The case for/against the name Ric

[byrd156]

I don't think your argument makes sense - if we're using Lego movie Robin (wider public perception), then we'd be using movie-Batmans, too, and at least as many have killed as not.

My argument is that public perception of the character is what matters not saying this *one* era is defining of the character just because it happened first. You saying accuracy matters doesn't make sense when accuracy is generally ignored.

[Tzigone]

My argument is that public perception of the character is what matters not saying this *one* era is defining of the character just because it happened first. You saying accuracy matters doesn't make sense when accuracy is generally ignored.

I guess I'm saying that accuracy, rather than perception, is what is important. And that if perception (of non-comic-reading wider audience) is what's important, then Batman not killing is not important. As I said, I didn't read DC before 2015, and I would not have described Robin as quippy or Batman as having a stance on killing that differed from any other hero. Those simply were not my perceptions. I didn't have many perceptions, admittedly. Just heroes, varying by version (having seen the old show, Batman: TAS, Young Justice cartoon, and all the movies there didn't seem to be much particular consistency in behaviors). I'd have described rich boy orphaned by violence and becoming a vigilante in response and boy trapeze artist orphaned by violence and being taken in by grown-up-Bruce-Wayne and becoming side kick in response. I could have given you some details on specific versions, certainly, but I wouldn't have thought of them as universal or the "correct" version.

Also, Robin didn't really quip in the '60s show, did he? He was completely serious when he said most of those lines ("Holy _____", etc.) - as was Batman when he said his. It was camp, but that's not the same thing. Admittedly, it's been a while since I've watched those eps. Then again, reality v. perception, I guess.

But mostly, I'm saying I don't like the super-quippy version and am not going to read him and I don't think that that is a defining aspect of the character, because it was absent from the years/stories I liked best. Rather like Martian Manhunter is not the heart and soul of the JL to me, because my favorite era was the satellite era, where he was mostly not present.

Also, I don't think the dick jokes have anything to do with the character's quips 90% of time, and I don't think they're funny 90% of the time. But I haven't said that before.

Also, sometimes, I think it falls under one trope or another.

[Vakanai]

I don't know if Robin is really considered to be all that jokey or quippy to the general audience. Burt Ward's take isn't notable for quips, but saying "holy (insert literally anything here), Batman!" Robin on Teen Titans Go is actually the least jokey of the lot. Lego Batman Robin wasn't really saying a lot of jokes either. I mean there's definitely the perception of the character being more lighthearted and fun, but he isn't really known for quips or jokes to the non-comics reading crowd. I mean, his whole wider media presence to date probably has fewer quips than your average MCU hero in one movie does.

[byrd156]

I don't know if Robin is really considered to be all that jokey or quippy to the general audience. Burt Ward's take isn't notable for quips, but saying "holy (insert literally anything here), Batman!" Robin on Teen Titans Go is actually the least jokey of the lot. Lego Batman Robin wasn't really saying a lot of jokes either. I mean there's definitely the perception of the character being more lighthearted and fun, but he isn't really known for quips or jokes to the non-comics reading crowd. I mean, his whole wider media presence to date probably has fewer quips than your average MCU hero in one movie does.

The Holy _____ Batman were generally some sort of pun and was played for laughs. The characters in the story may play it straight but it's meant to be funny for the audience.

[Trace]

Why change it? It's too well-established in pop culture for any attempt to sink in, let alone in the way it's being attempted right now.

[lemonpeace]

Now that's a movement I can get behind.

I don't care about the name all that much, Dick is outdated but fine, Ric or Rick is more contemporary but also fine, but for this gif alone I demand we forego both and rename him, Ricardo.

[Vakanai]

The Holy _____ Batman were generally some sort of pun and was played for laughs. The characters in the story may play it straight but it's meant to be funny for the audience.

Yeah, but it isn't a quip and the character doesn't mean it as a joke.

Why change it? It's too well-established in pop culture for any attempt to sink in, let alone in the way it's being attempted right now.

Disagree. Robin is well established in pop culture, Dick Grayson is a trivia question at best "What is the real name of Robin?" I doubt the masses would care if he stopped going by Dick. It's really just a certain segment of the fandom attached to the name.

[Photon Torme]

It occurs to me that the name " Bruce" was pretty widely ridiculed once upon a time Nobody changed Batman's name> The Name change is the least Objectionable aspect of this Dumpster Fire story line.

[byrd156]

Yeah, but it isn't a quip and the character doesn't mean it as a joke.



Disagree. Robin is well established in pop culture, Dick Grayson is a trivia question at best "What is the real name of Robin?" I doubt the masses would care if he stopped going by Dick. It's really just a certain segment of the fandom attached to the name.

Leslie Nielsen's character in Airplane played everything he said completely straight. Does that mean we should take his character seriously since he's not meaning to make a joke?

Also Dick Grayson is a trivia question? How? It's his name, that's like saying Clark Kent or Bruce Wayne don't matter.

The masses don't care about superheroes unless they are done in live action and even then that's iffy so you're right about them not caring. By a certain segment of fandom you mean fans of the character then yeah. If Dick is done well in some live action movies, people would be fine with the name. They'll joke and meme the name like they do with every superhero movie and then it would just be the status quo. No one would get up in arms and just accept that Dick is his name.

[Vakanai]

Leslie Nielsen's character in Airplane played everything he said completely straight. Does that mean we should take his character seriously since he's not meaning to make a joke?

Of course not - he's a joke character. So's Burt Ward Robin. But just because he's a funny joke of a character doesn't make him quippy or witty or one to tell jokes. We still laugh at him, but not with him.

Also Dick Grayson is a trivia question? How? It's his name, that's like saying Clark Kent or Bruce Wayne don't matter.

Except Dick Grayson isn't as well known an identity as Robin. People who know Bruce is Batman still might not know Robin's real name. And if they do, they'll laugh.

The masses don't care about superheroes unless they are done in live action and even then that's iffy so you're right about them not caring. By a certain segment of fandom you mean fans of the character then yeah. If Dick is done well in some live action movies, people would be fine with the name. They'll joke and meme the name like they do with every superhero movie and then it would just be the status quo. No one would get up in arms and just accept that Dick is his name.

The best way to handle it in a movie would be someone says "Your name's Richard? As in Dick?" and he responds "Please don't call me that." and we end it there. No reason to continue the joke beyond that.