From: Batman & Robin #15 (2016)

Yeah, don’t underestimate him. (That’s just something he does to himself a lot.)

P.S. Still not a fan of the “face” mask.

[Bruce & Tim Panels] Batman #664

So, here’s sort of a continuation of a previous post I made about Tim and Damian’s first encounter, and Bruce (with Alfred’s help) dealing with the fallout. Since Bruce and Damian were resolving their issues, I wanted to acknowledge a moment when Bruce and Tim did, too.

A little backstory (and some spoilers): After that whole father-son and brother-brother fiasco in the “Batman and Son” story arc, we move on to “Three Ghosts of Batman”. Bruce think he’s hallucinating when three villains, all dressed in twisted Batman costumes, show up at Gotham and commit crimes. As it turns out, they’re actually real police officers selected among the GCPD to be trained as replacements for Batman just in case something were to happen to the real one. This is also connected to an isolation experiment that Bruce underwent some years back, the Black Casebook, etc., etc.

Anyways.

After being brutally beaten up by a Bane-like Batman, Bruce reaches the Manor with the help of a prostitute and passes out. With Alfred and Tim at his bedside, he is woken up by a nightmare involving Damian and three “ghosts”.

“I’ll be careful , Alfred. You know I’m always careful.”

In the next set of panels, perhaps it’s seeing Bruce not being in his element – vulnerable, fearful – that drives Tim to do something unusual – take an uncalculated risk. Despite Bruce’s warning that Tim is basically outclassed, the latter goes after the impostor anyway, while the former passes out.

**“Young Master Tim feels he has a lot to prove.”**

When Bruce comes to, he realizes that Tim is gone. And, as Alfred points out, the teenager still has feelings carried over from the debacle with Damian. Bruce sets out to find the impostor (and hopefully Tim?) himself, rubbing his own imposing scent all over him (perhaps to instill some sort of primal fear in his enemy?).

So, here we see Tim show a lot of bravado as he faces an enemy who was able to beat the Batman.

“Nice work.”

The same thing almost happens to Tim, but Bruce arrives just in time to rescue him. He then says two words that would mean a lot to any Batkid.

On any given day, Bruce would have chewed Tim (or any of his other children) out for being “irresponsible” or “stupid”. (He hates it when his children take uncalculated risks!) But, this time, he puts Tim’s feelings over his pragmatism, knowing that this son of his doesn’t need a lecture right now, but reassurance that he’s means no less to his father than Damian.

**“You don’t have anything to prove to me.”**

And, of course, the last panel below – the one that made me write this post in the first place.

Bruce says it so casually, mid-battle, like they didn’t have to sit down and have a long talk in the manor to get it over with. Right there and then, he wants to ease Tim’s mind.

And, Tim responds as if Bruce didn’t just tell him the words he’s probably been longing to hear for a while now. Doesn’t flinch when Bruce says it out loud and out of the blue. As if they’ve been having a telepathic conversation about it the whole time.

No other words need be said. As Bruce has said before, nothing’s changed between them.

Every now and then, Bruce’s children need reassurance from him. They don’t usually ask him for it (and end up doing stuff to get his undivided attention).

And, every now and then, Bruce will notice that need and actually do something about it. But, when he doesn’t, count on good ol’ Alfred to point it out.

[Bruce, Tim, & Damian Panels] Batman and Son (2006)

So, although this was originally meant to discuss a moment in Bruce Wayne and Tim Drake’s relationship, I couldn’t help but include Damian Wayne along the way because, as you’ll see, the drama unfolds because of his presence in the first place.

** Issues:

Batman #655 – 658 **

Due to the length of this post, I made a separate one for that Bruce & Tim moment here.

A little backstory (and some spoilers): Tim, as Robin, decides to spend some time on his own in the mountains. Bruce realizes that he, too, needs a vacation, and attends a fundraiser in London. Unbeknownst to him, Talia al Ghul has been observing him with a 10-year-old Damian by her side. With an army of Man-Bats, she attacks the party and subdues Bruce (as Batman). She explains to him that, with the death of her father Ra’s, she has taken over the family business. She reminds him of their passionate night together (though, in Bruce’s version, he was drugged and raped). After introducing him to their son, she leaves the boy for him to look after.

Bruce and Alfred make an effort to make Damian feel at home, with Bruce even offering to train him to fight crime. Damian, in turn, is incredibly rude and unappreciative, and even has a physical altercation with his father.

**“Don’t patronize me or I’ll break your face.”**

To say that Damian is rough around the edges is an understatement. If this is the only version of him you’ve read so far, you probably dislike him a great deal. His egotism is at its rawest, and not just a now-amusing quirk. He’s a far cry from the Robin-turned-Teen-Titans-leader-and-best-bud-of-Jon-Kent Damian we find adorable today because Grant Morrison’s is the one who’s fresh out of the League of Assassins, a trained killer who didn’t know better than survival through dominion, born and raised to serve the selfish purposes of his grandfather and his mother.

This is a Damian who hasn’t experienced the unconditional love of Bruce or Alfred yet, or been in the company of other young people who have overcome tragedy with the help of family and friends. He is self-entitled, cultured, and convinced that appreciation is a reward that always has to be earned the hard way.

Now, the Tim we meet in these pages has been in Robin’s shoes for a while now. Adopted and raised with love and structure within the Manor walls. More or less secure in his standing with the Bat Family.

So, when the two meet for the first time, we see the contrast in their upbringing. Tim greets him casually, with a little humor, while Damian is automatically defensive (and offensive).

**“So tell me it’s not possible. Is it possible?”**

Tim has rightfully earned the title of “world’s second greatest detective” because he usually doesn’t take anyone’s word for anything without enough evidence. Here, we see him question Bruce’s paternity of Damian. Now, whether it’s due to his investigative nature or to insecurity (now that a “blood son” is in the picture) is worth pondering.

(Also, Alfred’s sarcasm aside in the first panel below, Bruce definitely had his moments growing up!)

**“This doesn’t change anything.”**

In the next set of panels, I appreciate how Bruce maintains his fatherhood to both of them. Firstly, he reassures Tim that the presence of a biological son doesn’t make him any less of a son to Bruce. And, secondly, he tries to let Tim understand where Damian is coming from since Tim is clearly upset that Damian, for all his impertinence and impetuousness, seems to get a free pass from Bruce.

I mean, if this isn’t your typical brotherly-jealousy-and-rivarly-for-father’s-approval kind of thing…?

**“If he really is your dad, you should be proud.”**

In the next set of panels, while Bruce is away on a case, we see Tim doing his best to take the high road – giving Damian the benefit of the doubt, exercising restraint (which he probably picked up from years working with Bruce). He even reminds Damian of what an honor it is to be Bruce’s son.

We also see behavior that’s become classic Damian by now: trying to prove to his brothers that he’s superior to them. But, remember, this was back in the day when his tantrums were lethal. Tim is inviting him to spar (a traditional Bat Family bonding activity) and he takes it as a challenge.

More under the cut:

**“There’s a new Robin now.”**

Leaving Tim for dead, Damian catches up to his father who’s on patrol…

(So, yeah, if you think Damian’s vicious today, he sure wasn’t playin’ any games back then.)

Then, back at the Cave, Bruce makes a gruesome discovery…

**“He’s not your real son, I am! It’s my right to replace him.”**

And, this is how Damian justifies it.

(How incredibly unfortunate that a 10-year-old boy should live life with such heartlessness, that his own flesh and blood raised him to!)

“I won’t fail you, Father.”

Alfred, freed by Bruce from the room Damian had locked him in, stabilizes a seriously injured Tim in the Cave.

Meanwhile, in order to prevent Damian from doing further damage, Bruce begrudgingly brings him along as he goes off to face Talia.

In the next set of panels, we see Damian’s vulnerable side, the one craving for his father’s approval. He’s clearly misguided in how he tries to obtain it. At the very least, Bruce has earned his son’s respect, even if it’s not quite out of love just yet. (Plus, we get a glimpse of the unwavering loyalty that makes Damian who he is.)

This is a very important story arc to me because, aside from getting context for Tim and Damian’s rivalry, we also see Bruce’s paternal instincts kick in for his two youngest boys.

Firstly, he makes it clear to Damian that, regardless of what he thinks he’s achieved (by fatally stopping a criminal like Spook and defeating Tim), he went about it the wrong way.

His brand of love entails calling out his children when they mess up so that they understand the consequences of their actions.

Secondly, with everything Damian’s done, Bruce could have given up on him and sent him back to the League (or to a boarding school or whatever), but he chose to keep him under his wing. Gave him a second chance to redeem himself, knowing that upbringing was not his son’s fault. (Besides, there is no way that Bruce is sending any of his children back to the people who did them harm in the first place.)

Last, but not the least, he treats Tim and Damian fairly, in my opinion. He tries to let the other see the other’s point of view, trying to dispel their ill feelings towards each other, even if one seems “more right” than the other.

Bruce (with Alfred’s help) really has his work cut out for him, raising vigilante sons and daughters. I mean, can you just imagine?

From: Detective Comics #570 (1987)

Once upon a Jason Todd…

Source: paddingtonfilms-archive

inkydandy:

I meant to get this done in March and of course it didn’t happen. But, Dick’s got so many birthdays, I figured I could post it whenever.

And when in doubt, always consult good ol’ Al

Oh, @inkydandy. Always with the fantastic Batfam representation. ❤

Source: inkydandy