#bruce knows a lot of people and most of them are by law part of the family

[poisonousquinzel]

people that actually think (and bitch about) Harley "being part of the Batfam" are so annoyingly funny to me cause like y'all really saw a couple panels & group shots and just ran with it huh? no bothering to even read the dialogue cause who does that? like oh nooo, she was there during the war her ex started and she tagged along with Batman cause she'd literally saved his life and she wanted to put an end to Joker.

Bruce: "Joker's at Ace Chemical. I'll go to him there. I'll put an end to this."

Harley: "And I'm going with, so I can kill Joker."

Jason: "Wait what?!"

Bruce: "That's not what's happening."

Harley: "Wait, why the hell is that not what's happening? That's the whole reason I came here!"

Batman (2016 - ) #106 Cover

like omfg move on ! the Joker war arc was literal years ago. (2020-2021) it's been fucking years shut up about shit you never got in the first place it makes you look moronic.

cause sorry is Bruce not allowed friends? do you just jump to the assumption that every single person he's friends with and is part of a group panel has been by default now legitimately added to the Batfam? do you think he's out here adding members as if he's unlocking new characters in the Lego Batman game & they've been permanently added to his gallery? like is it hard? having rocks inside your skull where the brain should be? cause why are y'all so stupid jfc? 😭

[lightwing-s]

𝐇𝐄𝐋𝐋𝐎 𝐎𝐅𝐅𝐈𝐂𝐄𝐑

pairing: dick grayson x fem! reader

summary: as an intern at the police department you should know how to separate work from personal life, but when officer dreamy comes after you, you can't help it but mix them together

rating: 18+ (MDNI)

word count: 6,2k warnings: unprotected sex, cum eating, handjob (f receiving), slight overstimulation, a lot of pinning for each other

a/n: i gave up proof reading halfway because i was sleepy, so it might be okay at first and then become messy. sorta base on my experience working at a police precinct earlier this year, but not faithful (at all) to reality.

reblogs and interactions are always appreciated ! ♡

⌜masterlist⌟ ⌜requests⌟

Jumping off the last step down the bus, you rush into the streets, swerving through the crowds, bumping against people, getting sworn at by some, and somehow managing your way through the busy mess that was Gotham’s early mornings.

The headphones glued to your ear were the only thing trying to distract you from all the chaos that was the start of your day, but as the shuffle merged bossa nova into 2000s punk rock, you felt your body react and jump into a faster pace on your way to work. Within each step, the Greek columns of the old imposing building of the Gotham City’s Police Department grew bigger in the horizon, letting you know your commute was close to its end.

Beep beep, your watch announced the start of your shift. Damn it, you were late again. Trying to speed up your steps, you felt your calves start to burn, but the building soon was right in front of you, a couple of steps separating you both.

“Good morning, Yn.” greeted one of the officers, as you passed by him in a rush, as you made your way up the large steps without somehow managing to trip as he was bound somewhere else, already deep into the rash routine of being a police officer at the country’s most dangerous city.

Bursting through the doors, you look around to see if your supervisor, officer McCaffrey, was anywhere near. He hated you and had been on your ass since you started arriving a bit later than you were supposed to, a move further away from the precinct ruining your commute times.

Not seeing his growing bald head anywhere around, you jump ahead and find your way to your desk, stacked with piles and piles of papers, old cases handed to you to be typed and launched into this new software funded by Mr. Bruce Wayne.

Interning at a police station wasn’t exactly a part of your meticulously drawn up plan to get into law school, as law enforcement was on the far bottom of your list of possible careers to choose for your future. However, from day one you were surprised by how much you enjoyed working at the department, by how much you enjoyed the people, both your co-workers and, weirdly, the criminals you got to meet on a daily basis. 

Sometimes it was too much, juggling school work and the internship, plus all the side hustles you had to take just to make it through college without starving to death. But it all had its good sides. Sometimes, some really good ones.

Placing your bag over the pile of cases, you were about to go around your desk and sit down on the rather uncomfortable chair to start typing those damned cases away, when the rough voice of the main antagonist of this current season of your life reached your ears. 

“Miss, Ys,” your supervisor called. Rolling your eyes, you forced yourself to remain still, a lot of effort put into not throwing your head back in defeat as you turned around to meet face of your tormentor for the first time that day. “Thought you started your program at…” he dragged himself out, looking at his clock. “Exactly fifteen minutes ago.”

“Hello, officer McCaffrey.” you forced out a smile while greeting him. “Well, I was here fifteen minutes ago, you must have missed me.”

You confidently tried to lie, hoping the time spent with suspected criminals had taught you something, but being sure your face must have told him the opposite of what you meant. “I’m pretty sure I looked all over for you.”

“Are you sure?” you feigned innocence when trying once more.

“Miss Yn, this is a serious institution and if you’re not going to cooperate by doing your job properly I’m sorry to inform you that…” 

“You won’t need it, Christian.” a deeper voice cut your supervisor off as he started to scold you again. The voice, a tone you could easily identify from how much you’d heard it and dreamed of it in the past few months. “I stopped Miss Yn outside for a talk. I did not think there would be any problem.”

Sounding much more confident in his lie than you did, you were sure you could’ve fallen for it if it wasn’t of you he was talking about.

“Officer Grayson, Miss Ys has got a job to finish, she doesn’t need to go around having conversations with what I imagine are busy policemen.” officer Tormentor replied, not even caring to turn around and face the other voice’s owner, disdain covering each and everyone of his words.

“We were just discussing a case, it’s not that big of a deal. Right, Yn?” Officer Grayson called you by your first name along with a wink, the remaining energy left from not rolling your eyes at officer McCaffrey earlier keeping you from melting at how sweet your name sounded coming out of his mouth. 

McCaffrey finally turned to face your white night in a white button-up, only his back in your line of view now as you were still paralyzed in your spot, the image of Officer Grayson trapping your attention from anything else in the precinct.

“Dick,” your supervisor continued, the name sounding off of him like an annoyance. ”You’re not supposed to share confidential information with the students.” He told him bitterly.

“Aren’t they here to learn about our job, Christian?” Officer Grayson replied, the same annoyance playing on his tongue, but at the same time full of an uplifting fun only Dick Grayson could master and that you were sure only annoyed Christian more.

Facing the sudden silence between you three, you noticed Officer Grayson’s eyebrow raising, challenging his fellow officer to complain about you one more time.

“Sure, but…”

“I was doing just that, making sure Yn’s internship actually brings some value to her future.” Grayson cut him once more. “No sensitive information was shared, just the look of an investigation through a detective’s eye. And even so, miss Yn is one of the most competent interns we’ve had in a while and I’m sure she would’ve been able to keep any information she might’ve gotten. I’m sure talking with actual officers is much more beneficial than typing old cases into a system.”

Silence overcame you three again, Grayson’s words having a certain impact on you. Your shoes, stained and in desperate need of a wash, suddenly became interesting as you lowered your face to hide the burning red on your cheeks. The insides of your lips were chewed on, stopping the smile from spreading on your face.

Finally looking up, your eyes briefly met Officer Grayson’s, but you moved away quickly, afraid of what they might’ve done to you. 

Officer McCaffrey opened and closed his mouth a couple of times, his mind certainly trying to muster a comeback to Grayson’s defense of you but clearly failing to do so. His eyes moved from you to his coworker, and you wondered what was going through his head.

Whatever it was, it would never live up to Officer Dick Grayson. He just never would.

“Very well,” McCaffrey finally spoke, turning to face you with a displeased expression. “Get on with your typing.”

Turning on his heel, McCaffrey walked away from the two of you, the hardness of his hips making his walk look funny and with the bald spot growing in his head the both of you let out a soft chuckle.

Resting your butt on the desk behind you, the need of formality gone with your supervisor, you took this time to eye up the man left with you. 

That man didn’t have a bad looking day, showing up like a greek god every single day at work. He wore his usual white button-up shirt, rolled up to his elbows and exposing his thick forearms, built effortlessly at the gym - you were sure -, and decorated with veins you secretly wanted to map with your fingertips. 

He wore gray pants today, a color he often varied with either dark blue, black or beige, but the latter, thankfully, becoming rarer with each passing day. It didn’t compliment him, making his look rather boring in your opinion, nor did it match well with any of his shoes, probably more expensive than anything you owned. 

His badge and gun hang on his hips, held on the black belt made of the most sophisticated leather in the world, or so you’d bet. He seemed to take good care of himself, as not only his skin glistened like a glazed donut, but he exuded a strong woody smell, following him along to every room he entered.

However, the lack of a tie and the untidy hair signaled to you he might’ve been just as late as you were. And still, he looked majestic. The highlight of your long hours at the precinct.

“Hello, officer Grayson.” you greeted him shyly. You certainly should not have spent too much of your days simply just watching him go on about his work, but it was a habit you had created and that was hard not to do, his simple presence was enough to overwhelm you.

“Good morning, Yn. Haven’t had an easy morning, I see?” he raised his eyebrow at you this time, a playful smiling playing on his face. 

“You too, right?” slipped out of your mouth quicker than you’d wished, almost slapping your face out of sheer frustration.

His head bent to the side, a question forming on his eyes, eyebrows furrowed, but soon returning to the playful expression you were used to. “I see your detective skills have been improving.”

“I-I just noticed you’re not wearing a t-tie like you usually do and your hair seems messy, that’s all.” you said without pausing for air and his smile only seemed to grow.

“Relax, Yn,” he dragged out. “I just had to stay up till late last night. What’s your excuse?”

“Commuting has been hell. I just moved to a new apartment.” you told him, nodding for absolutely no reason. He didn’t seem pleased with your answer, eagerly waiting for you to continue. “At the Amusement Mile.”

“Amusement Mile?!” he exclaimed. “That’s basically on the other side of the city.”

Yep, you worded, or not. You were not sure.

“And really dangerous, Yn.” he sounded worried. “Make sure to not leave too late, okay?”

“I’ll try.” you replied, but he still didn’t seem pleased. “I promise?”

You were not sure what kind of tone this conversation had. You and Officer Grayson had always been friendly, as he always came by your desk to wish you a good day or night, to bring you coffee as he did with his coworkers, or to ask you about how classes were going and if the internship wasn’t getting in the way of your studies.

It all sounded friendly to you, as if he only saw you as a younger sister or something like that. Sadly to you, that seemed to be a reality. But today, the friendliness sounded less friendly, for some reason, or maybe they were just the voices of hope playing with your mind.

“Good, I’ll have to work now, and I think so do you. Having fun with typing?”

“It really could be worse.” You joked, bringing out a laugh from him, filling your ears and making your heart pump faster.

“Have a nice day, Yn.” 

“You too, officer.” you eagerly replied, watching as he too walked away from you.

Finally sitting down on your chair, you let out a huge sigh, Officer Dreamy, as you kindly nicknamed him to yourself, stuck in your head. You knew it was inappropriate to harvest a crush on a superior at work, but gosh was it hard to.

“And Yn?” his voice startled you. 

“Hmm” you managed to hum as you found his head poking out from behind a wall.

“Call me Dick.”

Lights went off one by one around you, as you still sat on your desk, files of cases long forgotten, while you typed in a class project you were due very soon. 

As life worked conspired to put you down, your laptop had given up on you, deciding that the smokey life was the way to go now and simply choosing not to work ever again. So, you had to stick around the precinct or the library till the wee hours of the night if you wanted to get any uni work done.

“Yn” a voice called you, starling you out of your seat. “Still here?”

Officer Grayson, looking as tired as you must have looked, made his way to your desk. In his hands, some papers you’d come to know were cases he took frequently to study at home.

“I have to finish an essay.” you informed, voice almost not making it out, as you had neglected your health and hadn’t gotten a single sip of water all day.

“What happened to your computer? I remember you bringing one before.”

“Decided to give out smoke signals, I guess.” you joked, managing to steal a smile from him. “It broke, and I’m too broke to fix it, so I have to stay here if I want to finish this essay tonight.”

Your eyes itched from the extensive exposure to the computer lights, your back also causing you discomfort. But you still had work to do, so there was no way you were leaving any time soon, and quickly you returned your attention to your essay ignoring, for once, your favorite male presence in the precinct as you didn’t want to miss the peak of energy and creativity you had gotten to.

As you typed unaware of his lingering presence, Officer Grayson stood by your desk for a while, watching as you swiftly typed word after word of your homework. “You aren’t going to stay here till too late, right?”

“I’m not sure.” you moaned, rubbing your eyes with the palm of your hands. “I really have to finish this but I’m not even close.”

Returning your gaze to him, you found his eyes and they bore into your, making your breath get caught up in your throat and your heart to skip a beat. You wanted to focus on your school work and go home, get some much needed sleep before starting your routine all over again, but Dick’s mere presence  pushed away all your academic thoughts.

It was like his body irradiated an energy, a gravity field, that pulled you in from wherever you were. That trapped your attention, leaving you breathless even though you hadn’t run, leaving your head heavy as the most painful headache, leaving you completely, deeply, under his spell.

As you focused on him, you noticed the bags forming under his eyes and his much messier hair, as if he had, and he did, spent hours running his fingers through it as an attempt to concentrate. His clothes were ruffled, and you swore his belt seemed to have been loosed at some point during the day. 

To you, he was like a painting at an art gallery. Exquisite, expensive, beautifully breathtaking… and forever unreachable.

On a scale from one to ten, you were minus forty in the levels of importance inside the department. Nobody really cared for the interns. They were nice and all, but they knew they wouldn’t last long, so why bother connecting, why bother giving them too much attention. And yet, officer Grayson would come over to you, every single day, saying his “his” and “goodbyes”, wishing you a good morning, a good night, a great weekend.

He was truly a being out of this world. A gentleman amongst mere humans, too kind, too sweet for this world, for this city. You often wondered how the hell did he, the son of a billionaire, end up working with the police, and the answered you always came up with was that he must have been the only truly good and altruistic person alive, opting to care for the people instead of being a pretentious heir like many others.

If he had looked over at your computer screen, he’d have found a soup of words that together made zero sense, as your mind couldn’t only write Dick Dick Dick Dick, in both meanings of the word.

“A-hem.” he coughed breaking your awkward stare competition. “I have to get going, Yn. Please don’t stay up too late, and message me when you get home.”

“I don’t have your number.” you mindlessly blurted out.

“I have yours,” he stated, catching you off guard. “I’ll text you. See you tomorrow?” he asked, seeming actually interested in a positive answer.

“Uh-huh.”

“See you, then. Goodbye, Miss Ys.”

“Goodbye, officer.”

It was past midnight when you eventually turned off your computer and headed out of the police department. Sleepiness weighs your body down, making each step a harder task than it should've been.

Saying your goodbyes to the officers working the night shift, many of those telling you to be careful as they feared the dangerous Gotham nights would turn you into one more of its victims, you made your way down the large set of steps, an activity much easier than climbing them in the morning.

As you step into the sidewalk you’re embraced by the darkness. The cold breeze hitting you, making you wrap your jacket tightly around your body, a shield from the freezing weather and the demons of the night. Your bag is glued to your hips and your eyes scanning the area for any strange movement.

You’re glad some of those police officers had been kind enough to teach you how to realize some signs before anything bad happens, applying it to your everyday life as you could never be sure of your surroundings in this city.

When you turned right on the first corner, a moving shadow had your neck hairs up and a shiver running up your spine. Your fight or flight instincts overcoming you as your steps grew faster and faster.

“Yn, wait!” you heard the shadow owner scream, your heart skipping a beat before your mind could make up the situation. It took you a while to figure out who the scream belonged to, the fear blinding your senses and preventing you from forming any type of judgment, but something in you clicked and upon turning around it everything was all made clear.

“Officer Grayson?” you questioned, confused by his appearance as he had gone home almost two hours earlier. He now wore a pair of dark gray or black sweatpants, the faint light hindering your perception, a black t-shirt and a thick overall to shield him from the cold. The tips of his hair dripped with a few droplets of water, and even in the darkness you could make up his red nose gifted by the freezing weather. 

He looked cozy, huggable, like a plushie pillow you hugged to go to bed. This look on him made your chest warm up and you swore you wouldn’t need a jacket soon.

“Why are you following me? Why are you here?”

“I’m sorry if I scared you, Yn. I thought it’d be better if I didn’t scream, but maybe I was wrong,” he apologized, rushing the words out of his mouth.

“I just didn’t expect to see you here.” you smiled, unable to hide the joy from seeing him again. Your smile made him feel less bad for scaring you, but his eyes still looked into yours like he apologized for it. 

“I didn’t get your text.” he said, his statement confusing you a little. “That you were going home?”

Oh, that! It was your turn to feel bad, your cheeks, if possible for him to see, painted red but not from the coldness.

“I was expecting your text and didn’t get it, so I showered and came here to see if you’d gone home and I found you still in your computer. I was waiting for you to come out.”

YOU WERE WAITING FOR ME?!, you wanted to scream, his words making your head spin, trying to work out the reason why they came out of his pretty lips. The idea of him waiting for god knows how long till you finished your essay making you dizzy.

“It didn’t feel right letting you go home alone at this hour.” he continued to explain, seemingly aware of the questions inside your head. “So I came back after taking a shower to pick you up.”

HE CAME BACK. HE WENT HOME. TOOK A SHOWER, A SHOWER HE PROBABLY, DEFINITELY, TOOK NAKED. AND CAME BACK TO PICK ME UP????

Oh lord, your head was truly spinning and you hoped you weren’t dizzy enough to end up falling and making a fool of yourself. No single sentence was merged in your mind, your lips blurting out whatever overcame them without any filter: “The subway isn’t empty.”

He chuckled at your silly response and reaching for his coat’s pocket, he picked up his car keys, shaking them in front of your eyes. “Are you declining a ride home? Thought you’d love to ride in a Porsche tonight.”

At the sound of “Porsche”, you let out an excited giggle. You always wanted to find out what car Dick drove, a man’s choice of vehicle being a way into understanding his lifestyle and tastes, and not only were you finding out now but you were also getting to ride in it with him.

“I think it’s an offer I can’t really let pass.”

Showing you the way to his car with his head, he let you walk past him, and when you did his hand met your waist as he guided you in its direction. 

It was like you entered into another reality when you crossed the Police Department’s doors, meeting an Officer Dick Grayson that you always dreamed of but never expected to become a reality.

The warm touch of his hand on the small of your back gave you shivers along with a sense of safety not even a room full of police officers had given you. It was different, somehow, in a way you found hard to explain, but that made your heart beat nervously, your breathing to get hectic and your stomach to take turns.

Soon, the silvery car was beside you and the man opened the passenger door for you with his free hand. You thanked him and slid inside the car, the warmed leather seats a comfortable welcome after hours spent on the painful cheap chair by your desk, and when he closed the door you took the few seconds until he was sat beside you to at least try to recollect yourself.

Richard John Grayson isn’t just giving you a ride, he came all the way from his home to do so. You didn’t know where he lives, but it couldn’t be too close. He went out of his way to do that for you, and what that meant frightened you a little.

The warmness of the seats couldn’t compare to what his touch had made you feel. As his hand slid off of your skin you let out a low moan you hoped he didn’t have the time to listen to, already missing the feeling he had given you.

It made you both afraid, nervous and excited, and you couldn’t help the smile from spreading on your lips, even when biting down on them or chewing the insides of your cheeks. You sat still, spine straight and hands resting on top of your bag laid up on your lap, while he calmly walked to the driver’s side, the opposite reflection of how he made you feel.

“Amusement Mile?” he looked at you for confirmation, the engine of the car warming up. Your eyes were glued to his every movement, admiring every single breath he took.

You simply shook your head to answer, biting on your bottom lip in contemplation.

“It’s gonna be a long ride, so make yourself comfortable.” he told you before continuing. “And I almost forgot…”

Reaching for something behind your seat, you felt his breath on your neck, sending more shiver up your spine, a recurring thing tonight. “I got you some soup. To warm up.”

“Wow. Thank you, officer.”

“Yn?” he called you and you hummed, letting him continue. “What did I tell you to call me?”

“I’m sorry.” you apologized, remembering the moment you’d shared earlier. “Thank you, Dick.”

“Perfect.” 

Turned just enough to face you, it was his time to bite on his lip, the sight sending your hormones to overdrive. 

The ride was mostly silent, as you both felt comfortable in just each other’s presence. You drank your soup and he drove carefully to not make it spill. He left his playlist on shuffle and you commented on a few surprising tunes.

“I didn’t take you for a reggaeton kind of guy.”

“Hey, I appreciate the sounds of many different cultures!”

 And faster than you had wished for, you two were parked by your front door.

“Thank you, offic… Dick, really. I would have taken at least double the time to arrive by subway, so I really cannot thank you enough for this, you really didn’t have to.”

“Nonsense, I’m always here to help, and I wouldn’t sleep well knowing you could be in danger.”

For the 1000th time tonight, your cheeks grew scarlet and you avoided Dick’s eyes. The yawn coming out of you the perfect getaway from the situation you didn’t not know how to handle.

“I better get going, or else I’m just gonna take a nap before having to go back to the precinct all over again.” you sent him a smile before opening the door, but before you stepped outside you felt his hand touch you again, this time reaching for you tight.

“If you want to, I can pick you up tomorrow morning.” his thumb lightly drew patterns in your jeans, and you could feel a hit of sweat on the palm of his hands and the spot on your tight grew humid.

“It would be asking for too much.”

“No it wouldn’t.” he didn’t wait for you to finish. “I’d love to.”

He had your full attention, his eyes trapping yours in a drunken haze. The air around you got thicker, warmer, too hot, as if the winter night was just a mere illusion outside the car. You had sat back in your seat, not sure if the door was open or closed because only him mattered now, only his eyes drifting from yours to your lips, only his tongue moistening his own, only the slow movement of his head getting closer to yours.

You wouldn’t remember the next few seconds even if described to you in the smallest details, you just remember meeting his lips halfway. At first, a hasty kiss, your lips barely moving but already igniting you with an electric feeling. His teeth pulled on your bottom lip, causing a moan to escape off of you.

His hand went to your neck and the kiss deepened, his tongue immediately sliding inside your mouth, playing with yours as your hands found his waist in search for balance, even though you remained at your seat.

“We shouldn’t be doing this.” you cut the kiss, your own mind betraying you with the words that flew out of your mouth. “But I really want to.”

“I don’t see why we shouldn't,” he said, connecting your lips once again. 

He sucked and nibbled at your lips, certainly leaving small bruises on it, but who were you to complain. All night, your anxiousness tried to get the best of you, but his kiss and his touch held you hostage in a passionate haze.

“It’s dangerous to be on the streets this late.” he told you between kisses.

“We can go upstairs.” you offered, wanting to extend the moment as much as you could.

“I wouldn’t wanna bother your roommate.”

“I don’t have a roommate.” you informed, eyes meeting his once more in search of confirmation.

Kissing where your neck met your ears, he whispered. “I’ll park the car.”

“You can leave it right here.” you moaned, desperately wanting to move things inside. He chuckled, pulled you in for another kiss and then quickly jumped out of the car. He followed you as you climbed the stairs to your floor, managing to control himself and stay far enough as to not throw you against the walls and fuck you right then and there, but the gentleman inside of him held him together and he anxiously watched you unlock your apartment door.

You threw your bag somewhere, and walked inside your home aimlessly. You didn’t bring many guys over, so you always struggled to figure out what to do at this point.

“Yn.” you heard Dick calling, spinning on your heels to meet him. 

Throwing his key on a table, he came over to you without wasting time, hands grabbing your face and smashing your lips together for a hotter, wetter, dirtier kiss.

His tongue sucked you yours as your hands traveled on his chiseled torso, sliding inside his shirt for the full experience. You scratch the skin with your nails and he quivered under your touch. “Fuck.” he let out, pushing you against the head of the sofa.

Wrapping your arms around his neck, you shortened the distance between your bodies even more and his hands moved down your body, from your back to your ass, to your tight where he grabbed and entangled them around his waist. He placed you on top of the sofa, magically not letting your lips grow apart.

You could feel the bulge on his pants hardening with each touch, so you lowered one hand to cup his member in it’s entirety, but not managing to get a hold of half of it. Shit. You tried to pull at his waistband, but he pushed your hand away. “I’m not wasting time.” he said, taking you off of your seat. “I need to be inside you.”

Shit, shit, shit, shit. The thought of his words becoming a reality soaking your panties more than they already were, as you had to grind on his clothed crotch to get the friction, the sensation you so desperately needed. You wanted him inside of you now, not a minute later.

“Your room?” he asked.

“First door to the right.” you said, gasping for air between his kisses.

With ease, he walked to your bedroom as if he knew you home by heart, and as if he didn’t carry a girl but just a stuffed toy. His only struggle came at the door handle, but reaching behind you you managed to open it up for him, a group effort for a group pleasure.

Dick let go of your legs, letting your feet hit the floor once again. His hands were quick to find the hem of your shirt, tugging at it before you broke the kiss to allow him to pull it over your head, your bra being ripped off your skin not much later. His shirt and sweatpants flew behind him too in just a few seconds, and he soon had you pinned on the bed, hands trapped by his on top of your head.

Dick had an urgency in him you’d never seen before, more used to his calm demeanor. He grunted on your ear as he sucked on your neck, leaving marks you knew you wouldn’t be able to hide at work, and he grinded his clothed dick on your bare pussy.

“You don’t know how much I’ve been wanting this.” he groaned, one hand grabbing tightly at your boob. “Some days beside you were pure torture.”

You couldn’t imagine an Officer Dreamy having dreams about you, just like you did with him, but from the sound of it, he had plenty. All you could do was moan out his name, his mouth doing magic on your neck as his hands finally reached where you needed him more.

Rubbing slowly at your clit, you tried humping it, wanting it faster, wanting release, but his movements remained slow, torturous. 

“D-dick.” you cried out his name, begging him to speed up his touch.

“Say it again, darling. Say it.” he requested. “Let my fucking name slip out of your dirty little mouth.”

“Dick. Dick, please!” you obeyed, little the silly little slut you were for him. If your friends or coworkers found out about this, they’d be very disapproving, they’d tell you it was wrong to fuck your superior, but fuck it, fuck him you will.

He moaned loudly in your ear and his movements gained speed. He rubbed at your clit harshly, making it bruise, but the pain only added to the growing sensation on your core. He lowered his head and his lip grabbed your nipple, and his sucks were enough to bring you to the edge.

“You came so hard for me, darling.”

Moving away from your skin, setting your hands free, he admired your cum glistening on his hands before bringing them to his mouth and licking it off his finger. “I knew you’d taste fucking delicious.”

This idea of him wanting to fuck you for so long did wonders to your ego and booted any confidence you still had. The man you so desperately wanted for so long had wanted you as desperately for just as long. Your heart beat so fast you were sure he could hear it, but you wanted him too, no secrets lying between you two anymore.

Without you noticing, his boxers were gone and his hard dick bounced on his crotch, the rosy tip, dripping with precum, staining his stomach. Lining up outside your entrance, rubbing his tip on your clit just to tease you a little more, his eyes met yours. They trapped you as they did inside the car, but now they didn’t stare at you with simple desire. It burned, it consumed him and needed to find a way to release it. And his way was you.

With no warning, he thrusted into you, his size ripping you open and you let out a scream as you prayed your neighbors were heavy sleepers. Dick, as soon as his member was fully within you, let out a guttural groan, the sexiest moan you’d ever heard come out of a man.

“F-fuck you’re so tight.” he moaned. “Just like I imagined.”

Lying on top of you, he met your lips, he wrapped your fingers in his and slid your hands to the top of your head again. His thrusts were fast, hard, reaching you deeper and deeper, taking out of you a scream louder than the other, only muffled by his mouth that refused to leave yours.

You wrapped your leg around his waist, wanting him to go deeper, if it was even possible, so consumed with lust that all logic melted out of your mind.

It wasn’t a fuck, it was love making, sensual and nearly animalistic love making, and the idea of it made the butterflies in your stomach go feral just as you were. If he loved you or not, even it was even something else more the pure lust, was a discussion for later, but he fucked you like no one else did, and you only hoped it was a sign he was not like the others. That he wasn’t just a single page in a large book.

The wet sound of your skins meeting each other filled the room, but only because your mouths were glued together, all sound not allowed to make it out.

“You’re taking me in so good, aren’t you Yn?”

“Yes, y-yes. You’re filling me so good.” you cried back.

“Are you gonna come on my dick, Yn? Are you gonna let me feel you coming?” he teased, nearly as desperate for your orgasm as you were.

“Yes.” you replied, louder than you’d wished. With a few more thrusts, you came all over his hard dick, your body shaking ferociously, reaching a high you’d never reached before. “Uuh, yes!” you screamed, as he continued to pump into you, his own orgasm imminent.

“I’m gonna come, Yn.” he announced, thrusting once more before taking his member out of your pussy and stroking it up and down with his hands. His milky load hit your belly, painting you in sin, as your tongue extended out for a little drip of it.

Exhausted, Dick threw himself on the bed beside you, both your breath audibly out of pace. Your body was covered in sweat, your bed sheet sticking to your back as you tried your best to recollect yourself.

“Officer McCaffrey would be so disappointed.” you joked, getting a loud laugh out of the man beside you. Crossing his arm over your waist, he pulled you closer to him, kissing the wet baby hairs at your temple.

“Wanna disappoint him again?” he asked, turning your face to meet your eyes, his new found favorite thing to look at.

“All night?” you asked in return.

“All fucking night.”

It was safe to say you were late for work again the next morning, and would be late a few more times, as Officer Dreamy would gladly keep you up for as long as you wished.

[luna-rainbow]

Ross’s quote about the Avengers ignoring sovereign borders comes up a lot and is often used to accuse Steve of American imperialism, so let’s have a look into it.

You've fought for us. Protected us. Risked your lives. While a great many people see you as heroes. There are some... who would prefer the word "vigilantes". What would you call a group of US-based, enhanced individuals, who routinely ignores sovereign borders and inflict their will wherever they choose and who, frankly, seem unconcerned about what they leave behind them?

Sooo. Civil War was a terrible piece of world-building. The first problem is that it came way too early in the franchise, not just for the fracture between Tony and Steve to be anywhere near meaningful, but also the number of missions preceding this that would actually fit Ross’s accusations.

Let’s look at all the MCU movies so far leading up to Civil War:

Iron Man 1-3

Captain America 1-2

Thor 1-2

Ant-Man

Avengers 1-2

Hulk

(Guardians of the Galaxy)

Cap 1 took place in WW2, Cap 2 took place mostly on US soil, with the exception of the Lemurian Star which was a SHIELD mission. Thor wasn’t part of Civil War but he was dealing with extraterrestrial threats that came to Earth. Avengers 1 similarly - the only time the team was out of US was to confront Loki in Germany, and again that was under the supervision of SHIELD. Ant-Man also happened in US territory.

The only person on the team who “routinely ignores sovereign borders and inflict their will” without any oversight was Tony. He did it in IM1 against the Ten Rings. In IM2 he opens the movie with:

I'm not saying that the world is enjoying its longest period of uninterrupted peace in years because of me (...) I’m not saying that Uncle Sam can kick back on a lawn chair, sipping on an iced tea because I haven’t come across anyone who’s man enough to go toe-to-toe with me on my best day.

It is implied - the showing was done in the first movie - that Tony continued his "peace-keeping" activities which consisted of zipping into other countries and blasting everything with fire.

Never forget that even Rhodey assessed Tony as:

As he does not operate within any definable branch of government, Iron Man presents a potential threat to the security of both the nation and to her interests.

Operating outside the law was started by Tony, not by Steve or any of the other (original) Avengers, most of whom were working for SHIELD until they had to bring it down themselves to stop Hydra from killing millions of people.

The narrative problem lies in the vacuum between Captain America 2 and Captain America 3. Avengers 2 deftly avoided discussing who was overseeing their operations, and by the time Cap 3 rolls around they're suddenly a privately operated group of vigilantes?

Speaking of Avengers 2, that's the time someone decided to make a “global peacemaking initiative” without involving his team, much less the global community.

Bruce Banner: So you're going for artificial intelligence and you don't want to tell the team.

Tony Stark: Right. That's right, you know why, because we don't have time for a city hall debate. I don't want to hear the "man was not meant to meddle" medley. I see a suit of armor around the world.

Tony knew the ethical implications and the risks of this but forged ahead anyway. Said murder-bot went all over the world intent on human extinction while the Avengers tried to chase him down. We can argue over whether it was appropriate for Avengers to intervene with Ultron before waiting for the UN to have their emergency committee hearing in 3 days, but I think the key is the Avengers risked their lives to tidy up Tony's their own mess, which is what accountability and dealing with the consequence is all about.

And that's the crux of Steve's argument, which I think a lot of people gloss over.

We are (giving up) if we're not taking responsibility for our actions. This document just shifts the blames.

The Accords passes the buck upwards to the UN…this means both the decisions and the responsibility for the decisions go elsewhere. The situation that riled Tony up in the first place was a mother telling him “I blame you” for Sokovia. Assuming we ignore Tony’s role in creating Ultron, how would oversight have changed the situation? They wouldn’t have been able to create Vision off the cuff, nor would they have been allowed to recruit the twins. The people in Sokovia? Would still have died, and likely far more of them because of a slower response.

But what Tony is saying is if they had oversight, the mother wouldn’t have marched up to him and blamed him. Or as Steve points out, he could shift that blame onto the UN.

Steve’s version of accountability is about taking ownership of their mistakes and finding a solution. Tony’s version of accountability is having someone else make the call and take the blame. (* I feel like this is a thing a lot of people - often young - get confused about. Accountability isn’t just about having someone telling you what to do. Some people and some organisations find themselves in the rare position of having no direct oversight, but they still need to have accountability measures in place - look at the UN Charter for example)

Going back to my original point, the only one shown to routinely ignore sovereign borders and inflict his will wherever he pleases was Tony. The one operating outside government sanction for the majority of his appearances was Tony. The one actively seeking out “criminals” and trying to “win a war before it starts” has always been Tony. Tony might not be the one wearing the red white and blue but he’s the only one gloating about having done the job for “Uncle Sam”. The greatest advocate for American imperialism was Tony, not Steve.

[onmyyan]

Okay okay okay I swear to the moon and back this is gonna be my final and 3rd addition to the neglected! reader idea.

I was considering the Lex Luthor path for after the reader, after years of vying for the batfamily, leaves the manor.

But no, you've got to think big. Think back to how organized crime even starts- in impoverished areas and places with low law enforcement. A lot of organized crime begins as a way to protect these poor neighborhoods from more significant threats and corruption- before they're inevitably corrupted themselves.

Reader, however, is different. A special case. Even if not directly raised by Bruce, they still have that desire for order and good in them. It can turn them into a brilliant, peerless vigilante, no doubt.

But an even better villain. After all, who better to keep all the villains in the city in line than a bigger, scarier villain. Reader might work alone on their own, at least in the beginning, but it's not long before they amass resources and connections of their own.

It starts the moment they leave the manor at 18- maybe even 16 who knows. They're forced to fend for themselves in the poorest and most destitute part of Gotham, but they survive under the radar.

They're still Bruce's kid at the end of the day after all.

Over the span of months they go from vigilante to slowly working with others and gathering up influence and control. It starts off with owning one building. Then another, then the whole street- then the whole neighborhood.

They aren't some new protege under Lex Luther, no no no, Lex is an investor in their plans. Any villain with half a brain and the intention of surviving under the new power shift in gotham is already bowing their heads.

It takes a couple years, but now another faction, another sector of gotham is born. It's crime rates are low, surprisingly so. Any and all crime no longer pointed at defenseless civilians but at corrupt businesses and people who haven't bowed down to reader's reign.

Too distracted by the reader's disappearance, the bat family doesn't even notice the near crime-free area until it's advertised on the news.

Once again, the reader's presence or lack thereof, robs them of something they had grown so familiar with.

Bruce, with the hero and savior complex of his, sees that beautiful potential for good in reader, sees how even when they deal drugs in the neighborhoods of gotham- the needles, the drugs themselves are clean.

It doesn't stop the addiction, but it minimizes the damage.

Jason bumps into reader all masked up, failing to stop a break in at city hall but noticing the way no citizen seems to flinch from your presence. Sure, they turn from your goons and their guns but not you. Never you.

There's a new, darker symbol of hope in the city now.

Tim, investigating your new crime ring sees a shipment from lex corp and notices how you build your guns for your goons. Nonlethal rounds, rounds made to stun and incapacitate. He sees your kindness and your mercy in the bullets and each time one of the bat family comes back from a run-in with your goons they are reminded of that fact.

It's a mercy they know they don't deserve

Dick wanted to break out of gotham and make an impact in another city- and he does. But there's something about the way your mere word can now send ripples through gotham that has even him shuddering a little. You're good. Very good. Efficient even. A part of him wants to be at your side, taking you by the hand and pulling you away from the darker parts of yourself that have formed. He only wonders if he'll ever get close enough to do it.

The best part or worst part about becoming a rich and wealthy individual with a crime ring at your back is that it pushes reader back into the limelight in a way that makes them untouchable to the ones they called once called "family".

Even when the sources of reader's money are... dubious, hospitals and schools are opened because their influence. Just imagine them being there for an opening event or a charity gala, brushing the shoulders of bruce wayne and dick grayson like its nothing. Maybe they change their last name, going by their mother's. Something to add distance between the two. Or even better, reader actually politely smiles when seeing them. It's sweet and serene to anyone watching but they know better. They know reader. Or at least they knew enough about reader to know there's no warm behind those eyes. Not for them. The way your eyes would crinkle when it was genuine- gone- that is, until you turn to someone else, then they see that they've been deprived of for months, years.

And they can't help but crave it.

Just imagine how independent reader is, the bat-shaped void in their heart now filled with all their work and accomplishments. They're shady, but a benevolent force to gotham, one that may rival even the wayne family so says the whispers on the street... (little did they know lol)

The press eats it up, the people eat it up, and the rest of the bat family are forced to their portion as well.

God, the bat family just being in pain at the darkness that rests in reader's hard, their desperate attempts to appeal to a reader that is now in a higher position, a higher position in comparison to some of the members- it's got to drive them all insane.

ANd oH, should they ever face reader in battle, all masked up and suited, every part of them breaks. They try to go soft, go easy, but you now have people by your side that aren't gonna let that happen. People they so desperately wish to replace.

AND IF they see you the next day at some event or maybe just taking a stroll around the park, bruises on your knuckle from punching them or a small nick on the cheek from a stray batarang... They'll be more than destroyed at what they've done... maybe even unrepairable.

ngl having written all of this in like 25 min I realize I might continue ksajhfkj if i get any ideas

FREN....this is delectable!!! I reread it like four times cuz of how amazing it is!!! You're so talented omg thank you for sending this in!! If you do write more please send it in cuz this is perfection, These concepts you've been sending are so good I think I'll have to write something for all of them omg omg loved this like villain reader with a heart of gold?? Getting shit done for her city, not caring how dirty her hands get lawd it's so good! Especially if one or more of Gotham's big bad's go Yandere for her as well.. coughyandereroguesgallerycough

[fishfingersandjellybabies]

It is a fact of the universe that no weddings involving a Bat escape disaster (Batcat, Dickkori, ect). Jondami are not immune.

How bad is it on a scale from "I ripped my wedding suit fighting crime 10 minutes before the ceremony" to "Universal Extinction is Going to happen Right Now if not stopped"?

Before things go bad, who's invited? They probably want to keep things small at first, but then Kon hears about it, and blabs to Young Justice, and then the Flashes hear about it from Bart and before long half the Justice League, the members of a dozen vaguely correlated teams, and a third of the League of Assassins have all RSVPed (they were not invited). Do they lean into their hero theme colors or desperately try to find a color that isn't in some way associated with their other lives? Who are the best men (or women)? Who are the groomsmen (or women)? Diana is canonically ordained in as many places as she can be, does she perform the ceremony, or do they get someone else to? Do they try and rope a civilian into this part for a single element of normality?

Who has a meltdown that would be Bridezilla/Groomzilla/In-law-zilla esque if they were literally Anyone Else in literally Any Other Scenario? (Plot twist, it's not Jon or Damian or Bruce or any of the other melodramatic bastards in this family, it's Steph, because "goddamn it it's my little brother's wedding he's come SO FAR to be able to do this I am NOT letting it be ruined by NUCLEAR METEORS/NINJA ASSASSINS/ARKHAM BREAKOUTS/WHATEVER ELSE!" She comes the closest she ever has to killing. Bruce comes the closest he ever has to letting her.)

Does the whole thing end in a Pirates of the Caribbean-escue "Marry us!" mid-battle? Or do they beat the Big Bad, save the day, and end up so exhausted that they agree to just file the paperwork with no wedding at all (after a 12 hour nap, obviously)? Is this how the public learns that (whatever their hero identities are at this point) are not only in a committed relationship, but MARRIED (or trying their damnedest to be)?!

Discuss!

oh they 100% end up getting married in the middle of a universe-ending battle, with Jon saying something super sappy and emotional like 'I'm not taking another step in this battle and risking losing you forever until you're my husband.' or whatever.

I honestly think both of them would originally want to elope. Damian's not fond of crowds and Jon wants their moments private/all to themselves. But they'd want family. While Damian tries to figure out an elegant way to tell his family, Jon excitedly tells Kon, who, yeah, then tells the WRONG PEOPLE and next thing you know the whole JUSTICE LEAGUE knows before the Batfam and ain't that awkward 😂 the brothers are the most offended of everyone.

their wedding colors are SO muted. probably lots of creams, maybe very soft accents like purples or baby blues or olive greens. subtle, unlike the rest of their lives.

the public find out the heroes are married because a citizen catches them doing spiderman kiss and takes a blurry pic that gets immediately sent to all national news publications. Bruce gets mad about the public PDA.

[saibug1022]

Ranking My MCs on How Likely They Would Be Adopted by Batman

Not a single person has ever asked for this. However, I have seen so much batfam stuff on my dash it's been living rent free

Val Ebony (ILITW) If you told me Val moved to Gotham and was a vigilante for a few years and then moved back right before ILITW I think I would believe you. This man has the whole package: dark hair (his hair is brown underneath all the dye), tragic backstory, shitty parents, even shittier bio dad who's also a villain, homicidal rage, he even died! But overall what got him to the top is just because of how well he fits with the Gotham and the Bats' vibes and aesthetics. Like it just feels right.

Eros Blackwell (Immortal Desires) Batman would have showed up in Crimson Beech to try to recruit Eros only for Eros to explain they do in fact still have a mom *who is on thin ice with me rn). However. They still get REALLY close, especially when they find out Gotham is on a ley line. I'm tempted to say Eros, Cas, and Gabe fuck off to Gotham after ID 2

August Rose (Crimes of Passion) So August's backstory is that they grow up most likely without their mom, and then their dad is mysteriously murdered. August tries to solve it themself but fails and instead becomes a detective to solve other crimes and hopefully find justice for other people. They're gruff, badass, and too damn clever. They were definitely Robin. Hell they could be Batman for all we know and it just wasn't mentioned in CoP

Magnus Bishop (Laws of Attraction/Into the Windverse) While slightly less likely only because he becomes a lawyer instead of some sort of detective or hero. However, he absolutely has the potential. His parents were murdered when he was young, he was tormented at school and betrayed by his friends, he was neglected by his foster mother and separated from his sister, all before he turns 18. He even gets super powers eventually. He has the determination, the ambition, and hell the whole reason he became a lawyer was to defend people from the systems that beat him down his whole life.

Asterin Nightbloom (BOLAS) I mean Asterin is pretty obvious, he's like the quintessential hero. Dead parents (twice), super skilled, heart of gold, etc etc. He's practically born to be a hero and I think he'd be such a good bat. Maybe not a Robin unless it's just for a few years before becoming his own hero

Leon Vance (It Lives Beneath) The main reason Leon is so high up is because he is so fucking capable. That's what the bats are known for among other heros. And of course there's his classic bat backstory. He's a badass, he unearths a CULT, has a cool and unique signature weapon, forms his own team and even has a super hero suit. Best part, he looks good the whole time.

Damian Stone (Murder at Homecoming) There's the obvious stuff like being a genius, a detective, unsolved mystery haunting the narrative, solving a murder, looking good doing it, socially awkward, etc etc, but I also have to add that I literally named them after Damian Wayne. In fact their name was originally gonna be Tim after Time Drake but Damian sounded better. However, they do suffer in the rankings seeing as they have both of their parents, both of which are also very good parents.

Callum Wayland (Hero) Listen, Callum would be a great DC hero but in terms of Batman relations I don't think he'd be adopted. Unfortunately for him the Super Family parallels are just too hard to ignore. However I could see him being a Bat's emotional support Super so they'd see each other a lot and I think Bruce would be begrudgingly fond of him when he finds out Callum punched a corrupt rich guy into the stratosphere.

Castor Athantis (It Lives Within) Castor has all the makings of a PHENOMENAL DC superhero but again I just don't see them as a bat. They have too much of a mystical connection. They're more likely to run ith someone like Constantine. I'm sure they'd be associated, I could definitely see Castor joining Justice League Dark, but that's it

Emrys (The Cursed Heart) Emrys will fight for people but it's not something they're really going to pursue. They have the backstory for it, don't get me wrong, but going out and punching bad guys just isn't really their thing. In a modern au they might be some sort of friend of Bruce's and a Batman ally but they wouldn't be a hero.

Julian Athantis (It Lives Within) Julian is just as good a candidate as Castor, down to mystical powers. But Julian would only be a hero to help Castor, if he was one at all. He just wouldn't have his heart in it. He'd show up, help other heroes, and I could definitely see his and Lincoln's apartment being open to be used as a safe house, but he just doesn't want to be a hero. Not as in he's just not interested, more as in he actively does not want to be a hero.

Taylor McKenzie (Endless Summer) Taylor is in a similar boat as Julian where he doesn't really want to be a hero. He'll show up to big planet-threatening shit but otherwise he just wants to go to college and love his friends and husband. I could see the Justice League, Batman especially, keeping tabs on him so they'd know each other but that's about it. More likely Taylor would just go create problems for Dr. Fate when he's bored and then go back to minding his business.

Apollo Solaris (The Elementalists) Apollo really fits the hero archetype. However. I think if he stepped foot in Gotham city he'd explode. Or maybe Gotham would. They just clash so severely that even if he did meet Batman for whatever reason they'd hate each other.

Mattheo Lazarin (Bloodbound) Listen. Mattheo has enough on his plate being the Bloodkeeper and dealing with vampire shit. He doesn't have time to care or be a hero.

[lazydoodlesandfanfic]

Hanging Criminals Pt 2 (Jason Todd X Brother!Reader) *PLATONIC

Characters: Jason Todd X Male!Reader

Universe: DC, Batman

Warnings: Mention of death and killing

Pt 1

Request: Hey are u willing to do a part 2 of hanging crimenals with the bat fam maybe jason trying too help him or some more angst if u want if not i understand thank u for your works anyway hard too find people who write for male readers on here nowadays

It had been a month since your adoptive father had pulled you from doing patrol and shoved you into intense therapy about your past before your adoption in the Wayne family. Progress was slow, mostly because you didn’t want to be there, but Bruce had managed to find either the most patient or the most persistent therapist in the field, because you still went, and on the days you didn’t want to go in, the therapist came to you. Either that, or Jason would literally drag you there.

You hadn’t expected Jason to be the one most involved in your so called ‘recovery’ since he understood your mindset the best. He didn’t follow the ‘no kill’ rule Bruce had, and the pair didn’t get along on most of the time, but with Bruce pulling you out of patrol, locking away your weapons and suit, literally threatening to break your leg to stop you if you still persisted, the second oldest seemed to realise something. Bruce was scared. He was genuinely terrified about what was happening with you, and was trying his goddamn hardest to stop this now rather than later, and trying to stop you on this destructive path… a little bit like how he had done with Jason when he was younger, but this time taking a lot more action. 

He hated to admit it, but he saw the old man’s point of view, and he understood and agreed. Something really had to change, and instead of sitting idly like how he and the others had done previously when Bruce found out you’d hung a criminal again, he was gonna step up, be involved, and snuff this flame that was getting out of hand. 

“Y/N, are you ready?” Jason called, knocking on your bedroom door, the keys to one of the cars in his hand, his phone in the other, checking his messages, especially the one that Alfred had sent him with the time you had to be at your session, and the time he recommended he set off with you to ensure you got there in time. Jason chose to bother you to be ready 10 minutes before that set off time since he knew from experience that he would probably have to push and poke at least to get you to go. 

Today seemed to be no different. After a few second with no response, Jason hit his fist against the door, and waited a few more seconds, before he tried the door, finding it open and he opened the door, swinging it open. He leant on the doorframe, looking inside, finding you sat on the edge of your bed upright, head slightly tilted down, mostly ignoring the presence of your brother in the doorway. The look in your eye was… hard to read. There was an anger behind them, but accompanied by your slumped shoulders either showed frustration or defeat. He had understood your feelings. He knew you had heard the news. 

“He’s gonna kill someone.” You finally spoke up. The person in question was an elusive man you had been practically stalking for weeks prior to Bruce effectively grounding you, and when Bruce had put the others onto your cases, you had tried to get Jason on that specific case, but when Bruce saw that he instead took it upon himself. Surprise surprise, he caught the man in the process of searching for a victim. Bruce dropped him off with the police, but since he had a brother who was high up in law enforcement, he got out scott free last afternoon, all charges dropped. “He’s gonna kill who knows how many people before people realise what he’s doing, and they’re not gonna believe it’s him… so many innocent lives ruined, so many families without answers of who took aware their loved ones, all because no one ultimately stopped him. All because Bruce is too much of a coward.” You spat. 

“...I know Y/N. I’m pissed off too. Guess you heard me screaming at him last night about it?” Jason asked, getting a small hum in response. “We’ll figure it out. I’ll keep an eye on him for you off the record, and if I see anything, I’ll put a stop to it.” Jason promised you.

“If you see anything. It is completely possible that he’s already acted. You can’t watch him all the time.” You brushed off. “I’m not going to therapy today.”

“You have to, if you want to do patrols again.” 

“You and I both know Bruce has no intentions of letting me patrol again.”

“And I think he’s an idiot for it. He should know by now that fully revoking you from doing a job he himself trained you to do will only make you act out and go against him. I’ve talked to the others about it, and they agree. We’re gonna hound the old man to let you patrol but with one of us to get started again, and if he still says no, I’ve pulled a few strings to get you out of the city for a while,you just have to promise to lay low until we convince him to calm down and actually work with you. But you have to work with us as well.” 

You looked up at your brother finally, not saying anything at first, thinking about his offer to you, but ultimately knowing that what he and your other siblings were offering was much better than what your dad was, and that it was far more fair, and far less of a sacrifice for you. “Alright. I’ll behave.”

“Good. Now come on.” Jason pointed his head out of the door, and with far less resistance, you stood and followed him out.

Hope you like it! If you have any questions, please send them in! 

*Not my gif

TAGS:  @freyathehuntress   @theplacewhererobindied  @rebellionofthecattle  @hello-love-youre-pretty @werosemagic  @courtneychicken​  @graysonmalfoy​ @bellero​ @originalpottervengerlock​ @supernatural-pan​ @esoltis280​ @lady-of-lies​ @lenaswritingandstuff @macbetheliza @mandywholock1980​ @cdwmtjb8​ @caswinchester2000​ @determinedpines​ @huntheimpossible @automaticbakeryfreakshoe

[boyfridged]

Y'know I really wish Jason's team ups don't involve heroes, super or not, all the time (or ever), but instead just normal people whose experiences may mirror his/whose background creates a common ground through which he can insert himself. I just prefer him being grounded by the hellish reality that civilians are the ones suffering the most, who are stuck in this continuous and endless battle between capes and villains. I just think that Jason could have been the perfect pov character to bring focus the opinions of the common people regarding this whole fiasco.

It's part of why I wish we had more insight to Jason's thoughts in Batman: The Cult. The bit wherein multiple people were being interviewed and how a lot of them were in support of what Blackfire's cult is doing (not to say that the intentions behind it are all for righteousness or whatever cause we all know it's not), and how people in the first place were debating whether the killings were justified or not shows that the general public has so much distrust with the police and the law which to me was a perfect opportunity to show Jason's ever growing distrust of the system. He may not support Blackfire but he definitely can see & understand the sentiment of the public. And I think this should have had more impact to Jason going forward.

i really wanted to take my time to answer this ask properly because while i agree in the most general terms, i think there's some very specific nuance to it.

the civilian cast – yes! i am always in favour of a civilian life, as i am in favour of jason finding his way back into living in general, which necessities a civilian arc for him too. and it is true that jay is a perfect character to explore it, because i believe that in a way he is a victim of vigilantism. he's collateral damage turned martyr; and as the red hood he's stuck in self-affirming this status. it's all interconnected... and it all always leads back to the crime alley. except i think there's another part to it, and it's the class conflict.

here is where the cult comes in, and oh, i very much see what you're trying to do! except i would not go about it this way... simply because i have a huge issue with the cult itself, as in my opinion it's very ill-fitting into the narrative of batman at the time and as it, in total, is built on a reactionary and conspiracy theory-esque plotline... an ostensibly racist one on top of that. which makes me wonder if there is a way to fix it at all.

it could be an opportunity for some sort of development for jay, absolutely – but ironically, i think the part i liked best in it was when jason wanted to get to blackfire to save him from the raging crowd while bruce was standing back because of his personal victimisation and even stopped jay from intervening. i think i enjoyed this part because it shows how isolated from the people jason became in his robin days, and also brings to the light some hypocrisy on bruce's side. there's such dissonance there that just works perfectly into moulding jason into the confusion of the justice, revenge and the no kill rule in total...

but i digress. for jay to be taken seriously in this story he would have to be at the centre of it. perhaps it should have even been him who went undercover, since he used to be homeless himself and would know how to talk to people. perhaps he should have been the one to pay attention to it and notice it altogether. but i think the issue i have with the idea that this is what would make him distrust the system is a bit contrary to my reading of him in general. i think jay only ever trusts the system when he has bruce urging him to do it at his back and when he internalises these teachings, and even then there remains a deeply buried skepticism in him. because at the end of the day jay has a tendency to trust, but to trust people, not the authority. this is something that would be very difficult to properly portray in the cult, where the general politics (? if it can be called politics) is: people at the bottom are actually the ones in charge via secret organisations. and even when they are manipulated they are ugly and evil at their core. their violence is always random and they barely punch back, only recreating the power structures. and at the end, we get back to the status quo.

i guess the cult is too confused and bigoted in its plotline to offer much. hence there's no lesson for jay there at all. mayhaps because i don't think jay needs to learn to question the authority; on the contrary, a somewhat hidden stream of narrative that exists (or that i read into it) in his robin run is that he knows all about it but represses it because of his implicit trust in bruce and his judgement.

[str8sub4domdudez]

Superboys Part One Excerpt -

Jason Todd explains Santa Claus :

"Hello everybody!" says Bruce, "Sorry we're late! How's the food?"

"The appetizers are great," says Jason, "I ordered you the salmon."

"No complaints here," says Bruce. "Hello, James, how are you this evening?"

"I'm doing okay. I don't quite understand all this but I had fun at the dunking booth. I put Santa in the water three times."

"I'm glad you're enjoying yourself. But what about this do you not understand?"

"I guess just holidays in general. I know the common holidays, but some of this stuff is just very far-fetched. Even Superman can't visit every child in the world delivering gifts in one night. And what's with the flying reindeer? Is that a metaphor or a metadeer?"

"I could too!" huffs Clark.

"I know Santa isn't real, but Lex has been trying to rationalize it," says Hemlock. "Are all holidays about deceiving people? I know Thanksgiving is a load of horseshit. The actual history is a lot more violent and bloody than different peoples coming together for a feast. Europeans in colonial outposts were starving for three years, dying off and killing all the indigenous peoples around them so they could take their food. I think there was even cannibalism involved at some point."

"Lex," Bruce says with disappointment dripping from the name. "What did his programming include?"

"High school level American History, although I wouldn't be surprised if he learned some of that on his own. He does like to read. However the reality and non-reality of Santa was never touched on in his programming. That is entirely his conclusion."

"What makes you think Santa's not real?" Jay asks gently.

"It's just a story based on commercialized folklore. There's a big debate over whether Saint Nicholas was even a real person, but even if he was, he wasn't a 'jolly old elf'. Elves aren't real."

"Most people think Greek Gods aren't real, but I happen to know a daughter of Zeus," says Clark, "and Adonis here is a grandson of Apollo. Maybe some stories are fantastical but still based in truth."

"I still don't believe Santa's real," says Hemlock.

"You're right," says Jason, "He's not real. But the idea of him is. The concept that being good will reward you in the long run? That's real. The idea that working hard all year to bring happiness to others is worthwhile? That's real. While the person of Santa may not be factual, the idea of Santa is. That's why we have stories about him. To communicate the universal concepts of kindness and charity."

"What about Krampus?" says Hemlock, "What reality does he communicate?"

"He represents the idea that evil-doers will suffer for their crimes. Entire laws are made with that philosophy and so are some vigilantes."

"So Krampus punishing bad kids communicates realities like Red Hood punishing bad adults?"

Bruce looks horrified, but Jason and Jay laugh. "Yeah, Kiddo," says Jay. "Just like that. Batman too. He used to scare the adults more than anybody until your pops came along."

"Leave Batman out of this," says Bruce. "I'm sure he wouldn't like to be compared to a demon that flays the skin off children."

"Bad children," says Hemlock. "There's a big difference."

"Yes, one is a subcategory," says Lex. "Even 'bad' children deserve their day in court before judgement is determined. Isn't that right, Clark?"

"I'm uncomfortable with this conversation," says Clark.

-

[linkspooky]

Wait, if DC Comics is your passion, why is Spider-Man your favorite superhero (I mean, I know why but)? Is that allowed under federal law?

If you think about it, Batman and Spiderman are essentially the same character:

They became a super hero and fought crime after the death of a family member to a random street mugger.

They are relatively small time, they only fight crime in their cities it's New York City for Peter, and Gotham City (which is basically New York or Jersey) for Batman. They're not really trying to save the world, they are fighting for one city. If you want someone to fight a world ending threat you call superman.

They're not physical contenders, they rely on stealth, their intelligence, and the gadgets they create in order to win fights. Spiderman swings around on webs yeah, but his web spinners are gadgets he made himself. Spider's only real superpowers are enhanced strength, a spidey sense, and the ability to cling to walls the rest are all gadgets he comes up with. You could say Batman flying around the world to learn martial arts is like the equivalent of Peter's enhanced strength.

The identity takes over their whole life. Batman cannot give up being batman even if the only way for him to settle down and be happy would be to live as Bruce Wayne. Peter's infamous for his terrible work life balance.

They have iconic rogue galleries (peter even has a femme fatalle thief he flirts with who dresses up like a cat). Their rogues galleries are usually more sympathetic and redeemable than other rogues and downright likable. Peter's most iconic enemy Green Goblin for example is his childhood best friend's dad (and sometimes Harry).

They are just one dude and their allies trying to fix the crime for an entire city, and this wears them down a lot. Their strongest trait isn't even their super powers, it's their determination. One of Spiderman's most iconic scenes ever is when a whole warehouse building falls down on top of him and he just... lifts it up not because he's that strong but because he literally has to it's sheer determination and grit.

Then what is the main difference? Bruce Wayne is rich, and Spiderman cannot pay rent. Therefore, Spiderman is inherently the better hero.

As for why I like Spiderman despite not liking Marvel comics much there are two reasons. First, Spiderman doesn't really work when he's interacting with the wider marvel universe, he really is at his best when he's just staying in New York. He's literally called the "Friendly Neighborhood Spiderman" he should not be fighting Thanos. Batman at least, fits into the DC universe. He is friends with Superman and Wonderwoman. His first sidekick Dick Grayson graduated from him and went on to run the Teen Titans. Batman often does a bunch of magical adventures on top of his noir stuff in Gotham. Second, Marvel comics just kind of DOES NOT LIKE Spiderman.

Here's my example of this, the banner image I used for this post. Peter Parker and Mary Jane. This is my favorite superhero ship of all time, Peter Parker growing up together with Mary Jane, going through other relationships and learning from them, and then finally when he's mature enough getting together with Mary Jane to "Face it tiger, you just hit the Jackpot." It's such a beautiful relationship and arc for his character and Marvel just UNDID ALL OF IT to keep Peter single because that's more marketable.

Marvel is just never going to let Peter grow up, so him being a part of the marvel universe is actively to his deficit. I know this is kind of a problem for Batman too, but DC at least occaisonally lets characters grow up. Superman settled down and married Lois Lane and had a son. Dick Grayson was allowed to grow up and become Nightwing. Wally West kid flash, grew up and became Flash for a long time. DC generally does let characters grow up and pass on the mantle. Peter Parker could totally just grow up and let other people be spiderman (that's literally the whole concept, anyone can be spiderman, miles is right there and Into The Spiderverse is the best Spiderman movie) they just won't.

[not-for-granted]

Fancasting Harvey Dent (The Batman 2)

There’s been rumors that the latest casting choices for Harvey Dent, DA of Gotham and future villain ‘Two-Face’, set to appear in “The Batman 2″ has been Josh Hartnett and Joel Edgerton. Both of them are splendid actors, physically impressive, and could do the part justice for sure. Quite a few people are disappointed that they didn’t go for a younger, less known actor, or maybe strike out with someone more unique. Perhaps even going for gender-swapped like they did in “Batman: Earth One”.  I just think that there is a better actor for the role, especially in a ‘Battinson’, Reeves-set Batverse. Specifically, Oliver Jackson-Cohen. 

Best known for his work in “Haunting of Hill House” and “Haunting of Bly Manor”, he’s been in all sorts of works across a variety of genres. He’s been a corrupt knight in the “World Without End” miniseries, he’s been a particularly strange take on the Scarecrow in the reimaging of Oz in “Emerald City”, and he’s been a twisted abusive ex-boyfriend / mad inventor in “The Invisible Man”.  So, goes without saying, he’s got range. And that’s important for Harvey Dent. He needs to believably alternate between upstanding moral guardian, traumatized victim barely coping with his fragile psychological state, the no-nonsense, cutthroat politician and crafty lawyer, and even a complete monster that puts gangsters and hardened criminals to shame. 

What else does he bring to the table though, that other actors suggested for the role haven’t? Fan-favorite and current darling Oscar Isaac has been proven to crush it with playing psychologically damaged characters, “Moon Knight” is testament to that. But that’s a Marvel property and crossing the streams too much can break the already fragile emersion. And John David Washington is fresh-off numerous successes with “BlackKklansman” and “Tenet”, and a black Harvey Dent isn’t unheard of (we forever were robbed of Dee Williams’ chance to portray Two-Face in the Burton films).  Great actors, just as Hartnett and Edgerton are, so apart from a history of very psychologically mature and empathetic performances, what does Oliver Jackson-Cohen bring to the table? Well, he’s the right age at 36, currently closest in age to Robert Pattinson, believable enough to be an especially young and ambitious DA (not a stretch at all when Jayme Lawson, the actress who played Bella Real in “The Batman”, was in her early twenties and running for mayor of Gotham). Also, it’s always favorable when Harvey Dent is a peer to Bruce Wayne, even friendly, rather than rivals or opponents immediately. Part of the draw of Two-Face isn’t just that he’s a well-connected and ruthless crime-figure, but that he’s psychologically tormenting Batman by being one of the victims he couldn’t save, which hurts all the more when they had a close working-relationship, even friendship. 

But also, he’s 6′3. I know that sounds like a miniscule quibble, the camera trickery can make anyone as tall as need be for a part and height alone hardly makes for a successful action scene, but in this case, I’d argue it’s a necessary part to not just Harvey Dent’s natural charisma, but Two-Face’s successful menace. Consider this: Harvey Dent, as Two-Face, stripped of all the fancy dual-toned suits and Tommy-guns, is a burn victim with a law-degree. No superpowers, no other specialty skills or training, just a maimed man who would most definitely be disbarred as soon as he turns to criminality. So how can he be such a longstanding and formidable threat to the Batman?  Slapping a gun in his hand helps, a lot, for sure. Being physically imposing is a definite plus and has been utilized in the animated Batman series and video games. Richard Moll’s gravelly voiced Two-Face in “Batman: The Animated Series” was drawn not dissimilarly from the mobsters he aimed to put away. This was repeated with Travis Willingham’s Harvey Dent in the Telltale games, who was built much like his 6′4 voice actor and capable of beating a man to death with his bare hands when cornered... and even Josh Duhamel’s Harvey Dent in “Batman: The Long Halloween” was snapping the necks of Mafia goons.  Furthermore, in comics like “Batman: Year One”, Harvey’s longstanding attempts to put away Carmine Falcone as well as his physical build both put him in the investigative crosshairs of the GCPD, with Gordon briefly suspecting him of being the Batman. And one of the most satisfying moments in “Dark Victory” was Two-Face physically beating the Joker for daring to pull a gun on him.

So yes, the added bonus of a Two-Face actor who could pose a genuine threat to Batman in his armor with all his training, however briefly, is warranted.  Between the right age, height, and past roles, Oliver Jackson-Cohen seems tailormade to play Harvey Dent. His part in “Haunting of Hill House” showcased his talent in portraying a vulnerable, broken, traumatized young man as well as a pretty flawless American accent. His part in “The Invisible Man” had him completely different, giving off an aura of palpable, oppressive malevolence and manipulative smugness that filled what few scenes he was in. And even his cheesy role as an eccentric hitman in the 2010 film “Faster” showed off a believable familiarity with firearms.  My choice for Harvey Dent / Two-Face, especially in “The Batman” universe. Everyone else, let me know what you think, and any other fancastings you’d like to hear about.

[cranes-menagerie]

Beware the bat character drop,this time with designs!!!: Two Face

(look I'm bad at art, Heroforge is the best you get rn lol

Voiceclaim/fancast: Keith David

Harvey Dent, was once Gotham City's charismatic district attorney, renowned for his unwavering commitment to justice. However, a tragic incident involving a carbomb left him physically scarred. Due to being a system, they use a coin flip to make decisions as a group for the body, since it's unbiased and all up to chance. Ironic considering the coin is partially responsible for the system developing in the first place

A friend to Bruce Wayne, and an enemy to batman, they are brought into conflict a lot due to him and Bruce's conflicting views on justice, but at the same time they connect on the part of them both bringing the law into their own hands

Two face was a character I was very nervous about writing since 1: I know several systems personally and 2; I didn't want to get anything wrong/stereotyped. I did as much research as I could to make sure Two-face was not only compelling but also accurate, as a result, I made the following changes to be as respectful to the topic as I can.

1: Two-face is an antihero at worst, with his alter Abbadon being the one to deal with the most in the Gotham underworld

2: several people know they are a system and regularly check in to see who is fronting before continuing a conversation

3: I don't feel qualified enough to write a headspace for the system but, the 4 alters will communicate with each other

his alters are as follows

Harvey: the host, the upstanding image that the majority of the public knows Harvey Dent as

Abbadon: one of the protective alters, he's willing to go against other alters and even get his hands dirty

the judge: a protective alter who is more morally centered than Abbadon, will kill to maintain his image of justice

the child: a little alter, represents Harvey Dent's childhood self, both Abbadon and The judge do everything to protect both him and Harvey

In the headspace these alters do have their own voiceclaim such as

Abandon sounding like husk from the hazbin hotel pilot (pilot specifically, not the show, I know husk is voiced by Keith David In that)

And the judge sounding like James Wesley from daredevil within the headspace itself

@sleepymilkcarton @standard-human @gay-trashcan-cat @littlemissatlas @mjtheartist04

[maniacwatchestheworld]

hey I really really don't want to ruin your fun and am not sending this to you to be mean or patronizing but with the way things stand it is extremely unlikely that DC would make Bruce canonically queer any time soon, and strongly hoping they will is just setting up for disappointment. yes there has been that tease with Ghostmaker last year and Bruce's interactions with other male characters tend to read vaguely homoerotic, especially with characters like Clark or Harvey, but Bruce is still their flagship character and as long as making him canonically interested in men might mean losing a large part of their reader demographic (straight male comic nerds) they won't risk that. Making TwoFace bi however is a much more likely scenario since he's a villain or side character! If they made him bi it would most likely only be vaguely implied rather than outright stated (like they did it with the Riddler in last year's Valentines anthology) but it is a possibility, so if there is any official plan of validating BruHarvey as a ship then the best most likely bet is hoping for a one sided confirmation of Harvey's crush

So the thing is... I agree with you! I have doubts that DC would want to make their best seller canonically queer. I don't have my hopes up, and I'm entirely ready to be disappointed that this isn't going to happen... But the thing is... It's weird isn't it...?

Why is Harvey in so many pieces of Batman media right now? He's in their best selling comic AND he's in the comic that the freaking company is named after AND he has a TV show starring him AND he is in a film that they JUST released AND he's popping up here and there in other things too (the podcast, the comic based off of the Animated Series). And so I can't just help but to wonder. Why. Because like, I can chalk a lot up to coincidence. But it's enough at this point where it feels like this is either deliberate, or someone at DC fucked up. Because for people who don't like Two-Face or that like other characters wouldn't all of this Two-Face at once in all the big pieces of Batman media that's coming out right now feel alienating...? Why bunch all of these appearances all at once instead of releasing them spaced out from one another? I don't think that this year is like a significant anniversary year for him. Is it purely because of Gotham Knights? I doubt it. It's a TV show based off of a video game, more or less, and it's not like Gotham Knights: Gilded City is doing crazy well right now either. And the game received lukewarm reception as well. No one gave me an answer on my other post from before of asking if other rogues periodically get a sudden wave of love like this, so I can't say these things for certain, but I doubt that all of this was done for Gotham Knights. Like did the Riddler get this much love when the The Batman movie came out?

And just... The more I think about it, the more it feels deliberate. But why would they be doing this? Are they pushing him to be a character with his own solo series? I'm sorry, but as much as I love him, I don't think that Two-Face is that popular. And what can you do with him if he did star in his own series? I think that he would be used best for a courtroom procedural, (but he doesn't have his law license anymore,) or... A noir mystery series... You know... Like some kind of... Detective Comic...? But I have so many doubts that he'd replace Bruce or that they'd want to create a series to compete with the book that the company is literally named after. And if he was popular enough to warrant having his own solo series, you would think that Task Force Z would have gone on for longer. Are they trying to use Harvey as their answer to Moon Knight? Possibly. But the dates don't line up super well for that. (Moon Knight came out in March of 2022, and they had already ordered a pilot for Gotham Knights in February of 2022.) So just... Why would they deliberately push him so much? I'm not really certain.

And honestly when it comes to comic books... I think that they have a LOT more to gain from LGBT rep than to lose from it! Look at Harley Quinn and Ivy! There are SO many queer characters in DC right now! Specifically in the Batman sphere too! Speaking for myself, I would not have gotten into Batman comics like I have if it wasn't for the Harley Quinn Show and their queer rep. I had 0 interest in the Harley Quinn Show until they had Harley and Ivy start dating in it. And straight-up, if it wasn't for Harley and Ivy dating, I would not have watched the show. I started hyperfixating on Two-Face because I decided to give the Harley Quinn Show a shot. I've sucked my sister into the Batman hole with me, and I guarantee you that if Bruce and Harvey started dating, I could convince pretty much all of my friends to start reading Batman comics. I think that they have FAR more to gain than to lose by appealing to the LGBT community. Watching the Harley Quinn Show, it felt like the show was uncertain that it was going to get revived at the end of the second season, so they did their best to wrap things up and get Harley and Ivy together so that they could at least say that they did it. And now look at the show. They had no question of if the show would come back at the end of season 3! They got a Valentine's Day special! It has its own comic book series now! Them leaning into the queerness of the characters has only benefited the show! And I think that the same can apply to the comics. Just look at the Transformers comics. The Transformers franchise for forever has appealed to a solely straight, white, male fanbase. But by adding queer content into the comics, I think that it not only didn't hurt the comic, but rather contributed to its popularity and ensured its longevity. I think the same could apply to Batman. Also isn't Constantine bi? Doesn't stop him from being popular! And Deadpool is pan and he became a pop culture icon!

Given how pretty much everyone in the Harley Quinn Show is confirmed as some flavor of LGBT, it's kinda weird that Bruce HASN'T been confirmed as queer in that show yet! Harley is bi! Ivy is bi! Clayface is sex and gender fluid! Bane is bi! Riddler is gay! Clock King is gay! Catwoman is bi! If anything, Bruce feels like the odd one out for not being confirmed as bi! And... Isn't it kinda weird that they haven't confirmed Two-Face as bi in that series...? It's such an easy and obvious thing to do with him. Like, OF COURSE he'd be bi! He's bi everything! If any piece of media would just be like, "Yeah, Two-Face is bi. OBVIOUSLY! Duh!" It would be the Harley Quinn show. But they haven't done it yet and I don't know why. But it would make sense if they didn't mention it on sheer virtue of them wanting to actually address it later. It's WEIRD to me that Harvey hasn't been confirmed as bi yet because it's not a big deal for Batman characters to be queer anymore. Tim Drake is bi. Why haven't they just gone through with it yet and mention somewhere that Harvey likes men too? Why not just say the obvious thing out loud already? Are they worried about what people would think of Two-Face? Are they worried that people might look at the only other man that he's ever been close to and start asking questions? Why would DC care if they started asking questions about that?

One or two of these things in isolation absolutely can be a coincidence. But all of these things together are painting a picture... Especially when you start considering the content of these stories. So that and the interview and I can't help but to speculate. I am not going to get my hopes up. I do not expect for Bruce and Harvey to be getting together. But it sure as hell would be the RIGHT thing to do right now! It opens up so many story possibilities! It is the morally correct thing to do given the political landscape right now. And I guarantee you that they would get a lot of new readers by being daring and doing this with their flagship character. I think that the benefits outweigh the losses. I don't expect that it will happen. But DAMN they are giving me a LOT of fuel for my conspiracy theory brain! I didn't mean for this post to get this long but just... I think that it's the right move. And I keep finding evidence that it's a good move, and the evidence just doesn't stop coming. This is a thing that keeps tugging me deeper and deeper into believing the more time I spend in this fandom. I don't want to get my hopes up. I don't want to believe it. But when the only response to all of this is just, "They would never do that with Batman. It would alienate the straight, white, male fanbase!" Just... It might have been a strong argument at one point... But the strength of that augment just gets weaker and weaker and weaker the more I look at and think about things. Honestly, it might even be good for the incels that fixate too much on Batman if their hero turned out to be interested in men. Might finally get to them that us gays are just better.

[lonelywretchjervistetch]

My DC Cinematic Universe: Batman (Part I)

Prologue: The Endless Night

...How the hell am I supposed to start this one? I mean, Jesus Christ, it's Batman. Comparing Batman to Superman, this is a much harder film to plot out for me. Why? Well, frankly, Batman's been a lot luckier in media than Superman has. Some of the greatest comic book movies of all time are Batman films, after all. Not to mention the fact that we all know Batman as a character by now, and Superman's never really been that lucky. So, again...how the hell am I supposed to do this?

Well, I guess I just start in the same way that I did the last one, right? Defining my version of Batman/Bruce Wayne. And that's not terribly difficult...but it also isn't exactly new territory at the same time. Still, I'll give it a shot here. So, I'll start with exactly that: Who is Batman?

Chapter One: Redefining the Defined

The simple answer to this question is as such: Batman is the real identity, while Bruce Wayne is the mask. A hot take? No, most certainly not a hot take at this point. Most interpretations of the character realize this to a certain degree, although that degree is highly variable in some cases. But the point here is that Batman is essentially the reverse of Superman, in most ways. Day vs. night, colorful vs. greyscale, lawful vs. chaotic, and hope vs. fear. But both are still good. And I think movies seem to forget that about Batman.

Look, Batman walking the edge of the abyss isn't a fresh take either, but more often than not, filmmakers tend to throw him a little bit into it. Moreso than I think they should. Batman is chaotic or neutral good alignment, yes, but he's still good aligned, no matter what. And he's also an extremely complex character, almost absurdly so in many cases. Because of that, a lot of his character is simplified, and frankly, the character is usually pretty Flanderized in media nowadays.

Ah, yes, Flanderizing. The idea of taking a complex character, full of nuance and personality and a past of their own, and simplifying them into base characteristics to the point of absurdity and exaggeration. It's what happened to Ned Flanders in The Simpsons, but it happens to a LOT of superheroes. Superman's one of the worst affected by this, mostly being simplified to his powers and goodness, with the personality and character completely lost in the shuffle. But even then...Batman is WAY worse.

Whenever people think of Batman, their minds go to a few places. A tough brooding loner, instilling fear into the hearts of criminals, still mourning the loss of his parents to a near-sociopathic degree, and taking out his grief on the faces of clowns and wrestlers alike. Also, his voice is gruff and raspy. And OK, that's a take on the character, sure, but goddamn is that an oversimplification. And that oversimplification leads to...other issues.

But before I go into too much detail there, let me define what my Batman is once and for all. Batman is justice, teetering on the edge of vengeance. He believes in a true moral right, but doesn't trust the systems in place in Gotham to enforce that right, placing it into his own hands as a result. Makes him a bit of a control freak, but it also makes him scarily efficient and proficient. He's a brilliant man and self-trained detective and expert in many field. He's a worldly man and proficient athlete, honing himself for the singular purpose of exacting justice like no other person possibly could.

However, he's also a very damaged person, in desperate need of therapy, but with the singular purpose of mind that makes him confidently believe in self-control over his own mental state, to the point of obsession and exaggeration. Yes, he walks on the edge of the abyss, but he's always aware of that edge, and doesn't actually want to fall into it. However, he embraces the darkness that lies within it as a tool for justice, rather than a part of his self-perception.

With that said, some of you may be thinking...haven't we already seen this in other versions of the character? And we have...partially. But let's get into it, and I'll try and explain my specific version of the character a little better. Because every version got something right...but nobody got everything right. And I do mean every version.

Adam West's Batman, despite the goofy-ass Silver-Age Universe he was in, definitely got the hero and do-gooder part of the character down pat. Other than the superficial stuff, like the gadgets and the Batcave and all that, West's silly iteration of the character wanted to do good for no other reason than it being the right thing to do. And yeah, that's accurate. Batman wants to do the right thing because too few people in Gotham want to or can, and somebody fucking has to. Batman being in alliance with a moral good is an important and often overlooked part of the character.

Michael Keaton's excellent turn as Batman in the Burton films definitely got the damaged billionaire thing right. Maybe a little too right, in fact. This version of Batman was a detective and crusader of the night, as well as a crusader for justice, but he was way more damaged than most versions of the character tend to be. The line between Bruce and Bat was appropriately blurred, but it also made it very obvious that they were the same person. Still, Keaton correctly played the character as teetering on the edges of madness and obsession. His "Bruce" left a little something to be desired, though.

I'd bring up Kilmer and Clooney here, but they sort of copy West in terms of their Batmen. Even then, they barely had personality to begin with, and they definitely aren't quite worth talking about.

Hoo boy, Christian Bale. This Batman is a truly interesting one, because he embraces fear far more than most of the rest do. Sure, Keaton's Batman is a little spooky, but Bale's Batman really dials up the idea of a fear-generating force of the night. His Bruce Wayne truly is a mask, distancing himself greatly from the identity of Batman, in almost a direct response to the Keaton Batman. However, this Batman also loses most of the detective angle, and instead leans into the vengeance-seeking vigilante who actively murders people. And yes, I mean that. Not saving somebody is effectively the same as murdering them, Bruce. Not that Keaton's Batman is any better, since he actively kills a few people. We'll, uh...we'll get to that problem later.

Anyway, Bale's Batman is good for a lot of things, but he's a simplified version of the character. Like, I can call that Batman a lot of things, but he's not particularly smart, for one. And for two, he's not particularly heroic, either. I mean, yeah, he saves the city three times, but it's usually based off personal stakes or a challenge to him directly. It's not really about doing the right thing in these instances. But that's NOTHING compared to...

Fuck Batfleck, if I can just say that right now. Batfleck is a really shitty version of this character, and has ESSENTIALLY NOTHING that Batman should have. He's a murderer, his actions are inherently cruel, he's a stupid and easily manipulated IDIOT who never does any difficult detective work, and he's a brute and a cad. Fuck this version of Batman. Fuck him, fuck him, fuuuuuuuuuck hiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiim. The depths to which I hate this stupid, STUPID moron cannot be overestimated. Take the rightfully lambasted Martha scene.

I know the Martha scene is an easy target, but it's far easier than most people realize. Yeah, the fact that he stops fighting Superman immediately because of the coincidence of their mom's names is really stupid, but it also shows just how little Bruce thought about this shit, or about Superman in general. Not only did that catch him by surprise, but the fact that Superman HAD A MOM caught him by surprise, because he hadn't considered to think of him as a person. Think about that. Like, really think about that.

Every incarnation, and I mean EVERY incarnation of Batman that's interacted with Superman has deduced his secret identity as Clark Kent, quickly and easily. For fucks sake, it wouldn't even be that hard, THEY TALK TO EACH OTHER AS CLARK AND BRUCE IN THE MOVIE. But Bruce clearly didn't realize that Superman was Clark Kent at the time, and if he did...what, he did NO fucking research on the dude? This version of Bruce was thoroughly unprepared to face of against Superman, and didn't look into him AT ALL, before immediately jumping to conclusions while wearing that fucking Frank Miller armor of his. And don't get me STARTED on Frank fucking Miller's culpability in the Flanderization of Batman, because we'll be here ALL FUCKING DAY. FUCK THIS BATMAN WITH ALL OF MY HEART AND SOUL.

...OK, I think I got it all out of my system. For now. Seriously, I could keep going on about it, but I got other shit to talk about. Like, for example, a Batman I actually like. A lot.

Is Robert Pattinson's Batman perfect? No. He has issues that plague many of the other Batmen listed here. However, good goddamn, is this version fucking close to perfect. He's intelligent, he's a detective, he uses fear as a tool to fight the underworld, he's clearly a proficient fighter and gadget-user, and maybe most importantly, he actually becomes a hero by the end. Think about this. How many versions of Batman have you seen actually directly save the citizens of Gotham? He usually saves people from afar, or indirectly. Rarely does he save individual people from a crisis like he does in this movie, multiple times. He's a mostly well-balanced version of the character. Mostly.

And that's because...we'll, he's clearly not fucking OK. Look, I like Battinson as much as the next guy, but he's the only Batman who I can confidently say listens to My Chemical Romance on the regular. The dude is the most unstable of the Batmen by far, outpacing even Keaton for the role. But while Keaton seems more like Bruce Wayne dressing up as Batman, and Bale is the opposite, Pattinson is CLEARLY fusing the two identities into the same person. Bruce Wayne is absolutely subsumed by Batman, and he makes no effort to hide that, nor does he seem to care. And honestly, that's an interesting take! He's a very psychologically damaged character normally, and this version makes that far more prominent.

The other major problem I had is the whole "Vengeance" thing. Not calling himself that, necessarily, although it's a little emo for my tastes. It's the fact that he definitely leans more towards vengeance than he does justice. But then again, I say I had that problem because that's actually sort of the point. When we see this version at first, he calls himself Vengeance and acts as such. But by the end...he's just actually helping people. He's a hero, and he acts for justice, not just vengeance. It's his story arc. And that's something that Batman usually doesn't get: actual character development.

I mean, think about it: what do the Batmen actually learn in their journeys? Keaton doesn't really change throughout his films. He's still an eccentric loner who opens up to women out of desperation, but doesn't really learn anything from his struggles. Bale has stuff happen to him most of the time, but I can't say that he changed much between movies. Maybe in the last one, where he gives up the crusade to pursue a life of peace, but is that really the right story for Batman? Affleck...learns not to be an absolute douche-nozzle, I fucking guess. Not a lesson. Just not being a dick. But Pattinson learns to be a hero, and gains a slightly new view of his mission at the end, as well as of Alfred. It's an actual character journey, even though it isn't the strongest one ever. So yeah, he's near perfect, even if he is also a whiny emo teenager who shouts "YOU'RE NOT MY REAL DAD" at Alfred a few times. Yeah, he's good, but he ain't perfect.

So, with all of that said, who is Batman? He's a little emotionally closed off, from himself and from others. He's still a human being with likes and desires, but those likes and desires come second to the journey. He's not a constant brooding loner, but he struggles with his own mental issues and his own obsessions. He's in desperate need of therapy, but prefers to solve his own problems, as he does with most things. He's controlling to sometimes pathological degrees, but never with ill-intent. And he's always prepared as much as he reasonably can be, for any contingency.

Batman doesn't take his nights off much, and overworks himself constantly to fulfill a goal which doesn't truly exist. He's a crusader for justice with and without the mask, and is fiercely devoted to his city and his people. But when he does take a night off, he watches film noir and Zorro. He reads the newspaper, to minimize his screen time and relax a little bit. He likes obscure coffees and beverages, leaning more towards the bitter than anything else. His tastes are obscure and seemingly rich, but are actually worldly and well-informed. He's a brilliant man who hides his brilliance behind silent actions and clever words. And to those who share his vision of a better world, he may be critical, but is also fiercely loyal.

I mean, in a word...he's Batman.

It's funny, but I think Batman has a similar problem to Superman, in an unexpected way. Like Superman, people tend to forget that he's human. Batman, despite his journey and trauma and mission, is absolutely a person, with the same flaws and foibles as a regular person has. And that seems to go without saying, since all versions of Batman have been flawed, right? But if that's the case, why is the character so over-idolized in the public eye, especially by bros who say he's the coolest character ever, who can take anybody in a fight? That limited view and mentality of the character is what gave us the dumbass meathead murderer in Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Jesus Fucking CHRIST This Name Never Gets Less Stupid.

But who's to blame for this? Is anybody to blame for the dehumanization of Batman? Yes. Yes, there is somebody to blame.

Allow me to throw in an emphatic "FUCK YOU, FRANK MILLER" into this essay post, real quick. Is Batman: Year One an influential narrative masterpiece? Honestly, yes. And yes, it informs the modern version of the character. However, this and Batman: The Dark Knight Returns (another great story for the most part, I'll admit) RUINED the character for generations to come. Batman was broken down into a gadget wearing edgelord, with Miller's dialogue and characterization exemplifying that image. Batman: Year One was great, to me, because it brilliantly contextualized Gotham for a new era, not because of "Yes, Father; I will become a bat." Great line, but real edgy.

And by the way, that's not even talking about Miller's rampant misogyny in those books, or the horrendous racist tendencies he would display later on in life. It's also not talking about his horrible artwork, his misunderstanding and horrid mishandling of any character that isn't Batman, or his DISASTROUS modern take on the character that revealed how he ACTUALLY saw Batman as a character. Miller's...not great, and even if these stories gave us some iconic lines and takes, they also caused a lot of harm down the line. After all, the issues with Snyder's Batman can be directly traced to Miller's take on the character.

So, then, with all of that said...how the hell am I supposed to start this one? Yeah, I'm still in the same boat as I was when I began this shit! See, it's all well and good to define my version of Batman, but that's not the only problem here. Because, after all, we've had 8 cinematic iterations of the character and the world he lives in, as well as 10 stories told about the character. And that's not accounting for the numerous animated series, radio plays, serial films, and the COMIC BOOKS. So, how do you tell a story that's interesting to newcomers (of which there can't be many at this point), and faithful to the character and his stories?

Well, I have some ideas on that, of course. But before anything else, let's flesh out the world that he lives in. Last time, I started the Superman essay series by talking about Lois Lane, the Kents, and other supporting characters. And I'll start similarly here, with four major supporting characters getting their own chapters, then going into the world of Gotham and its citizens, the vast gallery of rogues against Batman, and then finally getting into the story of this theoretical movie.

That's the plan, anyway. We'll see how well that holds up, huh?

Part One: Batman Part Two: Alfred and the Waynes Part Three: James Gordon and the GCPD (Coming Soon) Part Four: Gotham City (Coming Soon) Part Five: Joker (Coming Soon) Part Six: The Usual Suspects (Coming Soon) Part Seven: And the Rest (Coming Soon) Part Eight: The Story - Act One (Coming Soon) Part Nine: The Story - Acts Two and Three (Coming Soon) Part Ten: The Story - Climax and Ending (Coming Soon) Part Eleven: Epilogue (Coming Soon)

[dogsliampaynedoesntinstagram]

I'm biting my tongue so fucking hard to not write about this on my blog cause I just don't want to deal with it but if you do I'm just gonna vent a tiny bit... Harry donating ONE DOLLAR per $60-300 ticket is NOT THAT AMAZING and also wtf it probably cost twice that to make all those shirts that are just going to end up flooding charity shops was that money well spent?! I know he donates more quietly too sometimes and this is by its performative nature a way to garner more donations but also it's fuckign annoying

I am definitely the place to come for opinions about Harry's politics that you don't want to share on your own blog for fear of backlash!

But I am going to unpick what you say. Because I think there are different issues involved.

I think when talking about donations it's important to start with the politics rather than the money. I have seen a copy of the $20,000 cheque Bruce Springsteen donated to the miners strike so many time, by so many people who remember it and for whom it's important. If Harry donated $10,000 to anyone on strike anywhere - I would completely lose it.

I think it's very easy for fans to talk in ways that suggest charity=good - rather than asking what exactly is the money doing. And questioning about whether $100,000 is significant plays into the idea that charity=good the question is just if it was enough.

Here's the thing - I'd probably post very enthusiastically about $100,000 to help people travel to access abortion. I think one of the most useful things you can do with money is help meet people's needs with as few conditions as possible.

If people are using money to try and get the world they want - I think it's super reasonable to ask 'do I agree?'. Now I'm not going to talk about Everytown. I try and avoid gun control discourse with Americans. As I've referred to before, my life has been irrevocably changed as a consequence of racist policing of gun control laws and I can't forget about that, but I want to be respectful of the many other reasons this might be a personal and painful topic for people. But I am comfortable saying that I personally have real difficulty with any approach to gun control that sees policing (particularly US policing) as part of the solution. Harry's donation to Everytown presumably reflects his politics and values, it may reflect yours, it doesn't reflect mine.

Anyway - that's what I'd say about the donation. But I was more angry about the t-shirts. What a waste of resources, what a lot of exploitation. I don't care what it cost Harry - he can do what he likes with his money. I do care about what the process of making them cost the environment and people.

[thisselflovecamebacktome]

Did the Me Too really worked? Cause all it showed ME was that people will see things happening and do nothing. Lots of people saw the crimes being commited and didn't do anything. And most of them are still working behind the scenes after a giving shitty excuse "oh i didn't know" and their lives are fine (one exemple of MANY is Quentin Tarantino). Most victims of Me Too are not working anymore.

So I think this is a very good question, and especially prevalent in the political sphere in Australia at the moment given the Bruce Lehrmann defamation case going on at the moment (as a tldr for those who don't know, he was accused of raping Brittany Higgins, but unfortunately because the case could not go ahead, is now attempting to sue the media for their reporting of sad accusations). Around the time that Brittany came forward, I wrote this piece detailing how Australia's "MeToo moment" was delayed in comparison to the US due to our laws but that I had hope that things are getting better, and I still have that hope. While not specifically sexual assault related, the protests I spoke of in that piece are still happening in several states, particularly in terms of domestic violence at the moment. Like conversations are still loud in a way they weren't before the popularisation of MeToo and I would argue, at least in conservative circles I've had to be a part of (work, family etc), even those who didn't believe Brittany Higgins and victims like her at first are more inclined to now than they historically were. Like in years past, there was no way anyone would so much as whisper about this kind of thing, even if it was an open secret, in fear of being ridiculed or not believed, but like I said, I've seen a change both as a person generally and more specifically as an activist.

Further, in the USA we can see (as one example) due to one legal change in New York that came in part from the popularisation of the MeToo movement, several victims were able to speak their truth and get their alleged abusers/assaulters charged. Likewise, there was a 7% rise in reporting rates in the USA over the months that followed the popularisation of MeToo in 2017. And I'm sure there's stories like this in other countries that I haven't heard about.

So while yes, it wasn't a complete fix by any means and there's a long way to go, I would definitely say it was a good step in the right direction. We just have to keep that momentum going.