nightwingsgypsyrep

[nightwingsgypsyrep]

So this is a sideblog. I’m not exactly trying to keep it separate from my main (which has my face on it), but I’m also not exactly encouraging it.

So whenever I see one of my mutuals for this blog work out what my main is and follow it, I can’t help but feel like Dick Grayson when little Tim Drake showed up on his doorstep.

[nightwingsgypsyrep]

I need someone to write a fic about an in-universe Justice League movie. Because you know full-well that Bruce somehow managed to get himself a ticket to the premiere, as would Dinah and Oliver at the very least, and you know full-well that Clark would find a way to cover it for the Planet. Can you imagine the interviews?

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Funniest part about Robin Jason canonically going to heaven is that it implies either 1) Jason didn’t kill Felipe and Bruce completely blew up their relationship for no reason or 2) you’re allowed in heaven after killing someone as long as that someone really deserved it, which would then imply that heaven itself is on Jason’s side in the Jason vs Bruce conflict.

[nightwingsgypsyrep]

Because Barbara Gordon is an asshole and petty and holds grudges better than almost any other DC character and all of those aspects are things I love about her character as they give her depth and personality.

[nightwingsgypsyrep]

what i ADORE about this batman and robin: year one series going on is how dick is almost near constantly reiterating that the circus is not something to be laughed at. like the point of it is entertainment, yes, but the people, the performers, their work, their LIVELIHOODS, are not meant to be seen as some kind of joke. you cannot be just ANYONE to perform in a circus, especially one like Haly's that recruited the best aerialists in the WORLD to tour with them. dick knows exactly how much work it takes to be the best and be ENTERTAINING while you are being the best, and so when people make fun of it, he takes that very seriously and is immediately confrontational about it because who are you to laugh at these hard working people? (issues below in order of screenshot: #2, #2, #3, #5, #6, #6, and #9)

and like dick FINALLY opens up to alfred in issue nine because, for once, he is not being made fun of for his distinctly circus background. he's juggling to cope and instead of alfred making a joke out of it, he compliments dick and says it's impressive, and this ACCEPTANCE and GENUINENESS is why dick finally cries

[nightwingsgypsyrep]

some people think that the no-killing thing is like an external pressure forced onto the other bats by bruce that they are inclined to escape rather than a framework they received from bruce because they actively sought out & respect his ideals. they embraced and share this value with him on purpose.

all of the bats are people of extreme conviction. that's what it takes to do what they do. they believe in something and they center their life around it. that's why dick, cass, tim, steph, duke, and damian don't kill. not because batman told them not to, but because part of their growing up into adult heroes has been being tested on this value and coming out stronger for it.

and for jason, who genuinely believes in the moral rightness of the framework he constructed during his growing up, every moment he spends bending the knee to batman's will is a moment of moral weakness that he will regret one day. and he does that for love. some people want the bats to be people who would kill for the ones they love, but the truth is, the only person who has been shown to adjust their moral compass to accommodate the people they care about is jason.

[nightwingsgypsyrep]

List of Batfamily preferences/hobbies

I've been accumulating a list of the batfamily's stated or observed food, music, or hobby preferences (with some other misc info thrown in) with the help of various people across tumblr and twitter. Here is that list. Feel free to use it as a reference for fanfic/fanart/for fun/whatever else you want.

*I have not read everything ever, this is certainly missing information, and is biased towards what I have read and what my followers have read. This means I will be editing this as I get new information, and I'll add the dates of when I edit it at the top so people can stay up to date with the info.

*I tried to get sources for as much as I could, but some people didn't remember the specific issues/just gave me a panel with no source, and I'm not hunting all of that down. Most of the time if there's no source it's because I was only given a panel.

Bruce Wayne

Favorite soup is mulligatawny (Batman #701)

Likes medium/medium well-done steaks & likes grilling and uses it to relax (Batman #621)

Listens to sad jazz music

Loves dinosaurs (batman universe #3)

Likes the band The Clash (Robin 1993 #152)

Likes Chinese take out (Batman: Prodigal)

Likes nutritional smoothies that Alfred thinks are gross (Batman: Dark Patterns #7)

Hates cottage cheese (The Brave and the Bold #141)

Damian remarks that “Batman doesn’t eat pie” while Bruce refuses to eat pie at the Kent’s (Superman 2016 #20)

Likes burgers (Batman: The Brave and the Bold #10)

Dick Grayson

Alfred says crab stuffed mushrooms are Dick’s favorite food (Robin: Year One #3)

Doesn’t like cucumber sandwiches (Trinity 2008 #47 and then Bruce tells him to keep eating them and he starts liking them (Batman 2016 #54))

Doesn’t like cranberry muffins (Nightwing 1996)

Likes orange juice (Batman Prodigal)

Likes buckwheat pancakes (Nightwing 1995 #1)

Likes cornflake pizza (Nightwing 1995 #1) (whatever the fuck that is)

Likes mint chocolate chip ice cream (Nightwing 1996 #70-something)

Dislikes coconut (Nightwing 1996)

Likes Dr. Pepper

Likes pineapple and andouille pizza (No Man’s Land)

Listens to OPM (Titans hunt #2)

Likes skydiving (Nightwing 1996 #140)

Has a high score in the arcade game “Apokalips Nah” (Nightwing Rebirth)

Barbara Gordon

Likes chamomile tea (Azrael 1995 #35)

Likes D&D (Batgirl 2016 #50)

Owns various plushies of vigilantes (Batman, Azrael, Nightwing) (Unsure if she sews them herself)

Likes Italian food (Birds of Prey 1999)

Jason Todd

Chili dogs are his favorite (Gotham Knights #43)

Bruce says his favorite color was green, his favorite ice cream was neapolitan, and that he liked cars (Detective comics #790)

Says pot roast is his favorite (Detective comics #569)

Likes scrambled eggs with mozzarella cheese and a side of chips (Robin Lives #1)

Likes punk/rock/alt metal, including Slipknot (Batman #408, 412, Nightwing annual 2021)

Is interested in historical fashion (Batman #413, Countdown Presents: The Search for Ray Palmer: Gotham by Gaslight #1)

Likes to read/often quotes classics & occasionally YA romance novels (RHATO)

Hates Alfred’s waffles (RHATO #8)

Tim Drake

Likes cucumber sandwiches (Trinity 2008 #47)

Favorite pizza toppings are canadian bacon with onion and artichoke hearts (Robin 1993 #116)

Tim says he hates shepherds pie (Robin 1993 #29) despite Jack Drake believing it to be his favorite (Robin 1993 #47)

Doesn’t like tuna sandwiches when Bruce makes them (unknown if he likes them otherwise)

Likes orange juice (Batman: prodigal)

Likes burgers, specifically orders a mushroom-swiss burger with fries (Detective Comics, #968, Robin #111)

Likes grape flavored Zesti (multiple, Psyba-rats #3)

Hates Alfred’s waffles (RHATO #8)

Likes the Foo Fighters (Impulse #56)

Listens to Enya, depeche mode, green day, oasis, and the jerky boys (Teen Titans v4 #14)

Likes D&D (Robin: Jokers Wild #3)

Plays tennis and skateboards 

Loves the kids cartoon Crocky (Robin 1993 42)

Goes fishing/sailing with his father

Hates sci-fi movies but loves old science fiction books

LIkes Buffy the Vampire Slayer and owns the box set

Likes cars (Robin 93 #1)

Dick says he hates cooking (Batman: prodigy)

Stephanie Brown

Favorite food is mashed potatoes (Robin 1993 #111)

She likes waffles and has a tradition of eating them with her mom (Batgirl 2009)

Used to do gymnastics (Showcase '95 #5) and play piano (Robin 1993 #111)

Played Varsity softball (Huntress/spoiler: blunt trauma)

Likes sewing (Robin 1993/ secret files/origins)

Steph owns a Nirvana shirt (Batgirl 2016 #50) also listens to Metallica and the Back-street Boys (Batgirl 2009)

Loves Sci-fi (Robin 1993 #57)

Is a Trekkie and goes to conventions (Robin 1993 #101)

Likes the peanuts/snoopy (Robin 1993 #104)

Has played D&D with Cass (Batgirl 2016 #50)

Dislikes gluten-free pizza (Robin #15)

Does yoga (Batman Incorporated: Leviathan Strikes)

Enjoys drawing/doodling (Batgirl 2009)

Cassandra Cain

Favorite ice cream flavor is chocolate (Batgirl 2000 #13)

loves herself “a big glass of milk” (Batgirl 2000 #62 & #66)

Likes cheeseburgers and fries (Batgirl 2000 #66)

Likes banana boba (DC Festival of Heroes: The Asian Superhero Celebration) and her favorite milk tea flavor is almond (Batman: Urban Legends #8)

Likes steamed buns (DC Festival of Heroes: The Asian Superhero Celebration) 

Likes Assam tea (Batgirl 2000 #61)

Likes rice krispies (Robin 1993 #138)

Likes various forms of dancing (Azrael Agent of the Bat #61) including moshing (Batgirl 2000 #63) and ballet (Batman and Robin Eternal #7, Detective Comics #950)

Also likes watching ballet and theater (Detective Comics 2016 #975)

Likes Shakespeare (Detective Comics 2016 #958/#981)

Likes soup (Batgirl 2024 #2)

When give the choice between chicken and pasta she takes both (Batgirl 2024 #8)

Likes pancakes (Nightwing 2016)

Seems to have a preference for apples over other fruit (throughout Batgirl 2000)

In general loves eating a lot! 

Tate Brombal, her current solo author, said one of her hobbies would be going on food tours all over Gotham and whatever city she happens to be in

Her and Steph have played DND together (Batgirl 2016 #50)

Very good at/enjoys fighting video games (BOP 2023)

Loves reality TV, specifically watches a show called “My Big Fat Obnoxious Top Model” she makes multiple references to shows as a way to help her speak (Batgirl 200 #65)

Damian Wayne

Is vegetarian

Likes hot chocolate and prefers it over tea (DC vs. Vampires)

Reads manga, specifically shojo (Robin #1)

Has read Naruto and Insomniacs (Batman and Robin 2023 #1)

Likes gluten-free pizza (Robin #15)

Likes Talia’s Ox Blood soup/has a preference for meals Talia cooks him (Teen Titans Special #1)

Plays violin (Batman & Robin #0)

Likes to draw

Likes pop-tarts and ovaltine (Adventures of Super Sons #4 & Superman: Jon Kent #4)

Doesn’t like his hair being long (Superman: Jon Kent #4)

Favorite arcade game is called “Cheese Viking” (Nightwing Rebirth)

Duke Thomas

Likes collectible card games, puzzles, and film (We are Robin)

Owns D&D books (Batman 2011 #30)

Enjoys writing, specifically poetry (We are Robin & Robin War)

Used to like watching MMA (detective comics) and paleontology as a child (Batman 2011 #30 & We are Robin)

likes heavy metal, his favorite band is called “Batman’s *****” (All-star Batman #3)

Likes and quotes Tarantino movies (We are Robin)

Luke Fox

Enjoys MMA/was an MMA fighter (Batwing #25)

Likes tinkering/engineering (Batwing #24)

Goes to basketball games with Kate and JPV (Detective Comics #958)

Kate Kane

Doesn’t like pomegranates (Batman: Urban Legends #8)

Likes Blondie, The 69-Eyes, and The Sisters of Mercy (Detective Comics #858, #859)

Goes to basketball games with Luke and JPV (Detective Comics #958)

Liked gymnastics as a kid and played soccer (Detective Comics #858)

Liked waffles and chocolate as a kid (Detective Comics #858)

Jean-Paul Valley

Likes westerns (Azrael: Agent of the Bat #56 and #75)

Goes to basketball games with Kate and Luke (Detective Comics #958)

Alfred Pennyworth

Dislikes the band The Clash (Robin 1993 #152)

He likes penguins (Nightwing: Alfred returns)

Likes building model ships (Knightfall)

[nightwingsgypsyrep]

My DC/DC films predictions for the Batfam in the next few years

So with the success of Superman, I think it’s fair to say that the DC universe has a bright future with James Gunn.

With the confirmation of a new Batman film, with Damian Wayne as Robin, we face the problem of casting the whole Batfam, which introduces people who maybe don’t know much about DC and Batman to a whole bunch of new characters.

Now, because it’s an early introduction to the new Batman, I wouldn’t be surprised if we didn’t see much of the extended Batfamily, with the film either focusing on Bruce and Damian’s relationship, or just seeing the rest of the Bats in smaller roles in the film (I really hope this isn’t the case because Superman managed with a sizeable cast, and I’m so excited to see the Bats in live action).

However, if they do decide to have all of the Bats, it risks introducing a whole new audience to the Two Robin Problem. Whilst they may decide to have Tim take on the Red Robin title again, with the red suit, in live action, I do wonder if this is still too close to Robin for marketing purposes? I wouldn’t be entirely surprised, therefore, if we do see Tim Drake move on from the Robin title in the comics within the next few years (if not in time for the first Batman film, but as his character gets more established within the new cinematic universe), because I fully expect these films to be successful, and I think DC might cave to the demand from marketing to make Tim a more distinct character, separate from Damian Wayne, especially since this is something which fans have commonly discussed for a while now.

[nightwingsgypsyrep]

Disclaimer: my opinion. Whilst I am - as the url suggests - a gypsy gal from a fairground and circus background, my opinion is just that. Take it however you’d like, but please respect it, and the opinions of anyone else in the notes.

Ok so I’ve seen a lot of debate on TikTok about who should be cast as Dick Grayson in the upcoming Batman film, and a major concern in the comments has been that it should be a Romani actor.

Now, of course, everyone is welcome to their preferences, but as a gypsy from a circus family who has also worked in the film industry since I was 19… honestly I don’t think it’s a big deal.

Of course, in an ideal world, we could cast a Romani/Gypsy/Carney Dick Grayson, but, realistically, this is asking for a lot.

There’s not loads of GRTSB actors in the first place, and if we’re limiting the search to just a tiny proportion of the English-speaking population, it’s going to be even harder to cast what is already going to be a damn hard role to fill. The actor is going to have to have the insanely good looks, and the skill to portray the character, and be of the right age, already - and whilst I am in full support of finding an unknown actor ideally from the same background, I don’t know how realistic this is.

Throw in that current canon is already a bit iffy about Dick’s ethnicity (we know his mum was Romani, and in a circus in France, but the name Mary Lloyd sounds more English in origin, and we don’t know what subgroup she was from; furthermore, we know next to nothing about Dick’s dad, beyond that his paternal grandfather was not Romani/ethnically GRTSB.) and it gets even more difficult. Is it important to identify the differences between subgroups? Should we presume Dick is Romanichal? Cale? If he’s a mix between the two, how do you accurately and fairly portray that? What if canon gives us an answer after the film is out? Is Dick a diddacoi? Should diddacoi actors be preferred? Dick also self-IDs as a Carney? Should we prefer Carney/Showman actors? Would it still be considered accurate if the actor hired is Romani, but not a Showman/Carney, as our cultural subgroup tends to have some differences? How much GRTSB heritage is considered enough? Because, amongst my family, having just one GRTSB grandparent wouldn’t qualify you, but others may disagree? Similarly, what if you do have GRTSB heritage, but you haven’t grown up in the community - how does that affect how you portray the character? Unfortunately, in my view, getting good casting specifically from a GRTSB background, for such a nuanced character, is going to be exceptionally difficult, if not impossible, to do right. Because in an ideal world you’d need a devastatingly good looking, talented actor, from a travelling background, with one parent who is at least 50% Romani (of an unspecified type), with maybe 50% Showman/Carney, and another who is maybe 75% Showman/Carney or Romani… you’d have more chance finding rocking horse shit.

I’m not saying that the casting team shouldn’t consider Dick’s heritage. Whilst I would be absolutely thrilled if we managed to get a perfect Dick Grayson casting from a Romani/Carney background, for me, it’s not the most important thing in a casting. I’d love it if they acknowledged it in the film, but mostly I just want someone who can portray Dick Grayson well and do justice to a character I love - that’s just as important to any rep, in my opinion.

I think a lot of the problem with the people I’ve seen online who are staunchly against casting a gorja as Dick Grayson is that, whilst meaning well, these people are themselves gorjas, and don’t fully understand the isolationist communities they are attempting to champion, which unfortunately means that a lot of the attempts at representation end up being very surface level, or stereotyped, even if meant well. Bring in consultants maybe, but don’t sacrifice genuinely good actors, who would be willing to explore what it means to be GRTSB, in pursuit of a unicorn. Especially since, as I’ve said before, there is no one right way to look gypsy: we come in all different shades, so honestly, anything would be believable; bad acting would not.

[nightwingsgypsyrep]

I don't know how to explain to the larger Batfam Fandom that No, Tim Drake, Dick Grayson, and Damian Wayne are not prone to murder and/or bending their morals. In fact, doing so would make them an active suicide risk afterwards.

[nightwingsgypsyrep]

The thing is what bugs me is ALL OF US (us being fans of one Richard John Grayson) agree that Dick would make a great

1) EMT

2) Firefighter

3) social worker

4) one of those helpline people who you call when you’re in a psychologically vulnerable place

And YET? NOT ONCE

He’s BEEN A COP more times THAN ANY OF THESE??? He’s been a barista 360 times

Gymnastics teacher I am a fan of but COME ON

GIVE ME FIREFIGHTER DICK GRAYSON

GIVE ME JASON ANS DICK BANTERING ABOUR HOW RED IS JASONS COLOR???

GIVE ME DICK WORKING WITH HIS TEAM??? AGAINST FIREFLY AND LOSINF ONE OF THEM AND HAVING TO CONTEND WITH THE FACT THAT MAYBE IF HE WAS NIGHTWING RN THAT EOULDNT HAVE HAPPENED OR VICE VERSA!??

GIVE ME THE TEAMMATES MESSING WITJ THE POLE AND DICK FULLY PLAYING AROUNF EITH IT LEADING TO HIS TEAM THINKING HE WAS A STRIPPER AND TRYING TO FIGURW OUT IF ITS SOMETHINF THEY CAN TEASE HIM ABOUR OR LIKE ANGST HOURS???

GIVE ME 178 POUND DICK GRAYSON BEING ABLE TO CARRY PEOPLE 3 TIMES HIS WEIGHT WITH EASE AND THE BIGGER GUYS AT THE STATION BEING BITTER ABOUT IT

COME ON DC WHAT ARE YOU DOING??

[nightwingsgypsyrep]

Thank you! Great idea!

I’ve sent him the link to The Long Halloween and recommended Year One if he enjoys Batman. Otherwise, I did suggest A Death In The Family for its importance. I basically just sent him a breakdown of recommended reading per character😂 otherwise, I made a PowerPoint ages ago for my friends’ Hyperfixation PowerPoint Night to explain the main lore for the Bats, so that might just come out of retirement😂

I’ve managed to convince my brother to give comics a try!

He’s a complete DC beginner - as in, doesn’t know there’s more than one Robin - so if anyone has any good suggestions of where to start, please give me ideas.

I think he’ll end up being a Jason Todd fan, but I think he’ll also enjoy Batman and Superman.

He’s a typical teenage boy, so the grittier the better, but I also want to recommend something more self contained than UTRH, as he’s reading online issue by issue, rather than in a book, and I also think it might be rushing it a bit if he doesn’t know who the characters are yet? The films aren’t an option at the minute.

Anyway, if anyone has any recs beyond the usual Long Halloween, Year One, etc, I’d love to hear it.

[nightwingsgypsyrep]

I’ve managed to convince my brother to give comics a try!

He’s a complete DC beginner - as in, doesn’t know there’s more than one Robin - so if anyone has any good suggestions of where to start, please give me ideas.

I think he’ll end up being a Jason Todd fan, but I think he’ll also enjoy Batman and Superman.

He’s a typical teenage boy, so the grittier the better, but I also want to recommend something more self contained than UTRH, as he’s reading online issue by issue, rather than in a book, and I also think it might be rushing it a bit if he doesn’t know who the characters are yet? The films aren’t an option at the minute.

Anyway, if anyone has any recs beyond the usual Long Halloween, Year One, etc, I’d love to hear it.

[nightwingsgypsyrep]

devin grayson is your white friend's nerdy bisexual mom who is so enthusiastic about being inclusive and making sure you feel seen and represented whenever possible that it trips back around into a weird overly-interested white liberal racism that can make spending time at your friend's house uncomfortable because their mom keeps saying things like "i just read this really fascinating book about your beautiful culture!!!" unprompted when you're trying to get goldfish crackers from the pantry

[nightwingsgypsyrep]

Going through the Nightwing and Huntress miniseries and there’s actually this really interesting exchange between Dick and Barbara as they’re discussing a case.

Dick just had a fling with Helena, and there’s this implication — or maybe more of an acknowledgement — that Dick’s compulsion towards these sorts of short explosive romantic relationships is founded on a mixture of obligation and need for human interaction rather than any sort of sexual desire.

This, alongside context from the lead up to the fling, make it feel like Dick is simply desperate for any form of human comfort and believes the only way he can get it is through his attractiveness. He doesn’t even seem into the sex. He just can’t find another way to keep anyone from leaving him.

Combine that with the “every time someone’s even nice to you… this pathological need to-“ bit, which suggests Dick feels pressured to give sex as a form of paying people for emotional availability, and this makes me feel all sorts of uncomfortable.

I unironically think man just wants a hug, but at this point in his pre-crisis run, there isn’t a single person in his life who is willing to provide that emotional vulnerability on a consistent basis without a sexual trade-off.

[nightwingsgypsyrep]

Casey's Supes Problem

[nightwingsgypsyrep]

This is an old complaint for me but I don't think that Bruce firing Dick is a retcon that can be undone without significantly changing Dick's character. While I can understand and even appreciate why so many think that decision (made by the Bat book people, mind you) undermined Dick's pre-crisis characterization as it was drawn in the equivalent NTT storyline, etc., but that event, the way it damaged Dick's psyche, weakened his confidence in himself and upset his relationship with Bruce for a period of years, was a huge part of his character development after the fact. It's difficult to understand the cause and effect of his post-crisis disposition without the firing because removing it from continuity leaves so much of his behavior unmotivated. It's like trying to take Jason's death out of Bruce's continuity: you'd have to completely re-imagine the subsequent decades' worth of storytelling and/or give him what is for all intents and purposes a different personality to make it make sense.

And this is a problem, because in 2025 post-crisis still houses Dick's definitive runs. That characterization is still what authors look at when going to write him new material, but whether or not the way he behaves is related to anything that actually happened to him changes the character quite a lot--at least to me. It just doesn't work.