore his hoodie, on an AC unit. This was the scrap. It’ll have his DNA! We can prove it, it can be him, it has to be him.” 

     And with that, Bruce was gone. Hooked. Sold. Utterly convinced. And amid the rising tumult of emotions, one coherent thought rose and sang over and over and over again.

     He could have his boy back. 

—-----------------------

     Tim’s head hit the table with an audible thunk, and the others looked close to doing the same. They were all baffled. Jason’s DNA had come back completely corrupted; nothing was normal about it. If this was what was in his body, then Tim honestly had no idea how he was still walking around. 

     “It’s a complete dead-end, which I didn’t even know was possible for DNA testing. Whatever Jason is now, there’s something very wrong with him,” Tim spoke in a monotone, his voice tired and dejected, “His DNA seems to be corrupted with a substance that the Bat-Computer doesn’t recognize for any of the tests we’ve run so far, and we don’t have that many tests left to try.” 

     Everyone looked crushed, especially Bruce. He shouldn’t have hoped. But… there was one more thing to try. One more thing, that most of his children were oblivious to. With trepidation, Bruce walked up to the computer before leaning over and deftly typing a couple of codes. Within a couple of seconds, the computer dinged with an affirmative match. Tim’s eyebrows rose, and he craned his neck trying to see around Bruce. Turning to face everyone, when Bruce spoke his words were tense and clipped with anger.

     “It’s Lazarus water. His DNA is corrupted with Lazarus water.” 

     Recognition flashed across Damian’s features, but everyone else shared glances of confusion. 

     Good, then, Tim thought, he wasn’t the only one who had no idea what that was. Bruce sighed.

     “The Lazarus pits are, for lack of a better word, magical pits that are in the possession of the League of Assassins. We know very little about them or their properties, but we know that they’re powerful, apparently enough to bring Jason back. Why the League of Assassins would bring Jason back, I don’t know, but their involvement leaves me with no doubt that it’s him,” at this point in his speech, Bruce’s words seemed to swell, a near imperceptible note of happiness and hope present in his tone. His children listened with rapt attention, hanging off every word, “We can figure out why they did this later. Right now, Jason is alive. Right now, we need to work on getting him home.”

     As they filed out of the Batcave, eager to share the news with everyone else, Tim glanced around at his family and found his eager, almost manic grin reflected on all their faces. He felt like laughing. The euphoria pressing down on all of them was infectious, all encompassing. As he left, a single thought was consuming his mind, screaming over and over again, and he was sure that it was shared by the rest of his family:

     I’m coming for you, Jason. 

---------------------------------

Next - Masterpost

---------------------------------

I hope y’all enjoyed this chapter, I wasn’t super happy with it, but hey, here we are. I was trying to make the Bats seem kind of obsessive/crazy for later in the fic, but I’m not sure if it landed, so... ah well. I would appreciate any constructive criticism, expecially for that last segment. Thank you for reading!

-----------------------------------

Taglist: @tkiesai

[rogueofsoup]

Nightwing, who just got thrown through the window of a pub and slid gently down the bar:

Gothamite that Does Not Give a Singular Fuck: … Come here often?

Nightwing, in pain but without hesitation: Surprisingly so.

---

Batman after fighting a villain, finding an officer putting a parking ticket on the Batmobile: … Really?

Officer: I don't give a damn if you're saving the city. If you can break parking laws then what's to stop you taking over?

Batman, completely baffled by his logic:

Officer: Gotta enforce the little stuff.

Batman:

Officer: If you don't like it you can challenge it in court.

Red Hood, who just showed up: PLEASE challenge it in court.

---

Gothamite, flirtatiously: So, what's a gal gotta do to get you guys's attention? Dress up in a gaudy outfit and threaten to blow up city hall?

Nightwing: Well yes, but I would strongly not recommend it. Wrong kind of attention.

Red Robin: What you want to do is dress up in a catsuit and rob rich people.

Red Hood: High profile rich people. Might I suggest Bruce Wayne? It's funny how easy it is to steal his crap.

Nightwing and Red Robin now looking directly at Red Hood:

Red Hood: Real funny. So funny. Lazer grids ain't shit if you know how to spot 'em funny.

---

Gothamite being carried to safety by Batman: Sooooo… do the butts match?

---

Gothamite: Isn't it a school night, young man?

Robin(Damian), unintentionally mimicking Batman's cadence: Crime doesn't stop for school nights.

Gothamite, after the boy leaves: … That was way funnier than it should've been.

---

Gothamite 1, watching a fight in the distance: … You ever notice how many flips Nightwing does in comparison to the other bats?

Gothamite 2, watching with them: Yeeeeaaaah… do you think he does parkour?

Gothamite 1: Wh- they all do parkour, Susan.

Gothamite 2: Wait, shit, I meant acrobatics.

Gothamite 1: Yeah. He's doing them right now.

Gothamite 2: You know what I mean!

Gothamite 1: Do I??

---

Gothamite: You remind me of my first dog, Tod.

Red Hood, genuinely confused: … Is that an insult? Are you insulting me?

Gothamite: Mean and scary on the outside and to those he hates, but kind and gentle to those that need it.

Red Hood, trying not to tear up: Oh.

---

Gothamite kid through their open window: Hey! You busy?

Batman, looking up at the kid: ?

Gothamite kid: My parents aren't home 'cus they work a lot, and I don't know how to work the stove and I don't want cereal for dinner again. Can you help me?

Batman: *inhale* …

-abt 10 minutes later-

Batman, stirring the pot of kraft macaroni while reading the box: Next, we're going to want to add in the cheese packet. Can you do that for me?

Gothamite kid, standing on a step stool to reach the pot while excitedly holding the instant cheese package: Yeah!! *awkwardly rips it open and dumps in the contents*

Batman, barely hiding a smile: Hn, stirring with all these ingredients is rather difficult. Do you think you can handle it?

Gothamite kid, giddy: YEAH!!! *grabs the spoon and stars mixing with all the gusto a kid can offer*

Random convo I bet happen between civilians and vigilantes

Civilian: What hair product do you use man?? My man's hair is shiiiiining

Nightwing, chuckling: I just let it dry (lying)

Civilian: Naaaah, man I see you jumping from rooftop to rooftop everyday, tell me your secrets–

---

Gothamite: And who's gonna pay for this scratch on my car?!!!

Robin (Tim), trying damn hard to stay stealth: Don't you have insurance?

Gothamite, don't giving a fuck: No!

Robin: You should have–

Gothamite: You know what? HEY TWO-FACE–

Robin: No, no, no– Hold on–

Gothamite: HE'S RIGHT HE–

---

Gothamite: Okay- Cannabis is very much legal in L.A.

Batman: We're not in L.A.

Gothamite: Yeah that's funny because– *runs*

Batman: *Runs after him.*

---

Gothamite: See I don't hate you

Signal: Always good to hear that–

Gothamite: You doing a pretty good job.

Signal: I–

Gothamite, also a bus driver: But you gotta stop being thrown at my window–

Signal: I don't control where villains throw me.

Gothamite: Yeah bro– But you better start, otherwise there's gonna be one more out there–

---

Gothamite, also a security guard on his phone at 3 am: Yeah, no honey it's literally desert here–

Gothamite: HOLY SHIT

Batman:

Gothamite: Fucking warn a guy, mY GOD–

---

Gothamite: I thought you were taller.

Nightwing: I heard that a lot.

---

Gothamite: How do you see on that thing?

Batgirl (Cassandra):

Batgirl: I don't.

Gothamite, terrified: Oh okay–

---

Batman: Shouldn't you be at home?

Gothamite, who's also a teenager very much snicking out at four am: Shouldn't you mind you business?

Batman:

After being forcefully driven to home on the batmobile

Gothamite That was really unecessary–

---

Gothamite: Are you alone??? Where'd your dad? Where's Batman?

Robin (Tim Drake, early days): Batman's not my dad.

Gothamite:

Gothamite: See now I'm concerned.

Robin: Oh no–

Gothamite: What's is this a internship...? A job...?

Robin: You know what? Yeah, Pretty much.

Gothamite: Really? Oh okay, okay. I'm less concerned– Because–

Robin: Yeah I can see–

Gothamite: Like "is he kidnaping those children"?

Robin, chuckling: No, no–

Gothamite: You get paid?

Robin: Not really.

Gothamite: I'm back at being concerned–

---

Gothamite, from her window: Have you eaten yet?

Robin (Dick): No– (lying)

Gothamite: Oh, the poor child– Oh shame on you

Batman:

Gothamite: The poor kid– You're dragging him alone with you to fight crime on a empty stomach?

Batman:

Batman: I–

Gothamite: Unbelievable. I expected more on you– Hold on sweety I'll see If I have some cookies here to give you.

Dick: :)

---

Robin (Damian): Do I look like a fucking child?

Gothamite: Do you want me to answer that?

---

Old Gothamite being around the city since Batman year 1: You sound different.

Batman (Dick Grayson): No I don't.

Gothamite: Yes you do–

---

Gothamite: She looks different.

Gothamite: Mark is the same girl.

Gothamite: No honey, she looks different, she's was taller

Gothamite: Honey you're being paranoid.

Gothamite: She was a red-head!

Gothamite: Oh, Mark. Now the girl can't even dye her hair? Just because she's a Super-hero? Por girl can't even reinvent herself and people on this city start saying she's a different person?! Let her be! Her life must've be hard enough–

Gothamite: Jennet I swear to God that's not the same girl–

Batgirl (Stephanie), just trying to get some information:

Gothamite: You never notice when I change my hair–

[birdy-bat-writes]

Head cannon: SuperFam taking care of a Sick Lois

Author’s Note: Heyyyyy. Can you believe it? I posted something! I know, I’m baffled too. So, I want to apologize once more for how absolutely inactive and DEAD I have been, like I’m pretty sure this is my first post in 2 years. I’m hoping this post commemorates the end of my slump and I’m so excited to be back into this community and talk to you guys! You don’t even know how much happiness I get from talking to you all!

In other news, I have COMPLETELY forgotten how to do this. I’m trying to remember and get used to the process of titling, adding the authors note, content warnings, tags, and linking this in my Masterlist and stuff. I had to dig through the depths of my computer history to find my taglist but I guarantee you guys I’m missing some things that are the traditional norms in tumblr content posts. Please let me know how I can improve! I imagine my writing has probably changed or gone down a bit in the time I’ve been inactive so I would really appreciate any comments either on the posts themselves or in my inbox or even chat me up! I love talking to you all! Anyway, without further ado, let me present to you, the shenanigans of the superfamily.

@offendedfishnoisesoises deserves majority of the credit because 1, my favorite enabler Is back at it again and enabling me and 2, they basically cowrote this entire thing! Love you fishhhhh!

____________________________________________________

Clark, Jon and Kon tend to be impervious to the majority of human illnesses. They do occasionally suffer a small cold from overusing their power and burning themselves out, and sometimes Jon and Kon’s human genes leave them a little more susceptible to the rare fever but for the most part, the superhumans of the Kent family don’t often get sick.

When they do? They are absolute babies, and Lois is the perfect loving caretaker who soothes them through it all. She’s taken care of countless colds, fevers, super sneeze attacks and more.

That being said, Lois is also the only one of the 4 who doesn’t have superpowers (the Kryptonian kind, her mom powers are unmatched and sharp as a knife), meaning she can get sick a little more often than the rest.

The first time she got a fever when Jon and Kon were both old enough to notice was a real experience. You can imagine how 3 supers (all of whom are very protective of their dear mom and wife) would be a little overwhelmed and panicked at the sight of Lois sleeping in until 2:00 pm, all pale and warm.

Jon: “No, this is freaking me out, should we use the ice breath?”

Clark: “No!”

Kon: “She’s breathing really heavily! Does this happen with colds?”

Clark: “Sometimes…”

Kon: “Sometimes?! What is ‘sometimes’? Does this happen to you? Did you recover fully?”

Clark: “Well, this doesn’t happen to me that often, but I think this is normal.”

Jon: “You THINK? No, no, I’m calling Grandma.”

It’s quite funny to watch because they think it’s way worse than it is. Lois is comfortably out with her Nyquil and sleeping through all of it.

At some point while Clark is being told what to add in the chicken soup by Ma Kent, Damian calls to ask if Jon wants to hang out.

Damian: “You busy?”

Jon: “Not now, Damian! I can barely hear my mom breathing.”

Damian: “WHAT? What’s going on? Is everything okay? Where’s your dad?”

Jon: “He doesn’t know what to do. None of us do. I’ve never seen her like this. I think I’ll get her some tissues to stop the leaking.”

Damian: “Oh my gosh, stay right there.”

So, then Batman, Robin, the Flash and Aquaman show up, because the JLA signal went off. I mean, clearly this is a JLA level threat.

Damian: “Where’s the blood?”

Jon: “What blood?”

Flash: “Oh my god, There’s bLoOd??”

Batman: “Clark, what happened?”

Clark: “She…. has a cold….Why is half the Justice League here?”

Jon: “There’s no blood, Damian, I got tissues to stop her nose leaking!”

Aquaman: “A cold? I thought this was serious!”

Clark, Kon and Jon in unison: “THIS IS SERIOUS!”

This is about when Lois woke up and opened her eyes to multiple superheroes in her living room waving around tissues and instant noodle soup, arguing over much water to add.

*Proceeds to check the expiration date on the NyQuil*

Deciding this was a fever dream, Lois closed her eyes and went back to sleep.

Damian: “This was your emergency? Grayson works through this all the time!”

Kon: “That might speak more to Dick's terrible self-care routine and even more terrible self-preservation.”

Flash: Maybe we can google some Home remedi- Aquaman! We talked about this! You don’t find a human being’s pulse in their feet!”

Aquaman: “Well how am I supposed to know? You think I’m a normal human?”

Flash: “Well don’t look at me! I heal quick.”

They all look at Bruce.

Bruce: *Sweats* “Don’t look at me, I have no clue what to do. It’s all Alfred.”

After a very long call with Alfred, everyone went home, and Clark carried his wife and kids to their rooms. He noticed that Lois ate some cheerios and the soup he brought to her before she fell asleep and stayed with her through the night to make sure she had everything she needed.

The next morning, Lois found the table laid with breakfast ready for her.

Lois: “Aww you guys! Thank you for taking care of me, you’re all so sweet. You know, it’s so funny I had the craziest dream yesterday.”

*Proceeds to tell them about how a chunk of the Justice League was in her house arguing over soup and how she thinks it’s a dream because such a bizarre thing would never really happen*

Them: “Haha, yeah, that’s sooo crazy. We would never actually let that happen….”

So, they denied it because in hindsight, it seemed pretty silly to be so worried. That’s not to say that they didn’t react the exact same way the next time Lois had a cold.

They couldn’t keep this secret forever though, as Alfred called to check up on Lois. It was at that moment that she knew, her boys had absolutely NO idea what they were doing, but she loved them all the same.

Lois: “Hey guys, I think my friend is sick. She’s feeling all dizzy. And a little warm.”

Clark: “Oh no, should we go to her?”

Lois: “Well, I was thinking we could the JLA and Alfred :D”

Busted.

Heads turn to her at breakneck speed, and she starts laughing.

She was definitely going to coach them later but for now, she just stood there with her family, taking in how much they all cared for each other.

_______________________________________________________

Thank you all so much! Leave a comment and tell me how you've been! I love you all!! <3<3<3

Taglist: @anothertimdrakestan @offendedfishnoises @comicsandhoney @river-bottom-nightmare @catxsnow @cries-in-fangirl @batarella @idkmanicantenglish @musesofliterature @l-horizondepeu @subtleappreciation @ereaaa @foenixphire @screennamealreadyused

I imagine some of you have changed usernames so i will look for your new names and try to add them! for now, Let me know if you wanna be added to my taglist! <3

[ragingbookdragon]

My Dark Knight

A Bruce Wayne x Reader One-Shot

Word Count: 2.5K Warnings: Explicit Language (I think? I don't fuckin' remember.)

Author's Note: The only cringe I got from this story was the title. It's so fucking cheesy bruh. Enjoy! -Thorne

Bruce was a mystery to her. The longer she dated him, the more she realized the image he projected was a cover, hiding the real man underneath. One time they’d gone on a date to the new escape rooms that had been built in Gotham, and the entire time they’d been inside, she could tell the person she’d gone in with, was not the same person locked in with her. His eyes had narrowed as he scanned the room, sometimes lingering on certain items placed around. She watched him for a moment, then his eyes met hers, and he immediately grinned, eyes losing their hardness, taking on a mirthful appearance. “Find anything to start with?” he’d asked her, then followed up with, “I don’t even know where to start.” She might’ve fallen off the back of a wagon, but it sure as hell wasn’t last night.

She handed him a slip of paper, observing how his mood shifted once more, turning solemn as he read it. It baffled her to no end, wondering why someone like him would become so serious and concerned at times. The image he projected to Gotham was the model of billionaire-playboy, something that he played well; other times he acted goofy, giving Gotham the loveable-goober, they exasperatedly appreciated. But what got to her the most, was how solemn he would become. It would happen at random times, and though she would never admit it, it took her a God awful, embarrassingly long amount of time to realize it occurred when police sirens would sound.

***

They lay on her couch, (Y/N)’s back pressed up against his chest as they stretched their legs out in front of them. A good meal and a few glasses of wine had them cuddled up and laughing about the most random things.

She held the magazine up, showing him the cover. “That’s a good picture of you.” He hummed in amusement, listening as she said, “You’ve got that little half-smirk on your lips.” She turned her head, seeing the same smirk looking back at her. “I like it.”

His eyes filled with mirth as he leaned forward, gently pulling the magazine from her hands. He let it flutter to the floor and (Y/N) let out a small laugh as he started pressing kisses to her cheek and neck. “Bruce Wayne, you’re a scoundrel.” The hum he returned was quiet, but it was an answer to her all the same.

A moment later, his lips had stilled against her skin, pulling her from the moment she was in and causing confusion. “Bruce?” She craned her neck, trying to see him. “Is everything alright?” (Y/N) caught his eyes, seeing him staring silently out the window.

Seconds later, a police cruiser passed by, blue lights blazing as her eyes darted to catch it. Something in his eyes worried her and she rested a hand along his jaw, coercing his gaze to hers. “It’s probably nothing…just plain old, Gotham crime.”

When he finally looked at her, his eyes still carried their sharpness, and while it concerned her, it didn’t truly become understandable until a few days later.

***

She hadn’t met the rest of his children, only Tim from the times she’d visited the office; the two seemed to get along well, their backgrounds being similar, and she developed a mothering fondness for the boy; he didn’t seem to mind being doted on by her either.

(Y/N) stepped through the doors to his office, seeing his son sitting at his desk. “Hi Timmy. You look like you’re having a busy day?”

He glanced up from the laptop, giving her a smile. “Hey Miss (Y/N).” He looked back down. “It’s not too bad…meeting days usually aren’t.” He paused, eyes meeting hers once more. “Are you here for Bruce?”

She nodded, stepping closer to his desk. “He texted saying he was in a meeting and that he’d be done around eleven-thirty.” She gave him an apologetic smile. “Mind if I impose for a few minutes?”

Tim returned her smile in kindness, shaking his head. “Not at all. In fact, I could use your help organizing.”

(Y/N) nodded, moving beside his desk. As she gathered his files, a certain ring binder caught her eye, and she tapped it. “This doesn’t look like the usual files you boys have…what it is?”

Tim glanced at it, voice dropping as he admitted, almost bashfully, “Oh that’s…a personal binder…I forgot I’d brought it here.” He reached over, flipping it open, and (Y/N) took in the sight of hundreds of photos of the Dark Knight and his partners.

She took a seat on the arm of his chair, gazing at them; one photo caught her eye, and she pointed it out. “That one.”

Tim stopped trying to flip the page, looking at the photo. “What about it?”

(Y/N) stared at the image of Batman standing on the ledge. The picture wasn’t as clear as she’d like, and it was a bit far, but she could see a familiar smirk on his face.

Tim’s eyebrows furrowed and he asked, “(Y/N)? Are you okay?”

She blinked, smile appearing on her face as she nodded. “I’m fine…just in thought for a moment.” She gestured to the picture. “Do you think you could make a copy of that for me?”

He nodded, albeit confused, picking up a few of the pages, murmuring, “I’ve got better photos of him in here. Clearer ones.”

(Y/N) shook her head, pointing at the photo. “I want that one.”

Tim shrugged, pulling the photograph from the plastic slip before moving to the printer. A moment later, he took a copy of the photo from the top, handing to her, watching as she folded it and tucked it away in her purse.

“Any reason why it was that photo?”

As she opened her mouth to respond, the door to the office opened, and Bruce appeared in the entry. He smiled at her. “(Y/N).”

She rose from the chair, putting the purse strap on her arm; she glanced down at Tim and whispered, “I’m a big fan of Batman when he doesn’t look like he��s angry at the world.” Tim snorted, and she moved to Bruce, placing a hand on his arm. “Hi Bruce.” The two waved at the teenager before leaving for lunch.

***

A few hours later, she sat on her couch, staring between the photograph and the magazine. Her eyes rested on the photo, then she slowly drug them to the magazine and she sighed, “There’s no way…I’m just imagining this.” Apprehensively, she picked up the marker, moving it to his face on the magazine. “He’s not Batman…he’s not Batman…”

She colored in the top half of his face, then added two ears and breathed, “Oh holy mother of God…He’s the Batman.” (Y/N) held the magazine and photo side by side, disbelief in her gaze as understanding flooded her thoughts. Before she knew it, she was rising from the couch, making her way to the front door.

***

She pulled up to the manor and climbed the steps, knuckles rapping against the door as she waited. The door opened, revealing the butler; he was surprised to see her but quickly recovered. “Miss (Y/N). We weren’t expecting you tonight.”

(Y/N) flashed a smile and responded, “I know…I’m sorry for showing up at late notice but…I need to speak to Bruce.”

He nodded, letting her inside. “Master Bruce is in his room, but you’re welcome to wait in the living room while I fetch him.”

(Y/N) hummed, following him into the room. He left her standing by the couch, his sons sitting there, eyes wide as they looked at her.

She waved at them. “Hi boys…Hi Tim.”

He waved back at her, then his other sons rose from the couch, extending their hands. “Dick Grayson, I’m the oldest.”

She shook it, smiling, then took the other’s hand. “Jason Todd, I’m second oldest.”

(Y/N) dropped his hand, glancing at the younger boy who was glaring at her. “From what Bruce described, you must be Damian.”

He glared at her. “How much is he paying you to be his escort?”

Jason reacted immediately, turning to the boy. “Oi!”

(Y/N) simply smiled and returned, “Probably about as much as he paid your mom to be his.”

Damian’s eyes widened in shock as his mouth went slack, obviously not expecting such a sharp comeback.

She knelt to his height and gently closed his mouth. “You’ll catch flies, sweetheart.” She stood back up, smiling as Bruce walked into the living room.

“(Y/N)? Is everything alright? Did something happen?”

She turned, looking at him. “Uh…sort of?” She paused, then murmured, “Kinda had a lifechanging revelation at my place about twenty minutes ago.” His eyes filled with confusion, then she revealed, “You’re him…you’re Batman, aren’t you?”

The room went silent as her words hit each of them, and she watched the billionaire persona fall away as The Dark Knight appeared. “…How’d you find out?”

(Y/N) swallowed thickly, the weight of his gaze beginning to make her nervous; she wrung her hands, voice quiet. “I didn’t until tonight…with a little help from a photo and a magazine…” She paused, then said, “You’re really him, aren’t you?” She glanced at the boys. “And they’re…them. Nightwing…Red Hood…Red Robin…Robin.”

Her gaze turned back to him. “You guys are the Batfamily.”

Bruce stared at her a moment, then walked past her murmuring, “Follow me.”

She obeyed, walking behind him into the study. Bruce twisted the hands of the clock, then a doorway appeared; he took her hand, leading her down the darkened stairway. When they got to the bottom, he led her to a wall of suits.

They stood in front of it, and she watched his stare turn almost sad as he looked at them. “…I was going to tell you in time.” He glanced over at her. “It looks like you beat me to it.”

(Y/N) looked away, frown crossing her lips as she apologized, “I’m sorry…I didn’t mean to take that right from you.”

Bruce’s hand tightened around hers, and she looked back up at him. “You did take that right from me.” He eyed her, that smirk crossing his lips as he quipped, “But I know ways that you can make it up to me.”

(Y/N) huffed in disbelief, letting go of his hand. “You scoundrel.”

His smirk grew as he rounded on her, hands taking hold of her hips. “Oh, I’m not a scoundrel.”

She laughed as he pressed her against the glass suit holder. “You are a scoundrel and if you want me to make it up to you…” (Y/N) pointed to one of the suits. “Let me try that on and I will.”

Bruce chuckled, leaning close, his breath on her lips as he purred, “Where’s the point in that? It’ll just get taken off.”

(Y/N) glanced over at the case, then back to him, and begged, “But I really wanna try the suit on.” She curled her hands in his sweater, pleading with him. “Please Bruce? Just for a couple minutes?”

He raised an eyebrow and asked, “Do you really want to try the suit on?”

(Y/N) nodded fervently, hands patting his chest as she spoke excitedly. “And the belt. I wanna wear the utility belt.”

After watching her for a moment, he relented, and a few minutes later, she stood in the center of the cave, the suit barely fitting on her.

(Y/N) pulled the cowl on, eyes searching the cave until she found him; she grinned, pulling a deep voice as she posed. “I’m Batman.” Bruce let out a deep sigh through his nose and she asked, “How many times have you heard people do that?”

He grunted. “Too many.”

She smiled, walking over to him. “I just want you to know that this is badass, but this thing also weighs a ton.” (Y/N) rested her chin against his chest, staring at him. “You’re very strong, Bruce.”

He stared back at her, countering, “Tell me something I don’t know.”

(Y/N) took a deep breath, thumbs sticking under the cowl as she pulled it off; she gently took his hands, caressing the back of them, and murmured, “…I love you.” His eyes widened and she squeezed his hands, reiterating, “I love you, Bruce.”

He seemed to hesitate in his answer, but she didn’t mind, letting go of his hands in favor of wrapping her arms around him. “You don’t have to say it back yet…I know it’s early.” (Y/N) leaned into him, pressing her lips to his cheek. “But I just want you to know that I do…” She pulled away, steel-blue eyes following her as she did.

She waited for him, then he took her hand and muttered, “…I’m not an easy man to understand.”

(Y/N) smiled, gently shaking her head. “I’ve got all the time in the world to understand.”

He swallowed, meeting her eyes. “Most of my time is directed to—” Bruce gestured to the cave. “This…I don’t know if I can offer you what you want.”

(Y/N) brought his hand up to her face, pressing kisses to his palm. “Your love is all I could ever want…my Dark Knight.”

Before he could respond, a scoff sounded by the stairs followed by a voice, griping, “My Dark Knight. How original.”

The two pulled back, and she watched Bruce reach down, plucking something from the utility belt around her waist. He pulled away and chucked it towards the stairs, then a yelp sounded. “That hurt, old man!”

Bruce grinned, wrapping his arms around (Y/N). “Good. I meant for it to.”

Laughter followed, then his sons came into view, and Tim quipped, “So, we’re not lobotomizing her for figuring out our secret?”

(Y/N)’s eyes widened, but Bruce’s arms tightened around her waist as he denounced, “Not the best joke, Tim.

He pointed finger guns at her. “Sorry (Y/N)…just kidding.”

She let out a laugh that seemed more forced than not. “I would hope so.” (Y/N) cleared her throat, pulling away from Bruce’s arms. “I should probably change out of this now.”

As she took a step, a siren sounded from the Batcomputer, making them look towards it; Bruce looked back at the boys and nodded. “Go.”

Each of them moved, and she waited for them to come back. When they did, the boys passed by, giving waves and smiles (even Damian), until all that remained was her and Bruce. She stared at him, seeing him in his suit up close for the first time.

(Y/N) inhaled deeply, tracing the symbol on his chest. “Well…go save Gotham, Batman.”

A small smile crossed his lips, and he leaned forward, pressing a soft kiss to her forehead. As he pulled away, Bruce murmured, “I’ll be back soon.”

She nodded. “Be careful…you and the boys…please.”

Bruce gave a quick nod, then walked off. He got a few feet away, then turned around, gazing at her. “(Y/N)?” She glanced at him and he confessed, “I love you too.”

[princessjaqulinechess1031]

by the bedside

Characters: Damian Wayne, Marinette Dupain-Cheng, Adrien Agreste, Jason Todd

Summary: A job goes wrong, and Marinette fears the worst until Damian wakes up. 

Notes: Cross-posted on Archive of Our Own. 

Sequel

"À la claire fontaine," a soft voice sung, pulling Damian out of his hazy daze. "M'en allant promener, j'ai trouvé l'eau si belle…"

Damian groaned and tried to turn on his side, to try and reach whatever it was singing, but the moment he did, the song stopped and was replaced by a gasp. Damian blinked his eyes open, ignoring the sting, and saw sitting next to him was a disheveled and red-eyed Marinette sitting next to him.

"Damian….," she whispered. Damian tried to reach out a hand to her, but found that it felt like lead. Moving it felt like a splitting pain, and it was weighed down by a cast. Damian shut his eyes and leaned back into the pillow. The building, the explosion, and –

"Adrien?" Damian croaked. Marinette nodded her head and took the hand not enclosed in a cast in her hands. She gave it a gentle squeeze and smiled.

"He's fine," Marinette said. "He's doing damage control with your brother."

Ah, yes. Dick. Nightwing had come to Paris as one Dick Grayson, something to do with Wayne Enterprises or other, when he had realized what Damian was up to. Robin had become an unofficial third member of Paris's own dynamic duo, Ladybug and Chat Noir once all their allies identities were exposed. Hawkmoth was long gone, so it was just petty criminals and the like, but adding a fourth member to that so suddenly had thrown everything off. Even if it was for one mission. A bomb was missed, and now –

"How long was I out?" Damian asked. He narrowed his eyes and looked around and saw a familiar location had enveloped him. "And ho-how did we get to the Batcave?"

"Two days," Marinette said breathlessly. "And a Zeta tube."

Ah, Zeta. He should have known. Damage control probably meant making sure Paris still had someone patrolling and keeping it's citizens safe.

"Nightwing insisted we bring you back here," Marinette said. "Said you should be with family."

That meant it was touch and go for a moment. Damian felt unfrazzled by the brush with death, how many times had he had one since he was born? Not to mention he actually had died once. He looked down at Marinette's outfit, and saw she was wearing the same purple sundress she had been wearing before her transformation two days ago.

"H-have you been here the whole time?" Damian asked softly. Marinette looked down at her fingers sheepishly.

"I-I had to be sure," Marinette said. "When the Lucky Charm didn't work, and –" Marinette cut herself off with a chortle of tears. "Ma moitié, I had to make sure you weren't dead."

Damian shut his eyes. This was what frazzled him. He knew in their line of work, one got hurt. Sometimes you didn't walk away. But to hurt Marinette, to make Marinette feel hopeless and lost as Damian fought on a hospital bed. Marinette was the one good, pure thing he had ever been able to keep, and to make her feel pain felt like a betrayal.

"You should have gone home," Damian said slowly. "I'm fine. Don't worry about me."

Marinette shook her head and squeezed his hand.

"If you expected me to do that, then you don't really know me."

Damian turned his head to the side, and tried to ignore the sharp burst of pain at the top of his back from the movement. But try as he might, he still winced. Marinette reached forward and put a hand on his shoulder to try and steady him again.

"Be still, ma moitié," Marinette said. "Monsieur Pennyworth said it was best for you to remain as you are."

Marinette was so polite, and despite Alfred's continued insistence, Marinette continued to call the man by his proper name. Damian found it was one of many adorable things about her to love.

"Nawaret aynaya," Damian said, "I promise I'm fine –"

"No you're not!" Marinette busted out. "You're hurt, you- you nearly died! All because I couldn't keep my team – I got distracted and –"

The young girl burst into tears, and Damian took his hand from her grasp and reached up to caress her cheek. Oh, Marinette. She always took ever mistake, every misstep, as some misgiving on her part. To Marinette, the safety of all Paris and all of her friends sat squarely on her shoulders. She might shoulder that responsibility with her brother Chat Noir, but Marinette would always hold it as a personal stake in her heart.

"It's not your fault, nawaret aynaya," Damian said softly. "This – this comes with the mask, you know that. If you had or had not been there, this would have happened eventually." He wiped away a tear form her cheek, and Marinette reached for the hand still caressing her. "I love you Marinette. And I know you would never hurt me. So stop blaming yourself."

Marinette gave a weak smile.

"If you expect me to stop just like that," she hiccupped, "then you don't really know me at all." She sucked in a deep breath and rubbed her thumb across his wrist.

"I love you too," she said. Damian's heart sang. For seventeen years he had waited for something and someone that would look at him and not see a monster. Not see an assassin or a danger or someone to fear. And by some miracle, that person turned out to be the love of his life.

And he'd be damned if he let her go.

"He's flatlining, I'm calling it," a voice said, breaking the moment around them. Damian retracted his hand and Marinette wiped away a last tear. In the doorway stood one Jason Todd, mask gone but still wearing spandex and his leather jacket. "Mari, time of death?"

Marinette bit her lip and looked down at her hands, but Damian could see the beginnings of a smile on her face. Jason stepped into the room and dragged a chair from the corner and sat down next to Marinette with a loud thud.

"Papa Bat should be here in a little bit, Brat Bat," Jason said. He took out his gun and began to fiddle with it, probably to clean it since he pulled out a white cloth from his pocket. Damian frowned.

"I'm not a brat," Damian said. Jason rolled his eyes.

"You might be seventeen, but you're still a brat sometimes," Jason said. Marinette looked up from her hands, that familiar mischief shining in her eyes.

"You're kinda. Sometimes," Marinette said softly. Jason laughed and slung an arm around the girl's shoulder.

"Ah! I got the girlfriend on my side!" Jason said. "I win!"

Normally Damian would keep going and insist he wasn't a brat, but Jason was as transparent as a plane of glass. Jason was trying to cheer up Marinette with this joke, and Damian was not going to try and ruin that. Marinette was going to be happy and not worry too much about Damian, that was his mission.

"What did you win?" Adrien asked, popping his head into the med bay. His blonde hair was still damp, meaning he probably just got out of a post-patrol shower. He came up behind his adopted sister and hugged her from behind, placing a kiss to her temple.

"Marinette admitted Damian was a brat sometimes," Jason said.

"I am not!"

"Yeah, you are," Adrien said. Tim and Dick entered the room, and Tim was texting someone on his phone. Probably Stephanie, telling her he was okay. Dick pulled a chair over to the other side of Damian's bed and leaned back, his long legs stretching out underneath the medical bed.

"Be nice to the injured child," Dick said. Damian frowned.

"I am not a child," Damian said. "I am the same age you were when you went solo, Grayson."

Dick raised a brow. "And? I was a child then, henceforth, you're a child now."

Damian furrowed his brow again and Marinette laughed softly, but once again he did not fight. If it made Marinette smile, it was worth it.

His father finally materialized, Alfred behind him. His father was as stoic as ever, his eyes steeled and guarded thanks to the new visitors to the Cave. Despite the Miraculous duo having been unofficial members of the Batfamily for a year and a half, Father still seemed opposed to giving them official membership. Damian wondered if it had anything to do with Marinette being his girlfriend. He hoped not.

"Master Damian," Alfred said, and a phantom smile overtook his professional form. "I see you are recovering well. I assume Miss Marinette has made sure you've stayed where you should?"

"He only woke up a little while ago, Monsieur," Marinette said. Her lips upturned wickedly. "The real problems in that regard have not started yet."

Adrien laughed and hugged his sister tighter.

"Trust me, mi'lady is here is plenty capable of keeping Damian in line."

Once upon a time, Damian had been jealous of Adrien's nickname for Marinette. Now Damian knew better. Adrien may have once been desperately in love with Marinette and Ladybug, but once one Kagami entered the picture it was game over. Now, the nickname was mere relic of that time and a testament to the depth of their bond.

"I expect nothing less," Alfred said. Father stood at the foot of his bed. He was still dressed in his suit, but his cowl was down, revealing his identity. That made Adrien and Marinette's lack of inclusion even more baffling – they knew who all of them were, the biggest secret they had.

"Are you alright Damian?" Father asked. Damian nodded.

"Yes Father," Damian said. A sigh of relief left his father's form. Despite medical evidence, after everything that happened with Jason, Father would never be certain of his kid's state until he heard from them exactly.

"Well, I mean, wasn't he just fighting with Jason?" Tim asked. He looked up from his phone. "Me and Dick heard them outside. If he's in a fighting mood, he's fine."

"I almost died, and you guys treat me this way," Damian said. Jason rolled his eyes.

"Shut up, this is how we show our love," Jason said. He eyes Dick. "Except for Dick. He does the whole normal shit. Damn well-adjusted asshole."

"Damn non-well-adjusted asshole," Dick shot back. Marinette giggled. Father turned to Marinette and Adrien.

"You two can stay here as long as you need, to make sure Damian is okay," Father said. Damian tried not to let his surprise be palpable. Marinette and Adrien were barely allowed in the Batcave half the time, now Father was offering to let them stay while Damian recovered? What had happened in the time he was asleep? "You can Zeta home for clothes, if you need them. But we have enough clothes that might fit you Adrien, and I'm sure Cass left some things behind before going to Hong Kong."

"Thank you, Monsieur Wayne," Adrien said for the both of them. Marinette smiled and then turned her attention back to Damian.

Damian for seventeen years wondered what it would be like to be purely loved.

Now he knew. It came from Marinette Dupain-Cheng, that kind of true love

[queen-of-the-trash-planet-tm]

Ok here me out, Marinette Project runway winner

This is for @ozmav @mindfulmagics @maribat-archive @realrandomposts for inspiring me to do this even though I’m probably annoying you people.

She moved to Gotham after defeating Hawkmoth to study abroad

During this time she begins her time on Project runway

Even after having commissioned her work to celebrities such as Clara Nightingale and Jagged Stone she is out in the bottom 3 in 2 occasions

This causes her to work even harder to win

Marinette creates looks based off of Ladybug, the miraculous team, and the heroes of Gotham (Chat’s Miraculous was taken long ago, before defeating Hawkmoth)

Her Robin look was the one that made her the win (it was a simple, but elegant black blazer with a small robin embroidered on the right breast pocket, a white-based shirt with prints that resembled a bird making its nest, black slacks, and brown dress shoes).

The judges loved her craftsmanship, “You have magic in the tips of your fingers!”

“The embroidery is so detailed, how did you have time for that?”

“I love it! Marinette Dupain-Cheng you are Project Runway’s 20XX’s winner!”

*Cue Marinette being so happy she burst into tears*

After this, she begins working on building her brand. She began shipping her clothes internationally. Her work becomes huge in Asia and blows up, K-pop and C-pop idols love her. BTS was once caught using her clothes as airport fashion. Jackson Wang and BOYSTORY are always wearing her clothes.

Because of this Marinette’s celebrity clientele, just became a heck of a lot bigger.

Jagged now brags about her work at every red carpet event he goes to (if he didn’t already).

“Jagged, please. Jagged no. Jagged why?”

Clara does the same, but not to Jagged’s extreme.

Marinette is constantly embarrassed by this and try’s her best to give credit to the other contestants she met on the show. They all loved her and were as happy as they could be when she won.

All of this leads to Jagged introducing Marinette to Bruce Wayne.

“I hear you’ve been Jagged’s exclusive designer since you were fourteen? That’s impressive.”

Marinette waves it off, “I was just trying to help a friend.”

“I was wondering if I could commission you to create mine and my sons’ next charity gala suits. I’ve seen your work and it is very practical, most of the designers sacrifice functionality and practicality for aesthetic. But you seem to know that there is more to it then looking nice, your work seems to be able to be on the go as well.”

Of course, Marinette agrees, “Y-Yes! I would love to!”

This leads to a later fitting session at the Wayne Manor to get their measurements.

“Ah, Ms. Dupain-Cheng, you’re early,” Alfred points out while Marinette waits for entry.

Alfred allowed for her to get inside after a moment.

“On time is late and early is on time, Mr?”

“Pennyworth, but you may call me Alfred. That is exactly what I always say, Madame.”

“Well, in that case, you can just call me Marinette.” She smiles at the well-seasoned gentleman.

The well-mannered man shows Marinette to the living area to wait on Bruce and his sons.

What she wasn’t expecting was for two men to come barreling down the stairs, locked in combat over a trivial subject. “Take it back, Todd!”

“Not a chance, Demon Spawn!”

“I’ll break every bone in your body so badly, that not even the Lazarus pits could undo the damage caused!”

“When you say things like that, you just prove my point!!”

Marinette silently watched as the two continued their squabble. ‘What’s a Lazarus pit? I’ll have to ask Master Fu.’ (After defeating Hawkmoth, Master Fu retrieved Tiki. But that didn’t stop her guardian training.)

Eventually, the two boys got physical and Marinette decided it was time to intervene.

“Say it AGAIN!”

“You are JUST like your grandfather! You bra-”

“Umm, excuse me... Who are you two?”

The two stop to see a small, French woman physically keeping the two apart. The boys look completely gobsmacked.

“The better question is who are you?”

“I’m Marinette Dupain-Cheng, I’m here to get Bruce Wayne and his sons’ measurements for a piece he commissioned me to do. I’m a designer,” She said smiling, extending her hand.

Jason takes it before Damian, “I’m Jason Todd-Wayne, nice to meet you.”

Damian scowls, “How polite of you...” he murmured to himself.

Marinette looks to the boy who has yet to introduce himself, “And you are?”

Both Damian and Jason’s jaws dropped, she really didn't know who they were. She was in their house for Pete’s sake, “I’m Damian Wayne.” Damian took her hand and gave it a kiss for added effect.

“Show off,” could be heard from Jason’s direction.

Marinette didn’t care for what the peanut gallery had to say, she was bright red after Damian did that.

At this moment, Dick, Tim, and Bruce walked in at the same time.

“Ms. Dupain-Cheng, you’re early,” Bruce said walking to greet her.

“I didn’t want for you to wait for me, also you can just call me Marinette. It feels weird when someone older and with a much more esteemed reputation calls me Miss.”

Once she finished speaking, Tim basically ran to her at the speed of light. The Flash, who?

See all the boys enjoyed Jagged’s music, but Tim, Tim was the grade A fanboy that everybody at least knows of. He’s watched every interview, heard every song, bought every album, poster, t-shirt, and every bit of merch he could get his hands on.

Needless to say after all the praise, Jagged gives to his personal designer, Tim knows exactly who she is.

“It is an honor to meet you Ms. Dupain-Cheng, I am Tim Drake-Wayne. I’m a big fan of your work.”

“You like fashion, Timmy?”

“I’m interested, sure, but Ms. Dupain-Cheng has done work for Jagged Stone. Since. She. Was. Fourteen. Her work has won awards since she was fourteen!” Tim said, disgusted by his brothers’ not knowing who she is.

“Please, it was completely by chance I met Jagged. Plus, I wasn't the only designer he’s ever had.” Marinette tried to take the attention off of her achievements.

“You just the only one who has made Jagged look like something other than an eggplant. I love the guy’s music, but his outfits before you... they looked cheap.”

Dick moved to speak, “It’s true, looking back at his old ensembles, there was a dramatic shift in craftsmanship. I’m Richard Grayson-Wayne, but you can call me Dick.”

Marinette’s face rivaled her old Ladybug costume. “Please, it was nothing. I made a million mistakes when I was designing back then. Anyway, let’s talk about what’s happening today. Your measurements for your suits. I assume Mr. Wayne has more important things to do after this.”

This got the boys to get down to business (to defeat the Huns) and shapes up real quick at the sound of her “serious” voice. The same one she used to use when Chat Noir used to flirt in the middle of an attack.

She when in order of oldest to youngest. Bruce, Dick, Jason, and Tim, were all done. Damian had been waiting patiently for his turn, watching her work. 

Marinette had this habit of sticking her tongue out whenever she was hyper-focused, Damian found this endearing. While she was getting his measurements, he was staring hard. This did not go unnoticed by the Batfam. 

After she’s finished, it’s kinda late. Alfred invites her for dinner and Marinette graciously agrees. Marinette helps prepare the dessert, Alfred repeatedly told her she didn’t have to, but she insisted. 

During dinner, the Batfam began to ask about her personal life, “So, are you seeing anyone?” 

“Master Dick, that is not appropriate to ask a young lady!”

Marinette almost chokes at the question, “That’s... um... I just got out of a controlling relationship. I... um... really don’t feel like talking about it.”

Adrien had done a number on her mentally, once he discovered she was Ladybug he wanted her and him to get together immediately. She agreed after some time, but Adrien was always pushy. He always pressured her into doing something that she wasn’t comfortable doing.  One day she had enough, she told him that she was done. Let’s just say that didn’t go over well. Marinette shifted in her seat as she recalls that night.

Damian seems to notice this and tells her that she doesn’t have to say anything if she doesn’t want to, Marinette appreciates this and thanks him. 

Quickly Marinette switches the topic, “I really like that Gotham has heroes, that protect the city. They make me feel safe like I'm back in Paris.”

This gets all the boys’ attention, Bruce asks her why.

“In Paris, there were heroes to protect them from a magical terrorist, named Hawkmoth. He possessed people who were at their worst and turned them into these things called, Akumas. Ladybug and Chat Noir were the heroes. After he was defeated, Ladybug and Chat Noir retired.”

Damian was baffled by how the league did not know about this, “Why haven’t we heard about this?”

“Mayor Bourgeois kept everything quite to keep tourism flowing, but if you really want to know about it there’s a blog. Be careful though not everything on there is reliable.”

Tim makes a mental note to check it out later. 

By the end of the meal and time to go home, all members of the Batfam+Alfred give and get Marinette’s personal contact info. 

They gained a friend and a new designer. 

Let me know if you want more because then and only then will I do more. This is my first time posting my writing, so please be nice. Thank you for taking the time to read it though! :)

Edit: here’s the ao3 link https://t.umblr.com/redirect?z=https%3A%2F%2Farchiveofourown.org%2Fworks%2F20572886&t=MGFkNWY5ZDVjOTcwNmIyOTU3YjM0OGQwOTc1YTU5MWZkNDlkNzliYSwwZjg5ZTA1ODIyY2M5MGUyNWYxY2YyMzYyZTY3ZjY2NmNjNzIwMDg5

[bigskydreaming]

When you settle down, take a look at Teen Titans and the new solicit for Tec.

Did you mean a solicit for Dec? Cuz I looked and didn’t see one out yet but don’t know what else you might mean by Tec....

As far as what’s going on in Teen Titans, I’m guessing you mean Damian going after KGBeast to kill him in revenge for shooting Dick. I’m.....not a fan.

Like....I do like that they’re finally having SOMEBODY seem to give a damn about what happened to him, of course, but honestly, a year after the fact, it feels more like just an excuse to give Damian another target.

And I’m super not a fan of them regressing to acting like Damian’s entire personality is just “Will I do the murder today? Y/N.”

This is kinda what I was talking about the other day when I mentioned why I wasn’t really a fan of anything they were doing with the Batfam, because they’ve had Damian on this path for awhile now, and the problem is....

They already did this story.

This was his ORIGIN story.

And then he evolved, his character ALREADY developed PAST this.

I understand the idea of backsliding or having a character regress due to extreme circumstances or new tragedy or trauma, but honestly? This isn’t that, IMO. Its more just indicative of them not being able to think of anything else to do with Damian, because DC, like a lot of fans, seem fixated on the idea that each Robin needs to be their own distinct archetype easily summed up in one word. “Cheerful Robin,” “Angry Robin,” “Intellectual Robin,” “Will Stab You With Both Words and Knives Robin.”

Like....yawn.

Its no wonder they keep running into problems thinking of what to do with these characters when they like, INVENT these boxes to confine these four specific characters in and limit the ways or directions they’re even allowed to be taken, because they’re so afraid of overlapping or whatever.....even though that SHOULD be their narrative strength! They’re brothers! They all bear or bore the same mantle! They don’t NEED to have their own one-word niche to be distinct, they just need to each be well-developed characters in their own right, and who CARES if they overlap in some areas. It absolutely makes sense that they WOULD, that there would be commonalities in traits and experiences that led to each of them ending up a Robin and part of the Wayne family, and like....

Highlander has been off the air for thirty years and most people won’t even get that reference, that’s how low-impact we’re talking, so enough with the “There Can Only Be One” approach to characters. Having common ground is not like.....character Kryptonite.

So I’m just....super unimpressed with them taking Damian in this direction yet again, as though his entire narrative arc is forever destined to be a closed loop, with him just sliding back and forth between “Murder Time? Yes!” and “Murder Time? No!” 

And even though its like, nice in one sense to have someone trying to avenge Dick, and having it be Damian with respect to how close a bond they have.....I’m not actually in favor of sacrificing another character’s stories just to make that happen. Especially when it doesn’t even have to happen at all. But honestly, like I mentioned at the top....given the extreme gap between the start of the Ric Grayson arc and this, I don’t actually believe this really has anything to do with them wanting to build off of or do anything new in regards to Damian’s feelings about his brother, like....it really just feels like an excuse to put another warm body in the way of Damian and his bungee jump back into this latest Dark Dami arc.

Also its just, bottom line....not realistic given their ACTUAL stories to date, IMO? Because Dick is literally the character who got Damian to see the value in life in the first place, and in addition, the first character who got Damian to see that his life didn’t have to follow a pre-charted course, that he could CHOOSE who and what he wanted to be. That, more than anything else, is why Damian loves his brother so fiercely, I feel - because of the fact that Dick was the first person in Damian’s life to look at him and just see a PERSON rather than what they already expected to see before they looked at him. 

And so its not even that I don’t think Damian would ever try and kill KGBeast because he believes Dick wouldn’t want anyone killing in his name, its that Damian more than anyone else would know how much Dick would never want HIM to kill someone and claim he was doing it for his older brother....because of how much it meant to BOTH of them that it was because of their bond, their partnership, their brotherhood, that Damian became a hero instead of staying an assassin at all....that Damian found another path for himself, because before Dick, he didn’t even know to LOOK for one, or imagine that it was even a real possibility. 

Dick introduced Damian to opportunities. To options. To having more directions he could go from any given situation beyond just the one that would end with more dead bodies.

And I can’t imagine Damian ever being so willful as to repay that with the same one choice, one direction, that Dick once helped him find alternatives to in the first place.

Nah, if they actually wanted to do something with Damian’s feelings about what happened to Dick? They should have written a story where Damian goes to Bludhaven to confront these strangers wearing his brother’s costumes and using his name. Damian has always held mantles and legacies in high regard, moreso than just about any other character I would argue.....and its always been portrayed as being hugely impactful on him, the fact that Dick actually made Damian Robin himself.

And added in that Damian likely knows how much Dick values his own mantles himself, how much OF himself he puts into them.....Damian would LOATHE these ‘pretenders’ from the moment he learned of them, IMO.

Like, remember when Damian went around trying to challenge each of his brothers or take something from them to prove he was the ‘worthiest’ Robin?

Imagine how powerful it could’ve been to have a story arc where Damian similarly challenged each of these new Nightwings from the shadows, setting up ‘tests’ that were intended to prove their unworthiness to claim his brother’s mantle, expose them as the frauds he would likely view them as.

Because that would be a direct callback to that previous story where he did something similar.....but it would show how far he’s come, even though he’s still very hot-tempered and prideful and etc.....because the juxtaposition of the two stories would highlight the fact that THIS time, Damian wouldn’t be doing this for himself, but for someone else, someone he values as much as he once valued his own prestige. And more than that, he’d do it according to standards or methods he knows Dick would be okay with, like, nothing lethal like he would have in the past, but stuff that was intended to make Damian’s point but not be anything that would make Dick feel guilty about having done in his name, once his memories return.

And then, just imagine his reaction too when he finally comes face to face with Ric, who seems to be HELPING these pretenders, and like....think about how much that would force him to confront and work through in regards to how he feels about Dick’s current state of existence/non-existence and his fears he’ll never get the man he views as his actual brother back. 

Like, I could see him attacking Ric himself, furious that he thinks he even has the ‘right’ to give tacit permission or endorsement of these amateurs, because Ric ISN’T his brother, he’s no more the real Nightwing than any of these, and thus allowing them the use of his name and mantle isn’t a choice that’s actually Ric’s to make, in Damian’s eyes.

But then as they fight and Ric calls upon the muscle memory that’s ingrained into him still, and they start to fall into familiar rhythms and its more a spar than an actual fight, one that BOTH of them are startled by how....right it feels, like, that more than anything IMO would be what has Damian start realizing there’s more of his brother in this ‘Ric’ identity than he’d previously realized, and that deep down they are still inherently the same person, he still KNOWS this man, he just....needs to get to know him again. 

And then there’d still be the matter of the other Nightwings, but now Damian’s reaction or attitude towards them and Ric would likely be one of confusion, like trying to understand WHY Ric would allow this instead of stopping it....because with the realization Damian has that the brother he knows is still somewhere in this man in front of him would come the baffling contradiction that he’s seemingly fine with something Damian KNOWS he would never normally be okay with.

And maybe it ends with the realization, the awareness in both brothers that things AREN’T normal, there’s nothing normal about this situation so the old rules and the preconceptions have to go out the window. Maybe Ric explains he can’t be who everyone wants him to be when he doesn’t even know for himself who and what he wants to be, what that even looks like...and thus maybe its okay that none of these other Nightwings are like him, like he’d been as Nightwing. 

Maybe that’s even part of the point for Ric, that by watching and interacting with four different versions of the him everyone claims he used to be, Ric can start to at least figure out what he’s NOT, what doesn’t feel or look right, and from there maybe have a better chance of heading in the right direction, the one that will take him some place where he actually feels like he fits in his own skin again, like he can look in a mirror and recognize the person staring back at him as at least BEING him, whether that’s Dick or Ric or some amalgamation in between.

THAT story would feel like something Damian might ACTUALLY do, and be productive and work towards the betterment of both brothers’ characterizations.....

But nah. Let’s have Damian go chop off some heads on a regressive revenge road trip because that’s all he knows how to do, apparently, that’s his default setting and always will be because how else will people recognize that he’s the “Bad Robin,” he’s the “’My Middle Name is Violence and My First Name is Actually Excessive’ Robin.”

That’s much better.

[thattimdrakeguy]

The fandom babies Jason and Damian so much its really unnerving yes they were both treated terribly and have sad backstories but it doesn’t change their homocidal past. Or the way one is always so verbally abusive to anyone he deems “lower” which is basically everyone, and no Damian being a kid doesn’t exuse him from his bullshit.

The way fandoms get sometimes genuinely freaking baffle me, and confused, me.

Like yesterday someone sent me a post that got almost FOUR THOUSAND NOTES, and all it did was say Damian was just an immature baby and it showed a bunch of cutesy scenes from freaking Tim Seeley’s Nightwing of all things. A series’ run that barely even wrote the main character that well.

If you actually have to ignore not only what the character does, but what the character is like: Why do you even care about that character so much to make a posts that defends him like he’s a real person?

Even hypothetically if they were right, no one’s under any obligation to give a character a pass for just being personally annoying to them if they’re just immature, because they’re freaking fictional, guys.

I genuinely adore 90s Robin, but if Tim’s inability to handle a relationship with his Robin work bugs them. No ones under any obligation to act like they love the series even if Tim has his reasons, because it’s a work of fiction they simply don’t enjoy.

Plus in the example of Damian Wayne specifically, assaulting people constantly, kidnapping them, violating human rights, and ejecting chemicals into people’s bodies, all while this happens 3 years after living with superheroes and showing an understanding that these things are wrong, is above immaturity. That’s a showing of a budding psychopath.

The character may be a child, but these are thing above immaturity and cult brainwashing even since he’s shown to know better, yet still does it.

None of this bugs me, beyond how poorly written it can get, with characters often enough ignoring the extent of his actions besides a few times.

Using someone as an object to further his own self gain is above immaturity no matter the unfitting cutesy art style.

Being reckless and callous enough that someone gets murdered during your actions is above immaturity.

Swinging axes in people’s faces just because they’re taller than you is beyond immaturity.

Locking people up, and changing their brain chemistry is violating human rights, it’s not immaturity.

Your first instinct being to chemically paralyze someone isn’t immaturity, it’s the sign of a psychopath.

But none of this matters, because he’s a fictional character,

and if you chose him to be your favorite fictional character: Why do you have to ignore everything he does?

How can it be fun to have to ignore the ever constant actions of your favorite character all the time to pretend that he’s something he’s not?

The constant lying about who he is just always creeped me out, because this is who Damian is as a character. THIS IS HIS CHARACTER.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with liking a character that’s a bad person as long as you don’t replicate their actions.

It’s the action of ignoring what the character is like, and having to use the sparse out of character moments to further some idea that he’s just an immature little boy that is ridiculous to me.

I am aware that he does have moments that spawn from immaturity, and he is young, but acting like that’s an excuse for all he does isn’t big brain time, it’s just playing dumb.

They even used that stuff from Steph’s Batgirl where Steph dresses him like a little kid, and they ignore the part were he’s a pervert to Stephanie.

Actively playing dumb to who the character is so they can like them.

When they shouldn’t have to feel obligated to like the character to begin with.

That shouldn’t be a thing they feel like they have to do.

If he’s someone that isn’t in their natural tastes, they shouldn’t feel obligated to straight up spread lies and play dumb about it.

That’s freaking nuts to me.

I’m not a fan at all of how the toxic side of his fanbase is, and the idea it gets so much attention bothers me. People getting harassed and dumped on just because they don’t agree and making people feel forced into agreeing with them because of that is straight up toxic.

Toxic fanbases suck massively.

[ibmiller]

Steph meta, a large chunk of it

(This essay was originally going to be a reblog of @secretlystephaniebrown’s post  but the tale, as they say, grew in the telling, so I’ve posted it here instead). In my experience, there are general trends among fans whose favorite character is Steph. Many of these trends flow from which version of Steph is normative to your experience of her history. There are those who have loved Steph since her first appearance in Detective Comics and through Dixon’s 100 issues of Robin. A strong contingent loves Jon Lewis’s quiet, weird run on Robin as “peak Steph” (you can always spot these fans because they love mashed potatoes and eggplant). And, of course, there is my own subsect - those who truly fell in love with her as Batgirl.

I’d been aware of Steph for some time. I remember reading about her brave handling of her pregnancy in the library’s copy of the DC character guide in the early 2000s. Batgirl #27 gave me a fairly negative opinion of her as a whiner (a large part of why I really dislike that comic after going back and reading all of Steph’s history, despite the lovely Phil Noto art). And then I read Steph’s tragic, idiotic death and aftermath as the trades of War Games and War Crimes came out in Books-a-Million while I was at university, far from home. Years passed. I embraced the Birds of Prey under Gail Simone (thanks again to my local library), caught the mentions of Steph’s death in Dinah’s inner monologues. I was aware of Steph’s return in the back of my head - I distinctly remember reading the Robin/Spoiler Special in the comic store when it came out, and then the following issues where Steph struggled with the fallout of Batman RIP.

When I picked up the first issue of Batgirl, and read that Steph was taking on the cowl, I felt a real but still muted sense of “finally, she’s arrived.” As the series went along, and I started following it more and more closely, I was hooked. Steph was now my very favorite character - so much so that when the new 52 hit, erasing Steph from existence with no explanation for three long and bitter years, I pretty much left most of comics fandom completely, only to return along with Steph when Batman Eternal hit the stands.

Obviously, someone like me, who came to Steph’s early appearances in Robin at first piecemeal, and then in a burst, but only after her zenith in her own solo series, will have a very different idea of what Steph’s normative traits are than someone whose Steph was set by Dixon or Lewis. Bryan Q. Miller is (or at least was at that stage in his career, as his Smallville episodes and comics show) very much in the cheerful, heartfelt storytelling mode, whereas Dixon drew much more from the noir tradition, and Lewis from a strange blend of YA and new weird-esque scifi. I especially

I have great respect for Steph fans who were privileged to meet her early. Who loved her from the start, grew up alongside her. But just like fans are rightly offended when instead of being welcomed, their enthusiasm is questioned or mocked because it is nascent and not full grown, I don’t think fans like myself, who see Steph’s career as a trajectory leading to Batgirl, are lesser than those who see her golden age at a different spot - or vice versa. What’s more, to say that Steph’s run as Batgirl strips her of all that makes her interesting rubs me really wrong - to say that the character I fell in love with is uninteresting just doesn’t square with my experience. Though Steph has a great supporting cast, with Babs, Wendy, and Detective Gage, and fantastic guest roles in Damian, Klarion, and Squire, unlike many solo series, Steph is definitely the most engaging figure in her own series.

(Side note: There are plenty of critics and fans who make comments like, “I wish Black Mask could meet Steph again.” This essay is not for them. If you didn’t like Steph in the past, and don’t like her now, the conversation I would have with you would be completely different. And likely very short.)

The most consistent theme I see with those who dispute Steph’s run as Batgirl as being normative for her character is that Steph has lost her anger that was so prominent in her early appearances. To some extent, there is justice in this claim. Steph is a cheery, upbeat, optimistic character as Batgirl, prefiguring later successes like Kamala Khan, and she doesn’t have nearly as many prominent displays of the kind of rage that led her to almost kill her father, or later visit him in prison, dolled up to the nines just to beat the ever living daylights out of him. However, my response to this claim is twofold: 1) I do not think that Steph is an angry person, but rather a person in very rough circumstances, who had a temper, but was generally a cheerful and upbeat person; 2) to say that Steph’s anger NEVER shows up in Batgirl is simply factually incorrect. To take these in reverse order (since the second is a lesser claim that hinges upon the assumption that Steph’s anger is fundamental to her character rather than largely circumstantial):

As Batgirl, Steph expresses varying levels of anger towards four people - Damian, Tim, Bruce, and Cluemaster. Though she does eventually come to a warmer relationship with the first three, she still expresses very distinct and sharp anger with all three of them. Her “HATE” as she storms away from Damian may be played for comedy, but it’s consistent with the sheer level of animosity and frustration she expresses for the first three issues in which they work together. Her first meeting with Tim in the crossover “Collision” is marked by very harsh words on both sides, and when Christopher Yost takes over the writing in that storyline, she gives Tim a well-deserved piece of her mind for his injuries going back many months. As for Bruce - we all know and love that fantastic slap. However, the key moment of narration of the issue is “Bruce never gave me a fair shot,” overlaying an image of Steph being fired as Robin. Though Steph is willing to forgive Bruce, her anger remains (hinted at again in Batgirl #22, when the slap is referenced again) part of that relationship.

Lastly, of course, there’s the final confrontation with Cluemaster. And here’s where the claim that Steph’s anger is nowhere present in her time as Batgirl really baffles me. Steph’s hostility to her father remains total and intense from beginning to end, in expression and violence. She even finds her cheerful “I know, right” catchphrase poisoned by hearing her father use it. Her last line to her father, while brave and upbeat, as Steph generally is during her time as Batgirl, is a wonderful and completely knowing callback to her original motivation for becoming a hero - “So sorry to SPOIL your fun.” It’s a final triumph, harnessing the rage which once impelled her to choke him with a chain, or beat him in a cell, and now drives her to capture him with her gooperang.

With all four of these key points in Steph’s Batgirl run forming the basis for my minor counterargument, I do acknowledge that Steph is a significantly less angry person as Batgirl than her early time in Detective Comics or Robin. That’s probably in large part because Bryan Q. Miller just isn’t a writer who digs into the darkness of his heros as much - but also because Miller was deliberately writing a hero who is coming into her own in a major way after a lot of history on the sidelines. Steph doesn’t struggle with not killing villains, as she did in the Final Night issue of Robin or her Detective Comics issue where she went up against Zsasz as Robin. She doesn’t express rage in her fights against most of her other villains, from Scarecrow, to Roxy Rocket, even the despicable Reaper gang of bored kids who turn their nihilistic laziness into murderous rampage.

But that segues into my main counterargument: I do not think that Steph’s anger is a defining trait, but is instead a strongly circumstantial trait. Steph expresses great rage against those who personally betrayed her - her father, her uncle, her gymnastics coach - but when fighting villains without that personal connection, like Lynx, Scarab, and countless gang-bangers, she usually displays a happy enthusiasm for life and her work as a hero. The occasional moments of desperate rage, like wanting to leave a murderous thug to die in the snow during Final Night, or using a potentially lethal move against the fathomless evil of Zsasz, are very rare (and let’s not get into my frustration that despite my enjoyment of the Zsasz issue, Gabrych having Steph re-learn the same moral lesson that she’d previously embraced does not sit well with me). While I can see the argument that “Steph’s anger is a defining trait,” I think my own reading, that Steph has a temper, but generally has a sunny outlook on life is at least equally valid.

(Another side note: the question of when Steph learns people’s identities has always fascinated me. I firmly believe there’s a good chance that Steph didn’t know Batman was Bruce Wayne until her “death”, at which point Leslie told her pretty much everything. She never calls Batman “Bruce” or is shown in the same place as him without the cowl when she’s Robin, and the fact that she doesn’t know who Matches Malone is indicates to me that there’s a good chance she doesn’t know Bruce is Batman either. Perhaps a bit far fetched? But I think there’s no real way to prove that she DOES know the truth from the information given.)

With my main point made, I want to move onto some defenses of Steph’s current journey, specifically in the hands of James Tynion IV. I think a key element to understanding Steph’s relationship to Batman in n52 and Rebirth continuity is that while Jason’s (and Damian’s) deaths have a profound impact on Batman, both Jason and Damian are ALIVE again, and that has gone a long way towards healing the part of Bruce that wanted to protect Steph by shoving her out of the life of the hero. With that gone, Bruce does want to take in the various young heros in Gotham and give them the best chance he can to be the best heroes possible. With that background on Bruce’s part, unless Tynion wanted to make Bruce a giant sexist and have him say “no girls allowed” to Steph, the conflict between Steph and Bruce leading to Steph being an outsider simply couldn’t be a one-sided idiocy on Batman’s part.

And so we get a long, carefully constructed distrust sown between Steph and Batman. First, the trauma of seeing a nightmarish Batman assault her father as a ten year old (Batman Eternal #10), followed by her belief that Bruce Wayne (of Batman Incorporated) is Lincoln March, the force behind her father’s reign of terror on Gotham. She then spends a large amount of her first several months, possibly a year, as Spoiler in a Gotham where Batman has disappeared and been replaced with JimBats. Current Steph simply doesn’t have the same foundation of trust with Batman that previous Steph did. No ridealongs to fight creepy bug people, no one on one training alongside Batgirl and Robin. Just a giant blue Bat-bunny and some training from the Robins and her new friend Harper.

Which brings me to another major point of contention I have with some trends in Steph fandom: her relationship with Tim. A lot of Steph fans view her relationship with Cass as the defining relationship in her life. And I would never, ever want to say that Cass and Steph didn’t powerfully impact each other’s lives - Steph learning so much from Cass, and Cass seeing Steph as she dies in her final confrontation with her mother, clearly demonstrate how important that relationship is. But for various reasons, Steph’s relationship with Tim is ignored by many fans. Was the way Tim treated Steph (and Helena and even Babs) over the issue of his secret identity pretty crummy? Absolutely. But for the span of 128 issues, Steph was part of Tim’s cast, and her main relationship in life was with him - and it was often a beautiful one. Tim’s growing attraction to her, his support of her during her pregnancy, him sticking by her as Bruce played hot and cold with her training - there’s so much to love about it. And as much as Cass was shafted by the way Steph became Batgirl, and I think her relationship with Steph merited much more than it got during that series, I think the way her relationship with Tim was handled was just as frustrating. (I don’t want to make this into a major flaw of the series - there are reasons Tim couldn’t appear in Batgirl very often, and Miller did a solid job of writing a character arc for the two that explained it in universe - but I would have appreciated a few more appearances by him than just one, just as Steph popped into the Red Robin series every now and then.) I think too many fans see Tim as a weight that Steph needs to shed to become a great hero, but I think Tim was a great force for good in Steph’s life and career as a hero. Not a perfect one - that would be poor characterization of both Steph and Tim - but more than just dead weight that I feel many, many Steph fans treat him as.

With that background, I look at the restoration of Tim and Steph’s romantic relationship in Rebirth as a major plus. It’s not a perfect restoration - the criticism that it’s pretty blandly sweet, rather than the rocky, complicated, loveable coupling we see over the 20 years of their history previously, is spot on - and there was almost no setup (except for the adorable panel of Tim crushing on her at the end of Batman Eternal, which artist David Lafuente putting a heart into the uncolored pencils :). A huge part of the criticism of Steph’s current arc revolves around how she shouldn’t be so brokenhearted over Tim’s death - but I think that’s a really silly argument. Balancing Steph as an independent character vs. a supporting character for Tim is something that I think Tynion probably will struggle with, but I very much think that 1) her love for Tim is emotionally engaging and sweet, and thus her sorrow and rage feels quite understandable, and 2) a big reason Tynion is telling the story of Steph striking out on her own is so that she has more accomplishment under her belt when Tim comes back, so she doesn’t fall into the role of “Tim’s girlfriend.” I want Tim and Steph to be together - I’m a longtime TimSteph shipper, obviously - but I want her to have her own arcs and goals, so I think that her current plotline will be a big step in the right direction.

Which brings us to the third main point of this essay (point one being about Steph’s anger, point two being about Steph and Tim): Steph’s rejection of Batman leading to her status as outsider to the Batfamily. To me, even as Batgirl, Steph is defined much more by her independence and status as not in the innermost circle of the Batfamily, rather than her anger. As mentioned before, Batman couldn’t just be the jerk he was in the 90s, telling Steph to stop or firing her. So how could Tynion write a story about her being an outsider now? She would have to have a reason - and he gave her two. First, the way Steph and Bruce handle the grief of Tim’s death. Second, Steph trying to find what kind of hero she wants to be. Both of these do mean that Steph is making mistakes, even becoming hypocritical in criticizing Batman’s mission while using the exact same tactics. But I don’t think it’s a case of Tynion saying, “Oh, look how dumb Steph is.” This is Tynion having Steph take control of her own career. Her outsider status is no longer the result of being controlled by Batman or Tim. Steph has agency in her status - she chose it, and she will return when she chooses, on her own terms. She’s also very much a competent hero - perhaps a bit overly so, by taking down Wrath with really superior tactics and psychology, and the whole team in a very Batman vs. the Justice League way in Victim Syndicate. There are hints of her former struggles in Rise of the Batmen when she sets off all the explosives at once, and her fight against Anarky in the second issue of Utopia was pretty poorly written, but on the whole, this Steph is in no danger of being fired for failure - and that, too, is part of her agency.

As for the fears of War Games - people have been predicting that Steph’s plots are a reimagining of War Games since Batman Eternal (myself included). At this point, I think Tynion is not super interested in retelling that story. There may be some elements that parallel that horrible storyline (even though I will say that Devin Grayson’s and Brubaker’s parts for Steph are affecting, and Steph’s death scene gives me one of my favorite lines, “Part of the legend,” which I will bring up ANY TIME someone says Steph wasn’t Robin), but I think Tynion is more interested in telling a new Steph story.

Which brings me to my closing point: Steph’s storyline has some problems. It’s basically her turning a bit into “stop having fun guy” by telling Batman he’s doing it wrong, and she’s also a hypocrite because she’s using the same tactics constantly. But the suggestions I hear instead seem almost always to be “recreate the fun parts of her previous history and give her new fun relationships.” People (rightly) want her to restore her bond with Cass, and to grow closer to Jason and Duke.

All of these are fun, and I would love to see them, but they’re the actions of a supporting character in someone else’s story. What Tynion is telling is very much Steph’s own story, with her taking control and having the right to make mistakes without being punished for them. She’ll deal with the consequences on her own terms. So far, her story has had ups and downs, but it is Steph’s story, and I for one am following it with great enthusiasm and enjoyment (though hopefully with fewer guest-writers).

[daminwayne]

Tony Stark + Batfam/JL Headcanon masteprost (part 1)

pasting here the headcanon dumps I sent @audreycritter‘s way hehe. Enjoy.

In this universe, Tony & Bruce are friends. they went to boarding school together and just kinda stayed friends, but they dont meet very often. but when Bruce goes missing for 5 years, Tony is scared shitless. As soon as he hears about the Bats, he knows it's Bruce. He rings him up, asks if he's okay. gets mad at him for not leaving any messages that he was alive.

and then Tony goes missing for 3 months. and Bruce is scared, too. When Tony returns, Bruce can immediately tell that Tony is faking his camera grins more than before. Can notice Tony clenching his chest. He shows up unannounced one day, during IM2, and asks Tony about the poisoning he's suspected etc. so when age of ultron happens, Bruce doesnt know how to feel. on the one hand, Ultron went bad. on the other hand, he fucked up so many times by trying his best, he cant be mad at tony. And then civil war happens, and Tony is broken. Broken.

The Avengers are gone, Tony is just a mess. He has to deal with the government, the media, SHIELD, etc. Bruce can't imagine how he'd ever deal with it if he had to deal with stuff as both Batsy /and/ Bruce. At least his real persona is out of the picture––but Tony is targeted as both himself and Iron Man

Tony starts to pop by Gotham more often. He doesn't like to stay in New York for too long. He's too hesitant to visit Bruce, though. But one day, he gets attacked, and the Bats comes and helps him out. The news explore––iron man & batsy together. new alliance?

"you broke our rule," Tony tells him. They had a rule to never fight together––never Iron Man and Batman side by side. Bruce only shrugs, and says, "you don't know who you're dealing with in Gotham. They're not aliens you can just shoot away."

Tony drops it––because it felt good to have Bruce by his side. His friend, his /real/ friend. It almost felt as good as fighting alongside Rhodey. Bruce invites him back to the cave. Damian is baffled when Bruce takes off his mask; his Father is revealing his identity!

But then they start making inside jokes, and Bruce is so relaxed and sassy and... it clicks for Dami and Tim. The two billionaires are friends. Tim is particularly shocked, because the media always said that the two were rivals, were enemies. He'd never heard Bruce speak of Tony, so he'd had no reason to believe otherwise.

And he visits again. The next time, he brings a new tablet for Tim––a work in progress––and asks him to upgrade it for Tony. He wants to see what the kid is capable of, and he can tell that Tim is excited by the offer. He also brings Damian a technologically advanced sword; similar to how he'd upgraded Hawkeye's arrows. Damian is uninterested at first, but after trying it out, he's in /love/.

They're not sure when it happened, but Tony eventually became a frequent visitor. Damian loved him––Tony always took him out for ice cream (and the media always assumed he was Tony's son, which saved Bruce the tabloid attention that Tony was willing to deal with). Tony always made him tuna sandwiches and praised him.

One day, Jason visits. He and Bruce get into a fight, as per usual, and Jason is about to storm out when Tony stops him. He gets a few insults in return, but he doesn't back down. "Jason, can I just talk to you for a minute?" He asks. Jason eventually accepts, and they step outside. Tony just asks him what's on his mind.

Jason is surprised. He expected Tony to lecture him on being nicer to Bruce. He says as such. "No, fuck that," Tony laughs. "I just wanna know what's on your mind. Something's annoying you, something's... hurting you. It's not easy to speak up about it, you know? especially with Bruce, I know how he can be. He cares about you, but he.. can expect you to be perfect. I dunno, just thought you could talk to me if you wanted to."

Jason is so?? touched???? Like?? Tony Stark, the infamous asshole™ just wants to... listen?? So he talks. And talks. And at one point, he cries. And Tony just listens. He doesn't, for a second, judge the boy.

When Jason is finished, Tony just smiles. He pulls the boy into a light side-hug, and pats him on the back. "You're a brave boy. I started dealing with this shit when I was... what, in my thirties? And you're not even thirty yet. You boys are strong. It's not easy to do what you're doing."

Jason doesnt know what to say. He just nods. "I'm serious. Jay, I am. Can I call you that?" Jason nods again. "Look, that pit... walking out of it? Doesn't sound easy. But you did it. And you're here, being a hero. You know what––Like Bruce, I don't like to kill. But I believe in... figuring out your own way. I mean, I hope you stop the killing. But if you wanna use the guns? Tim and I can wind you up with some great, non lethal ones."

Jason just inhales deeply, and gives Tony a small smile. Tony squeezes his shoulder. "And kiddo? Bruce loves you. He doesn't have to tell me, but I can tell. His eyes do that thing every time you speak up or you make him feel guilty. Try to cut down on that, yeah? I know you're mad, but... If I've learned anything it's that being mad at someone who's hurt you won't get you anywhere."

because the Avengers hurt him, many times. Because Obadiah hurt him, and his death still lingered in Tony's nightmares. Because SHIELD hurt him. And he is too tired, too tired to be angry. He just wants to move on. He just wants to die with a sense of peace––and he's not sure he'll ever achieve it.

just about Tim's age. Doesn't resemble anyone Bruce can recognize. "Batsy! This is Harley." Tony introduces. "He's /my/ mini Robin, but doesn't have a cool nickname like that. Yet. I just thought he should meet your kids."

And somehow, Harley clicks with Bruce. Almost as well as Damian clicked with Tony. Harley appreciates Bruce being straightforward, appreciates Bruce falling for his tactics when he claims they have a connection. And both boys are simultaneously jealous of each other. Damian is jealous that Harley is Tony's son, and Harley is jealous that Dami is Bruce's son. But also... Damian is jealous that Harley gets along so well with his father, and vice versa.

It takes a few visits for Bruce to realize that Dami is being extra cuddly when Harley is around. It warms his heart––he just finds it adorable!

(I actually have a headcanon that Harley is the son of Maya and Tony, and that Maya wasn't kidding when she said they have a 12 yo. becuase Harley really resembles young RDJ)which makes Dami & Harley relate more––the sons who were hidden until they were around 10 or 12 yo.

@audreycritter: I want the story where the boys are all surprised again, not by Bruce letting Tony into the cave and stuff, but by the fact that later upstairs in the manor they're just sitting drinking like tonic water with lemon and talking. But not business talking. Not vigilante talking, even if they get to that. Like high school "do you remember that time we..." with lots of laughing before they do delve into quiet talking about stuff Tony's been dealing with.

[renaroo]

Wednesday Roundup

We have a new addition to the party this week! Ghostbusters 101 -- and I’m very excited to see where all our continuing stories lead us. So let’s look into ‘em without further ado...

DC’s Batman Beyond, DC’s Detective Comics, IDW’s Ghostbusters 101, Marvel’s Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur, DC’s Wonder Woman

DC’s Batman Beyond (2016-present) #6 Dan Jurgens, Bernard Chang, Marcelo Maiolo

Well, I will give this comic one thing: it truly understands what attracts fans like me to Batman Beyond as a franchise to begin with: everyone giving Bruce crap for his stupid, stupid ideas and the consequences he doesn’t think out all of the way in canon. And Matt and Max are easily the best parts of each issue for that reason. That and Max’s undercut. The best things.

Alright, so I was completely accurate in my assumption last issue that the fact that every batboy in the franchise got a shoutout because it’s going to turn out that Damian has now been brought into the fold of the Beyond universe. And it’s probably going to have something to do either with the AI of the new Batsuit or with the plot from the DCAU where Ra’s takes over a younger descendent’s body in order to regain his own youth -- formerly it was Talia, now it is logically Damian. 

mkay.

It still makes me angry that we don’t get shoutouts to Kate, Cass, Steph, Harper -- literally any woman in the franchise while the boys get every solitary universe but whatever.

Not really whatever, but I am willing to grant that the comic is still young and there’s an opportunity that as ‘Tec works to make the extended Batfamily’s stars rise, that they will receive some due credit in the Beyond timeline as well. Batgirls: Futures End anyone? Just food for thought.

Anyway. This was an enjoyable issue, but a rather quick read compared to everything else this week. Most, if not all, of the meat was put into that last page reveal because of course it was. But here’s hoping the pace picks up next issue now that everything’s out of the way. 

DC’s Detective Comics (2016-present) #957 James Tynion IV, Christopher Sebela, Carmen Carnero, Karl Story

A one-shot issue? A complete story that focuses on character development and world building with previous setup being paid off and future setup being presented? Are we sure this is the Detective Comics run I’ve criticized for its pacing and drawn out stories for the past year? Are we sure this isn’t a bizarro world issue I got a hand on somehow?

Okay, all joking aside, I have been harsh on this run in the past but I think this issue proves pretty much everything I have critiqued before because Tynion, with help from Sebela, focuses on his strengths -- character, voice, simple storytelling devices, and presenting a critical opinion of the genre while also very much showing a love for it.

This is honestly why I have been baffled by people who have said they hated Tynion’s characterization of Steph in this run. I didn’t like how he wrote her in Batman and Robin Eternal, but almost everything in this issue embodies the parts of Steph I have loved about her character over the years. Striding the line between insider and outsider, loving and protecting Gotham while questioning and being critical of the harm Batman’s crusade has don, not wanting glory but still wanting to be be better and to help. She’s confident, she’s resourceful and clever, and yet there is a loneliness and sacrifice to how she’s chosen her path. And even if she doesn’t mention it directly, because we’ve followed Steph as she got to this point we know there’s still a question about how she’s affording her equipment, where she’s living, who she’s in contact with, whether or not she’s going to school.

This issue gave me so many feelings and it really does reward me for having confidence in the creative team seeming to have a plan and direction for Steph as a character. Something, I should note, I don’t always feel the most confidence with when it comes to this run thus far.

More comics like this, Tynion. I’m begging you.

IDW’s Ghostbusters 101 (2017-present) #3 Erik Burnham, Dan Shoening, Luis Antonio Delgado

On the basis of my three-issue policy, I am happy to say that I am as excited as I can be on the direction of IDW’s Ghostbusters 101. The quality of the Ghostbusters franchise as it’s been handled by IDW for over a decade now has always been among the top tier of comics and probably one of the more under appreciated productions of the medium. I mean, I read them but how many of you read them?

Erik Burnham has become the defining crafter of what I consider “my” Ghostbusters as it comes to the original cast, and I have been very excited to see how he and Dan Shoening translated the recent 2016 cast into the multiverse and into their distinct styles of writing. And I’m more than happy to say that it translates beautifully.

The team ups we’ve all been waiting for since the very first announcements of the rebooted movie has finally come...

And by that I mean that, finally, in the third issue, after two issues of buildup, we finally have some interactions between the Original Crew, the Real Crew, the EXTREME Crew, and now the Answer the Call Crew. 

... See, one of the barriers for entry into these comics is you kind of have to accept that almost all the comics are written with the Big Picture in mind. Erik Burnham has always been a slow burn of a writer, and that was very much evidenced not only with my favorite of his Ghostbusters runs -- the  Ghostbusters (2013-2014) run --  but especially in the IDW crossover of Ghostbusters/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. He takes his time, and the buildup will have payoff, but it might be a bit slow to wait issue-by-issue for for some fans who want the immediate excitement of the characters interacting. 

I mean, I’m a fan and I waited until I could read all three of the first issues together, if that tells you anything.

It is a joy, and worth picking up for fans. Just be aware of your tastes before judging too hard. 

Marvel’s Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur (2015-present) #19 Brandon Montclare, Natacha Bustos, Tamra Bonvillain

If you care about the future of the medium and about comics attracting younger fans, or just having goo wholesome comics for all ages, I have no idea why you aren’t already reading Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur because it is just one of the prettiest, most inventive, and most genuine all-ages books that I’ve read in a long time. 

Lunella and Devil have become such an iconic pair, and the beauty of this comic is how the effort and storytelling are treated with the authenticity and effort of “adult” aimed readers, including having Lunella’s point of view be prominent but obviously still marked by immaturity and lack of experience, while still very much at its heart being the story of a child in a world of superheroes, growing and learning and becoming herself even when she doesn’t necessarily know what that means. 

The at is gorgeous, specifically the coloring of this issue is just jaw dropping, and getting Lunella into space and having her so attached to Devil to bring him along in a ridiculous but wonderful dinosaur-sized space suit is just amazing. 

I love everything here in this comic and really hope those of you with kids in your lives or just the love of good superhero comics with unique tones and stories are picking this up already. 

DC’s Wonder Woman (2016-present) #23 Greg Rucka, Liam Sharp, HI-FI

We’re coming to the end of Rucka’s amazing run and I’m just very grateful at the moment. I’m grateful to this run and I’m grateful that the Present Day stuff finally actually caught up in quality with the Past storylines because man it was super shaky for a while there. And it really took the whole picture unifying for it to really work for me and that’s probably going to mean that on re-read, at least for me, the parts I have been critical about when it comes to this run will read better.

...

Okay the racism won’t read better. Seriously, what was the point?

But Diana won with love. Veronica will still have a reason to be antagonistic with Wondy even though she saved her daughter. Diana and Hippolyta met each other again for at least momentarily. There were so many good things -- especially good conversations. Liam Sharp’s art was pretty top notch.

Just overall this was a good Beginning of the End, so to speak, and I’m really looking forward to where we go from here. 

So the books this week were very different in tone and story overall, but it has to be said, with the maybe exception of Batman Beyond which still had a pretty prominent female characters feature, this week is really the week of Superheroines. And I love that. I love that we’re at a time and place in comics where women and girls are allowed to be so many varieties of characters and still heroic, still masters of their own stories, and still geared toward so many different tastes and audiences. 

It really shows, at least for me, what’s going right with the industry at the moment, and I hope it progresses that way.

But it’s time for the pick of the week, and as much as I really enjoyed all the comics this week, I’m going to give this week’s pick to Detective Comics. It was a great stand alone, it was very focused and character driven, and it’s just so wonderful seeing Stephanie’s independence and more individualized view of justice getting to be front and center of a ‘Tec comic. The times where she was treated with this amount of respect as Spoiler were few and far between in the previous continuity and it’s good as a fan to see that the current creative team can love and appreciate the 2000s comics and draw from them while still adjusting and moving past their flaws. 

But that’s just my opinion on today’s pull! Do you guys agree or disagree with me on any of them? Think I missed picking up something great? I’d love to hear from you! See you next week <3

[davidmann95]

Regarding the Robin mythos: I know about the controversy regarding the infamous "shorts" (actually a circus leotard) but should the Rebirth and future DC adaptations include the famous Pixie Boots into the Robin uniform?

Probably not. I’m big on the rules of the real world often not applying to the world of superheroes, I absolutely favor Superman with his trunks, but Robin with no pants just doesn’t work anymore. It doesn’t exactly look bad per say - it’s solid costume design - but it definitely looks weird, it doesn’t fit for Batman’s character that he would allow it, and the oddity of bringing a kid into the line of fire is exponentially increased by putting him in short-shorts. It baffled me to see that Robin apparently wore that uniform in BvS; certainly in ‘retro’ Earths in the Multiverse like 21/38 and other nostalgic projects I think it’s fine to show him in the classic uniform, but I think it’s past its sell-by date for mainline takes, whether in comics or on-screen. As for the pixie boots, they’d look weird without the shorts, so they go too; I’m pretty fond of Damian’s lace-up wrestling boots, personally.

[gokinjeespot]

off the rack #1306

Monday, March 23, 2020

 I don't know how much longer I will be able to write off the rack. New comics are still being shipped every week but the store is cutting back orders and rack copies are going to be very restricted. I have already been borrowing comic books from dear friends Ryan, Rebecca and Doug, with their permission when there are no copies left after pulling subscription service orders. This pandemic is a wake up call for all of humanity. No super heroes are going to swoop in to save the day. It's up to us to be careful and stay safe. I have not left our house except to go for walks since last Tuesday when I went to work to receive the new comics. I will be going to work tomorrow and then coming straight home after. I hope everyone is okay wherever you are.

 Runaways #31 - Rainbow Rowell (writer) Andre Genolet (art) Dee Cunniffe (colours) VC's Joe Sabino (letters). Part 7 of "Canon Fodder" concludes this lengthy story with the evil Doc Justice showing his true colours. The villain may have been defeated but Doc Justice might live on. It's this possibility that will keep me reading.

 Batman #91 - James Tynion IV (writer) Rafael Albuquerque, Jorge Jimenez, Carlo Pagulayan & Danny Miki (art) Tomeu Morey (colours) Clayton Cowles (letters). The Designer is a puppet master who has manipulated the Penguin, the Riddler, Catwoman and the Joker into taking over Gotham City. I like the unpredictability of what the four puppets are going to do. Next issue's feature villain is the Riddler and I can't wait to see what riddles he has in store for Batman.

 The Red Mother #4 - Jeremy Haun (writer) Danny Luckert (art) Ed Dukeshire (letters). This is a really good creepy comic book. Daisy's visions are getting worse, which I'm hoping will lead to the appearance of the Red Mother. But I want to meet the black smoky scary guy with the white smiley face mask.

 Marvels X #3 - Alex Ross & Jim Krueger (writers) Well-Bee (art) VC's Cory Petit (letters). Spider-Man and Daredevil try to get the last human being on Earth into the Baxter Building to see if Reed can find a cure for whatever is giving everybody super powers. I don't see how the kid is going to survive given who has him in his clutches now.

 Year of the Villain: Hell Arisen #4 - James Tynion IV (writer) Steve Epting (art) Nick Filardi (colours) Travis Lanham (letters). This issue's conclusion convinced me that I dislike the Batman Who Laughs a lot and I don't care what Perpetua does to the multiverse. But if you care, continue to read the story in Dark Nights Death Metal #1, the first of a 6-issue mini hitting the racks May 13.

 Archie #712 - Mariko Tamaki & Kevin Panetta (writers) Laura Braga (art) Matt Herms (colours) Jack Morelli (letters). I'm reading this Katy Keene story because I miss Fashion Television.

 Outlawed #1 - Eve L. Ewing (writer) Kim Jacinto (art) Espen Grundetjern (colours) VC's Clayton Cowles (letters). This $4.99 US one shot is a prelude to the return of the Champions to the racks. But now the kids are going to be on the wrong side of the law. The government has banned all activity by under-aged super heroes because of a major disaster. That feeling of déjà vu you're getting is because Marvel did this already with the New Warriors. If you want to see these youngsters fight against the Child hero Reconnaissance And Disruption Law Enforcement organization or C.R.A.D.L.E., pick up Champions #1 April 8.

 DCeased: Unkillables #2 - Tom Taylor (writer) Karl Mostert (pencils) Trevor Scott, Neil Edwards & Karl Mostert (inks) Rex Lokus (colours) Saida Temofonte (letters). Now that the good guys and the bad guys have to work together to survive the zombies this story got more interesting. I like the familial element with Shiva and her daughter Cassandra/Batgirl and Deathstroke and his daughter Rose. I really liked how Vandal Savage meets a gruesome end. I can't wait to see what new hell is unleashed in next issue's conclusion.

 X-Ray Robot #1 - Michael Allred (writer & art) Laura Allred (colours) Nate Piekos (letters). This science-fiction story about a scientist and his interdimensional travelling robot invention is typical Michael Allred whacky fun. There's a lot of crazy kinetic energy in these pages and you have to pay close attention so you don't get lost. Doctor Max Wilding is a hero in waiting.

 Spider-Woman #1 - Karla Pacheco (writer) Pere Perez (art) Frank D'Armata (colours) VC's Travis Lanham (letters). I'm sad that my friend Gord McDougall, who passed away last year, isn't around to see his favourite super hero get back on the racks in this excellent debut. I really like the new costume. Jessica is hired to protect a billionaire's daughter at her sweet sixteen birthday party on a mega yacht (that spelling baffles me). When kidnappers attack we see how awesome Jess can be. The art is gorgeous and I'm going to add this to my "must read" list. The back-up story with art by Paulo Siqueira (pencils) and Oren Junior (inks) shows us how Jessica gets her new costume. There's something funny going on with it and this subplot makes this $4.99 US debut seem cheap at twice the price.

 The Resistance #1 - J. Michael Straczynski (writer) Mike Deodato Jr. (art) Frank Martin (colours) Sal Cipriano (letters). J. Michael Straczynski, now that's a name that I haven't seen on the racks for a while. I'm so glad he's back. This is the comic book of the week if not the year. It starts off with a global pandemic which immediately pulled me in because of what's currently happening in real life. By the end of this first issue I realized that what happened in the comic was just a way to grant random people super powers all at once all around the world. Not a new concept I know, but it's being done by one of my favourite writers and a very good artist. I'm adding this 6-issue mini to my "must read" list. This book is from brand new publisher AWA which stands for Artists, Writers and Artisans. I will be looking for their books by Frank Cho, Peter Milligan, and Garth Ennis when they hit the racks in the future. You should too.

 Conan the Barbarian #14 - Jim Zub (writer) Roge Antonio (art) Israel Silva (colours) VC's Travis Lanham (letters). The explanation of how Conan survives being run through with a sword made me groan but I read on. Conan and the remaining warriors must work together to survive the rest of the gauntlet but one of them is a treacherous killer. Who that is keeps me interested.

 Something is Killing the Children #6 - James Tynion IV (writer) Werther Dell'Edera (art) Miquel Muerto (colours) AndWorld Design (letters). A new story starts here. It looks like we're going to get Erica's origin story and I'm looking forward to finding out more about Ms. Slaughter.

 Guardians of the Galaxy #3 - Al Ewing (writer) Nina Vakueva, Chris Sprouse, Belen Ortega & Juann Cabal (pencils) Nina Vakueva, Karl Story, Belen Ortega & Juann Cabal (inks) Federico Blee (colours) VC's Cory Petit (letters). In the aftermath of Peter's "death" (he'll return eventually I'm sure) the rest of the Guardians must get on with their lives. A new client hires them but I see a big conflict of interest in their new mission. Their new client made me wonder if a copyright infringement was being made by Marvel. Someone over there forget about Bucky O'Hare? Is Blackjack related? Okay, a quick search confirms that Blackjack O'Hare first appeared in a Marvel comic in May 1982 and Bucky first appeared in the Continuity Graphics title Echo of Futurepast #1 in May 1984 with some sweet art by Michael Golden. Law suits averted.

 Fantastic Four #20 - Dan Slott (writer) Peco Medina (art) Jesus Aburtov (colours) VC's Joe Caramagna (letters). This is a great one-shot story for fans thinking about adding this book to their sub. The Four return from their space adventure on Spyre with Johnny's soul mate Sky. Then the new couple goes to help Wyatt Wingfoot with an attack by the Mole Man. Everything is wrapped up nice and neat in this one issue and you will get the warm and fuzzies getting to know Marvel's First Family. I still like this book.

 Valkyrie #9 - Jason Aaron & Torunn Gronbekk (writers) Ramon Rosanas (art) Jesus Aburtov (colours) VC's Joe Sabino (letters). How many times can Jason Aaron bring about a Ragnarok-like event? As many times as he wants as far as I'm concerned. Here we have Tyr unleashing an ancient dark power and now it's up to Val to stop it. This title is still top tier.

 X-Force #9 - Benjamin Percy (writer) Joshua Cassara (art) Dean White (colours) VC's Joe Caramagna (letters). I continue to read books that I feel aren't that great for a variety of reasons. I'm not fond of the art in this title and the missions that this team goes on are okay, not great. I do however, like that Domino and Wolverine are on this team. Their behaviour in this book will determine how long I stay a fan.

 Robin 100-Page Super Spectacular - These one-shot anthologies are a great way to catch up on characters. There are 10 short stories featuring the 5 Robins: Dick Grayson, Jason Todd, Tim Drake, Stephanie Brown and Damian Wayne. There are a couple of retro stories by Marv Wolfman and Chick Dixon that were hokey. I preferred the current stories by James Tynion V, Peter J. Tomasi and Robbie Thompson. The last story made me curious about what's happening with Damian leading the Teen Titans. Pick up this $9.99 US 80th Anniversary book to get a nice picture of one of comics' iconic sidekicks.