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objectivelyimpermanent · 1 month ago

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Nightwing and Mirage receipts, part 1

So, I've been looking into collecting Batman comics lately, and I realised that I didn't actually know which comics issues had the famous Nightwing/Mirage sexual assault plotline. Whilst looking into this, I found out some interesting things. These things are under the cut with all the MAJOR SPOILERS.

Arc Length and Collections

The first part of the Nightwing/Mirage plotline happens in The New Titans (1984-1996) #79-80 and #85-99, Team Titans (1992-1994) #1-3, Deathstroke, the Terminator (1991-1996) #14-16, and the Titans Sell-Out Special (1992) #1. She also possibly appears in Deathstroke, the Terminator (1991-1996) #13.

Mirage first appears in The New Titans (1984-1996) #79. This is in the midst of the Titans Hunt storyline [the storyline comprises The New Titans (1984-1996) #71-84 and has yet to be collected. It is NOT collected in the Titans Hunt (2016) TPB]. She appears a few more times in The New Titans (1984-1996) until the Total Chaos storyline begins. These issues are collected in the Titans: Total Chaos (2018) TPB:

Deathstroke, the Terminator (1991-1996) #14

The New Titans (1984-1996) #90

Team Titans (1992-1994) #1 (part: Childhood's End)

Deathstroke, the Terminator (1991-1996) #15

The New Titans (1984-1996) #91

Team Titans (1992-1994) #2

Deathstroke, the Terminator (1991-1996) #16

The New Titans (1984-1996) #92

Team Titans (1992-1994) #3

Team Titans (1992-1994) #1 (part: Killowat; Mirage; Nightrider; Redwing; Terra) [The Mirage part includes Mirage's backstory.]

The New Titans (1984-1996) issues after this are not collected.

MAJOR SPOILERS AHEAD.

Timeline Part One: Starfire Imposter

With the range out of the way, there's the actual sequence of events, which is quite a lot worse than I used to know.

The gist about Mirage is that she is from an (alternate) future timeline where the Titans have been replaced with Team Titans, which is headed by Nightwing* but with an otherwise completely different cast. She is a member of the Team Titans and in a romantic relationship with Nightwing*. She and the Team Titans have come back in time for unimportant reasons.

Mirage first sees present-day Nightwing in The New Titans (1984-1996) #85, when he is on the news; she thinks that she's "interested" in him and later thinks ominously "he'll be mine." In The New Titans (1984-1996) #86, she spends some time spying on him and his girlfriend Starfire (Koriand'r/Kory Anders). Later, Dick Grayson appears at Starfire's apartment.

During this time, Starfire and Nightwing are having some relationship issues. Starfire is largely out of commission due to an injury and having a hard time, and Nightwing is contemplating commitment as a way to prevent her from drawing away. Due to secret identity shenanigans, (as Starfire doesn't have a public/private identity split and Nightwing/Starfire are a known couple), Dick Grayson wears a disguise when he's out in civvies with Starfire. In The New Titans (1984-1996) #87, Nightwing wonders: "would Kory even recognise me, if I showed up without a disguise?"

Later, he visits Starfire's apartment and kisses her. This is photographed by a paparazzi, and the paparazzi's internal monologue allows the inference that this is Mirage shapeshifted as Starfire (she seems to have entered the apartment earlier whilst shapeshifted as Dick Grayson).

In The New Titans (1984-1996) #88, Mirage as Starfire gives Nightwing a makeover, and thus ends Discowing. Nightwing notices that something has been different about Starfire lately: she's become less distant, and he describes her as "almost ravenous".

Mirage appears as Starfire in The New Titans (1984-1996) #89 and meets the team; she separates at some point and they all spend some time complimenting Starfire. She also possibly appears in Deathstroke, the Terminator (1991-1996) #13 in a pose with the Titans as Nightwing here is post-Discowing. In Deathstroke, the Terminator (1991-1996) #14, Mirage as Starfire appears with Nightwing and the Titans. She appears largely useless, implying that Mirage is unable to mimic the powers of the people into whom she shapeshifts. The Titans notice and mention that Starfire has been dressing more provocatively lately. Nightwing and Mirage as Starfire appear in a scene where it is implied that they were physically intimate. This is rape by fraud. This scene is intercut with someone snapping ropes that are binding their wrists. Mirage as Starfire leaves.

Later, The Titans (without Mirage as Starfire) are together and Starfire bursts in. She says: "Didn't any of you care? Didn't anyone notice I was missing? I was chained up in that tenement for days. Why weren't you looking for me?" In The New Titans (1984-1996) #90, Starfire says that she's been held prisoner for "the last few days." The Titans realise that the recent Starfire has been an imposter. Pantha says: "Look at 'Wing, there. He should have known. After all, he and the other Star were real kissy while you were, um...out." She also mentions explicitly that Dick "slept" with the imposter, which should perhaps be taken as Pantha's inference, but is grosser considering that Pantha has enhanced smell. Pantha continues through the arc to make extremely gross comments.

Initial reactions by Starfire do seem to blame Mirage, but Starfire only becomes jealous. She does not process Mirage's actions as rape by fraud, rather that Mirage "made Dick love her." She confronts Mirage and calls it "trick[ing] Dick into bed," but she does not seem to consider it an act of violence. Later, she recognises Mirage as the one who replaced her.

In Team Titans (1992-1994) #1 (part: Childhood's End), Mirage finally introduces herself to Nightwing whilst the Titans and the Team Titans are fighting each other for unimportant reasons. She says that in 10 years he will "love me [her]." On hearing this, Starfire becomes extremely jealous and territorial and physically attacks Mirage. Once everyone calms down, Mirage begins to make nice with Nightwing, who seems receptive. Starfire remains very jealous. Mirage has yet to show off her shapeshifting powers and Starfire has yet to mention that Mirage was the one who replaced her.

In The New Titans (1984-1996) #91, Mirage reminisces on her relationship with future Nightwing*, which she implies was serious.

Later, the Titans and the Team Titans get into another fight for unimportant reasons. The Team Titans leave, but Mirage defects to the Titans.

Team Titans (1992-1994) #2 has the reveal that Mirage was the Starfire imposter and the infamous panel that gets so bandied about [it's on page 8].

They're in the middle of a fight, so they continue fighting together after this.

Mirage appears next in The New Titans (1984-1996) #92, then in the Titans Sell-Out Special (1992) #1, and continues to appear in The New Titans (1984-1996) #93-96. She spends her time flirting with Nightwing and needling at Starfire. Nightwing firmly and repeatedly rebuffs her; Starfire is insecure. In The New Titans (1984-1996) #93, Mirage shapeshifts into Starfire and poses for two nude centrefolds in a magazine. This is sexual harassment. The Titans don't react especially sympathetically to Starfire.

In The New Titans (1984-1996) #94, the paparazzi photo from #87 is published, and a break-up rumour about Nightwing/Starfire takes hold; it is also stated that Mirage sexually assaulted Starfire, likely in #86:

Later and continuing into The New Titans (1984-1996) #95, the writers make the baffling decision to have Dick Grayson and Mirage start fake-dating. Nightwing is endeavouring to start a playboy persona for Dick Grayson by going on dates with Mirage transformed as different women:

Around here, the attitude of the characters towards Mirage begin to change. Starfire minimises Mirage's sexual misconduct and rape, calling them "the stunts she pulled," but arguing that "she really seems to care for you, Dick."

Nightwing arranges for Dick Grayson to be photographed kissing Starfire by paparazzi as part of a scheme to have Nightwing/Starfire break up so that Dick Grayson/Starfire can date without compromising his secret identity. In The New Titans (1984-1996) #96, Mirage is annoyed by the recent paparazzi photos and threatens more sexual harassment:

Unable to get between Nightwing and Starfire, Mirage appears briefly to transformed as Nightwing to punch Dick Grayson in the face in front of a dozen reporters (giving him a solid alibi as Nightwing), and then runs off.

In The New Titans (1984-1996) #97, Dick Grayson and Starfire break up, with Starfire citing Nightwing's inability to tell apart Starfire and Mirage shapeshifted as Starfire when she raped him. It's a public argument and the paparazzi gets a hold of the story, framing it as "Play-boy sleeps with girl-friend's twin and doesn't know it!" Later, Nightwing becomes homeless.

In The New Titans (1984-1996) #99, Nightwing and Starfire argue more about Mirage. Starfire continues to blame Nightwing for being unable to tell that it was Mirage and not Starfire. Nightwing says that "what [Mirage] did repulses me." It ends in Nightwing proposing marriage.

In The New Titans (1984-1996) #100, Nightwing and Starfire prepare to get married. Starfire has doubts, mentioning that Nightwing has "been on edge" lately and complaining that Nightwing was unsympathetic when she got mad that he couldn't tell when he was sleeping with Mirage instead of her. Nightwing and Starfire begin theirvows, and then suddenly several people, including Deathwing (insane Nightwing* from the future) appear to crash the wedding.

Things I found out

Mirage began by stalking Nightwing before he knew who she was.

Mirage first sees present-day Nightwing in The New Titans (1984-1996) #85, but he doesn't see or meet her until Team Titans (1992-1994) #1 (part: Childhood's End). In The New Titans (1984-1996) #86, she is shown spying on Nightwing and Starfire, and it is implied that she continues to do so as some time passes, and she does not appear again until The New Titans (1984-1996) #87. It is clear that Mirage was thinking about raping Nightwing from the first as in The New Titans (1984-1996) #85, she thinks, "he'll be mine."

2. Mirage raped Nightwing multiple times over an extended period.

In The New Titans (1984-1996) #87, Mirage impersonates Dick Grayson to gain entry to Starfire's apartment and then kidnaps and imprisons her. She impersonates Starfire at Starfire's apartment in order to have sex with Nightwing when he visits. On page, they only kiss.

However, the comment Nightwing makes in The New Titans (1984-1996) #88 that Starfire has been "almost ravenous" implies that they have had sex. It also implies a pattern of behaviour--therefore, that some time has passed and that they have had sex multiple times. It is suggested that they have had sex again in Deathstroke, the Terminator (1991-1996) #14.

In The New Titans (1984-1996) #90, Starfire says that she has been imprisoned for "a few days" (let's say 2-6 days). This is the period of time covered in The New Titans (1984-1996) #87-90 and Deathstroke, the Terminator (1991-1996) #14, and it is implied that Mirage repeatedly had sex with Nightwing over the course of this time.

During Team Titans (1992-1994) #2, when Mirage is revealed to be the Starfire imposter, Mirage sexually assaults Nightwing again. She grabs him around the waist and presses up against him whilst talking about how they're fated to be together. Nightwing pushes her off and protests firmly: "Look, I don't know about any future 'us.' Hell, I don't even know you!" At this point, she reveals herself to be his rapist.

3. Even after being discovered, Mirage continued to sexually harass Nightwing.

Mirage spends some time with and even defects to the Titans in Team Titans (1992-1994) #1 (part: Childhood's End), The New Titans (1984-1996) #91, and Team Titans (1992-1994) #2. Although Starfire recognised her as the person who attacked and replaced her in The New Titans (1984-1996) #90, she doesn't tell anyone about this. Mirage introduces herself as Nightwing's lover from the future. She spends a lot of time inflaming Starfire's jealousy. Nightwing is friendly to her. During this time, she does not use her shapeshifting powers, which is how the identity of Nightwing's rapist is not revealed generally until Team Titans (1992-1994) #2.

4. Mirage also sexually assaulted and sexually harassed Starfire.

In The New Titans (1984-1996) #93, Mirage shapeshifts into Starfire and poses for two nude centrefolds in a magazine. This is sexual harassment. The Titans don't react very much to this; it is largely considered an extension of Mirage's needling at Starfire since she joined the Titans. Gar even says: "What's the problem -- you've posed nude before." He then makes a gross comment about having collected and stored the nudes.

In The New Titans (1984-1996) #87, a paparazzi camped out to take photographs outside Starfire's apartment. In The New Titans (1984-1996) #93, they are published, and one photograph is revealed to be of Starfire kissing Dick Grayson (who was actually Mirage). This was how she gained access to Starfire's apartment in The New Titans (1984-1996) #86. It was also sexual assault. As there is also a photograph of Mirage as Starfire kissing Nightwing in his not-Dick-Grayson civilian disguise, this begins a rumour that Starfire is cheating on Nightwing with multiple men.

5. The Titans' unsympathetic reaction to Nightwing's assault was not just that one panel.

Of course, Mirage victim-blames Nightwing, sexually assaulting him in Team Titans (1992-1994) #2 and, when he protests, saying: "If we weren't meant to be, seems you should have sensed the difference." However, she was not the first.

Despite the infamous page that gets bandied about where Pantha calls Nightwing a slut in Team Titans (1992-1994) #2, this was not the first or only reaction to Nightwing's assault. This panel reveals the identity of Nightwing's rapist, who until then was known only as someone who impersonated Starfire. The rape by fraud itself is revealed at the end of Deathstroke, the Terminator (1991-1996) #14.

The time between these two issues is covered in The New Titans (1984-1996) #90-91 and Team Titans (1992-1994) #1 (part: Childhood's End). In these issues, it is clear that Starfire doesn't seem to realise that Nightwing was raped or wronged in any way; she only becomes jealous. In The New Titans (1984-1996) #90, she frames the assault as Mirage having "made Dick love her" and "mak[ing] love with my boyfriend!" She does mention that Mirage "tricked Dick into bed," but she does not seem to consider it an act of violence. In addition, although she recognises Mirage in The New Titans (1984-1996) #90 as the one who attacked her, she doesn't tell anyone about it, including Nightwing. This is why Nightwing is so surprised once Mirage reveals that she was the rapist in Team Titans (1992-1994) #2.

Although all the Titans spent an extended period with Mirage as Starfire over a few days, only Nightwing is blamed for not realising that it was not the real Starfire. The argument seems to be that he should have known because he was sleeping with her.

Pantha is the most and the most continuously gross about Nightwing's assault. Her comments in The New Titans (1984-1996) #90 include:

"Look at 'Wing, there. He should have known. After all, he and the other Star were real kissy while you were, um...out."

"Is Barbie all huffy because Ken-doll made it with Midge?"

"Details! From ten to one--how did she score compared to this one?"

And of course, famously, after the identity reveal in Team Titans (1992-1994) #2, she says, "Dick, you slut! So tell me, who was better? Huh? Huh? Huh?"

After this, Mirage joins the Titans. No one has any serious objection to it, despite Mirage continuing to harass Nightwing and to needle at Starfire. Eventually, Starfire eventually becomes weirdly sympathetic to Mirage, and she begins to victim-blame Nightwing for his assault. In The New Titans (1984-1996) #95, Starfire minimises Mirage's sexual misconduct and rape, calling them "the stunts she pulled," but arguing that "she really seems to care for you, Dick."

Starfire most heavily victim-blames Nightwing during their arguments in The New Titans (1984-1996) #97 and The New Titans (1984-1996) #99. In #97, she makes such arguments as:

"Dick, after four years together I know how you breathe. I know your every rhythm."

"I wouldn't be fooled by a lousy copy."

Nightwing attempts to defend himself with some very good and very firm arguments:

"Her disguises are perfect."

"I thought I was with you, why would I think--"

"Kory, that's not fair. Mirage's power is to make herself exactly like someone else. She looked like you. She talked like you. So I thought I was making love to you. She's the guilty one here, Kory. Not me."

However, Starfire continues to treat the assault as infidelity, responding with: "Go ahead! You want that little tramp, take her! You deserve her!" Then she flies off.

In The New Titans (1984-1996) #99, Nightwing accepts blame for being raped: "I was thinking with my hormones and not my head. I'm one of the world's greatest detectives, but sometimes I don't see what's in front of me." It is implied that this is why Starfire accepts his marriage proposal. However, Nightwing continues to frame Mirage's actions as rape: "She was coming on strong and I liked it. When I thought she was you, yes. Otherwise, no--I didn't. What she did repulses me." It is clear that Nightwing feels violated.

6. The general public also victim-blamed Nightwing.

During this time in The New Titans (1984-1996), the Titans are very concerned about public perception. Paparazzi often follow them around, which is why Nightwing has to wear a disguise when out in public in civvies with Starfire. One paparazzi went so far as to rent out a room for a month across from Starfire's apartment in The New Titans (1984-1996) #87 so that he could camp there to take photographs. When the photographs are published, the Nightwing/Starfire cheating and break-up rumour begins.

This is likely where Nightwing gets the idea to turn Dick Grayson into a playboy. He does this by going on dates with Mirage transformed as different women in The New Titans (1984-1996) #95. Later, Nightwing arranges for Dick Grayson to be photographed kissing Starfire by paparazzi as part of a scheme to have Nightwing/Starfire break up so that Dick Grayson/Starfire can date without compromising his secret identity. It is unclear how Dick Grayson being a playboy is necessary for this plan. I would consider this some type of act of self-harm.

In The New Titans (1984-1996) #97, Dick Grayson and Starfire break up in public as Starfire once again victim-blames him for his rape. When the paparazzi gets a hold of the story, they frame it unsympathetically as "Play-boy sleeps with girl-friend's twin and doesn't know it!" This furthers the image of Dick Grayson as a playboy.

Later, Nightwing becomes homeless. He's not having a good time.

Contemporary Reader Reaction

Team Titans (1992-1994) has a fan letter-and-response column at the end of every couple of issues beginning in #5. They include such sensitive and winning comments as:

"Now, you have to remember how far apart in age the Nightwing of the future was from Mirage, and how much closer in age the present-day Nightwing is. Hence, her more forceful attempts to win him over." - from Jon & co., writers and artists (#5)

"'Dick, you slut! Tell me, who was better? Huh? Huh?' Bwah ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!!!!!" - The Great Buck, fan (#5)

"Pantha's immortal line was praised by all." - Jon & co., writers and artists (#5)

"...and the winner for the favourite one-liner in comics during the year 1992 goes to...Pantha of the New Titans for: 'DICK, YOU SLUT! So, tell me, who was better?' You've definitely got my vote. Pantha's comic relief is very much welcome at a time when despair seems to have grabbed the team by their throats." - Brett A. Tolino, fan (#9)

"the Dick/Kory/Mirage triangle" - from one of Jon & co., writers and artists (#9)

"While I think it's obvious that you're setting up a future romance with Killowat, I can't help but hope you'll be more unpredictable than that, and Miri could actually win Dick away from his longtime girlfriend." - Susan, fan (#11)

"what will the future Grayson do when he learns how Mirage manipulated 'our' Grayson into bed with her?" - Bob Kowalski, fan (#13)

Comics Writers Not Understanding Consent

The writers seemed to consider that Mirage did not rape Nightwing because he should have known that Mirage was not Starfire. Every character who weighs in on the assault expresses that same sentiment. In Team Titans (1992-1994) #2, Mirage says, "If we weren't meant to be, seems you should have sensed the difference."; in The New Titans (1984-1996) #97, Starfire says that "I wouldn't be fooled by a lousy copy." The characters and the writers both link this blame explicitly to Nightwing's detective ability. When Nightwing is talking about one of his inspirations as a detective in The New Titans (1984-1996) #97, he says, "When I was a kid they [episodes of a particular TV show] showed me seeing wasn't always believing." Starfire responds: "Like when you saw Mirage in disguise but you believed it was me?" And when Nightwing apologises for being raped in The New Titans (1984-1996) #99, he says, "I'm one of the world's greatest detectives, but sometimes I don't see what's in front of me." He calls it "thinking with my hormones and not my head." This is made grosser because in retrospect, Nightwing wondering "would Kory even recognise me, if I showed up without a disguise?" in The New Titans (1984-1996) #87 is foreshadowing. Together, this implies that the message from the writers is that Nightwing wondering if Starfire really knows him was hypocritical because he didn't recognise when someone was impersonating Starfire.

In addition, Mirage sexually assaulting and sexually harassing Starfire is entirely glossed over. When Mirage shapeshifts into Starfire and poses for two nude centrefolds in a magazine in The New Titans (1984-1996) #93, no character seems especially concerned except Starfire, who feels violated. Gar comments sarcastically, "Yes. Yes. I agree. Awful. Just awful" after mentioning that he collects Starfire's nude publications. On top of this, the issue itself includes the nude centrefolds as full pages; this seems to be fanservice. It is exploiting something that the writers don't even care to acknowledge is sexual harassment.

Not once do the writers contemporarily acknowledge that any of Mirage's actions are sexual harassment and sexual assault. In the fan letter column in Team Titans (1992-1994) #5, they refer to it as "her [Mirage's] more forceful attempts to win him [Nightwing] over." In the fan letter column in Team Titans (1992-1994) #9, they refer to the situation as "the Dick/Kory/Mirage triangle."

The audience response is not necessarily as positive as is shown in the fan letter quotes above. The culture around male rape victims in the '90s (regarding mostly their apparent lack of existence) needs be acknowledged. However, the tone-deaf comments are as much a fault of the writers and the editors, who obviously chose the fan letters to include and to which to respond. Including them in the letter column without argument in the response indicates a level of approval of their contents. In this way, the writers double-down on Pantha's gross, victim-blaming comments. In the fan letter column in Team Titans (1992-1994) #5, the writers include several letters praising the brilliance of Pantha's comment in Team Titans (1992-1994) #2 where she calls Nightwing a slut, and then they respond, "Pantha's immortal line was praised by all." In the fan letter column in Team Titans (1992-1994) #9, they include a letter that calls the comment "the winner for the favourite one-liner in comics during the year 1992" and "comic relief" that is "very much welcome." In fact, there's some evidence that the audience reacted not well at all. This can be shown by the switching of gears by the writers demonstrated in the next part of the Nightwing/Mirage arc. Somehow, it gets worse.

To Be Continued...

#issue 98 reveals that Starfire has Donald Trump's personal phone number #also I didn't mean to write an essay #i really was just trying to figure out which tpbs to buy #nightwing #mirage #dick grayson #starfire #pantha #the new titans #team titans #cw rape #cw sa

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