#like i read worlds finest but like that also has superman and dick so idk

[blkbats]

i want to read batman comics but i’m scared

[cairoscene]

went like a not insignificant distance into your blog because I can feel the batfamily consuming me and eating my heart and so on. haven’t ever read or watched or played batman however. as I trust your opinions Where do you suggest I start

omg welcome. i have recently been afflicted with something similar so i do have recs!! in terms of canon — which i will say i have middling opinions about, and i'll admit that i haven't really read any comics older than the 90s — i'll recommend the comics that really got me In Trouble: Batman: The Knight (2021). 10 issues by Chip Zdarsky and Carmine Di Giandomenico. this remains my batman holy grail. it's about bruce's journey to becoming batman and focuses on pivotal experiences in his education. it also features my favorite hot sexy murderous ex husband, minhkhoa khan. also, and most importantly, has some of the best written bruce and alfred interactions that i've read.

Nightwing (2016) #78—. by Tom Taylor and Bruno Redondo. idk this was one of the first ones i read and i just really enjoy the punchy art and the action and the dialogue. from my understanding from #78 onward, the issues are trying to maybe breathe more life and color into nightwing's stories, and for me it works. it's just super fun and cute and i love dick grayson.

Dark Knights of Steel (2021). another Tom Taylor, this time with Yasmin Putri. idk if you told me a year ago that i would be into reading a DC fantasy AU where superman is a prince and batman is his loyal guard i would have laughed in your face. but it's really very fun and the art is excellent. i have quibbles about the worldbuilding, but the robins make it worth it. the robins feature and they are delightful. excellent brainworm material overall. it's still ongoing and i'm not sure how many issues are planned.

Batman/Superman: World's Finest (2022). this one's by Mark Waid and !!! Dan Mora (whose art i cannot stress enough makes me cry) and it's set to be 10 issues, there's one more coming in december. it's got great sort of vintagey vibes and is just really really fun, featuring dick grayson robin who i would run into a burning building for.

for batman proper i'll say i've been kind of cherrypicking issues to read, but i read a good long run of Batman (2016) starting with #102 because, you guessed it, it's the introduction of minhkhoa khan, aka the ghost-maker. i also enjoyed the Fear State saga (#112-117), but most recently i've been very into the recent issues by Chip Zdarsky and Jorge Jimenez starting with #125, which sets up a conflict between batman and failsafe—an AI bruce himself created in case he ever needed to be taken down. so far the failsafe saga has given me:

bruce badly beaten and bleeding <3

the whole family banding together to try to stop failsafe

batman zur-en-arrh, which is like, if batman fell into a bucket of colorful paint

so, so many tim drake feelings

just to name a few.

PHEW so for non-comic media, i recommend:

Batman: Wayne Family Adventures. a webcomic from Webtoon by CRC Payne and Starbite. new episodes every week and they're FREE and they focus on slice-of-life family stuff and some character-centric episodes, which is all i've ever wanted really. this was the first batman thing i read, which kicked me off into looking into canon more, resulting in this hilarious set of messages to my friend spanning probably no more than a few hours:

for movies, i don't tend to vibe with the characterization of bruce (and damian. and dick. and talia..) but i enjoyed Batman: Bad Blood (2016) and Batman: Under the Red Hood (2010). also Please Watch The Lego Batman Movie. seriously it's really good and fun

for video games, i've only played Batman: Arkham Knight (2015) out of the legendary series of games by Rocksteady. but man is it A Game (admiring). i also do have a lot of fun playing Gotham Knights (2022) because it's focused on the kids in the batfamily, but i will admit that it sure is A Game (derogatory).

jesus this is getting long. in terms of fic, i would probably have to make a separate post for all of the fic that's lit my brain on fire but you can check out my fic rec tag here on tumbo and my public bookmarks on AO3 for some of my favorites. i also highly endorse all of the fics in @vinelark 's batfam fic rec thread on twitter.

thanks for this opportunity to gush incoherently and i hope this helps <3

[dick-nightwing-grayson]

okay so question

what is happening in comics right now

bc according to dark crisis batman is dead

but also we have batman vs robin??? among other things…

Okay, so this is a complex question and sorry it took me a minute. I want to answer this seriously, so much so, I busted out my actual laptop (it has dust from over a month of no use [I solely use my phone and tablet]) This may seem like a half hearted answer, but know that it is 100% serious because DC is just an absolute clusterfuck.🙃

My understanding is that since Death Metal, everything both is and isn't current continuity. If this somehow makes no sense, you are welcome! You now understand perfectly and have the same basic understanding of what is happening as I do (which for context, I read roughly 30 active DC runs a month, I am putting in the work 😭)

The best and only way I know how to explain it is to go over what is occurring in each active run/series that features batman. It doesn't really clear anything up, but I feel it is the only way to address this. I am also probably wrong on some of this. Please comment any corrections, I am trying… (unless otherwise noted, I am reading all titles listed and am current on all issues)

*Lastly, I am trying to make these as educational as possible while also giving away as few spoilers as possible. There may be some if you are not caught up or have not begun a series.

Current continuity- Main Timeline

Batman #125- This is a start of a new storyline and puts the previous storylines at an end (can we put Gotham Girl to rest) Batman begins the investigation of the killing of Billionaire's in Gotham featuring the Penguin as his main villain (from what I know from solicits. It comes out in full tomorrow July 5th) Status- Alive

Detective Comics 1062- This is a start of a new storyline and puts the previous storylines at an end. It releases July 26th. RamV begins a run where Bruce begins questioning demons and if one is inside him, idk man, the solicit was odd. Ram V is generally a big horror/suspense writer so this part 1/4 of his Gotham Nocturne series is along those lines (I assume) and I have very high hopes. Status- Alive

Dark Crisis: Has some cross over with the Flash, but seems mostly an entirely contained storyline that is not affecting other continuity. Bruce Wayne is dead. Stems from events that occurred in the current timeline of Justice League. Status: Dead

Batman Vs Robin- This title will be released in September, so we only know what has been released in the solicits. The crossover event of Shadow War just ended as well as will be Robin. This is the fallout of both of those regarding Damian. Not much is known yet as it has yet to be released or even solicited much, but we do know Bruce Wayne's status at the beginning of the story: Status- Alive

Batman: One Dark Knight- Batman is assisting an escort of prisoners. Status- Alive

Task Force Z: Harassing Jason Todd after putting him undercover on a mission. Status- Alive

Nightwing: Bruce is in like one issue. He is proud of Dick. He is pretty much the only batfam to not feature prominently in this which is surprising as Tom Taylor (derogatory) loves to write anyone except for Dick in his Nightwing run. Status- Alive

Superman Son of Kal El- Bruce is "looking out for" Jon as Superman is off planet. Tom Taylor (derogatory) writes Bruce as incredibly incompetent… color me surprised. Status- Alive

Timeline Jumps/Elseworlds:

Batman: Urban Legends- This is a collection of short stories that are all current continuity, elseworlds, and timeline jumps regarding the batfam and Gotham, and sometimes neither of those things. Status- Alive, but could change depending on individual storylines

Batman/Superman World's Finest- Fighting Crime with Superman, Supergirl, and Dick as Robin. Status- Alive

Jurassic League- The justice League as dinosaurs. It is awesome. 10/10 would recommend. Status- Alive- but as a dinosaur 😲🦕🦖

Batman: The Knight- Bruce Training to become batman, but he is not yet batman. This is my favorite Bruce-centric series at the moment. Status- Alive

Future State Gotham- *I am a bit behind as went through and read each Future State series before allowing myself to go deeper in this, I am only like 6/14 issues in. Bruce has stepped down as Batman. Jace Fox is currently Batman. Nightwing wants to be Batman. Status- Alive, I think, but not as Batman

Batman: Killing Time: When Bruce was in his early days as Batman. Currently tracking The Riddler and Catwoman after a crime. I have really enjoyed this despite it being a Tom King run.... Status- Alive

Batman Beyond Neo Year: Bruce has been murdered by Gotham (yes the city as an entity) Terry McGinnis tries to put the pieces together. Status- Dead

I am Batman: *I haven't read this as I am still behind Future State Gotham. Jace Fox is batman as a companion storyline to Future State Gotham. Status- Alive, I think, but not as Batman

Flashpoint Beyond: Thomas Wayne is Batman. Status- Batman is alive, because Thomas is Batman, but that is because Bruce is dead

DC vs Vampires (and related spin off series): Vampire King Dick Grayson has taken over earth. Status- Dead

Dark Knights of Steel: More trash from Tom Taylor (derogatory). The art is pretty though and Tim gets wrecked once again. Status- Alive

Batman Beyond: The White Knight- Bruce is old and no longer Batman. He has escaped from prison with the assistance of Jason Todd. Status- Alive

Monkey Prince- Batman is tracking down Monkey Prince's parents and Monkey Prince, but it is mostly Damian as Robin. I am unsure if this should go here or under current timeline, but seeing as it has Damian in Gotham and as Robin, I assume it is slightly prior to Damian's own series. Status- Alive

Unsure because I have not read these:

Batman: Fortress- I haven't had time to get into this yet. I think batman is trying to stop an alien invasion. Idk if it is main or elseworld or time jump. Status- Alive

Batman/Catwoman- This just ended.I am uninterested. I have zero idea honestly. I assume he is alive otherwise what is the point? Status- Alive

Edit- I have been informed Bruce is dead in this, but as it takes place over multiple timelines he is both alive and dead

Justice League vs The Legion of Super Heroes- Batman is fighting the LOSH with the JL. Status- No idea, but pretty sure it is Alive

I hope this makes some sense and helps a little. I know it does neither.

[alackofghosts]

Superman and Batman for the character meme?

under the cut for length!

supes -favorite thing about them: he is just so full of warmth and love. he is my Comfort Character both for thinking about and doodling :]

least favorite thing about them: writers sometimes make really strange decisions about his character. and thus i can't enjoy actually reading superman comics on a regular basis, which i don't like

favorite line: 

(from superman v1 #673)

brOTP: the world's finest bros - clark and bruce :D they can always play well off of each other with the light/dark, happy/serious dichotomy, but also they really care about each other and it makes me feel very happy and content :D BUT OF COURSE i also like clark + bruce + diana too! and clark and dick!

OTP: clark/lois :) but i like bruce/clark too -- i am constantly torn between shipping and them being Very Affectionate friends haha

nOTP: it doesn't quuuite go into the notp territory, but i do have some Negative feelings about clark/diana

random headcanon: oh my god i can't think of anything UHH *spins the wheel* likes cooking? makes pancakes for jon in the weekend.

unpopular opinion: no clue

song i associate with them: fireflies by owl city - there is just something about the gentleness of this song...

favorite picture of them: joshua middleton on the first thunder miniseries did some excellent supes art!! i love his art so much tbh

bats - favorite thing about them: the amount of potential he has as a character? like you can use him to tell serious stories, but he also works remarkably well in funny stories. also how underneath all that gruff he just cares so deeply about everyone

least favorite thing about them: when writers feel the need to make him unnecessarily extra asshole-ish >__> and also when they try to push the whole Adopted Children Don’t Count As Real Children on him. ew! bad, dc!

favorite line: fuck i'm trying to think of Serious Good Lines but all i'm coming up with at this late hour is this

(from batman/superman #20)

brOTP: since i mentioned bruce and clark before --- bruce and dick's relationship is very dear to me too :') and i love his friendship with barry, as well, they’re detective brooos \o/

OTP: i enjoy both bruce/clark and bruce/diana? also bruce/selina/talia, though in a world where bruce/talia didn't get Hecked Up

nOTP: bruce/babs?

random headcanon: when he actually makes it to a bed, he is the world's heaviest sleeper (and more often than not, falls asleep quickly, too). the trick is, of course, getting him to sleep in the first place.

unpopular opinion: ???

song i associate with them: my manic and i by laura marling

favorite picture of them: i looooooove don newton's art in batman and detective comics in the early 80s. SO MUCH. his style was just so, idk, elegant and he had a very good sense of anatomy