My dream Batman canon issue: ALL the four Batboys (Dick, Jason, Tim, Damian) and Cass coming out of their respective bedrooms at the Manor in their sleep civvies, woken by the scent of Alfred’s cooking; each getting to the kitchen in his/her own Extra way, playfully but competitively shoving each other out of the way; Tim breaking off from the chaos to open the door, high-fiving/fist-bumping Duke and Luke as they file in; Babs arriving two minutes later, on the phone with Steph, telling the latter to come ASAP (breakfast is almost served); Kate coming in much later, amused by the loud morning chatter, nodding at Bruce, who’s seated at a kitchen stool, patting Titus on the head while Alfred the cat purrs on his lap.
I dunno. Something incredibly MUNDANE like this when Tim comes back. We already had Batburger, and that was lovely. Just… It would be great if they were ALL there.
Selina coming in through a second story window; Basil catching up with Cass and Harper, telling them how Jean-Paul’s meditating on a mountain somewhere so he can’t make it, while Alfred mops up his clay trail. Maybe Clark and Lois (literally) flying in to drop Jon off for a sleepover with Damian.
I don’t know about you guys, but Batfamily-wise, the New 52’s “Batman and Robin Eternal” is just a gift that keeps on giving.
Be forewarned: this is going to be long and panel-heavy. I want to highlight precious, character-revealing moments from the series, and there are a lot. Thus, panels won’t be arranged chronologically, but thematically.
Most of it will be focused on Dick Grayson, Jason Todd, Tim Drake, and Damian Wayne, though. But, story-wise, Cassandra Cain (then Orphan) and Harper Row (Bluebird) play central roles. Barbara Gordon (as Batgirl), Stephanie Brown (as Spoiler), Duke Thomas (then a “Robin”), Jim Gordon (then “Batman” in a mech suit), and Azrael, as well as others Batfrenemies, make appearances, too. So, yeah. Definitely a Batfamily affair.
I love this series. By writing this, I’m going through it for the second time.
Just like in the “Robin War” story arc, we see that Bruce manages to unite his family even in his absence. (Sure, they sometimes do so out of begrudging respect, but they really do love him!)
A little backstory (and SPOILERS):
Throughout the series, the present is juxtaposed with the past.
“No more secrets. No more lies.”
The story revolves around a villain that Bruce Wayne first encountered in his early years as Batman, way back when his Robin was still an enthusiastic, fresh-faced Dick. Simply referred to as “Mother”, her goal is to produce “perfect” children. Believing that overcoming intense personal trauma is the key to pushing a child towards his or her full potential, she targets children, murders their parents, then takes them under her wing. With the help of brainwashing (and Scarecrow’s fear toxin), she molds them into human weapons intent on pleasing her. Rich and powerful clients in search of ideal children avail of her, um, services.
To investigate deeper, Bruce posed as a potential client and pretended to be dissatisfied with his ward.
While Robin continued to fight alongside Batman on a daily basis, Bruce purposefully left Dick in the dark about Mother.
Later on, we find out why: dealing with Mother revealed some truths that Bruce was ashamed to face. Perhaps he was no different from Mother? That he’d been using the death of Dick’s parents to mold him into Robin? Did he really want to replace Dick?
Take a gander at a very handsome younger Bruce Wayne undercover as… himself.
But before Batman could shut down Mother’s twisted operation, he “died” and came back amnseic – but not without leaving a trail leading to Mother behind (in true Batman fashion).
At present day, when parents turn up dead and children become orphaned, a mysterious vigilante (okay, it’s Cass!) leaves Dick a digital device containing Bruce’s confession to him and the file on the Mother case.
“I’m not the man you think I am. I failed you. I failed all of you.”
And so, he enlists the help of his brothers to investigate and hunt down this “Mother”.
MORE, MORE, MORE UNDER THE CUT:
So, let’s start with the eldest, the original, the legendary Dick Grayson, our beacon for all things Robin.
In spite of all the masks Dick has worn over the years – Nightwing, Batman, Agent 37 – he never forgets his superhero roots. He’s still Robin at his core.
So much so that even while wearing his Spyral uniform, he prioritizes Batman’s mission….
… and calls on the best. Back-up. Ever. (Who we’ll be discussing later on.)
He takes charge of the mission at the get-go, and his brothers know better than to argue with that. They respect his seniority and trust in his leadership (and for good reason).
Nearing the climax of the story, he delegates tasks to the rest of the Batfamily, then takes on the most dangerous one on his own. Not out of bravado, mind you. It’s just the selflessness that comes in the Dick Grayson package. This is also personal to him, after all. An unfinished mission from both his and Bruce’s past that’s come back to haunt all of them.
A gazillion miles away, all alone, and he still manages to mother-hen everyone else.
And in the final showdown, when Mother tries to turn him against Batman – tries to convince him that Batman failed the Robins – he doesn’t sway. In spite of the secrets that Bruce kept from him, he still trusts in his former mentor’s intentions.
(Of all of Bruce’s children, I do think Dick understands him the best. Over 75 years of partnership? Come on.)
As for Dick calling for back-up…
There’s our “reformed” Jason, who’s clearly enjoying being part of the Batfamily again…
… even to the point of abiding by Batman’s “rules”. It’s been so painful watching him fight his way in, then out of, and then in the family again, that it’s such a breath of fresh air seeing him… back home.
He provides a lot of the levity in the series by way of self-deprecation and playful banter with both heroes and villains.
He’s our resident street-smart former “street rat”. (A lot more sophisticated now, though.)
He’s matured quite a bit, too. Biting his tongue, holding back his punches. Using his own past failures to encourage others (like a brainwashed Harper trying to kill Cass).
I can’t help but think that, for better or worse, Jason being portrayed as the venomous – villainous, even – antihero in the past makes all of his moments in this series (heck, even in DC’s “Rebirth”) much sweeter.
(I mean, if all his monstrous transgressions are still canon in this timeline, then he truly does have a lot to make up for. Maximum security jail time in the real world, really.)
Then, there’s Tim. When did our self-conscious, sleep-deprived Timmy get this confident? This… manly?
With Batman out of commission, he’s currently the “World’s Greatest Detective”, expediting missions through brilliant strategies and A+ geekiness.
He’s still a teenager, though (and apparently has to remind Jason of it).
He’s still cool, still calculating. But, somehow, more sure of himself, I guess?
Let’s take a few moments to appreciate the partnership between Jason and Tim in this series…
… and we’ll see how much good comes out of two brothers outgrowing their resentment towards each other.
They go on assignment to Egypt in search of answers from the Order of St. Dumas. While Tim poses as an acolyte, Jason is subdued by its members and infected with a bioprogramming virus they created called “Ichthys”.
Whammied, Jason dreams of his final moments with the Joker. But, this time, instead of being defenseless, he turns into a Red Hood-like version of Robin and mercilessly beats the villain up.
However, as Jason overcomes his most traumatic experience, he also loses himself to the virus (as Mother intended). Tim quickly realizes this and forms an alliance with a disgruntled Azrael (who just found out he’s been betrayed by his own order) and…
“And your not just the man under the red hood. You’re a Robin.”
Oh, and this one right here!
Speaking of banter in the middle of a life-and-death situation… we weren’t gonna leave Dick out of it, were we?
The ladies have them, too!
Last, and certainly the tiniest but not the least, our egotistical li’l darling Damian.
Although his superiority complex is perfectly intact, he’s become more cooperative, more willing to concede to his brothers (just not, you know, out loud), for the sake of the mission.
In some ways, he just might be the most grown-up of them all. (Perhaps it has something to do with his recent accomplishment of the “Year of Blood”?) When his brothers start giving in to helplessness, he calls them out and reminds them of the legacy that he’s inherited.
Now, I think it’s important to discuss these parallels because they sort of address a polarizing issue.
“We chose to be a family.”
Jason sees the Robins as Batman’s army-turned-family…
… but Dick sees it very differently…
… and so does Bruce.
Oh, wait, do you remember this scene from an episode of “Young Justice”?
Wonder Woman: “You indoctrinated Robin into crime fighting at the ripe old age of nine.”
Batman: “Robin needed help to bring the men who murdered his family to justice.”
Wonder Woman: “So he could turn out like you?”
Batman:
(P.S. Please remember that this is fantasy, people. Not the recommended real-world parenting method.)
At this point in the comics, the Batboys have already overcome a lot of their personal issues with one another – and with Bruce. They’ve all gone through enormous character development in their respective titles. (Writers seem to be making up for a lot of emotional damage to the fans over the years.) So when we experience them together like this, we find that they’re more mature (which may come off as “gritty”), more accountable for other people, more efficient as a unit. And, dare I say, more grateful for Bruce’s role in their lives.
“We’re Robins. And our work isn’t close to being finished.”
Big brother Dick puts things into perspective one last time…
“Sounds like a job for Batman and Robin.”
Of course Bruce is back before the series concludes. And this last part? I can’t ask for better reunion panels.
Intense. Emotional. Action-packed. 11/10 would recommend.
So, just a disclaimer, Jason Todd isn’t actually in the issue, but it does revolve around him. He hasn’t come back as Red Hood just yet.
Let’s just say that it’s reminiscent of the period immediately after his death when Bruce Wayne was noticeably more broody and brutal in his anti-crime spree than usual. Back then, the Bat Family was only composed of Dick Grayson, Barbara Gordon, Alfred Pennyworth, and a persistent young Tim Drake “auditioning” for a membership. This time around, their family has grown somewhat, and includes Cassandra Cain as Batgirl and Stephanie Brown as Spoiler.
Backstory (spoilers ahead): A new drug called G.H.D. is circulating the Gotham streets, killing some citizens, including a young female. Batman tracks down the supplier and throws him through a window several stories off the ground. Batgirl swoops in to catch the man, and Batman gets more information out of him through what his does best – instilling fear.
“How you hurt him. You were punishing him.”
After the bust, Cass calls Bruce out on his… unusual behavior.
That look on Bruce’s face in the third panel below… You just know that he can’t argue with her observation.
“It’s always personal.”
That cool detachment Bruce has? That wall he built around himself? All of it is meant to keep his mission from being compromised. His mission to protect his family, his friends, innocent lives. That’s the form of affection he’s developed over years of trauma and obsessive discipline to equip himself for this mission.
So, if he tries to shut down Steph’s aspiration to be a vigilante? It’s personal. If he tries to keep a brash young lady from jumping headfirst into the field without a parachute – the same way a fifteen-year-old boy once did? It’s personal. And, if you think he’s an unreasonable grumpy old man for doing it, he won’t fault you for begrudging him. (He’ll care, sure, but he won’t show it.)
“It’s strange. How he stops seeing them… the scars.”
This issue is actually entitled “Scarification”, and it seems that the next set of panels explains why. It’s probably this day, out of all the days in the year, that reminds him why his scars matter. Why everything seems to matter more.
“If this is about what today is, then… just know that I’m here if you need… to talk.”
I love how much the Batkids understand Bruce. Even if they know that it’s, more often than not, futile to appeal to him on an emotional level, they’ll keep trying anyway, knowing that he secretly needs them.
“Happy birthday, kid.”
Bruce harasses one more criminal before the set of panels below. He finally tracks down the supplier and makes him choose between taking his own lethal drug or jail time. (Guess which one he picks?)
It’s these last two scenes that gives the story its story. Bruce always has difficulty with expressing emotion, so it shouldn’t surprise us that sometimes it comes out as aggression.
On the day that reminds him of the son he lost to the thing they do, with another teenager wanting to be part of it all… must be extra hard, huh?
“For some of us there is no going back.”
This was a simple, but sweet tribute to Jason. A reminder that Bruce loved loves him and knew him well. That in his memory, Bruce is trying to keep from making the same mistakes.
(And, it was bittersweet how Cass “met” Jason for the first time like that… It gets better in the New 52′s Batman and Robin Eternal, though!)
Summary: Snippets of a blossoming romance between Jason Tood/Red Hood and an original character(named Ima), with other DC characters in supporting roles. Jason falls for a waitress at a diner he frequents with his best friend, Roy Harper. When she is caught in the crossfire between him and Black Mask, he is determined to protect her at all costs. What he does not expect is her falling for him, too. And how much she becomes a part of his – and the Batfamily’s – life.
** Not strictly canon. Romance + fluff + minor angst. A lot of Batfamily feels. Title from the Coldplay song. Currently 8 chapters long, each one to be posted separately due to length. Editing may occur, depending on inspiration. 🙂 **
In and out. That was the original plan, a simple extraction mission.
Word had gotten out that an exchange between Black Mask and a Russian mob boss was going to take place at an abandoned warehouse by the Gotham Bay docks: a billion and a half dollars for a briefcase that contained a classified Kryptonian substance that could be weaponized, and in evil hands, possibly set off a third World War.
It was no surprise that Black Mask and his crew had not thought twice about doing the exchange in an unsecured location. It was an open secret that Gotham’s finest, save for Commissioner Gordon and a few others, would turn a blind eye. After all, they had the criminal to thank for their overseas vacations and fancy cars.
Preoccupied with mentoring a new Justice League of America, Batman put Red Hood up to the task. Arsenal was only too happy to be part of the action. “Just like old times, Jaybird!” the former Green Arrow sidekick had exclaimed. Though it had already been a year since the two Heroes-for-Hire disbanded over “professional differences”, they picked up where they left off easily. In spite of their constant bickering, they grounded each other and worked efficiently as a duo. (Plus, they both secretly missed the banter.)
The plan was to slip past the guards and into the container truck. After getting a hold of the briefcase, they were to evacuate immediately before alerting the cops of the exchange. “By taking the briefcase out of the picture first,” Bruce had explained, “we remove any leverage Black Mask has over us and keep the substance out of GCPD’s reach. I’ll explain everything to Jim when this is over. But for now, we can’t afford any slip-ups.”
But, clearly, life had other plans for Jason that day. When one of the guards he had beaten up begged him for mercy, he begrudgingly relented. Then, the second he turned his back, he heard radio static from the man’s chest pocket; the others were alerted of the hostile take over. He almost regretted his self-restraint, internally cursing at Bruce for showing him the high road. The Russians panicked and opened fire. Chaos ensued.
So, there he was, just a fifteen minutes in, already running in zigzag lines to evade scorching flames and falling debris. His body was trying to keep up with his mind as he outweighed the risks of each potential exit route. Black Mask had ordered his men to burn down the warehouse, trapping him, Roy, the Russians, and whoever else was left.
“Uh, Jaybird? I think this is our cue to go. Like any. Second. NOW,” Roy yelled, watching steel beams crash around them. He was down to two trick arrows that were of no use to the situation at hand. And unless they had some sort of deus ex machina, their only option for survival was to make a run for it. Roy went ahead, clearing a path for his best friend to run through.
Jason was about to follow when he heard a whimper behind some oil drums. “Gimme a sec, Roy!” Did he imagine it? Did someone need help? He crept towards the sound, both revolvers cocked just in case he was wrong. He could make out a silhouette with soft curves. A woman? Taking a deep breath, he quickly grabbed her from behind, stifling her scream.
"I’m not gonna hurt you,” he whispered to her ear. Unless she made him. He turned her to face him, and his breath got caught in his throat. The deep hazel eyes, the full brown lips, and the smooth ebony skin that haunted his dreams… now covered in soot. What was she doing here?
He would get his answers later. He slowly uncovered her mouth. She stared at him with wide eyes, clearly petrified. Then, as if she regained her senses, pounded her fists on the graphene-plated symbol on his chest. He winced, knowing that it physically hurt her more than it did him.
He held her close, dodging falling debris as he ran them towards the only opening in sight. Almost tripping over a fallen cargo box, he heard an explosion. The oil drums. He let go of a breath he did not realize he had been holding.
Roy was nowhere to be seen, and Jason hoped desperately that he had already made it out in one piece.
"Let me go! Ugh!” she shrieked, kicking at him. If it was not for his reinforced codpiece (Dick’s idea), he would have been wailing in pain on the ground. He dragged her behind a post, just inches away from a falling block of charred wood.
The more she struggled, the harder it was for him to sprint them towards the nearest exit. There was no way he was leaving without her. But if they were to make it out of there alive, she had to calm down. And he realized that an emotionless mask with a voice modifier was less than comforting. A desperate time, a desperate measure. With a press of a button at the base, his helmet unlocked. Pfffttttzzz. “Let me try that again,” he said softly, cupping her cheeks, “I’m not gonna hurt you.” The sound of his real voice must have calmed her down because he could feel the tension leaving her body.
He could hear the sirens from a distance rushing towards the blazing warehouse.
“Jason…,” she coughed out, before passing out in his arms.
incorrect-batfamily-quotes 