#squire in the batcave

[squireofgeekdom]

Read Batgirls Vol3 and I am once again in my feels about stephcass

[adjit]

So what really happened in Red Robin between Dick and Tim?

Because I am constantly seeing misrepresentations of it, I want to talk about the actual events of Red Robin, and Dick and Tim's relationship during it. It's a favorite storyline for fandom to use and riff on, and so for people who haven't read the source, it's hard to know what is canon and what is fanon.

Honestly? It might be easier to just go read the issues. The majority of what I'm going to discuss here all happens in the first 4 issues of Red Robin (though I cover some stuff through the first 12), and I enjoyed that entire run, but if you'd rather hear a random internet user tell ya their take on it, read on.

This is going under a cut because it's long. But TLDR? Dick is not the bad guy in this situation. No one is the bad guy in this situation. If we had to name one... poor coping skills? And though they do fight, they ultimately reconcile because Tim and Dick are brothers who love each other.

Damian

First things first, let's talk about Damian. Did Dick give Robin to Damian without even informing Tim, so Tim had to find out by Damian showing up in the Robin costume? Not exactly.

So, some technicalities. Damian had worn the costume before the infamous Batcave scene. In Batman: Battle for the Cowl #3, he's given it by Alfred and goes with Squire to save Tim. So, not only has Damian worn the costume before, Tim has seen it.

However, arguably this is also before Dick has accepted the mantle, so the scene in the cave is still notable as it is Dick specifically informing Tim that Damian will be his Robin. And Tim had also worn the costume out for a one-time rescue months before he officially became Robin (also enabled by Alfred), so I'm still of the idea that the cave scene is The Scene about the Robin mantle being passed down.

That being the case, I'm still going to defend Dick anyway.

Firstly, he told Tim before Damian showed up. But it's true that he didn't give Tim a choice, and that Tim was NOT okay with it.

Damian shows up and talks some shit, Tim punches him in the face, and then storms out.

Overall, it went pretty terribly! But I'm of the opinion that there was no good ending here. Damian needs the family connection that the mantle of Robin would give him in order to feel accepted, not to mention the close supervision that the duo of Batman and Robin would provide. But Tim is extremely attached to Robin 14 years after this comic and he still hasn't given it up and would never be happy being asked to give it up, especially when he's already lost so many things. One of them was going to end up unhappy. (Fwiw, I'm of the opinion that Dick is right, and Damian needs Robin a lot more than Tim does. But that doesn't mean that that decision wouldn't hurt Tim, too.)

Arguably, Dick could have been a bit nicer when doing this, but let's be fair to Dick: his father figure has just died, and suddenly he has to be Batman, and he now has a young child he is partly in charge of. That's a lot to be dumped on his lap, not to mention that he didn't want to be Batman (he initially refused despite Bruce's wishes, and only took it on after basically being forced to after Jason tried to take on the mantle, killed a bunch of people, and injured both Damian and Tim), and said child is a highly traumatized child who is still in the process of basically cult de-conditioning! So Tim could also be asked to be a lot more understanding than he's being. But Tim's too wrapped up in his own grief to see that. Just like Dick's too wrapped up in his own issues to properly deal with Tim.

He has a lot of shit going on and he can't juggle it all. Tim is coping incredibly poorly with his own circumstances. They clash and neither comes out happy. It sucked. But to say that Dick is the bad guy here... He made the best decision he could when given no right options. I do think that he made a mistake here in his approach, but to call his entire relationship with Tim into question due to it... doesn't make as much sense to me (especially because of the events which follow!)

Self-isolation

So, did everyone abandon Tim? Did his family forget him and leave him out to dry?

Absolutely not. The opposite, really. Tim pushed everyone away, despite them repeatedly reaching out to him.

One thing to note about Tim here is that he is self-isolating extremely hard. Even after their argument about Robin, Dick keeps trying to reach out to Tim. Tim pushes him away. Tim pushes everyone away. And this is not even subtle- it's shown in the text very clearly.

Multiple people try to talk to Tim, and Tim absolutely refuses them.

Tim is pissed even at the idea that Dick might be checking up on him. And Tim and Steph's relationship is super rocky right now, and he takes her concern for him poorly. Part of that can be attributed to an ongoing fight between them, a lack of trust implicit there, but combined with everything else it's also clearly Tim pushing away all of his lifelines.

Cassie also comes to try to check on him- after he dodges her attempts to contact him, she flies all the way to Gotham. But when told that a man who everyone knows as dead, and whose body was recovered and buried, is still alive, she doesn't believe him. (And considering Cassie has already dealt with Tim's grief regarding Conner and his suuuuuper rational reaction there, one might understand even more why she doesn't believe him right away.) And Tim immediately pushes her away for it. He doesn't try to give her any explanation, doesn't respond to her concern, he just immediately cuts the cord.

(And just a note that when Cassie doesn't know who else to turn to about Tim? She turns to Dick! Because she knows how important Dick is to Tim. And yes, right now Tim is mad at Dick and resents that Steph and Cassie go to him, but that doesn't change the fact that when people think about caring for Tim, Dick is the first person they go to.)

Dick and Tim's argument

Did Dick refuse to believe Tim, despite Tim having evidence, call him crazy and threaten to throw him in Arkham? NOPE.

That is entirely fanon. And one of the more pervasive, and annoying, misrepresentations of Dick's character, as it causes people to talk shit about him.

So. What actually happened? (We're getting into full pages here because I am not letting anyone get this conversation twisted.)

Dick shows up and speaks to Tim compassionately, though decisively, about the fact that Bruce is dead and they need to learn to move on and deal with that grief in a healthy manner. He then offers help to Tim once more, and is rejected, Tim instead opting to start a fight in classic emotionally-repressed Bat tradition. (Which, sidenote, do you think they do this just so that panels during a long conversation are more dynamic instead of two people standing there talking to each other?)

Tim pleads his case to Dick....to an extent. Notice, however, that he never mentions that he has any reason to believe what he does. Doesn't even try to convince Dick to believe him, really. Just insists that he's right after he makes a good case on why he does in fact sound crazy.

And then, Dick offers help. He suggests that Tim talk to a therapist. This person is, notably, NOT ARKHAM ASYLUM. Isn't even secretly Arkham, because they're in Metropolis!

And, frankly, the idea that someone suggesting therapy to his brother who is dealing poorly with grief has been equated to "calling him crazy and trying to get him thrown in jail/committed" is absolutely bonkers to me. I know that it's more likely that someone escalated the stakes for drama in their fanfic or something, and for some reason that's the version that circulated, but from here to there is a LEAP. And for people to claim it's canon is frustrating to say the least.

And finally. Tim tells Dick to let him leave. And Dick does. Dick stops trying to stop Tim, and lets him go. He trusts in Tim enough to let him do what he thinks is right, even if Dick himself disagrees. He does it because Tim asks him to.

Is it a mistake? Maybe. Does it make Tim forgive Dick for choosing Damian as his Robin? Definitely not. But it's very clearly not because he doesn't care, not because he's too busy to pay attention to Tim. It's an act of respect, of treating Tim as an equal who is capable of making his own decisions. In that way, it's showing his trust to Tim.

I have an entirely separate post on the subject of why Dick not believing Tim is narratively supported to make later (EDIT: posted here!), so I'm gonna go on a little Tim rant here instead. Because this post isn't long enough.

During this time, Tim is consistently begging for people to believe in him, while also refusing to play all his cards. The picture that started his hunch is never brought up. Frankly, I'm not sure that even if he did show it to everyone that people would believe him, but I think it's telling that he doesn't.

First, I kind of see it as Tim engaging in a "relationship test". They're the kind of thing that only people who are deeply insecure or in a bad place think to do- if I stop talking to all my friends, how long will it take people to notice? Who's going to notice that I'm upset without me saying anything, who really cares about me? If I share an insane theory, who is going to believe me point blank?

They're the kind of thing that is....not healthy in any way, shape, or form, and really aren't fair to the people you're testing. Sure, someone "passing" the test may show that they care for you (and, ultimately, the only person who believes Tim without reservation is Kon, once he comes back- and that unquestioning belief and loyalty is meaningful), but "failing" the test doesn't mean that they don't care. And they're ultimately a sort of self-sabotage, because you know that most people are going to fail because you know the test is unfair.

And that's exactly what it is: self-sabotage. As previously mentioned, Tim is massively self-isolating during this part of the arc, and pushing people away because they "don't believe him" is just one facet of that self-isolation. But he also doesn't try to get them to believe him, doesn't even give them that chance, because his ultimate goal is not to actually get anyone on his side, but to push everyone away. That's not to say that he secretly doesn't want people to believe him, but... he's acting mostly irrationally. He wants people to believe him but won't let them close enough to meaningfully give them the chance to do so.

Second, as much as Tim says that he's positive he's right and he's going to prove it, he's straight up lying, and he's actually not that sure at this point. And he's probably terrified that if he does show his proof, that someone will see it and still not believe him, and he'll have to face the fact that his only piece of evidence is extremely flimsy and that his conviction is based much more on grief than it actually is on logic.

So. Yeah, no one believes him. And that does suck, and it's a hit to him. But he didn't exactly give them a chance. He's preemptively cutting people out before they have a chance to hurt him or point out where he's wrong.

Tim is still a pitiable character here. He's a disaster and a wet puddle of a man who is living through the worst time in his entire life. But he's not a poor victim, scorned by his family and the world at large, thought to be crazy for no reason at all! Instead, he's (much more interestingly, imo) a kid dealing with his grief incredibly poorly, self-isolating and refusing every outstretched hand, clinging desperately on to his last hope that maybe his world hasn't changed as much as it seems like it has.

Blackest Night

Blackest Night is a huge crossover event that happened during the Red Robin run; technically speaking, you can skip it without missing anything in the plot of Red Robin, but it does have some good moments that highlight Tim's mental state and his relationship with Dick.

So, Tim leaves Gotham, but when Black Lantern Rings start bringing a bunch of people back from the dead in the form of zombies, including Dick and Tim's parents, Dick calls him back to Gotham. And Tim, looking at the decaying zombie corpse of his parents, is also arguing that he can save them.

When faced with an evil zombie that is trying to kill him, Tim still says "I can still fix this, I can save him". And Dick, as compassionately as ever, tries to talk sense into him. It's the exact same situation as with Bruce, but this time Tim is absolutely wrong.

And with this situation as a parallel, I think it's a lot clearer how unreasonable Tim's mental state is. He might seem like he's just a misunderstood genius in Bruce's case because he happened to be right, but the fact of the matter is, he's not thinking clearly. And he'd cling onto the same hopes even when he's wrong. With Bruce's case, he got lucky.

Also! This panel.

Even with all of this between them, Tim still answers Dick that he trusts him, with no hesitation. Of course.

Reconciliation

So, does Tim come back to Gotham, replaced and forgotten, and become isolated from the rest of the Bats?

Nope! There is, actually, a reconciliation of sorts between Dick and Tim. Admittedly, there is no scene where Dick outright says he's sorry, and Tim says he forgives him. But in my reading, there are interactions that serve a similar purpose, if you read between the lines.

After Tim finds proof of what's been going on with Batman, had a whole thing with the League and the Council of Spiders, and blown up a bunch of League bases, he returns to Gotham where Ra's is enacting a plan to get revenge for Tim acting against him: destroying Batman's legacy. Everything he loved and everything he built is in the crosshairs.

And when he's trying to figure out what Ra's is planning, he meets back up with Dick.

Tim is spewing crazy theories, and with absolutely no proof or explanation, he turns to Dick and asks him to trust him. And this time, Dick tells him, Of course. The fraction between them that preceded Tim's departure from Gotham is repeated, and this time Dick tells Tim he trusts him, and asks what he can do to help.

(This time, Dick does call Tim crazy, while he's muttering to himself. And then he chooses to trust him anyway.)

Granted, this is not an actual apology. But it feels like a second chance. One more bid for connection, and this time Dick meets him in the middle and reciprocates.

Anyway, since when do siblings actually verbally say "I'm sorry"?

And then... quick summary, in case you want the real details for the following events:

Ra's sends assassins after all the people Batman cares about to distract Tim from the fact that he's getting Hush (who is impersonating Bruce Wayne) to sign over Wayne Enterprises. But Tim wins because he finally stops self-isolating and gets his many friends to protect everyone who needs protecting while Tim faces off against Ra's. (Which is, ultimately, a climax of his character arc for this story- reaching out and trusting people again. Team up guy back in action!)

Tim's able to keep Ra's busy long enough that Lucius can file the paperwork to make him the majority shareholder of Wayne Enterprises, thwarting Ra's' attempt at a takeover. However, Ra's wins the fight, and Tim ends up plummeting to his death out of the window.

And then Dick catches him.

Later, Dick asks Tim how he could have planned for Dick to be there to save him.

And Tim says "You're my brother, Dick. You'll always be there for me."

This scene has been talked to death, because most people are at a consensus: this is a fucking lie. Tim didn't know that Dick would be there, and was fully prepared to die.

However! I'm not here to rehash this. I just want to add my take. It's a lie, but. Tim is a good liar. And every good liar knows that the best lies have a grain of truth in them.

I do believe that Tim didn't know that anyone would be there to save him. But I also believe that he fully means what he says here, that it's not just to placate Dick. Tim is telling Dick that he trusts him, that he believes in him, that they're brothers. It's forgiveness.

I could keep citing all the places where Tim shows an unconditional belief in Dick that happen after this arc, to prove that their relationship is truly mended after this and that they don't continue fighting, but that happens often enough that you could just read any comic including Tim and Dick and I'm sure Tim will say some fanboy shit eventually.

So, that's it! If you take nothing else from this post, take this at least: Tim and Dick LOVE each other, and they might fight, but they forgive each other, and if you try to talk shit about Dick Grayson, Tim will be one of the first to fight you, guaranteed. Suffice to say:

[fancyfade]

Do you know if you’ve ever done a post that dismantles the misconception that Dick “stole” Robin away from Tim to give it to Damian? I’ve seen posts debunking a lot of stuff on your poll but i have a hard time trying to find ones that succinctly tear that one apart lol

I've got you

Damian's intro to being Robin is told 2 ways, one in pre new 52 continuity, in battle for the cowl, and the other in post new 52 continuity, in secret origins 4.

in battle for the cowl, Damian starts in his black and white league of shadows uniform. Then, he's shot by Batman!Jason and Dick has some "i'm responsible for this child" moment, but does not make him Robin. We see Damian pretty much right after he regains consciousness:

Alfred tells him to earn his keep and gives him the Robin outfit, and next thing we see he's Robin

That's Battle for the Cowl, the pre-new 52 story (and also aside: first thing Damian does as Robin, what Alfred is setting him up to do, is to save Tim's life with squire (link))

Secret Origins 4 is for the broader part my favorite (I do like Damian saving Tim's life in Battle for the cowl tho), and I think it's way mroe focused on Damian's character.

We start, we see he's trying to establish a connection to his father

and he's clearly resentful about not having a connection to his dad

Alfred's worried Damian's going too far

So Alfred has Dick bring Damian back to the Batcave and says he found something

Dick is clearly in on it in that he knows it is going on, but it is framed as Alfred's idea, with him forging the letter, him being the one reaching out to Damian and worried he's going too far and contacting Dick (and dick saying he doesn't know much about Damian beforehand in this comic and Alfred explains), and Alfred being the one who seemed to have made the suit, since Dick said he liked it and alfred says dialogue implying it was his design decision (never wise to stray too far from perfection")

anyway the implication is that Alfred made Damian Robin to try to give him a connection to his father, because Damian was inconsolable (but... in the assassin way not the crying way :P)

even in Red Robin #1, which I assume most people (who read comics :P) are referencing for Dick 'giving' Damian Robin, all Tim says is how can you let Dick w

So it might be reasonable for the reader to assume here that Dick made Damian Robin.. but since he didn't, Tim is just asking how he can let him wear it. I have a post fully breaking down this scene here (link)

[spider-jaysart]

@theredheaded-stuff

@paladin-of-nerd-fandom65

I really liked the last one where they kept the squire versions of their outfits as souvenirs

If I could maybe just add a bit more...

When Jake was only 5 years old, he once went on a crazy late night adventure after getting kidnapped by a monsterous being from the Grayson apartment. Though, luckily he had brought Silkie and Haley along with him to help him beat the monster and release the rest of the other little kids that the creature had took with him, that was when Dick and Kory had finally found Jake and the two pets. After a tight fluffy hug with their young son and their pets, they then quickly called the rest of the Titans to help them bring the rest of the now found kids back home to their parents where they belonged. Jake likes to tell everyone this story all the time

Chris has a habit of singing out loud while listening to his favorite songs

When Jake was little and would always see his Uncles in the Batcave, he would used to always beg his Uncles to take him out on missions with them and would tell them that "Mom and Dad wouldn't have to know a thing if they did." Though, in response they would always tell him that he was way too young to be coming on any missions with them, which would usually result in him being sad with their answer. To make him feel better, they would then tell him that when they came back, they can have Alfred's delicious chocolate chip cookies and Kory's famous Zorka berry tarts and watch his favorite Disney movie together, which would always put a smile on his face right away. Though... The only time it didn't exactly go like this was when Damian had to watch little Jake for a night when he originally had other plans, which was to go on a mission to solve a recent case that he was working on. So.... Once Jake found out about that, he quickly told Damian that they could go on the mission together and he could still watch him the whole time and that Mom and Dad would never have to know. After some long hard thinking...he decided to take the young half Tamaranean with him on the mission, also giving him a quick suit to wear to hide his identity. After they were both finally done with the mission, they both quickly got back to the Grayson apartment on time before Dick and Kory actually came back. Once Kory and Dick got back home, they saw the fluffy sight of Jake and Damian in their normal clothes, both asleep on the couch next to eachother with the tv on after a long night. Kory and Dick never found out about what had actually happened that night while they were gone.

Jake and Chris both once had to fight mirrored versions of themselves after accidentally getting sent to a strange universe that reflects their universe but in a bad way. They both succeeded in defeating their alternate selves and got back home safely in the end

One time, Chris and Jake both got armored versions of their suits after having to save some of their family members (Tim, Damian, Jon, Kara, and Kon) who were trapped in a video game that likes to suck people into it's world and keep them in there to fight till they have no more lives left. They and their family were able to defeat the enemies in the game together and got passed the levels, and at the end they were able to defeat the evil main villain in the game who was in control of it all in a boss battle, permanently taking the games magic away, freeing them and everyone that it had ever trapped in there.

Starburst Duo Headcanons:

- While Jake has a fondness for penguins, Chris on the other hand considers Orca Whales to be his favorite marine animals. Not only does he have an orca plushie for emergency cases of nightmares, but on some weekends, he flies over to wherever a pod of orcas are swimming in the open oceans and hangs out with them.

- During one space adventure , the two found themselves drawn to an intergalactic circus in which its performers are under the tyrannical control of a group of three ancient, all powerful and malicious sentient brains. Should the acts of the performers entertain said brains, they pass their test without consequences. Bore them, and dire consequences happen indeed. The Duo were able to distract the brains with their own acts (Chris demonstrating his Kryptonian strength as a strongman lifting increasing heavier items and Jake of course performs a trapeze act without his flight powers nor a safety net) long enough until the Green Lantern Corps intervened and their performers were freed

- On a particular adventure involving time travel shenanigans, Chris and Jake found themselves in the ancient city of El Dorado where they encounter two time displaced explorers whom were trying to prove the city’s existence as well. All four though find themselves not only facing a massive amounts of booby traps, malicious monkeys and undead warriors who are active via a magic spell left by this civilization’s priests as a defense against any to all intruders, but apparently a massive spell that seemingly traps our heroes in a time loop. Basically, anytime Chris, Jake and the two explorers think they’re about to find their way out of El Dorado, time rests to a particular point and while in a different manner, events replay themselves. Thankfully, Jake was able to catch in to this loop and with careful coordination and quick thinking with their powers, the Duo were able to break the time loop and everyone was able to return home. Jake originally wanted to have on tiny golden artifact as a souvenir but Chris tells him it’s best to leave it all behind, lest some other perils follow them.

@spider-jaysart @theredheaded-stuff @sillymanwithocs @mothnem

[codenamed-queenie]

Vibe Check

Dick: *walking through Wayne Manor with Cassandra on his shoulders*

Dick: BEHOLD MORTALS, THE MIGHTY QUEEN CASS, HERE TO ADMINISTER VIBE CHECKS TO ONE AND ALL

Cass: *giggles*

Dick: AND I, HER LOWLY COURT JESTER SHALL ATTEND TO HER EVERY COMMAND

Dick: WHO IS OUR FIRST VICTIM, MY LIEGE?

Damian: *walks by*

Cass: *points*

Dick: VERY WELL, OUR QUEEN HAS SPOKEN! YOUNG SQUIRE, YOU HAVE BEEN SELECTED FOR A VIBE CHECK.

Damian: I beg your pardon, a what?

Damian: *walks into a wall*

Dick: HE HAS FAILED THE VIBE CHECK, WELL DONE MY LADY.

Dick: WHOSE VIBES SHALL WE INSPECT NEXT?

Cass: *whispers in his ear*

Dick: A FINE CHOICE

Dick: LADY STEPHANIE OF HOUSE BROWN, COME FORTH

Steph: *descends from the ceiling*

Steph: My Queen! You summoned?

Dick: PLEASE REMAIN CALM AS THE QUEEN STARES INTO THE DEPTHS OF YOUR SOUL. It should only take, like, ten seconds.

Cass: *stares*

Steph: *stares*

Dick: WELL? WHAT IS THE VERDICT, YOUR HIGHNESS?

Cass: *nods*

Dick: WHAT JOY! LADY STEPHANIE OF HOUSE BROWN, YOU HAVE PASSED THE VIBE CHECK. A HEARTY CONGRATULATIONS TO YOU.

Cass: *whispers in his ear*

Dick: BUT OF COURSE! QUEEN CASS HEREBY KNIGHTS YOU WITH ALL HONORS AND FULL PERMISSION TO VIBE. HER GRACE INVITES YOU IN FULL FELLOWSHIP TO JOIN IN HER CRUSADE.

Steph [saluting]: YOU HAVE MY VIBES, MY LIEGE

Dick: WONDERFUL. NOW GRAB THAT VASE AND COME WITH US.

Jason [walking down the hall as he talks with Roy on the phone]: Yeah man, in and out, I swear. None of these suckers have even noticed me yet--

Steph: *smashes a vase over his head*

Jason: *collapses*

Steph: YOOOOOOO

Roy [muffled]: Jay? Jaybird? Did you get the cookies? JAY!?

Dick [from the top of the stairs]: SIR JASON OF TODD HAS FAILED THE VIBE CHECK.

Tim: *walks in*

Dick: HOW GLORIOUS YOUR HIGHNESS! ANOTHER VIBE TO CHECK!

Tim [who hasn't slept in three days and craves the sweet release of death or a nap]: To vibe or not to vibe? That is the question. Whether 'tis nobler to suffer the checks or to fight against outrageous fortune, I know not. Life is to vibing as existence is to dying, indeed, do any of us truly exist at all? Does any soul truly vibe? What is the answer to the age-old query of life and death, vibe and check? In the end, we are all the same--all of us do be vibing, always, in our hearts.

Tim: *faints*

Everyone: ...

Steph [tearing up]: That was beautiful, but what the actual f**k?

Dick: WE APPEAR TO BE AT AN IMPASSE. YOUR HIGHNESS, WHAT IS YOUR VERDICT? DOES THE YOUNG BARD PASS THE VIBE CHECK?

Cass: ...

Steph and Dick: ...?

Cass: Yes!

Dick: ALL HAIL THE MERCIFUL QUEEN CASS! THREE CHEERS FOR TIMOTHY THE BARD! HIP HIP--

Cass: HOORAY!

Dick: HIP HIP--

Steph: HOORAY!

Dick: HIP HIP--

Tim: *passed out on the ground*

Bruce [sipping coffee as he watches from the BatCave's security cameras]: Seen enough, Cat? Or are you still thinking of moving in?

Selina: Do you ever worry about your kids, Bat?

Bruce: *takes a grating sip*

Bruce: Only every d**n day of my life.

[thelittleredheadedmusician]

Sunrise Shadows

Rating: G 1,882 Gen AO3

It was late, or early depending on your perspective, and Steph was that bone deep tired that came after a fight to save the fate of the world. Which was fine, they’d won, but she didn’t really know where in the world she was and Steph really just wanted to crawl into bed. Maybe take her suit off first. Possibly slap some Neosporin on her cuts and scrapes. But mostly sleep.

She flicked through the channels on her comm, trying to find one not already filled with chatter. The all clear had been called about ten minutes ago now and clean up was well underway. But Steph was a Bat so it’s not like she could be much help clearing rubble or relocating displaced civilians. Her skills lay in kicks to the face, sassy remarks, and boots on the ground interpersonal interactions. Heck, not to mention she was only sixty percent sure she was currently standing in Prague. It might be Vienna. All Steph could do now was sit on the rooftop and wait.

The sun was rising on her left and she had lost track of time at some point but Steph was fairly certain it’d been dark in Gotham when she left. Taking a zeta from the Batcave to the Watchtower and stomping down the glee she still got whenever the computer announced her arrival as Batgirl.

Oracle was coordinating everything from the Clocktower which was lucky because the chaos on the comms made it sound like the Watchtower’s tech was down. No wonder she was still sitting here watching the sun rise over Eastern Europe. No Watchtower, no teleporting back to Gotham. Plus, the speedsters and, well, everyone else sounded a little busy. Making Steph with her super minor injuries, minimal destruction of public property, and... blondeness? (She was really tired; her brain was running out of battery and the internal monologue was losing steam) very low on the list of priorities.

Kicking her feet a bit, Steph allowed herself to get comfy on the edge of the roof. Thankfully, her thigh belt made it through today’s encounter meaning her snack supply did too. Steph pulled a chocolate chip granola bar out and tore it open with relish. She hadn’t realized how hungry she was until she started chewing. Then her stomach growled.

Steph was on her third granola bar and making a physical note in her phone to restock once she slept when she heard her name as part of the litany of sound that floated across the main channel.

“Batgirl? Batgirl this is Oracle, please respond.”

“This is Batgirl,” she said quickly, before someone could interrupt. The Flashes had been narrating rescues without realizing it seemed.

“I’m pinging your location as still in Prague, is this correct?”

Huh, Steph had been right the first time. “Uh, yeah O. I’m just waiting for retrieval.”

“Noted. Sorry about the delay. Dispatching a pickup to your current location.” Babs was all business as the abrupt cut of her switching to a different channel echoed over the line.

Steph waited, check ins and confirmations filling the empty space Oracle had left. She was still listening in, they all knew, just having a private conversation with whoever was playing ferry. Which honestly was kind of weird. Who wasn’t on the main channel right now? And what made them so special the almighty Oracle deigned to give them their own channel in the middle of all this? Ok, end of all this, but still. Steph was Babs’s friend, protege, pain in the ass, and she didn’t even get a private page.

“Oracle to Batgirl,” Babs came back, brusque. Though Steph thought it was just a mix of exhaustion and the voice modulator.

“This is Batgirl,” Steph tried for chipper and landed somewhere decidedly south of it. Honestly, she was just glad everyone else on the line had gone silent at the word ‘Oracle.’

“Please keep your current location, pickup will be arriving soon.”

Steph didn’t even get the chance to say thanks before Babs was moving on to the next thing, which was apparently sending Blue Beetle to help with a fire in San Antonio.

Turning her mic off, Steph settled in. Soon meant anywhere from five minutes to an hour in these types of things. At least she had a nice view and some snacks left in the meantime.

Movement out of the corner of her eye had her turning away from the sunrise. A shadow on the rooftop behind her seemed to shift. Steph blamed her growing exhaustion for making her see things but the shadows seemed to deepen, darken even as the sun climbed.

Instincts kicked in, Steph swung her legs around and scrambled from the edge of the roof. She flicked her bo staff out. Stepping lightly, Steph crept towards the spreading darkness. It was off, the kind of weird that put her on high alert. And it was getting impossibly darker.

Something seemed to be taking shape in the blackness, moving towards her from the depths. Steph was reminded suddenly of Peter Pan as a lone figure of shadow separated itself from the rest.

In a blink, Steph wasn’t looking at a man made of shadow, but a man. An impeccably dressed man with a top hat, dark glasses, and a silver topped cane that glinted in the morning light.

He smiled at her, but Steph didn’t change her stance. “You must be Batgirl,” he said in an accent Beryl would describe as posh. Steph suddenly missed Beryl and hoped that Knight and Squire made it out of today unscathed.

“And you are?” Steph tried for snarky as she lowered her bo staff to point at him. If he knew who she was then maybe he’d know better than to pick a fight with her. Steph was so tired she didn’t actually think she could win. She feared she wouldn’t even be able to hold him off until her pickup got here.

“The Shade,” he smiled as he said it and there was something more than pride.

Steph narrowed her eyes, but otherwise didn’t move. “I’ve heard of you. Whose side are you on today?”

“Always my own,” the smile twisted into a smirk at his joke. “Though currently I am assisting your Justice League.”

Cautiously, Steph collapsed her staff and straightened. “Technically, I’m also a private contractor. I’m guessing you’re my ride?”

He hummed and Steph couldn’t tell if he was annoyed and hiding it with amusement or amused and hiding it with annoyance. “I apologize for the wait. There was a bit of a misunderstanding between myself, a Mr. Constantine, and a, uh, Phantom Stranger about who was to come here and who was to fetch the Teen Titans from South America. Apparently, their jet was rendered inoperable.”

Steph laughed to herself at Tim and his team getting stuck. She could just imagine Rose and Cassie arguing. The demigoddess and ex-assassin both too worn out to do anything but snipe at each other. Or maybe Cassie and Kon were doing cleanup, leaving the rest to wait like Steph had.

The beginning of The Shade’s apology came back around to the forefront of Steph’s mind. It explained why Babs had switched to another line, that was a list of some relatively antisocial/social to only very specific people magic users. They probably weren’t too thrilled to be used as a superhero ride share either. So, their own line? Made sense.

“Totally understandable,” Steph waved off. “It’s not like I have anywhere else to be.”

The Shade smiled and inclined his head. “Thank you, Miss Batgirl. Now, if you would?” He held out a gloved hand, though his gloves were silk compared to her own reinforced leather with proprietary Wayne Tech rubber grips.

Still a tad leery, Steph’s desire to go home and fall asleep far outweighed any concern over going anywhere with The Shade. He wasn’t a Gotham villain, arguably wasn’t a villain at all, and she did kind of have a monthly midnight brunch with Harley and Ivy. And Selina seemed to have permanently moved into the Manor. Not to mention Steph started her crimefighting career stopping Cluemaster, her dad. So, Steph took his hand.

He took a step back into the shadows and Steph went with him. She caught him glance at her out of the corner of her eye as the shadows rose up and began twisting around her ankles first. He seemed surprised, but Steph was just as at home in the shadows as him. Granted, the inky darkness that was consuming them faster by the moment was darker and much much colder than the ones she was used to. Not to mention sentient.

Soon, Steph was surrounded by the darkness. She no longer felt entirely real. The only way Steph was even sure she existed was the weight of another hand holding hers. Her thoughts came and went before she could even register them. Suddenly, it all came back to her: Steph was being taken back to Gotham courtesy of The Shade and his shadows. She couldn’t see him but the grip on her hand told her he was there, somewhere in the black. That grip began tugging her forward and Steph walked.

One step.

Two step.

Three step.

The world around her seemed to lighten incrementally, though Steph had no idea how she was able to tell.

Four step.

Five step.

On the sixth step the darkness lifted, uncurling from around her until she was left standing on the rooftop of the GCPD in the shadow of the Batsignal. An inky puddle under her feet and a few tendrils still slipping off her calves.

The Shade lifted their linked hands, almost as if he was passing her off at a ball in a period film. Steph took her cue, walking towards the floodlight that shone in the still night sky. She let go of his hand once she was firmly in its glow.

Steph turned back to him though, wanting to thank him before he disappeared. What came out of her mouth instead was “That was so strange.”

He chuckled, “That generally is the sentiment when I accompany someone.”

“What’s the sentiment when you don’t?” she asked before she could stop herself.

“Abject terror.”

“Ah.” Well she did ask. His smile flickered somewhere in the direction of sly. “Right,” Steph sighed. “I just wanted to thank you for this. I know you’d rather not do this-”

“Understatement.”

“-but I really appreciated it. So, thanks.”

He tipped his hat in an absurdly gentlemanly way. “You’re very welcome. Just, don’t expect it to happen again.”

“Noted.” And then Steph did something that could only be chalked up to extreme exhaustion.

Steph shot finger guns at The Shade.

He smirked and the shadows gathered around him. The Shade stepped backwards into the growing darkness. Then he was gone.

Smacking her head, Steph turned towards her apartment. She flicked on her mic as she pulled out her grapple. The voices in her ear had disappeared when she went into the shadows but came back as soon as she stepped out of them.

“Batgirl to Oracle,” she cut in and swung out over Gotham.

“Go for Oracle.”

“Consider me home and signing off for... Signing off.”

[thebatmarino]

The DCEU’s next Batman should be played by Dick Grayson

Batman and Robin.  Words that have gone together like Peanut Butter and Jelly for around 80 years.  Everybody in the world knows that Batman’s younger sidekick is Robin. Many know that Robin is Dick Grayson, fewer know that Dick grew up to become Nightwing, and even fewer still that he has spent time as Batman. With the recent activity in DC film, I want to talk about my favorite superhero, what makes him great, and most importantly, why I believe Dick Grayson is the answer to the DCEU’s Bat situation. To start, we’re going to rewind to 1940, when Robin was introduced to the world in Detective Comics #38.

Batman was created in 1939.  A grim figure of the night, Batman spoke very little, a trait that has held through to this day. At the time however, legend has it that Bill Finger and Bob Kane were tired of drawing thought bubbles for him, so they needed to give him someone to talk to.  But who? Well, Batman was a Sherlock Holmesian figure, it was Detective Comics after all, so they needed to give him a Watson.  A character who’s intelligent, capable, and a proxy for the readership so they can join Batman on his adventures. The readership at the time (target readership, we know girls love and read comics too, but this was 1940) was 12 year old boys, and who might they look up to? Robin Hood starring Errol Flynn came out in 1938, he seems pretty cool. And a Robin keeps up the motif of flying animal that Batman started.  And there you have it, Robin the Boy Wonder was born.

The creation of Robin is also the birth of the Teenage Sidekick. Since then, every teen sidekick from Bucky to Kid Flash owes a debt to the creation of Robin.  As more and more sidekick characters populated the comic scene, something happened at DC Comics in particular that is one of my favorite things about the brand: the idea of Legacy Characters.

Consider the Justice League for a moment. Let’s look at the big 6: Wonder Woman, Superman, Batman, Green Lantern, Flash, and Aquaman.  These characters are the Greek Gods reborn.  They are iconic, they are mythological.  Each one of them proudly displays a symbol that they adhere to.  “I believe in love and equality”, “There is hope for everyone”, “I will drag myself through Hell for justice”, “by force of will, I will overcome all fear to save the world”, “I will always make time to help people”, “I will be the great uniter of disparate people”, or whatever you interpret the thesis of these characters to be. They are perfect embodiments.  The problem with perfection is that real people can’t attain that.  We can try.  We can stumble and fall. And that is exactly what the Legacy Characters attempt to be. These characters are absolute representations in ways that humans are generally not. They are aspirational.  That’s why there’s merchandise out the wazzu (do people still say that?), so you can see a person on the street with that Green Lantern symbol and know that person wants to overcome fear.

Dick Grayson was the first.  For many years Dick was happily Robin, going on strange adventures with Batman and friends, whupping ass in green short pants. He even formed a team of sidekicks, known as the Teen Titans along with Wonder Girl, Kid Flash, Aqualad, and Speedy.  All teenagers struggling to live up to their “parents”.  These perfect people who’s symbols they have taken as their own and sworn to uphold.  Then something interesting happened.  In 1984, in Tales of the Teen Titans #44, Dick Grayson debuted his Nightwing persona.

Dick Grayson had been growing up.  Which is a thing yet again, never done in comics before.  For some time now, a rift had been growing between the Dark Knight and his Squire. Dick had gone off to college, formed his own super-team, and was going through the typical growing pains of a young person trying to step out on their own. No longer feeling the identity of his 12 year old fancies were fitting, he picked an adult, darker name that still reflected and honored where where he came from (the origins of this name are toyed with and retconned, but the connections between Bats and Wings of the Night cannot be denied).

As Nightwing, Dick Grayson was his own man, ran his life and heroics how he saw fit, and most importantly, didn’t answer to Batman.  Until Knightfall happened.  In the events of this story, Bane broke Bruce’s spine, resulting in Bruce choosing a man named Jean-Paul Valley as the new Batman.  Jean-Paul went nutso and nearly killed Bane and begun a reign of hyper-vigilante terror in Gotham, so Bruce badassed his way back to walking because comic books, and whupped his ass.  Before restoring himself as the one true Batman, Bruce asked the one man qualified in all the world to take up the mantle to do so: Dick Grayson.  Yet again, we have a comic book first: a legacy character fulfilling their legacy. This didn’t last long however, Bruce did what he had to do, and Dick dutifully (and reluctantly) filled in as long as required.

Nightwing then got a brilliant solo series by Chuck Dixon and Scott McDaniel, which to this day is probably the most influential run on the character. Before we move on in his publication history though, I think it’s important to understand WHO Dick is, and WHY he is.  After all, what makes this 12 year old boy so special that he becomes Batman’s right hand man in a war on crime?

Richard John Grayson, aka Dick, was born to John and Mary Grayson of the legendary Flying Graysons of Haly’s Circus.  The reason they were legendary was because they flew without the safety of a net.  Dick grew up on the trapeze with no net.  No fear, no cares in the world, except being a child star performer. After a mob boss tries to unsuccessfully extort money from the circus, they murder the Graysons by tampering with the trapeze before Dick’s very eyes. The young orphan was observed by another orphan in the crowd, Bruce Wayne, who took him in.  It wasn’t really successfully explained why a 12 year old seemed okay to take out fighting crime until the two part episode of Batman: The Animated Series, Robin’s Reckoning. Like a young Bruce, Dick was consumed with his parents’ murder.  Each night, unfulfilled by the guardianship of an absentee Bruce Wayne, Dick would sneak out and try to track down leads on his parents’ killer.  Eventually he got in over his head and Batman bailed him out and returned him to the Batcave. This boy knew no fear.  He would return to the streets night after night.  He would get himself killed.  Unless he was trained how to not die by a certain… bat themed expert at not-getting-killed-by-criminal-scum.  Bruce revealed his identity to Dick, which also explained why he was busy so much of the time, and in the Batcave, Dick swore an oath by candlelight to uphold justice and everything Batman stood for. The training was gruelling. Probably inhumane. But eventually Dick was allowed to accompany Batman on the streets as his sidekick.

Dick Grayson was saved by Bruce Wayne. Where Bruce was in uncharted territory sorting his rage, vengeance, and pain, Dick Grayson had a guide.  A Mentor.  Someone who had been exactly where he was, and could keep him from being consumed by darkness.  And that’s reflected in their uniforms.  The bright boy and the dark man. Adding to that, the Wayne’s murderer got away. There will be no vengeance or justice for Batman, just a gaping wound.  Dick got justice for his parents. He saw that what they did worked, and that he could keep doing it for other people.  Whereas Batman is driven by a desire to hurt those who hurt others, Dick is here to help.  That’s something Tom King wrote into his character over and over during his run, the words “how can I help”.  And if you look at the jobs he’s held down since striking out on his own: Police Officer, Guidance Counselor, Personal trainer, even bartending at a cop bar where he could give these guys relief (as well as pick up some leads) are all acts of service towards others.  Which when the time came, made him a very different Batman.

The time eventually came.  Bruce Wayne was “dead” (as dead as anyone is in comics), and Gotham City was in chaos. Initially Bruce left instructions for Dick not to become Batman. Because Nightwing was strong enough.  He was his own man and Bruce believed in what he was doing.  However, Gotham needs Batman, the symbol.  And for the first time truly, not just putting on the cape and cowl, but deep in his bones, Dick Grayson became Batman. Fulfilling the legacy.  He is not Bruce Wayne, just like we cannot be Bruce Wayne, but he can do his best to live up to what the symbol of The Batman means to him, just like us.  Which brings me to where Dick Grayson is the future of the cinematic Batman franchise.

Over the last few years, we are experiencing a massive shift in how our male heroes are percieved.  In the 80s which gave birth to Dark Knight Returns, a huge influence on the DCEU Batman, we saw a trend of hypermasculinity in our heroes.  They were JACKED, strong, fearless, .50 Cal from the hip, Macho Men, stoic badasses that were too busy punching out teeth and blowing shit up to feel sissy-ass feelings.  And that is where Batman has lived for years in comic continuity. He doesn’t say I love you, he doesn’t hug, he doesn’t feel feelings, he’s a rage-powered badass dressed all in black that kicks in criminals’ kneecaps because he probably kind of likes it.  At the end of the day, you read enough of these comics and question whether or not Batman is actually a good man. Is he doing this to save the day, or inflict pain? Probably some of both.

As we survey the current landscape of masculinity, of heroism, of feminism, it’s important to question our heroes. It’s important to question, is this the ideal that we want people to strive for? In Batman V. Superman: Dawn of Justice, we saw that Frank Miller Dark Knight Returns in all his glory.  In my opinion, Ben Affleck’s portrayal of Batman was my favorite thing about that film. He was deliciously brutal, he was stubborn in his righteousness, he was extreme in his methodology, he was....murdering people? He was losing himself.  He was so caught up in his need for violence, his need for war that he attempted to murder superman with a freaking spear. I suspect Justice League was intended to have a more redemptive arc for the demon he had become, but in any case, he has still become a monster.  He has dwelled in hell so long that he has become the very type of devil he sought to destroy.

The best thing for Bruce Wayne would be to leave this life behind somehow. Pass the cowl on to the man who he trained for this very purpose. A hero that exemplifies modern healthy masculinity.  Who can say “I love you”, who wants to seek justice more than vengeance, who can maintain healthy friendships and relationships, who believes in kindness, friendship, and laughter.  I think it is time for Dick Grayson to take his place in cinematic history as Batman.

That doesn’t even touch upon the fact that the DCEU Batman is around 45 years old.  While incredible and imaginative, they’ve set him at a natural age to retire from jumping off rooftops and withstanding repeated head trauma. If you look at Batman as a pro athlete, you simply do not see them at his age and doing tremendously well.  Which when your sport is dodging gunfire and acting as bait for super aliens so other super aliens can clobber them, is not great.  I think DC Entertainment is looking for ways to have a more youthful Batman, and I believe Dick Grayson is part of that natural path.

And that doesn’t mean we won’t have Bruce Wayne stories.  As the news has just dropped, Matt Reeves is telling his own young Bruce tales.  But as far as the Batman that stands shoulder to shoulder with Wonder Woman, and Superman?  Here we have a young man in Dick Grayson coming into his own as a hero on the world’s stage, just like Diana and Clark.  A young man with the strategic mind of Batman, the physical training, the gadgets, resources, but without the blinding rage, pain, and cynicism.  A superhero that looks at the world and wants to genuinely help people. Not out of a deep psychological need to harm those who harmed him, but because he was broken and then saved, and he can do that for other people.  Being a good person is all the superpower you need. As a culture, I believe those are the heroes we need right now. And as for Dick Grayson, he’s a born showman, and I think it’s time for him to take the stage.

[whothefuckiscassandracain]

Batman: Battle for the Cowl Vol 1 3: Last Man Standing

The finale begins with Nightwing realizing that the current increase in gang violence was neither Penguin’s nor Two-Face’s doing and so he sends out the Network to find the real culprit, while he goes and deals with Batman!Jason. Cass is part of a group shot here:

And since this is all of Cass’ involvement, let me cut the remaining 20 pages of awfulness very short: Dick fights Jason and wins, Damian and Squire go and rescue Tim from Jason’s Batcave, Dick puts on the Batman costume and goes out with Damian as his Robin, and Tony S. Daniel has climbed into my top 5 worst DC writers shit list. Now where did I put the brain bleach…

[comic-watch]

Batman and his team must stop a Rampaging Clayface through the streets of Gotham. Red Robin is injured, and it is a Team effort to stop the carnage, in the Finale to Fall of the Batmen!

Detective Comics # 973 Writer:  James Tynion IV Artist:  Jesus Merino Inker:  Diana Egea Colorist:  Jason Wright Letterer:  Sal Cipriano Cover Artist:  Guillem March & Tomeu Morey Variant Cover:  Rafael Albuquerque Editors:  Brian Cunningham, Chris Conroy & Dave Wielgosz Publisher:  DC Comics

What You Need to Know: Batman and Robin are in a Flashback to the day that they brought Clayface onto their team. Red Robin is excited to have worked on a project that he has named the “Mud Room” where these gallons of Psycho-active clay can be formed into enemies for the sake of Training. Way to go, Tim! batman cannot help but notice that Tim is enjoying this a little too much. Batman tells Tim that he is bringing in Batwoman and Clayface, and Tim is ecstatic. He tells Batman that he kept the Bell in here and wants to call this remote Hideout “The Belfry.”

What You’ll Find Out: Present day and the problem at hand is the Godzilla =sized Clayface that is trampling Gotham beneath his billowy Clay Feet! Clayface has absorbed all of the Clay from Red Robin’s Mud Room, and Super-Sized Himself! The Remote Batcave like Belfry, Tim Drake’s Headquarters, was destroyed, and with it, Tim injured with a nasty Concussion.

Batman is working with the team to formulate a plan to bring Basil down to size.

What Just Happened?

Everyone is lending a hand to help stop Clayface. Batwing and Squire are working up a plan to have the Batwing drones controlled by Azazel and sent to battle Clayface. In the Meantime Anarchy and (honestly a character that they do not name, but I imagine has a Name) argue about the ethics of their interference so far, Anarchy does not take lightly the impertinence and the hypocrisy of the other and they fight. (a sort of B-plot item that is not too explored in this issue).

Time is running out for Clayface as the team develops a serum to revert Boris to his most human-like state. The Serum will need to be administered by Cassandra (Orphen) directly to his Brain or cerebral cortex, and she is the one most likely to get that close.

In a surprise moment, Boris does indeed revert back to his human form, and we see a touching moment as he and Cassandra lament their relationship and how close they have become. Unfortunately, all does not go as planned. Check out the final pages to reveal the twist!

Rating:  8 / 10

Final Thought: 

Having just jumped in on this story, I feel like I am at an unfair advantage. I get to start with the fruition of all the action, with little work to do so, and as a result, I may like the story better than most. The characters all interacted very well, and there were some deep moments when they have regrets and express their feelings as a group or to each other. I enjoyed this book a lot. It has the Epic sense of  Pacific Rim or Jurassic World, but the true sentiment of Batman or the team doing Detective work to solve a problem. It’s nice to see Batman actually letting others be a part of the solution as well. What a twist as well, I did not want to spoil it, but check out the last page of the book, it will shock you! A solid ending to a 5 part story, and worth checking out at the comic shop.

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The thrilling conclusion to the Fall of the Batmen story! Check out the Giant Clayface! Batman and his team must stop a Rampaging Clayface through the streets of Gotham. Red Robin is injured, and it is a Team effort to stop the carnage, in the Finale to Fall of the Batmen!

[comics-manga-videos]

Para que no digan que no los amo... 😁😁 Batman (Ultimate Collection) https://goo.gl/Q9JnS2 👆 El personaje apareció por primera vez en Detective Comics # 27 (portada de mayo de 1939). Batman demostró ser tan popular que un auto-titulado continua serie de cómics comenzó a publicarse en la primavera de 1940. Se anunció por primera vez a principios de abril de 1940, un mes después de la primera aparición de su nuevo compañero, Robin, el Boy Wonder. Aunque el cómic Batman fue lanzado inicialmente como una publicación trimestral, más tarde se convirtió en una serie bimestral a finales de 1950, después de lo cual se convirtió en una publicación mensual y se ha mantenido así desde entonces. La serie original terminó en 2011 y fue relanzada con un nuevo primer número. Batman (Ultimate Collection) consiste en: Batman is an ongoing comic book series featuring the DC Comics hero of the same name. The character first appeared in Detective Comics #27 (cover dated May 1939). Batman proved to be so popular that a self-titled ongoing comic book series began publication in the spring of 1940. It was first advertised in early April 1940, one month after the first appearance of his new sidekick, Robin, the Boy Wonder. Though the Batman comic book was initially launched as a quarterly publication, it later became a bimonthly series through the late 1950s, after which it became a monthly publication and has remained so since. The original series ended in 2011 and was relaunched with a new first issue. Batman (Ultimate Collection) consist of : Arkham Asylum Arkham City Bane of the Demon (001-004) (1998) Batman & Lobo Batman & Tarzan – Claws of the Cat-Woman (001-004) (1999) Batman & the Monster Men (001-006) (2006) Batman 80-Page Giant (001-003+) (1998-2000+2010) Batman Family (v1+v2) (1975-2003) Batman Odyssey (v1+v2) (2010-2012) Batman Sword of Azrael (001-004) (1992-1993) Batman, Hellboy & Starman (001-002) (1999) Batman-Batgirl Batman-Catwoman Batman-Deathblow – After the Fire (01 – 03) (2002) Batman-Huntress Battle For The Cowl Black & White (v1-v2+)(1996+2013-2014) Bruce Wayne – The Road Home (One-Shots)(2010) Cacophony (001-003)(2009) City of Light (001-008) Damian – Son of Batman (001-004+Variants)(2013-2014) Dark Detective (001-006) (2005) Death & the Maidens (001-009) (2003-2004) Death Mask (001-004) (2008) Gates of Gotham (001-005) (2011) Gordon of Gotham (001-004) (1998) Gotham After Midnight (001-012) (2008-2009) Gotham Girls (001-005) (2002) Gotham Nights (001-004) (1992) Gotham Underground (001-009) (of 09) (2007-2008) Grendel (v1+v2) (1993-1996) Harley & Ivy (001-003+) (2004) Knight and Squire (001-006) (2010-2011) Knightfall (001-003) (2000) No Man’s Land (000-005+) Orphans (001-002) (2011) Orpheus Rising (001-005) (2001-2002) Penguin – Pain & Prejudice (001-005) (2011) Shadow of the Batman (001-005) (1985-1986) Tenses (001-002) (2003) The Ankh (001-002) (2002) The Long Halloween The Return of Bruce Wayne (001-006+) (2010) The Saga of Ras Al Ghul (001-004) (1988) The Ultimate Evil (001-002) (1995) The Widening Gyre (001-006+Variants) (2009-2010) Turning Points (001-005) (2001) Two-Face Strikes Twice (Book 01.01-02.02) (1993) Unseen (001-005) (2009-2010) Year One Batman – Book of the Dead (001-002)(Elseworlds) Batman – Dark Knight of the Round Table (001-002)(Elseworlds) Batman – Haunted Gotham (001-004)(Elseworlds) Batman – Hollywood Knight (001-003)(Elseworlds) Batman – League of Batmen (001-002)(Elseworlds) Batman – Manbat (001-003)(Elseworlds) Batman – Nevermore (001-005)(Elseworlds) Batman – The Doom that Came to Gotham (001-003)(Elseworlds) Batman-Dracula (Elseworlds) Thrillkiller (001-003) (1997) (c2c)(Elseworlds) Batman & Demon – A Tragedy (Elseworlds) Batman & Houdini – The Devil’s Workshop Batman & Lobo (Elseworlds) Batman – Batman of Arkham (Elseworlds) Batman – Brotherhood of The Bat (Elseworlds) Batman – Castle of the Bat (Elseworlds) Batman – Dark Allegiances (Elseworlds) Batman – Dark Joker The Wild (Elseworlds) Batman – Dark Joker The Wild [Ashcan] (Elseworlds) Batman – Dark Knight Dynasty (Elseworlds) Batman – Detective #27 (Elseworlds) Batman – Gotham by Gaslight (1989) Batman – Gotham by Gaslight (1989, 2013 Edition) Batman – Gotham Noir (Elseworlds) Batman – Holy Terror (Elseworlds) Batman – I, Joker (1998) Batman – In Darkest Knight (1994-12) 01 Batman – Knight Gallery (Elseworlds) Batman – Master of the Future (1991) (digital) (1920) Batman – Nine Lives (Elseworlds) Batman – Nosferatu (Elseworlds) Batman – Realworlds Batman – Scar of the Bat (Elseworlds) Batman – The Blue The Grey & The Bat (Elseworlds) Batman – The Golden Street of Gotham (Elseworlds) Batman – The Last Angel (Elseworlds) Batman – The Order of Beasts (2004) Batman – Thrillkiller (Elseworlds) [TPB] Batman – Two Faces (Elseworlds) Batman and Captain America (1996) Batman Chronicles #14 (Elseworlds) Batman vs Lobo (2000) (JNX-HaCsA) The Batman of Arkham 001 (2000)1966-xx Batman featuring The Catwoman’s Catnapping Caper (Kellogg’s Pop-Tarts) 3-D Batman (1953) (1966 Reprint) Batcave Companion (2009) Batman – 12-Cent Adventure (2004) Batman – A Death in the Family TPB (1988) (c2c) Batman – A Word to the Wise (1992) Batman – Bane (1997) Batman – Birth of the Demon (1992) Batman – Bride of the Demon (1990) Batman – Bruce Wayne – Fugitive (2014) Batman – Bruce Wayne – Murderer (2014) Batman – Bullock’s Law 001 (1999) Batman – Child of Dreams HC (2003) Batman – Day of Judgment (1999) Batman – Death By Design (2012) (1920) Batman – Digital Justice (Pepe Moreno autograph) (1990) Batman – Earth One (2012) Batman – Earth One v2 (2015) Batman – Ego TPB (2000) Batman – False Faces TPB (2008) Batman – Fortunate Son TPB Batman – Harley Quinn 001 (1999) Batman – Harvest Breed (2000) Batman – Haunted Knight (1996) Batman – Hidden Treasures 01 (2010) Batman – Hong Kong (2003) Batman – Hong Kong (2003) Batman – Joker’s Apprentice 001 (1999) Batman – Joker’s Daughter 001 (2014) Batman – Legends of the Dark Knight Halloween Special, 1993-10-00 (#01) Batman – Mad Love and Other Stories (2009) Batman – Madness – A Legends of the Dark Knight Halloween Special, 1994-10-00 (#01) Batman – Mitefall (1995) Batman – Night Cries Batman – Night of the Owls Booklet 001 (2012) Batman – No Man’s Land 00 – Ground Zero (1999) Batman – No Man’s Land Secret Files (1999-12) 01 Batman – Our Worlds at War 01 Batman – Phantom Stranger (1997) Batman – Scarface – A Psychodrama (2001) Batman – Scottish Connection (1998) (Titans Books) Batman – Second Chances, 2015-07-15 (#TPB) Batman – Shadow of Sin Tzu (webcomic) Batman – Son of the Demon (1987) Batman – Special 001 (1984) Batman – Strange Apparitions TPB Batman – The 10¢ Adventure 01 (2002) Batman – The Animated Series Guide v1 (2003) Batman – The Black Mirror (2011) Batman – The Chalice (complete) Batman – The Deal (2013) Batman – The Man Who Laughs (2008) Batman – The Resurrection of Ra’s Al Ghul (2008) Batman – The Return 01 (2011) Batman – The Road to Arkham (2009) Batman – The TV Stories (2013) Batman – Time Thaw (2003) Batman – Vengeance of Bane I (1993) Batman – Vengeance of Bane II (1995) Batman – War on Crime TPB (1999) Batman & Danger Girl 001 (2005) Batman & Deadman – Death And Glory (1996) Batman & Green Arrow – The Poison Tomorrow (1992) Batman & Houdini – The Devil’s Workshop (1993) Batman & Spawn – War Devil (1994) Batman & The Spirit 01 (2007) Batman – Year Two TPB (1990) Batman 3D GN (1990) (B&W) Batman 3D GN (1990) Batman Activity Book (c2c) (2010) Batman Activity Book with Stickers (c2c) (2010) Batman and Son (2014) Batman Blind Justice TPB (1992) Batman Chronicles The Gauntlet (1997) Batman Dark Joker – The Wild (1993) Batman Dead To Rights TPB (2010) Batman Death in the Family TPB (1989) Batman Essentials – Batman – Hush 001 (2014) Batman False Faces TPB (2008) Batman Gates of Gotham (2011) Batman Graffiti (Ronse, Belgium) Batman in Barcelona – Dragon’s Knight 01 (2009) Batman Jumbo Coloring and Activity Book (c2c) (2010) Batman Legacy TPB (1996) Batman Monthly Presents Joker Special (1989) Batman Noel (2011) Batman Noel OGN preview (2011) Batman R.I.P. – The Deluxe Edition (2009) Batman Record Comic (1966) Batman Returns Movie Storybook (1992) Batman Special, 1984-04-00 (#01) Batman The Complete Hush (2005) Batman The Killing Joke (1988) Batman The Killing Joke (The Deluxe Edition – HC) (2008) Batman The Story of the Dark Knight Batman Through the Looking Glass (2012) Batman Trading Cards (1960s) Batman Trading Cards (Topps 1966 Blue Bats Puzzle Backs) Batman Trading Cards – Blue Bats (1966) (1990s Reprint) Batman Versus Predator – The Collected Edition TPB (1993) Batman War Drums ctc TPB (2004) Batman Year Zero Director’s Cut 001 (2013) Batman-Doc Savage Special 01 (2010) Batman-Ego (2000) Batman-Scooby-Doo Halloween Fest 001 (2012) Batman-Superman-Wonder Woman – Trinity (2004-06) HC Death of the Family (2012) Detective Comics Annual 01-Green Arrow v1 Annual 01-The Question Annual 01 (1988) Fruit of the Loom Presents Batman – Too Many Jokers Gotham (Fancomic) (2008) Millennium Edition – The Dark Knight Returns 001 (2000) Six Flags Park Map & Guide 2000 (Featuring Batman & Bugs Bunny) The Batman – Judge Dredd Collection (2014) The Batman Vault (2009) Totino’s Presents – Batman (2008) http://ift.tt/2ySkyAo

[squireofgeekdom]

Y’ALL!?!?!?

[squireofgeekdom]

yknow what i would love? batfam sitcom

the intro starts dramatically - batman standing on a rooftop, silhouetted against the night sky, a solitary protector, a dark knight ...

suddenly! lights from across the street illuminate -

a whole ridiculous, chaotic family on the rooftop with him! roll upbeat sitcom credits

featuring:

- Bruce’s love of & devotion to the trashfire that is the city of Gotham, to the point of absurdity, see:

- Batman, holding up someone under the influence of fear toxin, completely unperturbed as they try repeatedly to stab him: ‘do you see that? they had a swiss army knife in their boot. that’s the kind of ingenuity and preparedness you only see in the people of Gotham. We have the best people in the country -’ *supervillain runs past behind him*

- Bruce ‘Brucie’ Wayne, having been caught outside a downtown donut shop carrying a ridiculous number of boxes of donuts, while standing in front of a dumpster that is literally on fire, and asked about why he continues to invest so much in Gotham/keep his business there: ‘Gotham is the best city in the country and way better than Starling City and another thing -’

- If Bruce ‘Brucie’ Wayne is known for two things it’s for absurd levels of generosity and spoiling his kids rotten. If he’s known for three things it’s for absurd levels of generosity, spoiling his kids rotten, and chaotic energy. If he’s known for four things it’s for absurd levels of generosity, spoiling his kids rotten, chaotic energy, and being really annoyed if the press misreports that he’s a billionaire, he has ethics

- The number of things in the city named after Thomas and Martha Wayne because Bruce Wayne funds them reaches comic levels of absurdity. There’s a montage, and then more of them keep showing up in the background.

- Crime doesn’t pay but Wayne Enterprises does. Every few episodes a henchman from a previous episode will just. Show up in the background working at WE. 

- Cass expressed an interest in ballet and now Gotham has a fully funded ballet troupe and extra money to refurbish the old theater. At least one episode is Bruce getting through increasingly convoluted obstacles to get to Cass’s ballet recital.

- Gotham’s animal shelters are fully funded and no one knows what kind of animal Damian will bring home next. Increasingly odd pets wander through the background of Wayne manor shots. There is at least one pet centric pov episode.

- The other kids warned Steph and Duke to express an interest in something only if they want their name on a building dedicated to it. They took this as a challenge to see the most absurd things Bruce would name after them.

- There’s a Jason Todd memorial wing of the Gotham library that keeps getting tagged with ‘I’m not dead’ 

- Bruce Wayne is asked for comment: *meme voice* sometimes i can still hear his voice

- *on patrol* ‘Wait, where’s Jason’ *sound of gunshots* *sighs* ‘Dick, please go get your brother and tell him he’s grounded.’ ‘... dad, he’s 23.’  Tim: ‘wait, how come Jason gets to be 23 and I’m still 17?’

- Bruce Wayne leaves tip jars stuffed with hundreds. By pure coincidence, so does Batman.

- All of Gotham’s regular citizens know who the Batfam are. None of the villains do. Both heroes and villains are convinced the Batfam have airtight secret identities. All of Gotham’s regular citizens think it’s really obvious, but play along with not knowing who they are because they like the Batfam, although there are occasionally near misses: (Holy Musical B@man voice) ‘thanks for saving me, Bruce man - I mean Bat Wayne - fuck!’ The Batfam comes up with increasingly absurd excuses for these slip ups other than their identities having been discovered. Alfred knows what’s up.

- *there is A Crime* *dramatic build up to a fight* *cut to Batman sitting with the scared kid caught in the crossfire in the foreground, while the batkids beat up the villain in the background*

- Batman: *pulling out various things that could not possibly fit within the same pocket of his utility belt* Do you need a tissue? a teddy bear? a blanket? a cup of tea?

- The utility belt breaks the laws of physics more than anything else on the show

more to come as things come to mind that make me laugh

[squireofgeekdom]

i’m just saying, if you’re some guy in the dc universe and you’re purely interested in efficiency, the way to make sure the joker not only ends up dead but never causes harm to anyone at all is to mention loudly in eobard thawne’s vicinity that the joker and the batman’s supervillain-superhero dynamic is the most obsessive and intense out there, no question. 100% chance thawne goes back in time and kills the joker before he can even get on batman’s radar. can’t have anyone stepping to his schtick lmao

[squireofgeekdom]

Chapters: 1/1 Fandom: Batman Beyond Rating: General Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Terry McGinnis & Bruce Wayne Characters: Terry McGinnis, Bruce Wayne Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - Daemons, Daemon Settling, Platonic Daemon Touching, Daemon Separation, Daemon Feels, Episode: S1E1 Rebirth, Movie: Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker, Ace is Bruce's Daemon Summary:

There’s a strange ease he comes to with Ace in these moments; playing fetch in the quiet dark of the cave, even when Ace keeps him company on Wayne’s assigned training runs around the manor grounds. (“Just because the suit gives you additional strength doesn’t mean you can neglect physical fitness, McGinnis.”)

It’s not the same as how he feels with Hitomi, far from it. But there is a way that Ace feels like a part of him. Like he and Wayne have ended up kindred spirits, somehow. Like how he’s Batman, and Bruce is Batman, and Ace is Batman’s daemon.

[squireofgeekdom]

Prompt: "We make a good team though, don't we?" for Batman Beyond

It’s over a year later, but I finally filled this prompt! Good Team, 1.6k of episode fix-it/episode coda to ‘Where’s Terry?’ with Max and Bruce banter and conversation! 

[squireofgeekdom]

i... i think my subconscious created a batman beyond fic prompt in my dreams and ... i’m actually pretty here for it?