Richard Grayson's Soulmate

[Ascended]

his love interest should be someone he is equal with physically and intellectually and someone he can banter with . that's why I think Helena is the best

You know, I haven't actually seen any suggestions here of a woman who is obviously "less than" Dick is. Its nice.

Babs is perhaps not quite on Dick's level physically (very few regular humans are) but she's certainly smarter and just as experienced, and just as capable.

Kori is a lot smarter than her detractors like to pretend she is, and she's definitely well beyond Dick physically.

Power Girl (my personal ship at the moment) certainly has a higher IQ and is infinitely more powerful physically.

It seems that if anyone were to become arm candy in any of these dynamics, it'd be Dick.

[oasis1313]

You know, I haven't actually seen any suggestions here of a woman who is obviously "less than" Dick is. Its nice.

Babs is perhaps not quite on Dick's level physically (very few regular humans are) but she's certainly smarter and just as experienced, and just as capable.

Kori is a lot smarter than her detractors like to pretend she is, and she's definitely well beyond Dick physically.

Power Girl (my personal ship at the moment) certainly has a higher IQ and is infinitely more powerful physically.

It seems that if anyone were to become arm candy in any of these dynamics, it'd be Dick.

I doubt very many around here besides me would remember DC's spoof superteam from about 50 years ago, The Inferior Five. According to way DC has been writing Dick for the past few years, the Inferior Five's Dumb Bunny would probably be Dick's intellectual superior. Sigh . . . I can remember when Dick Grayson was considered very intelligent . . . . back before Tim Dreck was vomited forth and there was the sudden need to make him look smart at the expense of all the other characters . . .

[Doctor Bifrost]

Sterotyping is boring, but political correctness isn't. Okay. Thanks for the education.

Challenging sexist stereotypes is "political correctness," and therefore bad? Then how do sexist stereotypes ever get challenged?

If you prefer they not be challenged, well, as I said earlier, everybody is entitled to their own tastes. I'll just have to disagree.

[WonderNight]

You know, I haven't actually seen any suggestions here of a woman who is obviously "less than" Dick is. Its nice.

Babs is perhaps not quite on Dick's level physically (very few regular humans are) but she's certainly smarter and just as experienced, and just as capable.

Kori is a lot smarter than her detractors like to pretend she is, and she's definitely well beyond Dick physically.

Power Girl (my personal ship at the moment) certainly has a higher IQ and is infinitely more powerful physically.

It seems that if anyone were to become arm candy in any of these dynamics, it'd be Dick.

Yeah I what dick with power girl. I can see it now the super hot business woman with the hot male fitness model. Plus dc top male and female sexy symbols together, just beautiful.

[Oberon]

I remember the Inferior Five. They were hilarious, for the time.

[MajorHoy]

I doubt very many around here besides me would remember DC's spoof superteam from about 50 years ago, The Inferior Five.

Au contraire!
originally posted in another section of the Forum in June 2017:

What are the chances they'll do a Rebirth of these guys first:

The Inferior Five

And don't forget, Keith Giffen is suppose to be putting together a new group that re-uses the name.

[Oberon]

Do you remember "Not Brand Eccch", Marvel's satire, MAD-ish comic book around the same time. They mostly spoofed themselves and current media of the day. Their satire on their own Fantastic Four was "The Kooky Quartet". And so on.

[MajorHoy]

Do you remember "Not Brand Eccch", Marvel's satire, MAD-ish comic book around the same time.

I know of it, but I didn't buy any copies of it when it originally came out. Read some reprinted material in a couple of issues of Marvel's short-lived Crazy comic book in 1973, then (much) later found a back-issue or two.

[Daniel22]

Do you remember "Not Brand Eccch", Marvel's satire, MAD-ish comic book around the same time. They mostly spoofed themselves and current media of the day. Their satire on their own Fantastic Four was "The Kooky Quartet". And so on.

I just bought most of the originals, actually! They did a one--shot recently that I really liked, also.

I haven't read Dick as being unintelligent recently. He's felt the same to me, like a well above average non-enhanced human.

[Oberon]

Well of course Dick would never qualify for the Inferior Five. I have never felt Dick was portrayed as not nearly as smart as Bruce.

[Ascended]

I can think of a few examples where Dick made a really stupid choice or wasn't written as being exceedingly clever, but I can find examples like that for anyone. Decades and decades of constant publication mean there'll be some duds no matter what. I can find far more examples of Superman being written like a moron than I can for Dick, and Clark is supposed to have a higher IQ than anyone on earth outside of Lex Luthor, and whoever else might be on that level.

But I never thought of Dick as being stupid, nor do I think DC usually writes him that way (granted I've missed a lot of issues the last few years). He might not be a genius, and in a world of hyper geniuses the average intellect gets put in a worse light, but you don't become one of the great leaders and have to take remedial math classes yknow?

[TheCape]

I can think of a few examples where Dick made a really stupid choice or wasn't written as being exceedingly clever, but I can find examples like that for anyone. Decades and decades of constant publication mean there'll be some duds no matter what. I can find far more examples of Superman being written like a moron than I can for Dick, and Clark is supposed to have a higher IQ than anyone on earth outside of Lex Luthor, and whoever else might be on that level.

But I never thought of Dick as being stupid, nor do I think DC usually writes him that way (granted I've missed a lot of issues the last few years). He might not be a genius, and in a world of hyper geniuses the average intellect gets put in a worse light, but you don't become one of the great leaders and have to take remedial math classes yknow?

To be honest, i see people understimating Dick's intelligence in the fandom, mostly because in the last 10 years or so he has been kinda/sorta defined as an improviser that just go with the flow to make a better contrast with Bruce, even when originally he was a tactical genius, even writters that have done good work with him have give him poor moments like Wolfman (his awfull run on Nightwing is a good example), sometimes he has been made dumber in comparison with other characthers and that is infuriating (don't make start ln FanonDick either), but it hasn't been as dramatic as Oasis described it.

[Godlike13]

That stuff started when it was decided that a certain Robin needed a "thing", but instead of actually coming up or highlighting truly unique traits. They play up a general traits that they all share. And so the the boybandification began.

[oasis1313]

That stuff started when it was decided that a certain Robin needed a "thing", but instead of actually coming up or highlighting truly unique traits. They play up a general traits that they all share. And so the the boybandification began.

Exactly. I would say that on any given hero team, a Bat-Character is usually the leader because--as non-meta humans--they HAVE to be smart because they can't rely on flight, superstrength, etc, to bail them out. When Jason came along, I really liked him a lot; he had some rough edges but he was trying to work his way through them. I miserably confess that I spent good money trying to save Jason in that 1-900 fiasco, but I might have felt differently if Dick was suddenly downgraded to make Jason to look superior. ALL the Bat-Boys should be able to hack a computer, they should ALL be able to lead a team. I'd rather differences be highlighted as a matter of personality--like: Dick is the happy warrior, Jason is the edgy one, Tim is the quiet one, and Damian is the mean little bazterd (but working through his rough edges). I feel like the current: Dick is the athletic bimbo, Tim is the super-genius, Damian is the murderous one, and I don't know WHAT the heck Jason is supposed to be these days--it ENTRAPS them all in various story modes that place artificial limits on them, like "Oh, we can't write Dick in this cross-over because he isn't smart enough." If ANY other character at DC BESIDES Dick Grayson had the devout fan-base he does, DC would promote the heck out it.

Oh, and by the way, I would be thrilled to death for KG to bring back the Inferior Five, and it would be sooo cool if Ambush Bug joined.

[Rac7d*]

Happy valentines day