#daniel sandoval

[crisisofinfinitemultiverses]

DC All In Special 1 (2024) by Scott Snyder, Joshua Williamson, Daniel Sampere & Wes Craig

Cover: Rafa Sandoval (variant)

[geekcavepodcast]

DC Comics Goes "All In" and Introduces New "Absolute" Universe and Updated Core Line of Comic Books

"DC All In" is DC Comics' new line-wide initiative that will include new reimagined universes for the DC characters as well as an ongoing line of core titles.

After the events of Absolute Power, DC's All In initiative will begin with a single-issue mega-event flipbook. All In Special #1 is written by Scott Snyder and Joshua Williamson. When read one direction the art is by Daniel Sampere and in the other direction the art is by Wes Craig.

The DC heroes "have fought against the deep divisions in the world around them to usher in a new era of unity.

And it’s just in time, too—because Darkseid has returned! Superman gathers every DC Super Hero on Earth to hold the line against a vastly different version of the Lord of Apokolips as they raise our cosmic defenses and prepare for war. And when the first blows land, the shock waves will ripple across DC’s core series, shaking the nature of their realities to their very foundation!" (DC Comics)

All In Special #1 goes on sale on October 2, 2024. The main cover is by Daniel Sampere with variant covers by Rafa Sandoval, Wes Craig, and John Giang.

All In Special #1 will set the stage for the Absolute Universe, in which the heroes of the DC Universe come of age with fewer advantages.

Absolute Batman, from Scott Snyder and Nick Dragotta, explores a Batman that has no money, mansion, or butler. Issue #1 on sale October 9, 2024.

Absolute Wonder Woman, from Kelly Thompson and Hayden Sherman, explores a Diana with no island home, no sisterhood, and not even a mission of peace. Issue #1 on sale October 23, 2024.

Absolute Superman, from Jason Aaron and Rafa Sandoval, explores a Superman with no family, Fortress of Solitude, and no home. Issue #1 on sale November 6, 2024.

DC Comics' core titles will also be starting new storylines in October 2024.

Batman #153-154, from Chip Zdarsky, Jorge Jimenez, and Carmine Di Giandomenico, begins "The Dying City" story with the Riddler, a new super hero named Commander Star, and a murder.

Detective Comics #1090, from Tom Taylor and Mikel Janin, begins the "Mercy of the Father" story. "Years after the tragic murder of Thomas and Martha Wayne, a ghost from Gotham City's past has been lying in wait to strike at Batman ever since that fateful night in Crime Alley." (DC Comics)

Action Comics #1070-1073 features 2 stories - "Death of the Phantom Zone" from Mark Waid and Clayton Henry, which spins out directly from Absolute Power and Batman/Superman World's Finest, and "Supergirl: Universe End" from Mariko Tamaki and Skylar Patridge.

Superman #19, from Joshua Williamson and Dan Mora, begins a new arc spinning out of Absolute Power. Superman and Lois Lane Superwoman are dealing with the return of Doomsday, wondering how long Lois' powers will last, and another enemy lurking in the shadows - the Time Trapper.

Wonder Woman #14, from Tom King and Daniel Sampere, sees the tide "turning in Wonder Woman's battle against the Sovereign as Steve Trevor takes matters into his own hands, with deadly consequences. But Steve's end could be the beginning of Diana's greatest adventure yet - motherhood!" (DC Comics)

Green Arrow #350 is an oversized anniversary issue with legacy numbering. The issue will close out Joshua Williamson's run on the title as "Oliver Queen faces the aftermath of his actions in Absolute Power, having done the unthinkable to protect his loved ones, and the ramifications of his involvement may have gone too far for his family and friends to forgive." (DC Comics) The issue will also debut the first chapter in new creative team Chris Condon and Montos' run.

Check out Scott Snyder and Joshua Williamson's video announcement of DC All In here.

(Images via DC Comics - Daniel Sampere's Cover of All In Special #1, Cover of Absolute Batman #1, and Cover of Green Arrow #350)

[reputayswift]

The Traitors US cast continues to be my Avengers

[girl4music]

ANDY: “You’re calling me a slut?”

PRUITT: “I am just asking you why you can’t stop crapping where you eat.”

ANDY: “You’re calling me a slut.”

PRUITT: “Every time you make the decision to sleep with a firefighter-“

ANDY: “-I didn’t sleep with him, and if I had,-“

PRUITT: “-in your own station-“

ANDY: “-it’s none of your business.”

PRUITT: “-…you set back female firefighters a few years!”

ANDY: “Dad, you need to stop talking now.”

PRUITT: “I don’t care how many men you sleep with, Andy.”

ANDY: “Stop talking.”

PRUITT: “But your CAPTAIN!”

ANDY: “I DIDN’T SLEEP WITH HIM, AND IF I HAD, IT’S STILL NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS!”

PRUITT: “IT DAMN WELL IS MY BUSINESS! YOU ARE MY CHILD! Your decisions reflect on me, on MY legacy.”

ANDY:

*quietly but sternly*

“Get out.”

PRUITT: “Andrea, I am your father. You may not have any respect for rules, for tradition, for authority, but you will respect your father.”

ANDY:

*voice hoarse*

“Got it, Dad. Then I’ll get out.”

*leaves*

PRUITT: “Andrea.

*raises voice*

Andrea!”

*Maya opens the door to her room and stares him down with a look so threatening that it would frighten the Olympian gods. He leaves Andy alone*

MAYA: “Captain Herrera, it’s late.”

PRUITT: “Uh… sorry to wake you.”

I do not think I have the words to explain my thoughts and feelings about this scene. I expected Pruitt to be upset for Andy and to have it out with Sullivan on her behalf even if she didn’t need him to act and speak for her. I did not expect him to get at Andy for it AT ALL because I would have thought he’d know better. That he’d know it wouldn’t be his place to tell Andy where hers is because who she sleeps with isn’t his business.

I… wow. Clearly he hasn’t caught up with the times that’s all but made this kind of behaviour a criminal offence to women. That was unbelievably sexist and extremely disrespectful to Andy. His own daughter. He really did just call her a slut. Not only that but he also implied that she’s not capable of understanding her own actions and choices when it comes to the consequences of her losing her job as lieutenant and ruining the chances for any women that apply for that job. As if it has anything to do with who they sleep with why they are even in that job in the first place.

Just the sheer audacity for Pruitt’s mind to go there was absolutely fucking disgusting. He does NOT get to decide or even comment on where Andy, or any woman for that matter, opens their legs and to whom because they’re firefighters and he once captain’d them. Never mind about his fucking “legacy”. You just don’t do that because a women’s right to do whatever or/and whomever they want is no man’s fucking business no matter what they are in relation to them.

I mean I wasn’t the greatest fan of Pruitt before but this scene has ruined his character in my eyes now. I have absolutely no respect for him whatsoever from this point onwards because there’s no coming back from discrimination to women, to Andy, with me ever. I get that Andy may have to forgive him, but as a woman on behalf of all women, I won’t. And I’m very sure neither will Maya because she was also livid. And she should be because men do not get to have any say over what women do or don’t do no matter what the relationship they have to us is. With this one scene, Pruitt has made it quite clear how he thinks of women because there is no way he would have spoken to his daughter like that if that wasn’t already his mindset.

That was the mindset of a misogynist, not a father. He can play the father card all he likes and pretend that he is just trying to protect Andy as his daughter. Nah, no way that excuse is going to fly because if it was about being a father, his first instinct would to be to act and speak on his daughter’s behalf to Sullivan, not immediately verbally attack her for assuming that she’d slept with him. It doesn’t matter who it is he’s assumed she’d slept with. It’s not his place as a father to ever comment on it to her because Andy is a fully grown consenting adult woman. He isn’t commenting on it to her because she is his daughter. He is really commenting on it to her because she’s a female firefighter and believes she is still under his command.

You see, because the thing is, if Sullivan got in trouble for sleeping with Andy as her Captain, it wouldn’t negatively reflect on every man that makes it as a Captain, or a firefighter in general who also did. Just Sullivan. But what Pruitt is telling Andy and why he is commenting on it to her over Sullivan, is that every time she sleeps with a firefighter in her team, her Captain at that, she is ruining the chances for more women being firefighters and making it to Captain status. He is basically saying to Andy that because she can’t keep her legs shut in her own place of work, that she doesn’t deserve the respect as a firefighter AND that neither does any woman who chooses to do the same as her AND that if they continue to behave as they do, they do not deserve to make it as Captain.

It’s absolutely fucking HORRID what he said to Andy not just as his daughter, but also as a woman in the job of being a lieutenant firefighter. He has just told her that her choice to sleep with her Captain will reflect negatively on and weigh heavily against hers and any other woman’s chances of becoming Captain NOT because it’s against the rules for both her and Sullivan to have sexual relations, but because she must earn her keep as a female fightfighter (of all female fightfighters by leading as a good example) on the way to becoming Captain by keeping her legs shut.

How fucking discriminatory to women is that? It is the definition of misogyny in context of employment and promotion to state that sexual abstinence and/or purity in the workplace is the requirement for a woman to achieving the same employment and promotion that a man would have regardless of where he put his dick or of who he put it into. Yeah, Sullivan would get in trouble just as much as Andy would because of them having a sexual relationship with each other but it wouldn’t be because of his gender identity or sexuality why he would get in trouble for it. Whereas with Andy, it would be because women have to work so much harder for respect in employment predominantly and traditionally made for men to be as deserving of the same job and to have any chance of promotion compared to men at all. So for a man to come up to a woman and say that the requirement for being worthy of employment and promotion in a male-dominated department of work is to not have sex with anybody on and within the job… it is beyond the pale.

And for Pruitt to say to Andy, knowing how damn hard she’s worked all her life to be worthy of his validation, that her decision to have a sexual relationship with Sullivan or any firefighter reflects negatively on his legacy because he has no understanding of a woman’s right to sleep with whomever she wants to whenever and wherever she wants to, even when he is no longer her Captain or has any authority over her whatsoever as she is a fully grown consenting adult woman now… I don’t even have the words to explain how awful that is.

That was A SCENE. It was only a short scene but it provided incredibly significant and necessary female representation. The acting was STELLAR! I really felt Andy and Maya’s anger and shock at what Pruitt was saying to Andy. Fantastic performances all around! Especially Jaina. My god girl, that was phenomenal!

[realhousewives-fan]

Oh, what a time to be alive and a Bravo fan! 

Ariana Madix keeps on winning after her breakup with Tom Sandoval. 

Not only has she landed a role in a Lifetime movie, hosted as DJ with Katie Maloney-Schwartz and Scheana Shay at Emo Nite, had a fling with Daniel Wai during Coachella, but she was also invited to the White House Correspondance Dinner with Lisa Vanderpump and Lala Kent!

This is truly epic!

[are-we-really-doing-this]

🔥🌟P.O.D. x Tribal🌟🔥

[badmovieihave]

Bad movie I have Behind your Eyes 2011

[boomgers]

La suerte y la fortuna le están tocando la puerta… “El Príncipe Del Barrio 2”

En esta nueva temporada, Albertano seguirá compartiendo momentos de risa y amor con sus entrañables vecinos de ‘Lomas de Chacaltepec’. Pero no todo será felicidad, también tendrán que enfrentar encrucijadas y desatinos que pondrán a todos de cabeza.

Ahora la relación de Albertano y Polly, ya llegó a otro nivel. Por diversas circunstancias, Albertano tendrá que vivir en la casa de Polly, incomodando a Yesenia, la suegra que tanto lo detesta.

Será en el marco de esa nueva convivencia, donde se presentarán diversas situaciones con las que Albertano tendrá que lidiar: la visita de una cuñada incómoda, una fiesta de XV años, una persecución policiaca y hasta un mal de ojo que le pega donde más le duele; en su larga y sedosa cabellera.

Estreno: 14 de abril de 2024 a las 7:30 pm por Las Estrellas y en ViX

La segunda temporada cuenta con las actuaciones de Ariel Miramontes, Violeta Isfel, Cecilia Galliano, Alma Cero, Arturo Peniche, José Luis Guarneros, Luis Fernando Peña, Eduardo Espinosa, María Prado, Leticia Calderón, Luis Felipe Tovar, Arath de la Torre, Andrea Legarreta, Maribel Fernández, Wendy Guevara, Ricardo Margaleff, Facundo, Danielle Dithurbide, Lupita Sandoval, Raquel Bigorra, Rodrigo Murray, Yurem, Roberto Tello, Bárbara Torres, Carlos Speitzer, Luis ‘Potro’ Caballero, Agustín Fernández, Horacio Pancheri, entre otros.

[graphicpolicy]

Preview: Dark Crisis on Infinite Earths #7 (of 7)

Dark Crisis on Infinite Earths #7 preview. Witness the birth of the new DC Multiverse! #comics #comicbooks

[thegonse]

parish copeland, ruben sandoval, jesse st. john, daniel wade, alexander adkins, earnest livingsby, gene jenkins, joel o’leary, laurie gish, and salvatore d’oro!

[graysoncritic]

A (Negative) Analysis of Tom Taylor's Nightwing Run - Who is Dick Grayson?

Introduction Who is Dick Grayson? What Went Wrong? Dick's Characterization What Went Wrong? Barbara Gordon What Went Wrong? Bludhaven (Part 1, Part 2) What Went Wrong? Melinda Lin Grayson What Went Wrong? Bea Bennett What Went Wrong? Villains Conclusion Bibliography

When asked to describe Dick Grayson’s character, many will say he is good. He is Bruce Wayne’s light, the person he could have been had someone offered Bruce understanding and guidance after his trauma. Dick is a leader. A big brother. A mentor. He is someone people can look up to, someone others can trust. He is “The Heart of the DCU.”

(Williamson, Joshua, writer. Sampere, Daniel; Herbert, Jack; Camuncoli, Giuseppe; Sandoval, Rafa, illustrators. Dawn of the DCU. Dark Crisis on Infinite Earth no. 7, e-book ed. DC Comics, 2022. pp. 28)

Characters, much like real people, are more than just a trait. Jason Todd is more than “angry.” Bruce Wayne is more than just “brooding.” Tim Drake is more than just “smart.” Characters are multidimensional. They have multiple facets, some of which may contradict one another because characters, just like people, are not created out of mathematical equations where two plus two always equals four. Humans are emotional. Their being is informed by past experiences, biology, culture. The intricate combination of these vastly different factors leads to inconsistency in rationality that may not always be logical. Dick being “good” does not mean that Dick can’t be angry, that he can’t make mistakes, or that he can’t lash out or be unreasonable, especially when stressed. Dick being “good” does not mean he can’t brood, does not mean he can’t be suspicious, nor does it mean he will always like everyone. Dick being “good” does not mean he can’t be his own worst enemy, that he can’t be calculative and strategic, that he always needs to be upbeat, or that he can’t be the most intelligent person in the room.

(Grayson, Devin, writer. Zircher, Patch, illustrator. Slow Burn. Nightwing no 93, e-book ed. DC Comics, 2004. pp. 10-11)

Sam Humphries also demonstrated this during his brilliant story, The Untouchable. There, Dick’s relentless determination to save people from the Judge’s machinations grows so intense that it becomes self-destructive. The story demonstrates how Dick’s “goodness” comes from a form of toxic perfectionism that has been with him since he was a child — a perfectionism born of a low self-worth that eats at him from the inside out

(Humphries, Sam, writer. Janson, Klaus; Campbell, Jamal, illustrators. Ruthless. Nightwing: Rebirth no. 37, e-book ed. DC Comics, 2018. pp. 08)

Even the 2003 animated series Teen Titans understood that in trying to catch the bad guy — almost always Slade Wilson in the case of that show — Dick could sometimes go too far.

Dick’s goodness causes him to see himself as a danger to not just his loved ones, but everyone who stands near him. He carries the world on his shoulders, taking the blame for every tragedy and seeing every death as a personal failure. When pushed to its worst, Dick’s goodness becomes an obsession which pushes others away, leading to isolation as Dick’s entire existence narrows down to accomplishing one specific goal. 

It is this reductive characterization of Dick – the idea that his one defining trait is that he is “good” – that leads many to misunderstand the appeal of his character. As I mentioned above, characters are multi-facet, and Dick is no exception. However, the ways in which Dick is multi-facet are very different from the ways in which most characters are multi-facet.

Please do not mistake what I am about to say by claiming these other characters are not complex. Or even that some of them might not subvert popular tropes. What I mean saying is that Dick’s complexity is demonstrated differently than what I believe most people are accustomed to.

For example, everyone knows Bruce Wayne keeps his feelings locked up inside. He compartmentalizes his emotions and his trauma in order to solve the puzzle put ahead of him. But everyone – characters and readers alike – understands Bruce is doing this. Everyone can tell that he is hiding something from others and keeping them at a distance. The reader is always aware of how Bruce’s trauma informs his actions, his interactions, and his thought process. 

(Grayson, Devin; Barr, Mike W., writers. Davis, Alan; Robinson, Roger, illustrator. Procedure. Batman: Gotham Knights  no. 25, e-book ed. DC Comics, 2002. pp. 20)

Take, for instance, Part One of Murderer/Fugitive. Although a major source of tension from the story surrounds the question of Bruce’s innocence, there’s never any question in the minds of the reader and the character that Bruce is hiding something. Tim Drake questions whether Bruce truly did kill Vesper Child and is hiding his motive, while Dick is certain of Bruce’s innocence and instead believes Bruce is hiding his alibi or the clues that would help them find the real murderer. Barbara Gordon, for her part, wavers between the two, but like Tim, Dick, and the reader, she is certain of one thing: Bruce Wayne is hiding something from her, from them… From us.

Similarly, Jason Todd’s anger comes from a place of hurt and a place of love, from insecurities and a need to prove himself. But like Bruce, all of that is clear to see. His anger and his hurt are simple to understand. Please, do not mistake this for me claiming that Jason is not a complex character — instead, I’m stating that his temperament, his trauma, and his actions are so interlinked that they are clear for the reader to see. His character, while rich, is more accessible. It does not take a lot of effort to know that Jason is angry because of what was done to him. It is easy to see that he is hurt because he equates Bruce’s love to the Joker’s death, and therefore sees Bruce’s failure to avenge him “proof” that Bruce does not love him as a son. 

(Winick, Judd, writer. Battle, Eric, illustrator. All They Do is Watch Us Kill: Part 3: It Only Hurts When I Laugh. Batman no. 650, e-book ed. DC Comics, 2006. pp. 13) Dick, on the other hand, does not wear his emotions, his motivations, or his goals on his sleeve. Dick keeps his secrets not by constructing an impenetrable wall like Bruce, but through misdirection. This is why those who are unfamiliar with Dick misinterpret him so much. They take what is on the surface at face value because they do not have the character history to serve as context to understand what lies beneath As a Dick Grayson fan (From this moment forward will be referred to as Dick Grayson Fan A) said “good Dick writers teach readers how to read him and bad Dick writers just have that surface level interpretation.” (I was actually talking to her about this idea and how I’m presenting it in this essay. The example I gave was one she suggested after I asked if she could think of good moments that exemplified this idea.)

As an example, we can look at this moment from Grayson, in which Dick sucks a lollipop while receiving a mission assignment. Someone who is not familiar with Dick and is looking at Dick and Helena’s interaction might be easily fooled into thinking that Dick is the pretty, strong, but annoyingly childish and slightly dumb male character who contrasts the serious, intelligent, and highly competent woman. The characters’ expressions, actions, and the onomatopoeias are certainly leaning into that familiar trope.

(King, Tom; Seeley, Tim, writers. Janin, Mikel, illustrator. The Raid. Grayson no. 04, e-book ed. DC Comics, 2014. pp. 02) However, Dick Grayson fans know that when it comes to the mission, Dick is as serious as Batman himself. Highly intelligent, Dick is considered to by many the world’s second greatest detective (there are many instances in canon when he is referred to as such), making him more than just a pretty face who knows how to fight (It should be noted that in this tweet, writer Tom King also ranks Dick as the second best fighter in the Bat Family). Furthermore, context matters. Dick is deep undercover throughout the duration of Grayson, and this scene is set shortly after the death of one of the agents of the organization Dick has infiltrated. In other words, Dick is in a highly stressful situation without allies to provide him with back-up or emotional support. 

His posturing in this scene, then, can be seen as an attempt to misguide and misdirect. He does not wish to let those around him – people he is not sure yet if he can trust – know the full extent of his capabilities or perceive any potential weaknesses in his value of human life. Positioning himself as the annoying and childish pretty boy who does not pay much attention to serious matters is a strategic choice that his fans readily pick up on.  

That is not to say that Dick’s smiles are all lies. Rather, Dick’s upbeat nature is a natural aspect of his personality that he will exaggerate depending on the setting in order to keep his privacy. He is a natural performer, a showman, and so he utilizes misdirection to his advantage. 

A classic example of Dick’s misdirection and how he is misinterpreted by others is how some would characterize him as an “attention seeker.” However, the term “attention seeker” has negative connotations as it implies someone who seeks the spotlight at the expense of others. 

That is the opposite of who Dick is. But that’s not Dick is. As a mentor, a leader, and an older brother, Dick will often invite others to join the conversation. He pays attention to what they say, he strategizes based on their needs. 

(Johns, Geoff; Wolfman, Marv, writers. Nauck, Todd, illustrator.  The Brave and the Bold. Teen Titans no. 33, e-book ed. DC Comics, 2006. pp. 15)

Simply put, Dick is incredibly empathetic and always in tune with those around him. This is why he works so well as both a Bat and a Titan, and why his personality in each team is so distinct. As a Bat, Dick is often portrayed as cheerful, his bad puns are meant to cut the tension, the is the shoulder for his family to cry one; as a Titan, Dick is a leader, he is a strategist, he demands others take things seriously and will not tolerate slacking off, he is trying to instill good work ethics and ensure that the team dynamic stays in top shape. 

As JL Bell writes in their essay Success in Stasis: Dick Grayson’s Thirty Years as a Boy Wonder for the book Dick Grayson, Boy Wonder: Scholars and Creators on 75 years of Robin, Nightwing, and Batman explains, “in contrast to how Robin behaved with Batman. [Dick] is usually [the Titans’] serious leader.” (Bells, JL “Success in Stasis: Dick Grayson’s Thirty Years as a Boy Wonder.”Dick Grayson, Boy Wonder: Scholars and Creators on 75 years of Robin, Nightwing, and Batman edited by Kristen L. Geaman, McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers, 2015, pp. 22)

That is because Dick knows that when he is with his family, he needs to play one role, and when he is with his friends, he needs to play another. The Bats have their strengths, so Dick adjusts himself to play up on those strengths while also making up for its weakness. Same thing with the Titans. 

Mark Waid perfectly exemplifies Dick’s adaptability when portraying him in his World’s Finest (2022) and World’s Finest: Teen Titans (2023). There, Dick brings levity to his work with Batman and Superman, keeping an upbeat attitude while still taking the job seriously.

(Waid, Mark, writer. Mora, Dan, illustrator. Manhunt. Batman/Superman: World’s Finest no. 14, e-book ed. DC Comics, 2023. pp. 07)

Yet, when he is with the Titans and feels the weight of leadership on his shoulders, he is more serious, being the one to get the Titans to focus on their objective, getting them to look at the big picture, while also making the most of their abilities as individuals and as a team.

(Waid, Mark, writer. Mora, Dan, illustrator. Team Spirit. Batman/Superman: World’s Finest no. 08, e-book ed. DC Comics, 2022. pp. 05)

So yes, Dick is a performer, a showman, but he is not “attention seeking.” In fact, his use of misdirection illustrates that Dick is a very private person. And how could he not be? While it is true that Dick grew up in the circus, after his parents’ death, he went to live with Bruce, and in doing so, was put into an intense amount of public scrutiny. The murders of John and Mary Grayson happened on a literal stage with dozens of people watching. As a result, Dick’s very private tragedy became a spectacle.

After the death of Dick’s parents, Dick isn’t allowed to disappear into anonymity. He is not afforded privacy to grieve. He is taken in by Bruce Wayne, Gotham’s most famous playboy, billionaire, philanthropic who is also a bit of a selfish airhead (at least, that is how the public perceives him), and as a result, Dick is subjected to an immense amount of public scrutiny, not just from the media, but also from Gotham’s elites, and even his peers at school. Not only that, as Robin, the Boy Wonder and the first ever sidekick, Dick also is put on the spotlight while also being aware of the necessity of keeping secrets. 

As a result of having his tragedy broadcasted and having a new mission that requires secrecy, Dick becomes a very private person. He is not an open book; instead, he is meticulous about what he shares and he prevents people from looking at what is not of their business by using his showmanship.

Furthermore, Dick’s role as a performer who, as Joshua R Pangborn describes in his essay about the Robin costume, “experiences […] the full spectrum of emotions, each and every night, for the catharsis of others,” transforms him into a literal vehicle for emotional catharsis and empathy. (Pangborn, Joshua R “Fashioning Himself a Hero: Robin’s Costume and its Role in Shaping His Identity”Dick Grayson, Boy Wonder: Scholars and Creators on 75 years of Robin, Nightwing, and Batman edited by Kristen L. Geaman, McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers, 2015, pp. 42) In their essay, Bell argues that while Bruce Wayne embodied “the mid-century ideal of the American male,” who is always “in control of his feelings, not letting them overcome his judgment nor displaying them broadly,” Dick Grayson “can express deep emotions, not only his own but Bruce’s.” As such, Dick often acts as a sounding board for his family, friends, team, and romantic partners. As a performer, Dick embodies whatever persona is necessary to create a safe environment where others can process their emotions and achieve catharsis. (Bells, JL “Success in Stasis: Dick Grayson’s Thirty Years as a Boy Wonder.”Dick Grayson, Boy Wonder: Scholars and Creators on 75 years of Robin, Nightwing, and Batman edited by Kristen L. Geaman, McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers, 2015, pp. 12)

Dick's performance, then, comes not just from a desire for privacy but also from a deep place of empathy. It comes from a desire to help others work through their own stories. This is why he can step into other's narratives without overshadowing them. In fact, he’ll often elevate those characters by complimenting them and creating the circumstances needed for them to shine. As a performer, Dick is naturally adaptable and always willing to fill the role necessary to create the space required for others to work through their emotional needs.

But, as with everything, Dick’s performance is also a result of his destructive perfectionism. Dick equates “good” to “perfect.” He believes that he can only be wanted by Bruce if he is the perfect Robin, he can only be wanted by his friends if he is the perfect leader, he can only be wanted by his siblings if he is the perfect older brother, he can only be wanted by his partners if he is the perfect boyfriend. As Humphries’s The Untouchable demonstrates, because Dick was raised in an environment where failure could be fatal, he internalized these stakes to every aspect of his life. 

(Humphries, Sam, writer. Janson, Klaus; Campbell, Jamal, illustrators. Ruthless. Nightwing: Rebirth no. 37, e-book ed. DC Comics, 2018.pp 20

And it doesn’t help that all of the people in Dick’s life do prove that assertion right. Everyone holds “the Heart of the DCU” to an impossible standard that, when Dick fails to live up to it, he is crucified and punished for it. If he tries to be perfect, he's told off for being the Golden Boy, but if he fails to be the Golden Boy, then he is told off because he let people down when they were relying on him. Ironically, this is done by characters in-universe real-world fans. As Dick Grayson Fan A pointed out in a discussion about depiction of Batman Family members killing their antagonists, “there's always this pressure to have Dick ~fall from grace~ and I do lowkey resent that. Dick should be allowed to be good, not punished for it.”  

This creates an environment where Dick constantly needs to maintain perfection in order to be in everyone’s good graces. Failure is not met with understanding and comfort, but with punishment. No one expects him to fail, no one likes when he fails, no one forgives him when he fails. That also means that Dick doesn’t feel safe opening up about his insecurities because to do so would mean “proving” he cannot stay on the pedestal he’s been put on. And so, he is forced to perform the role of a “perfect good guy” by using misdirection so people won’t abandon him for being human (this was said during a very interesting discussion and addressed both canon and fanfic writers. There’s a lot that can be said about Dick’s parentification and how that is viewed in the context of fandom. This is not the essay for it, and, to be perfectly honest, I’m not entirely sure I’m the best person to open said discussion).

Taylor does not portray Dick as someone with this many layers. Taylor’s Dick is perfect simply because he is good. He is the perfect friend, who is always happy to support others. He is Barbara Gordon’s perfect boyfriend. Dick is the perfect older brother, the perfect son, perfect model citizen. 

But by equating being “good” with being “perfect” without exploring the negative consequences that come from such pressures, Taylor robs Dick of the emotions that humanize him. In Taylor’s run, a good person will not be angry at their friends, will not be frustrated with their siblings, will never disagree with their romantic partner. This strips Dick of all of his nuances, and instead reduces him to a non-descriptive “everyman hero” with a limited emotional range whose only narrative purpose is to serve as a blank canvas for readers to project themselves into. 

Simply put, Taylor is uninterested in writing Dick as a character because he does not see value in Dick for who he is. Nightwing #105, which removes Dick from its story in order to allow its readers to “be Nightwing” illustrates how Taylor and DC at large only value Dick his connections, not for who he is.   

(Chen, Jess [jesswchen]. “Tweet Message.” 18 March 2023, https://twitter.com/jesswchen/status/1636971185782259716?s=20.)

Be Dick, and you can be good friends with Superman! You can be Batman’s son! You can be Batgirl’s boyfriend! Robin’s big brother! Flash’s best friend! 

As a Dick Grayson fan, this feels insulting. I’m not saying Dick needs to be anyone’s favorite character, or that anyone even needs to like him. I’m not interested in dictating anyone’s taste. But to someone who loves Dick Grayson, it is insulting to think that those responsible for his stories fail to see his value. To Taylor, the person who, as the writer for both Nightwing and Titans, has the most control over Dick’s portrayal, Dick is nothing but a tool that will soon wear off its use. 

In treating Dick as such, Taylor and DC send a clear message to those of who love Dick, and that message is that the things that make Dick special, the things that made us love him, do not matter. 

For his near century long existence, Dick served as a stand in for those who feel othered in society. While I do not have the time to go into a gender studies and queer reading of Dick, it is notable that his character often spoke to many people who felt different. As Mary Borsellino’s 2006 essay “A lot like Robin if you close your eyes” Displacement of meaning in the Post-Modern Age explains:

The things which a Robin-like figure can contain, but which are cut off from being embodied by Robin himself, lose none of their importance simply because they are rejected by a restrictive, corporate-controlled status quo […] It's worth inspecting what was excised from Robin, and charting where these elements instead found articulation: in those from lower socioeconomic backgrounds; non-White people; young single parents; and HIV positive people. And, especially, girls and women (Borsellino, Mary “‘A lot like Robin if you close your eyes.’ Displacement of meaning in the Post-Modern Age,  2006)

While Borsellio’s essay focuses on the Robin mantle, as the creator of said mantle, such assertions can also be applied to Dick. In fact, Bell concurs with the idea that those who were othered have always took a preference to Dick when stating that “Robin’s status as the littlest guy in the fight increases the character’s appeal for some children, especially the ‘youngest and weakest.’” In other words, it is crucial to Dick’s character that he is not an “everyman hero.” He is not the hero of or beloved by the average individual, but rather by those who were ostracized by society.

Taylor’s writing exemplifies the “restrictive, corporate-controlled status quo” imposed by DC that Borsellino speaks of. His characterization is the manufactured image that removes Dick’s “socially deviant/rejected” qualities his fans loved about him so that he can be palatable to a more mainstream audience.  (Bells, JL “Success in Stasis: Dick Grayson’s Thirty Years as a Boy Wonder.”Dick Grayson, Boy Wonder: Scholars and Creators on 75 years of Robin, Nightwing, and Batman edited by Kristen L. Geaman, McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers, 2015, pp. 11)

This, of course, is not necessarily new. As Mason Downey argues in their 2015 essay In Defense of Dick Grayson: Objectification, Sexuality, and Subtext, DC has often struggled between leaning into the audience Dick has and wanting to erase any “othering” elements from his character. As they point out:

The more sexual and idealized Dick was allowed to become, the more attention he got from female and queer fans, the more the industry had to work to combat the past anxieties revolving around the character. This resulted in more and more heteronormative romances for Dick on the page. We can’t grant Wertham’s fears any legitimacy, we can’t make these stories “for girls.” Writers did so in a few ways, some obvious, some less so. On the page, we had Dick’s deflection of female sexuality that he was not in control of, and we had a level of emotional posturing with relationships he was in control of. We had moments where we saw him manipulating with or being manipulated by sex. There were editorial pushes to lean into Dick’s popularity with women and queer men coupled with the simultaneous desire to not acknowledge or grant legitimacy to the fanbase he found in those demographics. This translated to more sexualized poses. More pin-up style spreads. Multiple bait-and-switch wedding, marriage, and relationship teases which turned out to be fakeouts or got written out. Long strings of female side characters were introduced exclusively to be love interests. Off the page, we had more concrete examples. We saw a lack of merchandise and lack of representation of him in other forms of media. There was a pervasive hesitancy in broaching his existence outside of the spheres of already established fans. For example, Nolan’s The Dark Knight Rises featured Joseph Gordon-Levitt playing a character literally named Robin, who was invented for the film franchise rather than allowing Dick himself to exist in that cinematic universe. Dick Grayson is a character built upon one repeated mantra aimed at what eventually become two of his largest demographics, “Remember, this is not for you.”

(Downey, Mason “In Defense of Dick Grayson: Objectification, Sexuality, and Subtext” Women Write About Comics. December 2015)

What makes Taylor’s run unique is that in trying to have Dick tackle social issues such as homelessness and in trying to create a class commentary, Taylor attempts to create a progressive, albeit simplistic, veneer while erasing the important and “other-ing” aspects of Dick’s character that was so beloved by his fans. 

This, I believe, is one of the many explanations why many of those who praise Taylor run claim that this is the first Nightwing run they ever enjoyed, while many (though admittedly, not all) those who have been longtime Dick Grayson fans feel betrayed and frustrated by the way their beloved character is being handled. Dick is currently being appropriated into a more mainstream, palatable hero. He is being taken from those who loved him and being scrubbed clean to be suitable for an audience who could not appreciate him for what he was, only for how his connections could give them a wish fulfillment fantasy. As another Dick Grayson fan expressed:

I see no heart in [Taylor’s] work, only soulless marketing. He sells himself as something good and work on his perfect public image and everyone who disagrees is wrong and it gets on my nerves like nothing else. […] I wouldn't be as salt[y] if Taylor was genuinely trying to writing something good. I don't have the heart to [be salty] at someone working with passion, even if I don't like it.

(Henceforth referred to as Dick Grayson Fan B... This was actually said during a discussion in which we expressed how we wish we could be as excited about Taylor’s run as many others are.)

[felipesmithart]

Hey, everyone! Our boy Robbie Reyes is back in GHOST RIDER: ROBBIE REYES SPECIAL #1 hitting shelves this October!

I wrote a short story for this one, drawn by Daniel Bayliss and colored by Luis Wences.

Also amazing cover art by Humberto Ramos, Gerardo Sandoval and J. Gonzo!🔥💀🔥

[browsethestacks]

Spider-Punk

Art by...

1) Uzuri Art

2) Arthur Adams

3) Gerardo Sandoval

4). Matías Bergara

5) Boss Logic

6) Miguel Mercado

7) André Freitas

8) Jason Latour

9) Tony Daniel

10) Ian Bertram

[realhousewives-fan]

S11 Midseason Trailer Reaction!

“How many times to we have to keep believing this man’s genuine tears?” asked Katie Maloney-Schwartz, and I couldn’t agree with her more.

Tom Sandoval has been given a redemption season and it seems like they’ve gone to extremes to protect him, by worrying about his mental health.

If there truly was a concern about his wellbeing and mental health, he shouldn’t be in front of the cameras. Was Lisa Vanderpump too quick to worry about him?

He has taken no accountability for his actions, and as Ariana Madix mentioned earlier this season, his plan is to poison the group against her.

We can see him, probably in the season finale, claiming that Ariana was talking shit about the entire group.

But that would be old news, it’s not like they’ve talked in months. The one who has been talking shit about the group, would be Sandoval himself.

She also told a producer something to the effect of “within 30 seconds with an audience, they wouldn’t give a fuck if I died in a ditch”.

Is Ariana leaving the show? With the world at her feet, Bravo would probably just hold her back.

We’re introduced to her new boyfriend Daniel Wai, and the group appears to be in awe of this man, and Sandoval even tried to worm himself up to him.

There’s no need to talk to him. It’s probably going to be infuriating as usual.

Speaking of infuriating, they invited Jax Taylor back on the show, and he appears to justify talking shit about Sandoval since the world already was.

Katie and Tom Schwartz are dating the same girl, which could be interesting.

Schwartz claimed that they’ve never been better, but is that because Sandoval isn’t in his ear? Katie did feel like he was a part of the ruination of her marriage.

And Rachel Leviss did accuse him of manipulating her, so… I wouldn’t believe a word he was saying.

On his way to film the reunion, Andy Cohen posted on Instagram that he had binged the remaining episodes and things took off in a significant way.

[noratilney]

I could absolutely see Nate and Mari bonding over their multiple sisters and Mari and Maya teasing Noah!

Oh? 👀 Tell me more about Mirabelle!

😂 I don’t think Clara would mind talking about it since she never gets to! I could see her maybe getting a little impatient sometimes since she doesn’t have the all answers herself but I think she and Kat would get along well most of the time.

feel free to ignore but since you mentioned crossovers in the tag, maybe one of your glee ocs might get on with my mariana and/or what would your kat patterson think of my clara daniels?

Oh no! I'm always ready for crossovers! 👀 (If you ever get other ideas feel free to send an ask/dm me bc I will be always 👀👀)

Okay so. You're bringing up one of my main obsessions rn. I also have some ocs that I'm developing, but of the ones introduced:

Nate Simmons my beloved. They could bond over their amazing families! (I mean, Mariana doesn't have that many sisters and Nate is the oldest while Mariana is the "middle child" but whatever).

Maya Puckerman. I mean... she's a Puckerman. They could be like sisters! And ofc tell Noah that he's an idiot (affectionately) lol

Mirabelle Ryder. Don't ask me why, I just get vibes from them. (Also, get a little girlfriends vibes from them ngl 👀)

The only thing I know for sure is that Kat would be very interested. Like, she would do her sooo many questions! (Mostly about her ghost-vision tbh). She's amazing at annoying people so I hope Clara is a patient person, bc she could start asking questions like a three years old if she is in the mood (you know the kid-phase of "why?". Sometimes that's Kat)

[forever-mandarina]

Some previews of the DC comics in December 2024 (Part 1).

Action Comics #1078 Cover D David Nakayama Artist Spotlight Card Stock Variant

Batman / Superman: World's Finest #34 Cover D David Nakayama Artist Spotlight Card Stock Variant

Black Canary: Best of the Best #2 Cover B Lesley 'Leirix' Li Card Stock Variant

Absolute Batman #3 Cover E:Stevan Subic Card Stock Variant

Absolute Batman #3 Cover B Becky Cloonan Card Stock Variant

Absolute Superman #2 Cover A Regular Rafa Sandoval Cover

Absolute Wonder Woman #3 Cover A Regular Hayden Sherman Cover

Action Comics #1078 Cover B Sweeney Boo Card Stock Variant

Action Comics Vol 2 #1078 Cover A Regular Clayton Henry Cover

Action Comics Vol 2 #1079 Cover A Regular Clayton Henry Cover

Action Comics Vol 2 #1079 Cover C Variant Jason Shawn Alexander Card Stock Cover

Action Comics Vol 2 #1080 Cover A Regular Clayton Henry Cover

Action Comics Vol 2 #1080 Cover B Variant Mark Spears Card Stock Cover

Action Comics Vol 2 #1081 Cover B Variant Mark Spears Card Stock Cover

Action Comics Vol 2 #1081 Cover C Variant David Talaski Card Stock Cover

Action Comics #1081 Cover D: Fico Ossio Card Stock Variant

Batgirl Vol 6 #2 Cover A Regular David Talaski Cover

Batgirl #2 Cover B Jorge Jiménez Card Stock Variant

Batgirl #2 Cover C Skylar Patridge Card Stock Variant

Batman: Full Moon #3 Cover B Francesco Francavilla Card Stock Variant

Batman: Gargoyle of Gotham #3 Cover B Jamie Hewlett Variant

Batman / Santa Claus: Silent Knight Returns #3 Cover C:Marguerite Sauvage Card Stock Variant

Batman / Santa Claus: Silent Knight Returns #4 Cover B Riccardo Federici Card Stock Variant

Batman / Superman: World's Finest #34 Cover B Yanick Paquette Card Stock Variant

Batman Superman Worlds Finest #34 Cover A Regular Dan Mora Cover

Batman: The Brave and the Bold #20 Cover B Aaron Bartling Variant

Batman: The Brave and the Bold #20 Cover C Tula Lotay Variant

Batman #157 Cover B Tony Harris Card Stock Variant

Batman #157 Cover C Tony S. Daniel Card Stock Variant

Birds of Prey #16 Cover B Serg Acuña Card Stock Variant