#asian batman

[henrythepug]

Batman is white???

I was today years old (16) when I found out that Batman is in fact a white man. I just spent 16 years of my life thinking Batman is Asian, for me to watch a Batman movie for the first time and find out he is fully white. And I looked it up, and that's right, they are all fucking white. I then told my sister the news and she was also shocked to find out that Batman is in fact known by the general public to be white. On the other hand, my parents (including my Japanese father) were confused as to why we thought he was Asian in the first place. and now I'd like to ask the same question.

The truth is, I had never seen a Batman movie before, yet Batman has been a huge figure in my life since I can remember. I read DC comics with my dad religiously before I could even read and we dressed up as Batman and Robin for Halloween at least 3 years in a row. And it was never a conscious thing that I decided Batman was Asian. Batman just was Asian. And now I'm having to examine that conception and ask myself how that happened. Like I said my knowledge of Batman came solely from books and so somehow that gave my brain more room for imagination into what the characters would look like in real life, as well as the fact that he had his mask on for most of the time. and as far as why it happened, it has just come to me suddenly yet quite easily, I am Asian American. my dad is asian american. Batman was a father-like figure to me, he represented my dad. My dad was Batman and I was Robin so Batman and Robin were Asian. I wanted to see people like me, I wanted these people to represent me. so my brain subconsciously made them look and act like me and my family.

This has for the first time made me realize why representation really is important. To me as a kid batman was my representation, although he is not actually an Asian character. but if there were superheroes as well as any and all characters that represented more people and cultures that kids can relate to it becomes so much more meaningful. and I think what made it even more meaningful, was that it wasn't actually an Asian story so it wasn't about being Asian. Somehow it was celebrating me by simply being (in my mind) an Asian person who could be the main character and be badass and wasn't appropriated or made fun of.

either way, Batman will always be Asian to me. I mean he is a martial artist for Christ's sake. please if anyone had a similar situation it truly fascinates and in a way warms my heart, reach out and tell me your story. was Batman Asian for you too? Will he be from now on? I know he will be for me.

[starscour]

jason and wally portraits

[theflashjaygarrick]

One thing that is important to me when discussing Cassandra Cain is the fact that she didn't develop her anti-killing moral position because of the bats. Neither does she have her moral code because she's Bruce's obedient golden child. Instead she decided at around age 8 that killing anyone (even some random criminal like in the 2000 batgirl series) was fundamentally wrong because it made them feel fear and pain. Finding out the bat-code had a similar perspective about killing was more validation than anything else. She would be saving everyone she could with or without batman.

She created her own moral framework against that her (in the 2000 series at least) white father. In spite of the fact the fact that her father literally objectified and dehumanised her, she fought to speak and be heard. She chose her own destiny, Babs and Bruce just helped her along the way.

As an Asian character it's important to me she wasn't 'taught' morals by white Americans, but rather she has a code that she developed herself. She doesn't listen to Bruce half the time, and she's more loyal to the concept of the bat symbol than anyone who wears it. She consistently disobeyed him in her original run. All these things aspects help her avoid being just a character with white saviour undertones, and allow her to instead be a heroic beacon of life and compassion in her own right.

[dumbassalex]

Do you think that the others let Bruce, the World's greatest detective, and Jason live down the fact they both considered that Lady Shiva not only hooked with a random goon, Jasons father, but that she's also Jasons mother? Like does Jason ever off-handedly mention "We thought that Shiva was my bio mom for a hot minute there." And Tim looks all confused like "But... you're WHITE?!" Meanwhile Cass is shocked. "My mother?!" And Damian in the back is like "*tt* As if your father had a single chance with someone like her, a two-bit thug like Todd sr." Before all of them take a second ask "Wait, WE?!" And Bruce is in the background hiding himself in embarassment.

Like either they're both fucking idiots or Jason is the whitest looking half-asian man i have ever seen.

[lizardpersonyknow]

Honestly I do in fact love it when ppl hc white characters as asian (Tim drake LMAO) bc I'm so fuckin tired of this is *very asian* name, (probably not even the right language) (cho chang I'm staring you dead in the eyes and there's a red dot on jkrs forehead) and they love noodles or speak broken English or are SO good at martial arts, or their mum is overbearing! And that's literally fuckin it!! That's the character!?!

Like where tf are my Asians that grow up speaking English, but love and explore their culture? Where are my mixed asians that might NOT be from China, Japan or Korea? Where are my mixed asians that "don't look asian" but are still asian? Like sometimes you don't have stereotypically "asian features" and guess what? YOU ARE STILL ASIAN!!

I love seeing ppl take these characters and hc them as asian bc they have a full characterisation that DOESN'T hinge on stereotypes!!

Like yea asian Tim drake doesn't add anything to the plot but it adds to his character and he can still have done all that WHILE being asian?? He can have that backstory, go on that travel, have that adventure and be asian! And it doesn't take anything away from him!!!

He can ALSO be hc as learning more about his asian heritage and culture while being in character!!!

Like ppl can say dragon Tim drake, Tim idolised Jason, and all those hc but some people get butthurt by asian Tim drake?

Insanity. Let ppl enjoy things!!!

(I'm a lil tipsy lmao so this may be insane but I wanna Speak)

[notfeelingthyaster]

okay so, dick is canonnically romani and damian is canonnically arab (although dc has painful fear of ever touching upon their heritage or giving them melanin), and we can kind of hope for half-latino (mexican/colombian) jason (although with his background it may be better to just keep him white to avoid stereotyping), but i just also want asian (vietnamese) tim drake, is it too much? is it god?

[everwalldigan]

Once the idea of Damian becoming a doctor was planted in my head I CANNOT let go of it like it’s all I’ve been thinking about.

All I can see is Damian all grown up into his 6 foot something height standing there in a white coat awkwardly while being fussed over by the mother of one of his patients☹️. Paediatrics would be such an amazing branch for him too like (just like his father) he’s trying to make sure no child has to grow up the way he did and he’s so sweet and gentle with the kids, constantly looking for any signs of abuse or unhappiness.

He has a whole drawer of candy with vegan, sugar free, halal and all kinds of options. Kids, parents, coworkers, the media, the nurses, legitimately EVERYONE absolutely adores him and he deserves that and so much more. We’ve got enough vigilantes in Gotham and the world let ONE of them be happy just ONCE don’t you think he’s suffered enough? Plus he’s already preconditioned to withstand and excel under the gruelling working environment of medicine. After being a literal assassin and vigilante his entire life, working triple shifts at the hospital would be a walk in the park.

I really hope dc goes with that route cause there’s something so satisfying about a child that’s been trained his whole life to hurt and kill choosing to help people instead. I KNOW Leslie Thompkins is somewhere in her clinic with a big ass smile about to give Bruce so much shit about there finally being a university graduate in the family (she has to be double annoying about it to make up for Alfred being unable to cause I know he would be so happy that Damian is going into that direction. Karma for Bruce dropping out of med school).

[dreamingaboutsakuratrees]

I know Tim is usually portrayed as a "thinks mayonnaise is proper seasoning" white guy, but I love the idea of mixed Tim, especially half east Asian Tim, and even MORE specifically, half Japanese Tim. Idk why it just makes sense in my brain. Every Tim I write is half Japanese in my mind even if it doesn't make it to the final product.

I also like the idea of white passing, half Korean Tim. Imagine everyone thinking he can't handle spice because they've seen Bruce trying to eat takis and he almost died, but Tim grew up with his mother's kimchi which was made to burn through solid steel and has an unhealthy obsession with spicy noodles (think buldak, shin ramyun, etc). This guy could eat California Reapers like grapes without so much as flushing and is honestly terrifying to witness (i guess this scenario would also work with Japanese!Tim, but tbh I know more about spicy Korean food than spicy Japanese food).

[fleshprofessor]

I love her already I'm going insane

[casscainmainly]

Cassandra Cain Meta List

Ones without a credited author are from me!

Disability

Cass' Disability Throughout the Comics by dailycass-cain

Cass' Ableism Towards Barbara by but-a-humble-goon

Why Disabled People Gravitate Towards Cass by but-a-humble-goon

Something To Be Proud Of by but-a-humble-goon

Cass and American Sign Language by fantastic-nonsense

Cass Using ASL Might Be Ableist by jupitermelichios

Cass is Not Mute by fantastic-nonsense

Gender & Sexuality

Cass and Asexuality by aingeal98 and mysteriousbeetle

Lesbians! (Ft. Kon) by aingeal98

Gender/Sexuality in Batgirl (2000) 1

Gender/Sexuality in Batgirl (2000) 2

Gruff With a Heart of Gold by theflashjaygarrick

Race

Cass and Asian Stereotypes

This is Not a White Saviour Story by theflashjaygarrick

Race and Perception in Batgirl (2000)

Cass Needs Asian Writers by deadletterpoets

What Ethnicity is Lady Shiva? by dragcnlady

Morality & Beliefs

Batgirl #19 is About a Hate Crime by lilacsandlillies

Nobody Dies Tonight by aingeal98 and magnetoeisenhardt

Punishment Vs. Redemption by magnetoeisenhardt

Might is Right by but-a-humble-goon

Remorseless Killers by but-a-humble-goon

Cass is Pro-Crime by but-a-humble-goon and littlemissonewhoisall

Mothers & Fathers

Parental Love and Batgirl #37 by aingeal98

Cass' Devotion to Bruce by fantastic-nonsense

The Person Or the Mission? by aingeal98

Cass and Her Mothers by but-a-humble-goon

Cass Has Two Mothers by teleportationmagic

Cass & Jason

Let Things Be Messy by fantastic-nonsense

Murder Victim and Murderer

Cass and Jason Are Foils by celestialdevils

An Extension on Jason by aingeal98 and tumblingxelian

Parallels by trust-and-jump

Miscellaneous

Why Batgirl (2000) Was Cancelled by dailycass-cain

Why Dick Was a Dick in Batgirl (2008) by dailycass-cain

"Stop!" by anniebuddy

Cass and Helena by gracefulplant

Cass and Tim by bitimdrake

Cass and Dick

Cass, Damian, and the Batman Mantle by marinsawakening

Cass and Onyx by mysteriousbeetle

Cass in Gates of Gotham

The Batgirl Mantle by franollie

Thank you to @sasheneskywalker and @but-a-humble-goon for helping me find a lot of these!

[lonelynpc]

you're telling me that bruce thought maybe jason was lady shiva's son and he's not east asian? be for fucking real

headcanon that lady shiva denied being jason's mother when he tracked her down and jason, being 15 and it being the 80s, asked bruce to give her a 'truth serum'.

bruce gave lady shiva sodium thiopental, as is canon, but because sodium thiopental being a truth serum is bullshit, she just lied and said no again.

bruce, who isn't 15 and knows the 80s research into sodium thiopental as a truth serum is flawed, could tell she was lying and didn't want to tell jason that his biological mother didn't want him, ultimately making jason continue his search for his mother and eventually find sheila haywood

all of this to say that my headcanon is east asian jason todd and i want dc to stop being cowards about it

[starscour]

winter suit jaybird

[bingsoo-jung]

The funniest thing about cass’s canonical height is that logically she shouldn’t be 5’5. Shiva’s 5’8, david cain is 6’2. And as someone who’s the child of a 5’9 mom and 6’0 dad, i am a healthy 5’9 and my sister’s 5’10. It would make perfect sense for cass to be taller than tim and the same height as dick. Especially since most boys hit their growth spurt in HS, whereas girls tend to get it before HS. Like…. I’m just saying. Tall!Cass rights y’all.

[julymusings]

batboys x south asian!reader masterlist

main masterlist * = requested

ain't nobody like my desi girl! diwali with jason jalebi baby diwali with dick* jason todd general hcs* dick grayson general hcs* bruce wayne general hcs* so american vignettes of damian with his south asian gf

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[autistic-wolf-pack]

CASSANDRA CAIN WENT TO HONG KONG FOR ONE COMIC. ONE!!!

WHY IS SHE ALWAYS “IN HONG KONG” “ABOUT TO LEAVE FOR HONG KONG” OR “JUST GETTING BACK FROM HONG KONG” IN EVERY GODDAMN FIC I READ!!!

I swear yall see an Asian character and either immediately white wash them (like with the Al-ghuls) or just do this shit 😭😭😭

[somepinkthing]

Tim drake is asian in my (correct) headcanon but that doesn't mean he gets to escape the unnerving blue eyes curse that every robin up until damian suffers from. He is simply too "im shaking pls give him some contacts" coded to have anything but the iciest peepers known to man