tomfoolerant

[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.

[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)

[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).

[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?

[fleshprofessor]

I love her already I'm going insane

[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.

[casscainmainly]

Cassandra Cain and Asian Stereotypes

So I've seen people debating whether Cass is a racist character or not because she falls into certain Asian stereotypes. While this discussion is valid and important, a lot of the conversation (on this website and beyond) is steered by White/non-Asian people, or people who haven't read a lot of Cass' stuff. This is my take on Cass and Asian stereotypes as a Chinese Cass fan. I do not speak for all Asians, or even all Chinese people, who are absolutely free to disagree with any of these arguments.

Stereotypes I will cover here: Silent Asian, Model Minority, and Hypersexuality.

The Silent Asian Stereotype

The most obvious stereotype Cass runs into is the Silent Asian. I would recommend reading the linked article for more information. Silent Asian characters are Asians who are part of a core cast, but rarely speak. Kimiko Miyashiro in The Boys, Lilly in Pitch Perfect, and Katana in Suicide Squad are all examples of this. The article also mentions Ben from Umbrella Academy, who can only communicate with one character, thus limiting his dialogue.

Why does this happen? Removing Asian characters' dialogue reflects the Western conception of Asians as demure, rule-following, and meek, never speaking up or acting out. It also means writers don't have to spend as much time writing these Asian characters, who are secondary to White protagonists.

The problem with the Silent Asian, then, is not the silence itself, but the consequences of silence. Mute Asians exist, as do Asians who don't speak much; in media, Silent Asians are harmful because they indicate an unwillingness to focus on the Asian character.

This is why Cass, even before she learns to speak longer sentences, is not a Silent Asian. While her conception undoubtedly has unfortunate echoes of this trope, she defies it by being the protagonist of the story. A protagonist cannot be a Silent Asian, because a requirement of the trope is being a secondary character. Cass' feelings and actions are the center of Batgirl (2000), so allegations of this stereotype don't actually make sense.

Furthermore, the trope is about passivity and acquiescence to a White authority. From her introduction, Cass is neither passive nor acquiescent - her origin story is literally about defying David Cain, a White male authority figure. Beyond her not speaking much, she ticks none of the boxes for this stereotype. I think it's time for people to stop mentioning this stereotype in conjunction with Cass, who in every possible way subverts it.

The Model Minority Stereotype

The model minority myth is the belief that Asians are more successful and talented than others, particularly other minoritised groups. Like the Silent Asian, the model minority myth paints Asians as obedient and submissive. This is, in many ways, more insidious than the Silent Asian - there are still people who believe this stereotype (and jokes like 'of course you're good at math, you're Asian') is somehow not racist.

Though this myth seems positive, make no mistake that White people invented this tale for two reasons: to put down Black and Brown communities, and to prevent Asians from ever fully assimilating into White culture.

Cass plays on this myth very interestingly. I've discussed in this post how David Cain and Bruce's assertion that she's 'perfect' is a blatant reference to the model minority myth - by describing her as 'perfect' to them, they are centering their own desires, erasing Cass' individuality.

This is partially why I don't like 'Cass is Bruce's favourite' and 'Cass is an angel who can do no wrong' interpretations when people are just saying it without context. Cass being Bruce's favourite, or Bruce seeing her as an angel, is not a good thing - it is a representation of his biased attitude towards her. He is unable to accept her being a murderer because he is trapped within the model minority mindset. This is not saying Bruce is a full-on racist, but that his actions and perspectives are coloured by his Whiteness.

Cass' abrasive personality, willingness to defy Bruce and David, and very real flaws (her inability to see grey areas, communication difficulties, etc.) make her avoid this stereotype. Additionally, her close relationships with Black characters like Onyx and Duke are essential to combating the anti-Blackness at the core of the model minority myth. Her character evokes the stereotype (perfect martial arts silent fighter), but ultimately defies it through being the star of her own story (and also not being good at math. The fact she doesn't have anything to do with tech is actually one of my favourite aspects of her character, because I am TIRED of tech Asian characters).

The Hypersexual Asian Woman Stereotype

Asian women are often exoticised and fetishised as the ideal sexual partner; think of the term 'yellow fever', which describes men lusting after Asian women. The hypersexualisation of Asian women in media once again goes hand-in-hand with Asians being submissive. They are seen as innocent and child-like, while simultaneously being seductive and sexually experienced.

This stereotype is genuinely perpetuated in Batgirl (2000), mainly by the art in Horrocks' run. Where in Puckett's run there is refreshingly little sexualisation of Cass, once you hit Horrocks' run you get a LOT more shots of her lying down, sexually suggestive covers, etc. People have discussed this already, probably to more effect than I will do here.

However, as I wrote in my Gender and Sexuality posts, the writing is actually fairly defiant of this trope. Cass is vocally uncomfortable with hypersexualisation, and neither of her male love interests stick around. The problem with the Hypersexual Asian Woman is the focus on White sexual interests, where the woman is objectified for the White male gaze. Simply because Cass is the protagonist, the writing focuses on her sexual interests, and in the end it's about gaining control of her gender presentation and sexuality.

Cassandra Cain Vs. Asian Stereotypes

The through-line that connects all these Asian stereotypes is a lack of agency. There's a reason passiveness is the main trait for all of these tropes- the Asian body must be weaker than their White counterparts, in order to be tools or weapons against other minoritised groups.

Cassandra Cain, a character born from a choice that defies White male authority, rises above this passiveness with flying colours. The details of her character certainly fall into some of the above tropes, and the way her character is handled later (evil Cass, New 52), is certainly racist. However, the reason she means so much to me is because at its core, her story is a story of Asian agency. And that in itself is unstereotypical.

[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

[starscour]

winter suit jaybird

[rainismdata]

Me, non-american, not living in america, hasn't even ever visited america, looking at the theories as to where Metropolis, Gotham, and Smallville probably is located:

I wonder if I've just leave my ongoing superbat fic as I am visibly confused in all the languages existed.

[blackbatcass]

sometimes the ghost of kelley puckett (he is still alive) haunts me. does he know. does he even know. he’s so detached from the comics community and he’s such a private guy (I RESPECT THAT WHOLEHEARTEDLY) that i really and truly do not know if this man knows how much cassandra cain means to us. does he know batgirl 2000 is heralded as the bible of dc solo books, as a lot of people’s favorite comic ever written. does he know how much we love cass. how we write essays over her character and how amazing she is and how she changed our lives. does he know how adored his writing is. does he know he wrote the best comics character introduction of all time. does he even. know.

[sporkberries]

will never not be mad about this

[cutebat]

i hope it’s not too much to ask but with you making your own batgirl sona and the new series that you’re going to make, can i know what her name will be??

사랑 🩷

제 이림은 사랑 이에요. 🩷

[nerdysuitcheesecake]

💓