#court of owls

[batblobinarobe]

Whoever in DC comics came up with this design, I want to talk (and shake your hand and tell you you're my hero)

It didn't have to go so hard, and yet.

[court--of--owls]

Tug tug

@cassie--cain

Yes.

[bats-and-the-birds]

As much as a love watching Batman movies, and believe me, I love Batman movies, I have my gripes with just about all of them, as tends to happen with adaptations of beloved media.

And I think an issue that a lot of the movies have is underemphasizing how important Gotham is as a setting. Like, Gotham is nearly a character in itself. There is something about Gotham that is so distinct, so unsettling, so heightened, but also so beloved by the people in it that depicting it as just any other city will always inherently fall short.

And beyond that, Batman is so distinctly a product of Gotham that if Gotham is depicted as an average city, then Batman and the rogues that accompany him cease to fit within the setting. You could put Superman anywhere in the world, and he's still fundamentally Superman, same with Green Arrow, Flash, Wonder Woman, etc. But you can't take Gotham away from Batman because Gotham being Gotham is what made him.

I think my favorite depictions of Gotham by far are in The Court of Owls and Batman: The Audio Adventures.

Court of Owls starting with the "Gotham is..." column answers is probably my favorite opening to any comic I've read, especially because it becomes a running thread in the comic, but also because it immediately puts Gotham and the people in it as this living, singular, evolving beast.

Then, The Audio Adventures, because it only actually focuses on Batman like 1/3 of the time, just does a fantastic (and often hilarious) job of fleshing out the rest of Gotham and what's generally going on when Batman and co aren't around. The whole podcast feels like its built more on Gotham as a city than Batman as a character.

I just. I've got Emotions about Gotham.

[theerurishipper]

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First <- Part 15 <- Part 16 -> Part 17

Masterpost

[droffagner]

The Demon & the Owl

[novelistwriter]

Phantom Owl

DP x DC Prompt

The Nightingale Family, a family of old money in Gotham, so much older than the Wayne's, their fortune lies in wait, as the ones living in Gotham have died. The Fentons are part of the Nightingale family, the Fentonightingale's were a branch of the family that were part of the magical side of the world, while the regular Nightingale's handled the scientific part of the world.

Jazz found out about the Nightingale's when doing some research for a school project, she told Danny and his friends about it and convinced them that it would be a good idea to have that as a contingency for if their Parents don't take kindly to Danny being Phantom.

Danny ended up having to use that plan, he just didn't expect to do it alone. His parents did attack him when he told them about him being Phantom, but he didn't expect GIW Agents to be hiding in their home. It took the lives of Jazz and his best friends for Danny to escape Amity and make it to Gotham.

Danny had solid evidence of him being a Nightingale, thanks to Jazz and Tucker, and was welcomed into the Manor that belonged to the Nightingale's. A Gala was planned for Danny to welcome him, and to celebrate that the Nightingale Family still lives. It's a good thing Vlad had drilled it into him about proper etiquette for Galas whenever the Fruitloop took him to one (He still can't believe that he's become a Fruitloop himself as he too has a basement lab in his Manor).

At the Gala, the oldest Wayne Boy catches his eye. He spends time with him during the gala and manages to get his number. Running the company he inherited, Nightingale Pharmaceuticals, is so much easier than his Ghost King duties, he's also got a replica portal in his basement, something he took from the Fentons along with the rest of their blueprints, that takes him to the Ghost Zone.

The Court of Owls had reached out to Danny, requesting him to he part of their organization. Danny had agreed, but mainly to gather information on them, who they are and what they've done, so he could reveal their crimes to the world, plus the many Talons that were forced to follow their rule is against a few rules the Infinite Realms has in place, and the Court need to pay.

One day, when Danny was doing something in his Manor, he could feel some people enter it. He left a duplicate in his place and went to the see who had entered his haunt without permission. What he didn't expect to find was Mr. Wayne and a few of his kids sneaking around, including the Wayne Boy he got close to, he also learned that the Wayne's are Gothams Vigilante Family this way.

[laurinchen-fotos]

Cute Owl - Feb. 2025

I really love owls!

[frownyalfred]

What if Alfred was a part of the Court of Owls?

Like some sort of specialized spy Talon with the mission of befriending, then eliminating the Wayne Family.

However, things don't go as planned because, before he can enact his plan, Thomas and Martha are killed by a mugger. And, Alfred has gotten attached to Bruce.

To save Bruce's life, Alfred lies to the Court by saying that he (Alfred) can turn Bruce into an asset and future member.

Years pass, Bruce becomes Batman and forms his Batfamily, yet none of them know Alfred's true origin until Bruce is "invited" by the Court to one of their meetings.

Bruce had already been recently investigating the Court and attends their meeting with a hidden listening device which the rest of the Batfamily can hear from.

At the end of the meeting, one of the members remark that their Talon had trained him well. When Bruce asks for clarification, one of the members asks for the Talon in question to enter the room. The Talon enters the room and unmasks himself to reveal Alfred Pennyworth, who had told the Batfamily earlier that day that he would return for a time to his native England.

Oooooooooh. That's a smarting kind of betrayal. Because Alfred did save his life, by training him and seeing him rise to power as the Bat, as a benefactor in the city, but it's also the same story he fed to the Court. It's what the Court also wanted, ultimately -- the perfect, trusting, powerful pawn.

[soranatus]

Justice League: Gods and Monsters Part II By Luis Valero-Suarez

Ten years ago, Helena Bertinelli witnessed the Batman kill her family. Today, Huntress & Catwoman form the Birds of Prey, an elite squad of vampire slayers backed by the Court of Owls, to hunt the Batman.

Catwoman - In this reality, Carmine Falcone, Gotham's most notorious crime lord, took in his illegitamate daughter and raised her as his heir. Now Queenpin of Gotham City, Selina Falcone uses the Catwoman persona to keep Gotham's major crime families in check and loyal to the Falcone name. Here, Selina is more ruthless. She's also hesitant to go after Batman but given her romantic history with Helena, she's vulnerable to Helena’s proposal. The Huntress - The lone witness to the Batman’s massacre of her family, she vows vengeance upon him to destroy him so he can no longer hurt anyone’s family like he has hers. When Helena's personal vendetta against Batman led her to the Court of Owls, they presented her with an opportunity. She accepted their proposal under one condition - no deadmen would serve her. And so she assembled her own team of the fiercest women in Gotham to become Talons.

[drchucktingle]

i am a big graphic novel reader but almost ALL HORROR thats about 90 percent of my shelf but sometimes i will dip into other things. just finished BATMAN: COURT OF OWLS SAGA and it was very fun, really enjoyed that one. interesting to have him up against a 'group villain' instead of single scoundrel

[ghost-bxrd]

Two birds of a different feather 🪶

[court--of--owls]

I despise the Graysons.

[puppetmaster13u]

DP x DC Crossover where Danny gets de-aged more towards his ghost-age and got adopted.

But he didn't exactly get adopted by a batfamily member, or even any hero, or a villain.

Honestly this Talon who just found a literal toddler that surfaced in a runoff of the Lazarus Pit is rather confused. Like on one hand should they be killing it?? But the idea of killing the strange tiny talon-sibling seems so viscerally wrong???

Welcome to having the first mental breakdown of many funky golden-eyed man that Danny thinks might be more feral than he is. Oh well, at least this person isn't a fruitloop and speaks in sort-of ghost speak? And sometimes more gold-eyed people appear to help care for him? Like they obviously don't know how to do so, but they're trying their best and honestly he's pretty self-sufficient. Ish.

The Court of Owls have no fuckin' clue where a good third of their Talons have disappeared to or why they can't call them back.

[spocks-husband]

Apologies for my recent inactivity, I was super super busy for several weeks and now I'm very burnt out 😭 anyways uh I made a Batman OC and I forced myself to draw some chibis of him bc I'm so unbelievably depressed rn. Someone ask me about him please 💔💔

[bugss-reid]

Bro imagine if like Dick Grayson and Damian Wayne bond over having evil grandfathers together. Maybe that’s why their so close, but like imagine one of them is like “Did your grandfather ever try to make you his successor to his evil cult of assassins” AND THE OTHER ONE GOES “you will never believe this but-“

[fandom-lover-extra]

DC X DP Prompt: Talons

Okay, so you know how everyone talks about how Danny and Jason would recognize each other as members of the undead in a way?

Well, what about Talons? The Talons are basically undead assassins, so Danny would also recognize them. And maybe if you want to go with the idea that Danny is the Ghost King, the Talons might even feel more loyalty to Danny than the Court of Owls.

Or maybe it would leave them conflicted and confused. Maybe, with that confusion, it would give them a chance to fight back against the brainwashing of the Court of Owls and make their own decisions.