#batman and robin (2009) 10

[batfam-belfry]

Damian and Dick being brothers 🥰

[speedforce-zoomies]

I love the running gag of Tim Drake getting caught up in Cult Activities:

1) In his 1991 mini series - his first ever solo adventure? Gets caught up in King Snake’s bs which is often stems from the dude wanting to rule the Kobra Cult (Tim has to deal with the jerk on and off as Robin due at least in part to this obsession of the Kobra Cult).

2) Then in Robin (1993) #82 Tim meets Danny Temple and is like hmmm, something weird is going on with this dude. Then in issue #88, Danny is kidnapped by a robot with a snake on it. Then has to deal with the Kobra Cult from issues #89-92.

3) In Batman: Contagion (1996) the Order of St. Dumas, which is a religious cult, releases the biological weapon “The Clench” which Tim catches and then has a rough time cuz of it.

4) AND Tim’s practically a cult leader himself in the Titans Tomorrow (2004) future timeline and present Tim has to deal with his evil cult leader future self.

5) While Tim does not directly interact with the Cult of Conner in 2006 (52 #11, 13, 14) Cassie Sandsmark is a member which we can assume impacted him indirectly.

6) In the resurrection of Ra’s al Ghul (2008) Ra’s wants to either recruit Tim or take over his body and messes him up a bit, both physically and mentally and Ra’s is very much running a cult.

7) In the 2009 Red Robin run Tim is forced to work with Ra’s and the League of Assassins against another cult: The Council of Spiders who kill two of his allies and cause him to lose his spleen.

8) In Robin War (2016) #2 Damian has temporarily joined The Court of Owls and fights Tim

9) Then in Batman: Urban Legends #4 (2021) he meets up with his HS friend Bernard Dowd who gets kidnapped by the cult: Children of Dionysus.

10) And in Tim Drake: Robin #8 Tim Drake has to deal with Children of Dionysus again alongside Bernard who is now his boyfriend.

That’s ten just off the top of my head and I could be missing some (please let me know if I have!) but it’s like the writers are like Tim hasn’t had anything too bizarre to deal with in a little while… Hmm, you know what Tim could use? Another cult to deal with lol

Poor boy must be so tired of dealing with cults

At this point I’m just waiting for a plot line where Tim finds himself as an unwilling cult leader or is unwillingly made the face of a cult 😭 like that time Wally West was in “Blood Will Run” (2001)

[vechter]

BRUCE WAYNE & DICK GRAYSON as BATMAN & ROBIN

vesalius in zante, edith wharton // batman (1940) #213 // batman (2016) #138 // detective comics (1937) #38 // the naomi letters, rachel mennies // batman (1940) #682 // assassin's fate, robin hobb // nightwing (1996) #75 // the lover, marguerite duras // batman: black and white (2021) #5 edited by @/fourcorpsemen (x) // my brother my wound, natalie diaz // nightwing (1996) #153 // the death of me, johnny dombrowski // unknown //  batman/nightwing: bloodborne (2002) // two zuihitsu, tamiko beyer // batman (1940) #676 // batman: gotham knights (2000) #10 // human acts, han kang (translated by deborah smith) // batman and robin (2009) #7, 16 // the end of the pier, nicole callihan

[jonathan-cranes-mistress-of-fear]

The Scarecrow || Recommended Reading || Master List

For your reading pleasure, here follows a master list of all SCARECROW-CENTRIC comics (cameos and one/two page appearances will not be mentioned) listed roughly in order of release. Note: some comics are included even if Scarecrow is not the main antagonist, but only if he plays a centric role in the overarching story

Feel free to message me if you think I missed something! This list is comics only, and does not include children's books or other media.

GOLDEN AGE

World’s Finest #3 - Riddle of the Human Scarecrow

Detective Comics #73 - The Scarecrow Returns

The Brave and the Bold #197 - The Autobiography of Bruce Wayne!

SILVER AGE

Batman #189 - Fright of the Scarecrow

Batman #200 - The Man Who Radiated Fear!"

Detective Comics #389 - Batman's Evil Eye

BRONZE AGE

Detective Comics #503 - The 6 Days of the Scarecrow

Batman #373/Detective #540 - The Frequency of Fear/Something Scary

The Super Friends #32

Detective Comics #571 - Fear for $ale

Joker #8 - The Scarecrow's Fearsome Face-Off!

Batman 400 - Resurrection Night

THE 90s

Batman #455-#457 Identity Crisis: Part 1 + 2/Master of Fear 

Batman: Haunted Knight- Legends of the Dark Knight Halloween Special #1  - Fears

Batman #495-#496

Batman: Long Halloween (Series)

Shadow of the Bat #1

Shadow of the Bat #16-18 “God of Fear”

Batman Dark Victory (Series)

Batman: Haunted Knight - Fears

Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight Halloween Special #1

Batman Annual #19 - Masters of Fear

Batman Adventures #4 - #5 - Riot Act

Batman Adventures #19 - Troubled Dreams

Batman Adventures Annual #1 - Study Hall

Batman Gotham Adventures #32 - The Remote Controller

Batman/Scarecrow 3D

Catwoman #58 - #60, #93

Fear of Faith (Legends of the Dark Knight #116, Batman: Shadow of the Bat #84, Batman #564, Detective Comics #731)

New Year's Evil: Scarecrow - Mistress of Fear

Batman Crimson Mist

Nightwing #9 - #11

2000 - 2009

Batman Daredevil - King of New York

Detective Comics #820 Face the ɘɔɒᖷ

DC Super Friends #8

Batman #608–619 (HUSH)

Batman Gotham Knights #16 + #49 / Batman: Black and White

Legends of the Dark Knight #137-141 - Terror

Gotham Knights #23 - Fear of Success

Superman/Batman: Torment (#37-42)

Batman #626-630 - As the Crow Flies

Superman/Batman #38 - 40

Batman Eternal #47

Batman and Robin Eternal #6, #14- #15

DC Halloween Special #1 - The Ballad of Ichabod Crane

Gotham After Midnight (Series)

Joker’s Asylum: Scarecrow

Year One: Batman/Scarecrow

2010 - 2020

Blackest Night #6 -Blackest Night

Untold Tales of the Blackest Night - Blackest Nightmare

DC Halloween Special '10 - Trick for the Scarecrow

Forever Evil: Arkham War (Series)

Batman the Dark Knight #10 - #15 - Cycle of Violence

Batgirl Vol 3  #2-3 - Batgirl Rising: Point of New Origin

Detective Comics v2 #23.3 Scarecrow

Swamp Thing #19-20

Harley Quinn #28 - #30

Batwoman #7 - #9 - Fear and Loathing

Green Lanterns #17 - Darkest Knight

Nightwing #50, #53 - #56

Batman ‘66 Meets the Man from U.N.C.L.E (series)

Batman '66 #28 - Scarecrow Comes to Town

Kings of Fear (series)

Batman/TMNT Adventures #4 - To laugh so not to cry

Shazam #12 - When Strikes the Scarecrow

Wonder Woman: Agent of Peace #4      

Legends of the Dark Knight #16

Batman: Gotham Nights #17 - Harvest of Fear; He Who Eats Last...

Batman: The Adventures Continue #10  

Fear State (Series) (FS Alpha + Omega, 106, #111–117, Detective Comics 1056, Harley Quinn #6)

Future State Harley Quinn #1- #2

2021 AND BEYOND

Truth and Justice #10

ArkhaManiacs #1

Man-Bat (Series)

Wayne Family Adventures #55 - #56

Gotham City Villains Anniversary Giant #1

Detective Comics #1049 -1050 - House of Gotham

The Joker Presents: A Puzzlebox #8 - #9

Knight Terrors: Nightwing (Series)

DC's I know what you did Last Crisis

Batman/Catwoman: The Gotham War: Red Hood #2

Batman: The Audio Adventures Special #1 + #6

Batman '89 Echoes (series)

The Batman & Scooby-Doo Mysteries #7

Suicide Squad: Kill Arkham Asylum #3

Little Batman: Month One (series)

Batman: The Brave and the Bold #19

[umbrellajam]

Saw a post where someone wasn't sure if Tim being good at computers was a fanon thing or not and friend I am happy to inform you that he's been a computer/tech guy from some of his earliest appearances in the comics.

Detective Comics (Vol. 1) #620 (Rite of Passage part 4) - immersed in the ~web~

Robin II: The Joker's Wild #3 - tabletop roleplaying games and spending hours in the basement on the computer - not beating the geek allegations on these fronts, Timmy

Detective Comics (Vol. 1) #676 - Dick was more into traditional detective work and tended to outsource the computer stuff in these days

Batman (Vol. 1) #514 (Prodigal part 10) - hackin' through all the garbage and garble

Robin (1993) #33 - Robin sneaking in and connecting Oracle with the baddies' mainframe so she can do her thing and steal all their data >:)

Nightwing (1996) #6 - "no you're really talented and well suited to be Robin." "no, you." "no, YOU!"

Tim is definitely not as good as Babs/Oracle, but he's certainly her back-up for computer work in the 90's batfam. They're tech buddies and Robin!Tim is her little assistant sometimes, it's super cute:

Birds of Prey (1999) #19 - happy to play with big sister's fancy high-powered toys

Legends of the Dark Knight (1989) #125 - real cute kid

And Dick will hand off computer jobs to his little brother when he doesn't want to bother Babs 😂 (that outsourcing I mentioned):

Nightwing (1996) #68 - examine them pixel by pixel, eh? welp, sounds like a job only you can do, Timbo, you got this buddy, byyyyeeeee

And then when he'd grown up and been doing this for years, he leveled up accordingly, and did stuff like use his access to the League of Assassins computers to overload the generators in every base he could find, etc. etc.

Red Robin (2009) #8 - yeah that was pretty dumb of you Ra's :)

So yeah, it was a bit of a specialty of Tim's, in large part because he was introduced just at the turn into the 90's, when personal computers were really starting to take off and become widespread. (Robins gotta be cutting edge and all)

Of course, by no means does it follow that the other Bats suck at computers (there is no 'smart one' they are all incredibly smart and capable). This is especially true as reboots and the sliding timescale of comics have moved the DC characters into modern times, where computers run the world and everyone grows up with one in their pocket. The baseline familiarity and expertise that everyone can be expected to have is just much, much higher these days.

It gets exaggerated in fanon as all character traits do, but computer guy Tim is definitely not something just made up out of whole cloth :)b

[spectral-phases]

Ghosts and Danny Phantom With the JLA

Guys, guys, I like some DP x DC as much as the next person. It's fun. It's whimsical. There are many ✨️✨️opportunities✨️✨️ for trauma and whimsy. I'm not immune to the appeal.

But can we please, please stop with the whole "Only John Constantine knows how to deal with ghosts" or "the Justice League are government shills and wouldn't help Danny" or "The JL just straight up ignored Amity Park for bad reasons and made a kid fight all this stuff on his own."

Superman can hear a cry for help in the far reaches of the solar system and smell brownies baking from space and know exactly where they are from (ask not how smell travels from Earth's atmosphere and into a vacuum and into an air tight space station; nor how sound travels through the vacuum of space in real time for him. The rules of your so-called "physics" do not apply to him). Unless there were some serious shenanigans at play, he's hearing a call for help and answering (we don't have to recognize these feats as canon, they are quite silly, but his senses are very good).

(Superman/Batman 2008 #46) (He is under the effects of silver kryptonite here...which seems to act like weed to him. He has the munchies real bad and is craving some chocolate)

(Superman 1987 #204)

You wanna talk ghosts and Justice League, there's the ghost hero Boston Brand, aka Deadman, who Batman helped solve the murder of. He was a performer who knew Dick Grayson in the circus and died similarly to the Flying Graysons (his high-risk act was sabotaged) and the early Nightwing costume looks eerily similar to Deadman's. In some versions, Deadman helped Dick when he was learning how to do high-wire acts. Deadman just starts possessing people near an experienced Gotham Vigilante, or even Jim Gordon (Oh, yeah, Batman told me about you), and it might take a second but they're very quick on the uptake of speaking to Deadman now (Damian was not because he didn't know about Deadman yet). It's very casual for them.

(Blackest Night: Batman 2009 #1)

(Blackest Night: Batman 2009 #2)

The Speedsters can move so fast they can interact with ghosts and force them out from possessing them by using the Speed force:

(The Flash 2014 #28/#29)

Batman has dealt with so many ghosts he wouldn’t be phased by anything. He has developed ways to fight ghosts on his own with Nth metal batarangs.

(Batman Eternal 2014 #6)

Batman also treats with child ghosts kindly, multiple times. Ghosts of children being dealt with by Batman is a recurring event.

Traveling from Gotham to Austria specifically to let a spirit rest by offering her the heart of her murderer (who Batman did not kill, to be clear, he just acquired it from the corpse):

(Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight 1989 #10)

The remains of a ghost of a girl that was going to be sacrificed to trap a demon in Gotham hundreds of years ago gets buried next to Bruce's parents like his sister:

(Batman 1940 #454)

Batman comforting the spirit of a child who has been possessing people and murdering people because he's angry about his death and not being able to be with his parents anymore:

(Batman: Gotham Knights 2000 #4)

Batman knows how to summon ghosts (Deadman here, to solidify him):

(Batman/Deadman: Death and Glory 1997 #1)

Ghosts in Gotham are so regular that Robins know how to check for traces of ectoplasm when dealing with the supernatural. It is on the checklist for confirming what bullshit they're dealing with today.

(DC Pride: Tim Drake Special 2022 #1)

Speaking of ghosts and Robins, did you know that one of Young Justice's first members after the founding three was Greta Hayes, aka Secret? She had several powers, including changing her form, but she initially couldn't pass through objects like a normal ghost.

(Young Justice: The Secret 1998 #1)

(Young Justice 1998 #7)

The government agency called the DEO (Department of Extranormal Operations), had been experimenting on her and asked them to find her and bring her back, but when they found her and she told them what was really going on, they told the DEO to get fucked and helped save other metas being held at the same facility Greta had been. And then she was a part of the team until she got brought back to life and could live normally as a civilian. Young Justice is hounded by APES (All Purpose Enforcement Squad) around the globe because they helped Secret.

(Young Justice 1998 #4)

In summary, the DC heroes would not say "oh, ghosts, yeah, you’re a prank caller, bye-bye." Or help the guys in white. Or for one goddamn second believe ghosts don’t have sentience. Or not be immediately seeing red over the "Anti-Ecto Control Act." Hell, when the JL is contacted by the DEO whining about Young Justice's involvement with Secret, Batman's very clear that he does not trust the DEO. I doubt Batman, of Gotham "every government official is dirty" City, would just trust the guys in white at all.

(Young Justice: The Secret 1998 #1)

Danny would not be some marvelously weird and super special guy to them. The ghosts in Danny Phantom are a little weird compared to ghosts normally seen in DC (being more tangible, physical, and powerful), but it's not mind blowing or impossible to wrap their heads around (new species of ghost they have to learn about). He would just be another kid hero, ghost king au or not. Captain Marvel is a 14 year old boy who can look like a guy in his 30s through the 'Wisdom of Solomon.' Martian Manhunter can fly and turn invisible and shape-shift (and read minds). They have fought the concept of Death itself, Nekron, and an army of undead:

(Blackest Night 2009 #8)

Like yes, they would like to help Danny, ofc, and they would be upset if he had been captured and tortured, obviously, but nothing he could say would phase them in an earth-shattering way, alright? So many heroes and villains have died and come back to life. They've been tortured and hurt. They're just going to trauma share with Danny ("yeah, that reminds me of the time..." or "Oh, that sounds like something so and so talked about..."). They aren't going to cower before the Ghost King, or whatever title he has in the ghost king au.

You cannot have Danny be young enough to be equal to any of the Teen Titans/Young Justice and have him be this super weird thing to them. You cannot have a fully formed Justice League and have them ignore calls for help from Amity Park. It's just. It's not how they work.

Justice League Dark, the supernatural/occult branch of the JLA, is led by Wonder freaking Woman in some instances, and do you think this warrior woman who squares up with any conquering god on the regular with her god/spirit-containing Lasso of Truth is going to ignore Danny/Amity Park for "safety"? Pfffft. Nope. Pariah Dark pops up and she wants to get tagged in on the fight. Hell, she's tagging herself in for the fight.

(Wonder Woman 2016 #62) (She is trash-talking Ares, God of War, on how to use her Lasso of Truth. I love her so much.)

(Wonder Woman 1942 #607) (oh, look, her being kind to a dead spirit of a dangerous creature her allies want dead)

Justice League Dark also has the Spectre, the avenging angel of God (yes, that God. Judeo-Christian God, aka The Presence). The Spectre is a spirit, so the most powerful ghost they know.

(Detective Comics 1937 #1006) (Notice, how Batman does not give a singular flying fuck about how strong the Spectre is while arguing against the Spectre's Old Testament style vengeance?)

If you wanna go the route of Amity Park being ignored, you need to get creative with it. There was a period of time where Lex Luthor was president trying to outlaw being a superhero and Amanda Waller was in charge of the DEO, and so you can have them do some bullshit that Vlad can even get in on to isolate Amity Park, maybe that's when the Anti-Ecto Acts became a thing because Lex and Waller are meanaces. Hell, maybe even the Reality Gauntlet or DC magic using villains are the deus ex here. Or weird timeline shit after Clockwork fixes things in a Glitch in Time and the worlds are suddenly merged and believe they always were originally. Or. Maybe it's Clockwork meddling trying to mold Danny for a ghost king au. There are limitless possibilities that don't involve making the JL complete assholes/incompetent morons in ways they never would be.

There's even room for funny shenanigans. The Bat of whatever team meets Danny is told "the ghost boy in Amity is violent and dangerous" and they're suddenly there trying to help him solve his murder so he can move on and Danny’s just "???"

Maybe the guys hounding Young Justice for Secret are actually the GIW. Maybe the facility she was in had files on Danny too. Maybe Clark, Conner, Jon, or Kara get hit with silver kryptonite and track down the Fenton residence for fudge. Maybe that's how they break through whatever is shielding Amity from the world, a Kryptonian got sent to space on a silver kryptonite trip. Idfk. Bring the whimsy into it. Please. I'm so tired of the "you left us to rot because you thought we were joking" posts.

Please. Just some whimsy. Or some creativity. Or just blame it all on Clockwork. I beg of you. You can have your angst, god knows we need our angst, but just don't destroy the DC characters in the process. They're so much fun, and have such rich histories, and ghosts have been such a long standing part of their world that I would appreciate that not being ignored, even if canon is a sandbox and you can do whatever you want. I'm just tired of it, especially since some of these things predate the Justice League itself.

[hood-ex]

Hello! I’m a bit of a lurker, but I had a question for a friend and I’m not sure if you’re able to answer, but you were the first to come to mind.

As someone who is not too familiar with the DC comics, what would be issues, volumes, etc. to read for a newbie wanting to delve into and highlight Dick & Damian’s relationship? My friend knows about their general stories (ie been watching the DCAMU and DCAU) but want to read more from their comic sources.

I’ve not been able to help them, but if you know of good recommendations (since I know you’re invested in Dick Grayson’s story very well) or can point me to others who’d be able to help, I’d appreciate it!

(I know comics are very convoluted with timelines and reboots and writers, but any recs would be great! Thanks and have a great day/night!)

Sorry this took me forever, but I've finally gathered the majority of Dick and Damian content. Please note that some stuff listed may be entire stories involving Dick and Damian, some may just have a few scenes between them, and some may even just have one scene that I felt highlighted their relationship in some way. I'm the type of person who's a freak about every Dick and Damian interaction though, so even the smallest of things can feel important to me personally lmao.

There are ofc more Dick and Damian interactions than this, I just didn't add them because I either felt they weren't necessary to share or that some of the writing was too bleh.

Also, I did have a guide to help me catch the dickbats era moments, but everything after dickbats came directly from my brain, so there's certainly a possibility I missed something, but I did try my best to remember the most important interactions.

Anywho, hope this is somewhat helpful!

Post-Crisis Era

Nightwing Vol. 2 #138 (Dick's first time meeting Damian)

Batman: Battle for the Cowl

Batman #687

Red Robin #1 (there are multiple other Dick and Damian interactions in Red Robin such as #13-15... check them out if you want. I'm adding #1 because Dick claims Damian as his responsibility)

Batman and Robin (from 2009) #1-26

Batman #688

Batman: Streets of Gotham

Batman Annual #27 continued in Detective Comics Annual #11

Batgirl (Vol. 3) #5-7

Batman #700 is a bit… difficult. It’s an anniversary issue that goes into the legacy of Batman and Robin. It jumps from past, present, and future. It includes a possible future of Damian becoming Batman. So. It’s not a necessary read, but I do like Dick and Damian’s scenes in it. Just tell your friend to read the “Today” section of the comic.

Blackest Night: Batman #1-3 (These are tie-in issues of a larger event called Blackest Night. Read Blackest Night and other tie-ins related to it if you need more context)

Batman #695-697

DCU Halloween Special 2010

Superman/Batman #77

Batman #703

Bruce Wayne: The Road Home - Batman and Robin

Batman: The Return

Batman #704-706

Teen Titans (Vol. 3) #89 and #92

Batman: Gates of Gotham

N52

Batman and Robin (Vol. 2) #10-12 for context + some Dick and Damian interactions. Moment between Dick and Damian at the end of #12 is the real reason I’m adding this.

Will need to read comics collected under the “Death of the Family” event to understand the full context. For Nightwing specifically, read Nightwing (Vol. 3) #15-16. Read #17 for the actual Dick and Damian interaction.

Will need to read Batman Incorporated (Vol. 2) for context. Dick and Damian interaction/Damian’s death in Batman Incorporated #8-9.

Nightwing (Vol. 3) #18 is Dick grieving Damian’s death.

Batman and Robin (Vol. 2) Annual #2

Robin: Son of Batman #1

Batman and Robin (Vol. 2) #33-37 for context, but the Dick moment I want to showcase is in #34. “You know how much Damian meant to me, Bruce…” (literally don’t read the rest unless you want to, that #34 moment is truly the only reason I’m adding this, and it's just Bruce and Dick talking about Damian btw, not an actual Dick and Damian moment)

Grayson #12 is an absolute must, it has one of the most iconic Dick and Damian interactions of all time. Will need to read the comics Forever Evil, Nightwing (Vol. 3) #30, and previous Grayson issues to understand the full context of the issue. Can just visit the issue for the Dick and Damian scene though obviously.

Rebirth and Beyond Era

Rebirth Nightwing #1 (note: this is a completely different comic from Nightwing (Vol. 4) #1-33, which is referred to as the Rebirth era of Nightwing). If you want to understand further context about this comic, you’ll have to read We Are Robin and the Robin War crossover event.

Nightwing (Vol. 4) #1, #4, #16-20 (very important Dick and Damian arc where Dick admits he wanted to adopt Damian), #29 (for context you’ll have to read the rest of Dark Nights Metal), #42-43 (each issue is a one-shot), Annual #2 (there’s enough info in this story to not need previous context), #110 (for context read the Beast World crossover event), #113 (they interact briefly, but I’m more so adding this because it shows Damian supporting Dick), #114.

Batman (Vol. 3) #16 (because Dick buys Damian a kid’s meal), #33-35

Detective Comics #1000 (collection of one-shots… go down to the story called “Batman’s Greatest Case” by Tom King. I suggest only looking at the very first Dick and Damian interaction from this story… the rest of the dialogue is… bad)

Robin (Vol. 3) #5 (further context can be found in Batman (Vol. 3) #77… and even further context for that storyline can be found starting in #75 as well as Detective Comics #1031-1033)

Batman: Urban Legends “The Murder Club” (story starts in #20 but Dick and Damian scenes are #21-23)

The Boy Wonder #1

[a-bad-case-of-the-stephs]

I might be insane or the jpv and stephanie brown parallels are kinda crazy..

You simply cannot convince me Bruce Wayne Batman doesn’t have an anti-blond bias of some kind.

Azrael: Agent of the Bat #47 (1995) / Robin #98 (1993) / Robin #100 (1993)

Azrael #36 (1995) / Batgirl #38 (2000)

Azrael #36 (1995) / Detective #790

Azrael #36 (1995) / Gotham Knights #5

Azrael #27 (1995) / Batgirl #10 (2009)

They are just two blonds trying to make their way in the world whilst being plagued by a horrible bat… sad stuff

[cherrystainedknuckles]

Batman and Robin (2009) #17-22

I feel like more people need to remember that at the end of the day damian is just your average incredibly annoying 10 year old

[dickanddamianweek]

Prompt Spotlight: Sacrifice

Batman and Robin (2009) #2

Having spent years establishing himself as a hero in his own right outside of Batman, Dick leaves Nightwing behind to take up the cowl.

Batman and Robin (2009) #10

Damian essentially gives up his place in the League of Assassins to continue being Robin, especially at Dick’s side.

While these spotlights describe some interpretation of the prompt, they’re simply here to inspire, and can be translated in any other way!

Prompts list here and the FAQ and Rules here!

[randomasfuk]

Hi, I just saw your post criticizing people calling Dick “a whore,” and I agree with it all; expect “Tim and Bruce are the family whores.” I just wanted to point out that I think it’s equally wrong to call Tim a whore because of the amount of times that boy has been sexually assaulted and/or harassed. If you criticize people calling Dick a whore, I personally think it’s in equal bad taste to call Tim one.

I see where you’re coming from but Tim Drake is a serial monogamist with a hole dam roster of love interests. He has had two love interests at the same time, balancing relationships both as Red Robin and as Tim Drake.

After abit of digging to refresh my memory, here’s an expanded, detailed breakdown of his confirmed romantic relationships, including what runs they were from and whether they were fully developed or just implied crushes/flings.

Tim Drake’s Canonical & Consensual Relationships (Confirmed Roster)

1. Stephanie Brown (Spoiler/Batgirl) – The OTP

• First Appearance: Detective Comics #647 (1992)

• Main Relationship: Robin (1993) #16–#183, Batgirl (2009), Red Robin (2009)

• Status: Longest and most iconic love interest

• Notes: This was Tim’s longest relationship, though very on-off-again. They had multiple breakups, but DC consistently revisited them. Strong emotional connection, and one of the few love interests who truly understood Tim.

2. Ariana Dzerchenko – His First Girlfriend

• First Appearance: Robin (1993) #1

• Main Relationship: Robin (1993) #1–#74

• Status: Official girlfriend before Stephanie

• Notes: she was his first real gf and the relationship was actually pretty stable, they broke up bc she thought he was cheating

3. Zoanne Wilkins – High School Girlfriend

• First Appearance: Robin (1993) #148

• Main Relationship: Robin (1993) #148–#183

• Status: Civilian love interest

• Notes: very similar to his relationship with Ariana

4. Tam Fox – Love Interest in Red Robin Era

• First Appearance: Batman: The Dark Knight #1 (2011)

• Main Relationship: Red Robin (2009) #1–#26

• Status: Strong romantic subplot

• Notes: Daughter of Lucius Fox, and Tim’s love interest while he was leading Wayne Enterprises. Very close to becoming serious, but Tim’s mission got in the way.

5. Cassie Sandsmark (Wonder Girl) – Grief-Driven Romance

• First Appearance: Wonder Woman (1996) #105

• Main Relationship: Teen Titans (2003) #92–#100

• Status: Brief, grief-fueled relationship

• Notes:

Happened after Superboy died and it was more about coping with loss than real romance. Ended quickly once they realized it was unhealthy.

6. Bernard Dowd – Current Canon Boyfriend

• First Appearance: Robin (2004) #121

• Main Relationship: Batman: Urban Legends (2021)

• Status: Tim’s first confirmed same-sex relationship

• Notes:

Bernard originally appeared in the early 2000s but was reintroduced in 2021. Their relationship officially confirmed Tim as bisexual.

Lesser-Known or Minor Romantic Connections

These relationships weren’t as major but still counted as actual romantic interests.

7. Darla Aquista – Briefly Dated, Became a Villain

• First Appearance: Robin (2004) #121

• Status: Brief romance, turned into a villain

• Notes:

She was introduced as a civilian love interest. Later became the magic-powered villain Vittoria under Penguin’s gang.

8. Dana (Last Name Unknown) – Minor Love Interest

• First Appearance: Robin (1993) (exact issue unclear)

• Status: Barely developed romance

• Notes:

She existed, but not much is known about her. Possible high school crush that went nowhere.

9. Zoe (Last Name Unknown) – Another Minor Love Interest

• First Appearance: Robin (1993) (late 90s issues)

• Status: Minor high school romance

• Notes:

Similar to Dana—barely developed and mostly forgotten.

10. Charlotte Gage-Radcliffe (Mademoiselle Marie II) – Short-Lived Romance

• First Appearance: Batgirl (2006) #53

• Status: Brief romantic interest

• Notes:

• hardly a relationship, during his Red Robin era. Nothing serious came of it.

Thares also Xin Liu but I believe that was retconned although I wouldn’t have used it anyway bc she’s a manipulative bitch wtf was that.

Also if I’m wrong about anything please let me know as much as I do read comics I don’t actually own many which makes it hard to go over what happened, I had to kinda research to refresh my memory so if I’ve got anything wrong let me know.

SIDE NOTE: really needs to stop using sexual assault in storylines it’s so unnecessary especially when it never gets mentioned again.

[arkhamochi]

Batman & Robin (2009, vol. 2) #ochireads

BATMAN REBORN By Grant MORRISON & Frank QUITELY

"The new Dynamic Duo uncovers clues involving the mysterious death of Bruce Wayne before facing off against each other in a heated battle that both heroes will regret — if they live through it! Includes THE BLACKEST NIGHT, as well as stories that lead directly into BATMAN: THE RETURN OF BRUCE WAYNE!" [x]

DISCLAIMER: This retrospective may assume that you have a baseline knowledge of some of these arcs. Remember, this is all in the spirit of friendly story analysis and healthy discussion! All opinions are my own.

OVERVIEW:

Hooooo boy, okay, this one is kinda WEIRD. This volume is mostly filler for "The Return of Bruce Wayne", the greater DC event at the time. Damian is out of commission for the first half (due to the events of the previous volume), but whatever Damian moments are in here are more foundational than at first glance, even if it is at the expense of other characters.

REACTION COMMENTARY: (5 minute read)

Talia: "Isn't he magnificent?" Damian: *looking like a soggy piece of naan bread*

Co-parenting moment with your adult ward's ex girlfriend. Alfred's affection/care for Damian is a lot more unambiguous here, and now I really wish we could've seen their relationship grow in the comics (instead of it being implied "off-page")🥺!!!

To be honest, Morrison's narrative justification for introducing Damian still isn't satisfying to me. It's implied that Talia has promised Damian to inherit the Batman/Wayne empire. Now that he's super involved with the Batman gig, Talia is acting all confused and incensed about it. Am I thinking too hard about this?

SO CUTE!!! A little sweater vest moment as a treat 🥺! Another subtle nod to their genuine relationship, where Damian feels close enough to gossip with Alfred (albeit right in front of the poor subject).

I'm not sure if this is purposeful, but Damian's conversation also seems more relaxed and free flowing (compared to the previous arc). Outside of Robin activity, I don't imagine Damian going outside much, and he definitely doesn't have any friends, so he'd naturally spend a lot of time with Alfred.

Context: it really is a zombie clone!

What a smart cookie! It's a brief but interesting insight into Damian using his own unique knowledge of the Lazarus Pit to quickly deduce that this Batman is a fake, compared to Dick. I wonder if this is supposed to be a direct implication that Dick wouldn't have resurrected the wrong Batman if Damian was with him to challenge the idea?

Also, once again showing Damian has immediate and genuine concern for Alfred's wellbeing.

I have to share this whole sequence of teamwork! Could it be, Alfred and Damian are the secret Dynamic Duo!?

That spit is so iconic, so petty, disrespectful even to a zombie... Even when falling to his death, Damian doesn't scream. There's an initial shock, then reservation. Maybe he's even a little embarrassed? Disappointed in himself? Even the -tt- hints at some annoyance.

Damian has lived his life, not for the sake of living, but to achieve great things. It must be a little humiliating for someone like him to seemingly die in such a vulnerable and "pathetic" way. Does this imply that he doesn't fear death, or that he doesn't give himself permission to feel fear at all?

Fear not! Dick arrives just in time to save him! And Damian is immediately back to his quippy self, making sure that Dick knows exactly what he thinks instead of a "thank you".

Of course, Batman and Batwoman defeat Zombie Batman and save the day :)

Who let this 10 year old into the boardroom???

This whole segment is so appropriately silly. It's interesting how this might be the only time (in canon) Damian has been involved with W.E. affairs, and then he's kinda never put in a scenario like this again. Maybe Morrison was getting a feeler for where Damian's strengths outside of vigilante work might fit? Or maybe it's for a one-off gag.

Either way, I can believe that Damian would enjoy scrutinising data like a challenge to be won, but truthfully would have no interest in running W.E. But clearly it's a concept that didn't take off anywhere, so it doesn't really matter THAT much 😛

A/N: Ok so this post has been in my draft for over half a year up to this point, and I'm only picking it back up now. Apologies for the rustiness in my analysis.

Completely unrelated, have I mentioned how funny this batmobile looks to me? It reminds me of the biddybuggy from Mario Kart...

Anyway, uh...

Really beautiful panel here (even though the context behind it is super silly, so we'll just ignore all that).

Damian was raised on the legacy of Al Ghul, but technically that one only goes back 2 generations. Being promised (by Talia) to inherit the Wayne fortune, I wonder how much he knows about the history of his Father's side at this point? With Bruce (assumed to be genuinely dead at this point) out of the picture, is there an added pressure? An added loss? One day, will Damian's portrait be on this wall?

Just imagine if Bruce's portrait was already up, and then just a single beat of Damian looking at the blank space next to it... But once again, the writing kinda glosses over this character opportunity to forward the plot instead (not a bad thing, but just a shame that the potential is now lost).

GOD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Yeah, good food, good food...

They've obviously built up a healthy rapport at this point, so it especially hurts when Dick doesn't realise the depth of his insecurities (he even brushes it off twice, omg!!!).

For all the surface-level boasting Damian peacocks about his superior skills, (arguably) having already proved himself being worthy of the mantle of Robin, Damian knows, consciously or subconsciously, that it isn't enough. Despite how well he's settled into the role, true approval must come from his father in an emotional bid, and Damian is anxiously aware of exactly how Bruce feels about him.

I've always heard about how Morrison "character assassinated" Talia, and to be honest, my uneducated ass always thought "surely it can't be that bad". My god, it really is that bad.

It's unfortunately difficult to separate this characterisation from "canon" since it seems to be the main catalyst for why Damian chooses to stay in Gotham. Damian's motivations in his introductory comics were pretty vague and poorly written imo, so I am assuming this is Morrison's way of establishing something more definitive-- it's just a shame that Talia's writing has seemingly taken the fall for it.

#1 DICK GRAYSON STAN, DAMIAN WAYNE, RAHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This is...... silly.... this is so silly... And yet, I must admit, this twist had me gagged.

Context: During Damian's spinal surgery, Talia inserted a device that let's her control his body. Slade then takes over (trying to get revenge on Dick as well).

Jesus, this is grim 😻! Slade kinda catching some shade for being an old man tho hahaha. Really emotional panels from the Quitely; the desperation, struggle, and absolute trust between Batman and Robin is so raw and uncomfortable (positive!).

In an era where Damian was still universally hated, it's nice to see in-context moments of Damian's selflessness and maturity, despite the fandom rhetoric of him being a selfish brat.

DAMIAN CONVINCING HIMSELF THAT (he thinks) BRUCE WILL TAKE THE MANTLE OF ROBIN AWAY WHEN HE RETURNS AAUUUGGHHHOOUUUGHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Something else that I love about Damian's character that I don't see get brought up often is the theme of unconditional love (for family). Even after what seems like an ultimate betrayal in love and trust, Damian still respects his mother, calls her as such, and still holds on to the expectations that, in a roundabout way, he could still make her proud.

This is similarly the case with Bruce, where Damian believes that Bruce has no affection or trust towards him, but he still respects him (and their relationship) as his father.

To cap this off, I also wanted to include this "writer's commentary" by Morrison lol.

Overall, this arc had a little more bite than the last! Everything is obviously overshadowed by the "Bruce Returns" event, but we got some really definitive Damian moments... even if it was at the expense of Talia's character...

Anyone else have favourite moments to share? Personal analysis and thoughts? Let's talk about it 🥰!

[mydaddywiki]

Pat Hingle

Physique: Stocky Build Height: 5’ 10" (1.78 m)

Martin Patterson Hingle (July 19, 1924 – January 3, 2009) was the quintessential character actor whose face you'd recognize, even if you couldn't name him. He was the man who could make authority figures look both commanding and inviting. Born in Miami, Florida, Hingle's life was as dramatic off-screen as his roles were on it.

He served in the U.S. Navy during WWII, dropping out of the University of Texas to join the USS Marshall, then returned post-war to get a degree in radio broadcasting - perfect training for broadcasting his charm. Recalled during the Korean War, he served on the USS Damato, showing he knew how to navigate rough seas, which might just translate into handling other… turbulent situations.

His acting journey started in college, leading him to New York City where he soaked up knowledge at the American Theatre Wing and the Actors Studio. His Broadway debut in "End as a Man" was just the beginning of a career where he was lauded for roles in "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof" and "J.B." - plays hot enough to make you think about him in a different light.

Hingle's film career began with a whisper in "On the Waterfront" but grew to a roar with roles that made him the go-to for tough, reliable characters in films like "Splendor in the Grass," "Hang 'Em High," and "Norma Rae." On television, he was a guest star you'd welcome back into your living room… or bedroom.

Married twice, his first marriage to Alyce Faye Dorsey produced three children, while his second to Julia Wright added two more to his brood. His later years were marked by continued acting, including a role in the "1776" revival, showing he still had the stamina - even if off-stage, it might have been of a different kind.

Pat Hingle passed away from cancer in 2009, but his legacy in film and theater is like a fine wine, getting better with age, or perhaps like a good, sturdy partner who knows how to make every scene memorable.

Known for: Batman & Robin (1997) The Quick and the Dead (1995) Batman (1989) Maximum Overdrive (1986)

[casscainmainly]

How do you think cass is like as a big sister? Considering she’s like the second oldest sibling in the batfam

I think her big sistering is VERY dependent on the sibling. The person she's the best older sibling for is probably Duke, given that she's had the most time getting used to being a sister, and they have the most drama-free and cute relationship. She adores him and fully embraces her role as his older sister, and he adores her in return!

Tim is the second best sister-brother relationship. They didn't start out as siblings which makes some of their early interactions... um... un-sibling-like (see Tim's reaction to her in Babs' Batgirl suit), but after that initial bump they get along very well and trust each other implicitly (see Batgirl (2008) and Red Robin (2009)). She's not exactly an older sister to him, though, since they act much more like equals; and their differing opinions on Bruce/Batman sometimes drive a wedge between them. Very sibling-coded to argue over your dad, though.

Damian is a bit weird for her. He has a lot in common with her, but in some ways their experiences are complete opposites - he was raised to think of himself as important, while Cass was raised to think of herself as a tool. In Gates of Gotham, Cass does earn Damian's trust, but she doesn't really wanna deal with him and explicitly is like 'yeah Tim he's your problem'. I think they avoid each other, honestly, and when they do interact it's cordial but not close. She doesn't do much big sistering for him and they're both fine with that.

Last but not least is our favourite dead boy Jason Todd. Cass definitely lords her 'older' status over him, but not her 'sister' status so much; they are the least close to each other of maybe any pairing in the Batfam. They are also two of the most abrasive personalities in the family, so besides the morality stuff they just don't like each other. The 'big sistering' here is more of the insults, snide comments, fist-fighting variety. Duke is the only person both would hold a truce for, and that is very tenuous.

So overall she's like a 5/10 older sister, which is honestly impressive for someone who spent the majority of her life heavily isolated. If you asked her four younger brothers if she was a good sister, Duke and Tim would say yes, Damian would say she's okay, and Jason would tell you to go to hell.

[batbunker]

I hate Damian's new longer hair and sidebang look because I really do feel like, for the first time, DC is really trying to homogenize him into "Robin."

Like not only do they not give him a distinguishably darker skin tone 9.9 times out of 10, but now they are literally giving him the default Robin™️ hairstyle as well as a much more laid back personality and more Soft Boy™️ traits that feel straight out of a x Wattpad reader fic from 2015.

Y'all can say he's "developing as a character" or "growing up" all you want, but what I see is DC forcing him to fit in a box he never belonged in in the first place, and as someone who's been following his journey since 2009, I don't want Damian to be Robin if Dick isn't his Batman. He didn't want to be Robin if Dick wasn't his Batman. He was never supposed to be Robin without Dick as his Batman.

Literally and figuratively.

Lazarus Island was finally a step forward towards Damian developing into his own, and then Batman & Robin took him five steps back. He is regressing before my eyes into the same indistinguishable bird blob as the rest of them that in 10 years people are going to post pics of this era more than any prior and be like "is this dick damian jason or tim???" and it's so dissappointing.

I just want him to be his own character without the weight of the legacy of the mantle that comes with being specifically at Bruce's side. Give it to a character who already fits the archetype without having to change themselves to...like Maps Mizoguchi. TY and gobbless. 🙏

[sepia-stained-sunset]

Rating Cassandra Cain Artstyles

-> Damion Scott: 10000/10 No notes, the absolute zenith

Found in Batgirl (2000) #1-

-> Jeff Parker: 10/10 Very cute and expressive

Found in Batgirl (2000) #38

-> Phil Noto: 10/10 my only complaint is that there's so little of his Cass

Found in Batgirl (2000) #27

->Ale Garza: 100/10 I personally love this style for Cass, especially her hair

Found in Batgirl (2000) #58

-> Kyle Higgins: 8.5/10 the overall style is quite pretty, I just hate the hairband

Found in Batman: Gates of Gotham #1-5

-> Bill Sienkiewicz: 1000/10 so, so gorgeous are you kidding me??

Found in DC First: Batgirl/Joker

->Sergio Cariello: 100/10 a classic and with good reason

Found in Batman (1940) #569

-> Mark Panniccia: -1000000/10 I didn't even realize this was Cass at first glance

Found in Batman: City of Light #1-8

->Ramon Bachs: 9/10 I don't like the writing for Cass much but I love her overall look

Found in Red Robin (2009) #17

->Miguel Mendonca: 8/10 Cass just doesn't feel like Cass, but it does establish a trend of her wearing goofy t-shirts with weird captions that I think all future Cass artists should carry forward

Found in Detective Comics #983

->Takeshi Miyazawa: 10/10 I love it for its expressiveness and the way it can make her look like an effortless badass and a pathetic wet cat simultaneously

Found in Batgirl (2024) #1-

Overall, Cass has had some pretty amazing artists. I especially adore her early years in comics history because she looks her age, which is so important to her character growth and embracing her personhood.