A Job...Done

[sistermagpie]

I've been having a lot of trouble logging into LJ. Like, it didn't let me all day at work. Hopefully it will get fixed soon!

Anyway, this post...In which I make sad face about Bat comics. :-(

I was reading Red Robin #12 today and it was great. I’ve loved this comic from the beginning and this arc did everything it set out to do. But even though this story ended in the perfect way, with stuff that I should have absolutely loved, I wound up just feeling sad. The reason?

I'm jealous. Spoilers for Red Robin below.

RR started with Tim lashing out at people and pushing them away, but them not taking it personally, which was refreshing. Instead of creating conflict where there should be none, the conflict was all within Tim himself with his friends and family only worried about him. Instead of an actual fight between Dick and Tim, there were scenes of Tim demanding Dick's trust as a brother and getting it, even though Tim was acting strangely. This issue has Tim triumphing over Ra’s, but falling to his death in the process until Dick catches him out of nowhere. Tim says later he knew Dick would catch him, because he’s his brother and he’ll always be there for him. AWWWW!

My favorite relationship in the Batverse and it’s right there supporting Tim through the whole story. What’s not to love?

Well, nothing. And maybe that was my problem. RR did so right by Tim. They gave him a storyline where he had a clear emotional arc with motivations and feelings and behavior that made sense (I never got the whole "Tim’s just being a jerk/being emo/being mean to his friends!" complaints), a logical way of working through them, new relationships with people who were drawn to him and had interesting interactions with him. It was definitely a coming of age story—complete with literal minor emancipation at the end. Plus it gave Tim a hugely important role in protecting Bruce’s legacy. Where Dick might be Batman, Tim is the point man Lucius goes to to take over Wayne Industries. Now we've got lighter complications when he winds up on the front page with a phony engagement even he doesn't know about. He’s awesome and his friends and family love him and he loves them back. Welcome home, Tim.

But I thought, you know, throughout this whole Batman Reborn phase, this is the type of thing I keep longing for with Dick and he’s just not getting it. I don’t need Dick to be more awesome than everyone else. But a year into this it still feels like Dick’s main job is to not be Bruce so that other people can shine. Steph gets a new identity and new respect in Batgirl. Tim becomes an adult hero in Red Robin. Damian is ridiculously overpowered, bloodthirsty and insults everyone (so hilarious!) but is also a noble hero with a heart of gold growing into his destiny and rejecting his evil past. And Dick…

Dick makes all this possible by not being Bruce.

It’s not that I need my favorite character to be the best at everything. I have no problem with him struggling and making mistakes. But it just doesn’t feel like anybody who’s been writing him has the kind of exciting plan in their head for "here’s how I’m showing you Dick is awesome and he will become awesome as Batman" that exists for these other characters (Barbara will I think soon be getting that in BoP, and Kate has it now). It’s not that they are always writing Dick badly, really, it’s just that he’s not special either. Thinking back I feel like Judd Winick was practically the only guy who seemed to have an idea of writing a story for Dick!Batman rather than just Batman who’s not Bruce. Often they seem more interested in any character in the book other than Dick--Damian's the one with the arc in B&R and Streets of Gotham, Tony Daniel's Batman was crowded with people, with Dick not much more important than anyone else.

Thinking back over the year, it seems like there’s been endless references to Dick being not good at things, but without the satisfying payoff of how he's uniquely good regardless. Off the top of my head I can remember him thinking he’s not good at figuring out patterns in things—that Tim was always better at that. While Tim becomes the controlling shareholder in WE (without Dick being clued in—understandable for story purposes but still making him clueless) and Damian lectures the board on how he can find financial irregularities hidden in the finances that teams of accountants can’t (honestly, GM!), Dick brushes off Lucius’s call of financial concern by saying he’s just got no head for business—he grew up in a circus! (WTF?)

In fact, he’s been almost constantly surrounded by criticism and disrespect. Which I don’t have a problem with in itself—it just makes things all the sweeter when the character succeeds if people don’t believe in him. Batgirl runs on this idea, obviously. But Dick's arc doesn’t really seem to be about getting him to that success. When he gets insulted or imposed upon it’s not really in order to get to a place where he turns that around. It’s more just well, you’re not Bruce.

It just makes me sad, because it’s not like it’s about making him better than Bruce or anyone else, it's sinking your teeth into why this hero is awesome. I think that’s why RR really drove it home for me, because RR is showing a completely different but related character being awesome. (Tim is the one who gets to pull the "I knew what you were doing all along!" Batman-stuff while *also* doing the "I have loads of friends I asked for help and so I am not Batman!" card.) I just don't feel like most writers have had a clear idea of what the story of Dick as Batman is. They can write Batman--sometimes it could almost be Bruce under the cowl. They can write Batman as not Bruce. They know Dick isn’t Bruce. But there’s no clear idea for Dick!Batman—why he’s special, why he’s a worthy alternative rather than just a fill-in. Batgirl and Red Robin clearly have a handle on the transition going on in those titles. The Batman titles don't seem to have this at all, at least for Batman. Dick's competent, but he should be more than competent.

I can’t honestly think of any winning moments, in fact. It’s not that he’s been this big failure. Cases have been solved. But I can’t remember them ever having a fist-pump feeling, like the way many Bruce stories do or the way the end of RR let’s you know that this is why Tim pwns you. It’s more just like, "I figured it out. Finally. Often while doing oddly reckless things along the way." It’s a big contrast to the clear cases being made for Batgirl, Red Robin and Batwoman in their books. (Dick's turning of Damian is rather personal rather than a hero thing. In a way he's melting Damian's heart the way he melted Bruce's as Robin.) Maybe more important, I can't think of too many stories that were showing an interesting character moment--for instance, like that recent SoG story where Damian met that other kid.

It almost feels like the writers of the support characters/books were inspired to really do something with them in ways Bat writers were not inspired about Dick. Maybe they just wanted to write Batman. After all this time I have a much clearer idea of how Dick's hampered by the assignment--he can't do the stuff Bruce is known for as well as Bruce can, while the costume and persona forbids him being Nightwing--than I do for what he's brought to it. B&R, for instance, had an early convo with Alfred about playing Batman as a role since Dick is a performer. GM is always interested in origins and hits Dick as circus boy pretty heavily. Yet he never plays out a Batman who's hamming it up and putting his own spin on the role, then coming home to discuss the night's performance.

Bruce Wayne’s return is on the way now. How would he view Dick’s time as Batman? He'd have reason to praise him for the good shape the network is in since his absence, at least. Other characters might prefer Dick for being less of a tight-ass than Bruce, much like fourth graders look forward to substitute teachers who lack their regular teacher's authority. He didn't burn the house down. But I wind up thinking of that Seinfeld storyline where J. Peterman went on walkabout and left Elaine in charge of the company. Upon his return Elaine is obviously hoping for a little job-well-done praise, maybe a promotion. Peterman tells her heartily to just think of it as a job…done.

Comments

[pauraque]

Is it possible your work network has banned LJ? That didn't even occur to me because I was imagining you working from home.

[sistermagpie.livejournal.com]

I thought of that, but dreamwidth still works and they said they hadn't changed any security settings like that since yesterday, when it was working fine.

[lucky-sometimes.livejournal.com]

Yep.

[lucky-sometimes.livejournal.com]

Oh one thing though. Sexton insults DAMIAN, not Dick, - in fact he compliments Dick with that line.

[sistermagpie.livejournal.com]

Ooh! I must go and look at that again. Totally misread that sentence. So he's telling Damian it took him longer to figure it out than Dick?

[lucky-sometimes.livejournal.com]

Correct. He's talking about predecessor Robins.

[sistermagpie.livejournal.com]

D'oh! Read it again today and you're totally right!

[sistermagpie.livejournal.com]

Ha! This response pleases me. Even though it's kind of...not the happiest situation.

[3goodtimes.livejournal.com]

I completely agree. I think they fell off the good writing wagon in regards to Dick pretty quickly after Bruce 'died.' I worry because he's lost the Nightwing title. I want him to shine again, but it feels like they're just pushing him into the background. Concerning.

I was very disappointed that his Batman was sort of a watered-down Bruce.

I also think the whole 'Cry For Justice' storyline robbed us of all the nice Titans support we might have seen for Dick. And making Damian's journey an almost solitary one robbed us of some mentoring Dick could have done--there was a little bit but not enough.

[sistermagpie.livejournal.com]

I can't remember what writer it was recently who said something about how when this was over Dick was the one character who might have a chance to step up, like get promotion as his own hero. And I thought...could that be when he finally gets his story?

And yes, totally on that last paragraph. I'm sort of enjoying the most the times when Dick interacts with the Titans like Donna. He seems to get more acceptance in the JLA. And yeah, with Damian it really has been solitary. There's really not a lot of mentoring. It's more just that Dick's there and hasn't left.

[lucky-sometimes.livejournal.com]

That writer was Tony Daniel by the way :)

[sistermagpie.livejournal.com]

That's right! I knew it was somebody I should know.

[3goodtimes.livejournal.com]

Well, that's good! I hope we do get to hear about how he dealt with losing Bruce and being Batman should he get his own title again.

[parsimonia.livejournal.com]

I was going to say, yeah, Judd Winick's brief run on Dick!Batman was lovely, in that it really showcased how Dick could make Batman his own identity, without having to become Bruce. And the interaction with Alfred. (Although I do want to nit-pick his omission of any bat-ladies being present when Supes and WW broke the news of Batman's death. Cass at the very least would've been there at the time.)

Honestly, my fear all along with this Bruce-is-dead-so-Dick-becomes-Batman business, is that it's meant to prove that only Bruce can be the One True Batman, which reads like Dick's efforts are a failure.

After all, if they played it so that Dick were to succeed and even improve upon being Batman, then what the hell do we need Bruce for? (Personally, I think it'd be fun if Dick stayed as Batman and Bruce stayed in his civvies and did more behind-the-scenes work.)

(Dick's turning of Damian is rather personal rather than a hero thing. In a way he's melting Damian's heart the way he melted Bruce's as Robin.)

In some ways, I can be happy just with that, because that's so true to his character and such a big part of him, that he's able to bring out the goodness and compassion in others, just by being himself.

Maybe they just wanted to write Batman.

*nods* I haven't picked up a Tony Daniel Batman comic since Battle for the Cowl #1, and I'm waiting for the softcover of B&R to come out, but... I honestly don't think Morrison writes Batman-as-Bruce-Wayne very well. It just feels like there's something missing, somehow. I haven't read a whole lot of his run on Batman, though, so perhaps I'm not the best judge.

[sistermagpie.livejournal.com]

In some ways, I can be happy just with that, because that's so true to his character and such a big part of him, that he's able to bring out the goodness and compassion in others, just by being himself.

TBH, I don't have a problem with that either. It was probably the only way to do it, and I do think that's a good thing about Dick that's pretty unique in his family. Just saying that it doesn't really have to do with Dick being a good Batman.

I didn't like Morrison's RIP. In general I don't really like what he does with Batman either. It just seems really meta. I was saying to someone that when the Joker was revealed in this issue it just seemed like he was there because he was the Joker and that's a Batman thing.

It just seems crazy to me that people would devote a whole series to proving the main character fails at the job. And what's annoying is they could at least do it in such a way that says that Dick would be freer if he was someone else rather than he's just not doing a good job with Batman, you know?

Great Post--well said! Also, I wrote like a novel here.

[ava-jamison.livejournal.com]

It’s not that they are always writing Dick badly, really, it’s just that he’s not special either. Thinking back I feel like Judd Winick was practically the only guy who seemed to have an idea of writing a story for Dick!Batman rather than just Batman who’s not Bruce.

Very much agreed. And that was only for a brief, brief early span.

Often they seem more interested in any character in the book other than Dick--Damian's the one with the arc in B&R and Streets of Gotham, Tony Daniel's Batman was crowded with people, with Dick not much more important than anyone else.

Yes. That's the way it appears to me as well.

Thinking back over the year, it seems like there’s been endless references to Dick being not good at things, but without the satisfying payoff of how he's uniquely good regardless.

This! And a payoff would be satisfying, so I don't... get why it feels like we won't see it. Or, if we do, that it'll be saved for the very end and have to do with (in B and R) the difference in something... small and not particularly canon-related, like some artificialish 'Dick has different timing issues than Bruce' thing. Which... I guessing--won't be enough of a payoff to me to justify the goofifying of Dick. I just absolutely don't think GM is a Dick fan.

And in Batman, what would the payoff even be? He's pretty much just a guy playing Batman dress-up. Not terribly, but it's... I don't know if he even has an emotional arc in that book. So how can we get excited about the guy that's pretty much being Batman moderately well though occasionally getting berated by Robin. (Which drives me crazy.) And just... doing stuff. Too many people in that book!

I am very happy for Tim to get a good story arc. But also disappointed for Dick. It feels to me, as you point out, that Daniels or Morrison want it to be that Bruce is just not replaceable, and/or--depending on the writer, that they aren't all that interested in writing Dick as Batman. It IS a huge contrast to the ways that the other characters get to shine. Dick's hardly allowed to be himself. I mean, honestly, that he's at times almost unrecognizable as say, the leader of the Titans, in B and R. Or in Batman. I feel that sometimes in B and R, he's written as some kid who grew up in the circus (when in fact, he did more of his growing up in a mansion) and then got to be Robin and now he's Batman. And kind of a goofus who's all: Team-Up! Sweet! Let me go use a Lazarus Pit! (What? I didn't use to like those? GM doesn't care!) I don't know how to do math! Good thing Damian's around to pick up the pieces for me! (that last goes for B and R and plenty of Batman by TD, too.)

And it's weird to me for several reasons, not the least of which is that Dick has been Batman before. But no one is currently interested in showing us any kind of truly successful, exciting moment where Dick truly shines. We haven't seen it and I don't know if we will. It's possible that GM is building to that, with 'Dick's different from Bruce b/c of his timing' issues, but I don't know. And I don't know that it will be nearly enough, especially since he's writing B and R now with what I see as a lack of understanding of Dick and lack of respect/love/concern/understanding of and for the character.

At any rate, he's hardly the focus of any story, although he's starring in two big books. Focus on Damian's largely to blame, and like you, I think TD's book is way too crowded.

Heh on your J. Peterman quote. Yes! And this made me laugh--so true. (Poor Dick.) It’s more just like, "I figured it out. Finally. Often while doing oddly reckless things along the way." It's exactly like that.

Re: Great Post--well said! Also, I wrote like a novel here.

[sistermagpie.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I've said it sometimes seems like GM's basic idea about Dick is that he was Robin in history and so that's his role. The years in between, any actual personality Dick has, doesn't matter. Or actually, it's more like they might be mentioned but they don't serve the story so they're out. Like the one moment I liked in his book was when they met Knight and Squire and Knight confessed that he was terrified of Dick as a kid because he seemed nuts. The idea is great, but unfortunately we never see that in B&R because it would conflict with Damian center stage. He only used it in that story to refer to Dick putting Bruce in the pit which wasn't Dick being crazy, it was Dick being OOC.

It just seems like when I think of big success moments from the past year they are always about other people. If Dick is involved with one it's usually shared. Really, most of his big moments have just been running in and saving somebody after they've been awesome. He catches Damian when he goes off the roof--after Damian has fought off a monster Batman clone while in a neckbrace. He shows up in SoG after Damian and his new friend have beaten the bad guys. It seems like he had a moment like that in Batgirl maybe. And now he catches Tim after Tim's completely pwned Ra's (in such a way that even undermines Dick's previous handling of things).

Re: Great Post--well said! Also, I wrote like a novel here.

[ava-jamison.livejournal.com]

It just seems like when I think of big success moments from the past year they are always about other people.

Very true. And I also meant to note that Dick doesn't seem to have an emotional arc in ANY of his books. Not in B and R, not in Batman. Not in SoG, although I did like that story where Huntress and Dick worked together. And I liked the more complicated side of Dick we saw a flash of in his interactions with Selina and with Helena (at that party and right after)--if only for a minute--oh, and the dream sequence, in Batman.

Yet, no real arc, and no arc for Dick at all in Batman and Robin. (As you say, Morrison almost seemed like he was building one in, with that conversation with Alfred.

But then it went away, never to be referenced again, like Morrison got distracted by his own sense of awesome self-satisfaction in writing Pyg do a lap dance for a ten-year old. So OUT THERE, man! /sarcasm

[benicio127.livejournal.com]

You know, one of the things I haven't liked at all is the way Tony Daniel has been writing Dick as Batman. At least Morrison reminds us frequently that this is Dick under the cowl in various ways (the "let's do this!" moment between Dick, Alfred and Damian in BnR 12 is the most recent occurrence that comes to mind).

In Batman? It may as well be Bruce for all we know, save for the moment(s) when Dick literally isn't under the cowl. I have seen very, very few moments in Batman where I could say with authority that yes, that is most definitely Dick under the cowl.

Though honestly, I am loving Dick as Batman. I hope we get another year of him under the cowl; and on that note hopefully they can get someone else to start writing Batman who can actually show us Dick's growth under the cowl, too.

[sistermagpie.livejournal.com]

Daniel has had some interesting moments when Dick was with Selina, I think, but the minute he's under the cowl he does seem to become generic Batman who could be Bruce. GM Morrison definitely never has moments like that. Whatever he thinks of Dick he definitely is always writing Dick and not Bruce.

I'm torn because I do think there's a lot to love with Dick as Batman. I think that's why the things I feel disappointed in are just sort of this nagging feeling. Like I know that they can do better because there's a lot of things this year that have been really strong ideas presented well. It's so annoying have this one end slipping!

[benicio127.livejournal.com]

Like I know that they can do better because there's a lot of things this year that have been really strong ideas presented well. It's so annoying have this one end slipping!

Yes! I think the problem has been we're not seeing Dick as Batman under the cowl in all the Batbooks. Streets of Gotham? Yes. (Save for those two issues written by Mike Benson, I believe it was....)Batman and Robin? Yes. (And Dick telling Slade exactly how many people died in Bludhaven was fabulous.) But it's not across the board and I think that's been one of the main problems. Actually I think that's THE biggest problem.
Agreed, the scenes between Dick and Selina were good, but I don't even hear Dick's inner monologue voice coming through in Batman. If it's a performance that Dick's doing, then make his actions be like Batman's fine, but not his inner monologue. That's one of the things that really bothers me.

And you know, I know fans have nitpicked at Dick not having a head for numbers thing before, but I don't know, I don't see a problem with it. I mean I want these characters to have flaws and not know everything. It makes them more "human-like." I'm perfectly fine with Dick being the optimistic *Go-team* leader who endears himself to everyone around, rather than being able to do and be everything. Bruce himself left the books to Lucius anyways.

[sistermagpie.livejournal.com]

For me the problem with the numbers thing isn't that it isn't Dick's strong point (although that's a retcon--he was a business major back in the day) but that it's just too exaggerated with him and other characters are way too powered with it. Like when Lucius was calling Dick with a problem his not taking the call went beyond not being interested and into sounding like an air head--if the guy's calling you there's a problem. I don't consider Tim a whiz at business either, but he was capable of understanding what Lucius was doing in RR, as he would be. It's just basic knowledge. If we can follow it as a reader he should follow it as an adult.

Meanwhile Damian had that imo painful scene with the board where professional accountants are incapable of doing the accounting that's their job while Damian just picks it up like it's a hobby that of course he can do at 10. As you say, Bruce isn't a whiz at this either--that's what Lucius is for. He's the financial whiz. But I'd think everybody else would be capable of understanding Lucius enough to follow through on his recommendations, if that makes sense. It's like at this point other characters all have places where they're established as the best at something, the person you'd go to. Where as Dick is just sort of a reliable helper in whatever. Which isn't bad in itself, but it seems like the values of the Batverse rank it pretty low.

[benicio127.livejournal.com]

Meanwhile Damian had that imo painful scene with the board where professional accountants are incapable of doing the accounting that's their job while Damian just picks it up like it's a hobby that of course he can do at 10.

You know, I like Damian, but I'd have to agree. Even though Tim figured out Bruce, Jason and Dick's identities at the age of nine, so could it be done? I don't know... I think Tim's detective skills are much different from the time it takes to acquire business skills like the ones Damian seems to possess.

I thought you'd find this interesting, Fabian Nicieza talks about Damian, Tim and Wayne Enterprises here: (http://dcboards.warnerbros.com/web/thread.jspa?threadID=2000214255&start=165&tstart=0) (Not my question btw)

My question is, will Damian continue to be involved with the running of Wayne Enterprises? The idea of Tim and Damian (who have very little love for eachother) teaming up together in the boardroom is highly amusing to me, and i'd love to see it.

I think the idea of a 10 year old vying against a 17 year old for control of an international conglomerate and charitable foundation is kind of silly. I mean, it might make for some fun interaction, but ultimately, it's in service to kind of a silly story thread.

Who is bequeathed ownership of a company in a will and who is qualified to run it are two totally different things.
Damian might not get that, but I assure you, Tim does.

-- fabian

[sistermagpie.livejournal.com]

I don't mind Tim's figuring out their identities because while it was really only the most basic detective work. Tim knew who Dick was because he had an emotional connection that made him have this moment of clarity. Once he knew that Robin was Dick, well, who else would Batman be? Do I felt like that symbolized detective work more than made Tim a genius about it.

Love Fabian's answer, though. No 17 or 10 year olds running companies please!

[benicio127.livejournal.com]

Yeah! That's what I was sort of trying to point out, but you did much more succinctly. LOL

[minyandu.livejournal.com]

Agree. And I feel sometimes that's not just the problem of the Batman!Dick. I have to admit I don't read a lot of comic, but those pages always give me an impression that the writers consider him...er...quite average?
Most of the people around him excel in certain field. Dick is good at almost every field but he can still be considered average comparing to them. For acrobat ability they have flying meta allies. And now Steph is the one bright and has common sense in the family.
I'm not saying they should make him go extreme in some field(actually I hate that most of the time). Maybe the writers think being normal, the starter of one of the biggest family in DC, and safety line(in mind and body)for families and friends make Dick special. And I can totally agree with that. But certainly they should nail it better.
And now I start to worry about Bruce's return. That would bring a lot of uncertainty and angst and I hope they would write it good. There's too much cheap angst in comic nowadays. I have high hope for the current batstory and don't want them be ruined.

[sistermagpie.livejournal.com]

I love your icon!

And I agree with everything you're saying. Sometimes I think they know that Dick is the starter and the safety line, and they might say they know that's important, but I don't feel like they really feel it if that makes sense.

Also I totally agree on being worried about Bruce's return.

[minyandu.livejournal.com]

Thanks!!! It's a cute little bat, is it not?XD

I got worried again today when I read Morrison's interview. They nearly killed Damian. [facepalm]
They seem planning something big on the end of the B&R story line. And something on those comic book resources(Is that called spoilers O_o?) seems to indicate that they would get Damian and Tim mad at each other again......I really hope I'm just misunderstanding things that and being too suspicious...=_=

Here through no_scans

[cloud-wolf.livejournal.com]

I don't really have much to add, except that I agree completely. Dick's tenure as Batman is just so... there. I'm really not expecting much out of the return of Bruce with regards to Dick (except maybe "Damian is becoming sorta kinda friends/brothers with Di- BRUCE!")

(It's also seriously depressing to think about how the Titans totally got the shaft compared to Tim's generation. I mean, wow, that's just really bad.)

I guess all I'm hoping for is Dick getting his own ongoing monthly again (maybe Nicieza or Tomasi are game). I have no idea how well the Nightwing comic sold, but it makes sense for it to happen.

Re: Here through no_scans

[sistermagpie.livejournal.com]

Yes! It's really depressing to think about Dick's generation of Titans sometimes. I don't know if it's a problem with their age--you'd think young adults would be interesting but maybe they just love writing about teenagers. It's really bad.

I would love Nicieza or Tomasi writing a book for Dick. They both seem to genuinely see that the guy is cool.

[freddylloyd.livejournal.com]

It may not be fair to compare Batman and Robin and Red Robin yet because Morrison hasn't completed his storyline while Yost has. It's possible that the B&R series (clearly the lead dog on the Batman sled right now) will remain a disappointment for you as you describe. It's also possible that Morrison's working up to the sort of moments you've been missing so far.

I heartily doubt that DC will ignore the dramatic/sales potential of "What happens with the Batman role when Bruce Wayne returns?" and have Dick dismissed with a curt "You did okay." The company may be mapping out a "Battle for the Cowl II" even as we type. Not that that would be a good thing.

[sistermagpie.livejournal.com]

I'm definitely hoping it's leading to something like that! But regardless I should say I doubt that the writers would actually literally have Bruce react that way. I would just be worried at me feeling like that would be appropriate. Now that Damian appears to be all in, it would be the right time for Dick to step up as a leader--he should no longer have to focus as much on Damian being conflicted, after all.

[mr-scrub.livejournal.com]

I've never posted before, so this might be a bit strange, but I found your journal from lurking on noscans_daily. I just wanted to say that I've been reading your Batman commentary for a while and absolutely adore it. You do such a great job at articulating everything I find interesting about the family as well as pinpointing my qualms with the current comics. I've actually tried to find more discussions about the Bat-comics like yours (well written, thought-provoking, and centered around the family), but outside of scans_daily have not been very successful.

Here's to hoping that the current Bat writers will finally give Dick the characterization he deserves.

[sistermagpie.livejournal.com]

Wow! Thanks so much--this comment is so nice! Not just because I'm so glad this made sense and that you liked it but it's such a relief when you feel this way and there are other people who see it too.

Definitely heres to hoping the current Bat writers finally give Dick the characterization he deserves!

[parsimonia.livejournal.com]

This is a little random, but I just read a blog post (http://thecoolkidztable.blogspot.com/2010/06/history-of-robin.html) about a point I know you've made on several occasions (that the various incarnations of Robin are meant to be a kind of way in or a gary stu for the young reader). Of course, they forgot Stephanie...

[sistermagpie.livejournal.com]

Cool link--thanks! I was surprised at the casual reference to a "superior educational system" though. Does that really exist, or is it just that kids now have a lot more access to information. It just stuck out at me.