Robins and 4 Weapons of choice by Peter Nguyen at the Hawaii comiccon
Robins and 4 Weapons of choice by Peter Nguyen at the Hawaii comiccon
Finally I read the issue. I do think that’s definitely the case. His paranoia most likely caused him to think that the bombing back in the previous issues was a trap and that Red Hood led them into it, resulting in a conclusion that Red Hood is involved with The Other, even though he himself didn’t want to believe it at first. but perhaps with Emiko revealed to be also in this and both of them implied to have had the talk about the whole Red Hood issue, she might have been the one who convinced him into believing Red Hood has betrayed him (she doesn’t know him thus have no connection to him anyway so it’s understandable for her to think he’s bad) and Damian finally agreed (just look at how she touched her shoulder!!).
I honestly just feel relieved that he is not alone in the whole prison thing and that he has someone he can talk his secret problem to at least. It also explains why Emiko has been on his side all this time, I mean agreeing with his words and acts whenever their other teammates questioned it.
but how the heck Alfred is aware of any of this I don’t understand.
Last edited by fanfan13; 01-23-2019 at 10:31 PM.
My best guess is that Alfred doesn’t know exactly what’s going on, but is able to piece together what Damian plans to do based on what he was doing. Or maybe Jason just kept Alfred informed.
Alfred needs to go away for a bit. He’s been rather insufferable since the New 52, and he’s never held accountable.
Alfred's been running Bruce's secret prisons for years. If you missed Eternal, All Star Batman, or even the Dick!Bats era, you've missed out on Alfred's being the sort of man who cooks gourmet meals that he knows are his captives favorite foods then eats them in front of the cell whilst feeding the captive pap. Generally it's Thomas Elliot, but others have found themselves kept by Alfred in a cave, most recently the Penguin.
So Bruce doesn't have too much room to judge. Mostly the poor conditions Damian's keeping people, otherwise it's nothing he hasn't done on a regular basis for the last ten years in comics.
I like that Damian called Alfred on his "Bruce stays up worrying about you," because that's not true at all. There's a host of current canon showing that Bruce doesn't give a damn about Damian unless someone else is watching, and let's face it, Alfred's shown minimal care or respect to Damian since his resurrection. How much you wanna bet Alfred's told Damian to not bother Ric the same way he refused to let Damian interact with Beard!Bruce?
^I almost forgot that Alfred didn’t let Damian meet the amnesiac Bruce.
but still how could Alfred know exactly that Damian would come into the manor at that exact timing to prevent him to get the THING (is no one going to talk what that is? it has a Bat and WW symbol if I’m not mistaken, and is it that dangerous?) from the manor, and also about what Damian thinks regarding Jason. is he like keeping tracks on Damian or something?
Alfred didn't want Damian around Bruce because he knew that it would only end up hurting Damian more knowing that even in seeing his son, it wouldn't wake him up, and it would cause him more pain.
Since when has Bruce been running secret prisons? Also depending on the writer, Bruce does deeply care about the boys and girls in his care. It's typically writers that seem to think Batman should be a lonely tragic hero over one that has family and friends, that tend to make him ignore Damian. It's damn stupid to be honest.
Well yeah he's keeping track of him. Alfred freaking left Bruce at one point to care for Tim at his school. He's former MI6, you think that he wouldn't know what Damian's been up to? Jason would keep him abreast of things, so yeah he's keeping track but he also knows to not get too involved because they have to have their own freedom to make mistakes.
As for the item...it's probably amazonian in nature and may have ties to that Rucka story where Batman was trying to pull a woman in for a crime she committed against a guy that killed her sister and ended up with the woman making some deal for Protection from WW. So this may be dangerous for someone.
I'm of two mind concerning Damian's future, once Tom King will have left the main Batman title.
On one hand, it would be great to have him and Bruce finally connecting again, and deeply. The batbooks desperately needs some connective tissues between them which isn't pain, trauma and mistrust.
On the other hand, it'll have been a very long time since Damian and Bruce had such connection when King will leave. And I don't want all those years of mistrusts to be swept under the rug.
I guess I would prefer Damian to actually says something like this to Bruce, at that point, "You want to make amends and rebuild bridges. That's good to know. But I don't want it. I'm not sure I'll ever want to, and I want to be my own man." It would hurt, of course, but it could allow Damian to move into his own role, freed from Bruce's rules - as much as a Bat-character can be.
I'm really torn about all of this.
^technically, Damian is still not old enough (or mature enough) to be left alone. He’s still 13 that’s the problem.
And about Alfred, “him keeping track on Damian but not let himself get too involved and let them solve the problems on their own” would indeed explain a lot. I like that.
Last edited by fanfan13; 01-24-2019 at 05:40 AM.
However, in comic time, their problems have probably been for a few months (at most). So, it's not that weird that they can fix their problems quickly.
Also, Damian always wants to be independent. So, it wouldn't be new something like that.
Another thing, I'm not sure when they started having problems. They have a strong connection in Metal. Some say their problems start in No Justice
He wouldn't if Damian doesn't want him to it's not like Damian hasn't pulled one over him more than once.
Alfred doesn't know what seeing his son would do to Bruce. Might bring back his memory.
Hurt feelings are better than leaving a 10 year old whose's just been through the worst trauma all alone. + Damian isn't stupid he understands lost memory and gets that the chances of the father he met 2 years ago [who then went away for like a year] remembering him are slim.
Alfred was callous. Dick wasn't even around.
Sadly you are right that some Writers do like to think that Batman should be lonely and dark regardless of the fact that he became a father a year after he 1st appeared. Since new 52 Batman hasn't had much of a relationship with those in his care. Aside from Dick, Damian and Duke.
Not sure which writers you are talking about. Synder and King [the bat writers after Morrison] haven't used much of the family but they've given us Batdad who cares about his family [ romance and loss of memory aside]. Damian especially.
Rebirth doubled down on that and not just within the Batverse
Tomasi
gave us B&R, Superman and Supersons. Hands on dad.
King
gave us Batman worrying about Damian, Dick and Selina, screaming that Bane hung his son.
Synder
gave us Metal where his family, Damian specifically is the thing that gives him hope and strength to fight. He gave us Bruce who forces his friends to listen to his sons garage band. Batman who runs right to Damian freeing, hugging and taking time to make sure he is okay before helping the rest of the family.
Percy
Batman worries about Damian and asks GA to take care of him before he leaves Gotham on a mission. From Oliver's thoughts we get that Bruce talks about him a bit.
Williamson
who wrote Damian being the thing Bruce tells Thomas about. "I have a son" leading to fans online complaining
Priest
Who wrote Bruce not giving a crap about DNA he loves Damian regardless just like he loves his kids
Orlando, Tynion, Jurgens even Seeley and Taylor over on Injustice have Bruce who loves his son and family. Even The Batman Who Laughs spared 1 family member and added a multitude of crows so he's not alone.
Since Damian was introduced fans have complained that DC writers treat him like he is special ... because blood. That he's the only one Bruce cares about.... that Dick and Damian are the only one pushed as Family etc
Which in Rebirth there is some truth to because some writers forget what makes Batfamily so special. Family isn't about blood. Batman lost his family as a kid but he made a new one. He became family to others who lost their's. They share the same pain, have similar scars but they are not alone. DickBat made Damian family not his biological father.
Batman can be dark but he has never been alone. Batman always had family and/or Robin.
Last edited by dietrich; 01-24-2019 at 06:04 AM.