Babs and love

[Inversed]

Not really. Dick cheated on Kory with Babs, which not his best moment, but you tell Babs no in that situation. BTW Devin Grayon had no hand in the Annual, so while she certainly did some bad **** with Dick, that one is not on her. I can't recall him sabotaging her though, but he has try to steal her (or rescue her depending on how you look at it), and he was the one who tried to commit with her and she rejected it. Dick has been horrible to Kory, but when it comes to Babs he usually bends over backwards for her. Actually check that, as Ric he was a POS to her.

I don't know if this counts as sabotaging or "stealing", probably the latter, but near the end of Batgirl New 52, there was the issue where Dick suddenly shows up after she assumed he was dead the whole time to try and crash her friend's wedding and force her into a situation where he can playfully flirt with her, despite her already being in a relationship with Luke, in which she then chewed him out for how bad all of that was.

And in terms of Dick's committing issues, there was the Nightwing Annual where Barbara decides they should just try and do it because the timing will never be right so they shouldn't just keep waiting, and Dick's the one who leaves just because he felt he couldn't stay in one place.

[AmiMizuno]

I really wish Dc stopped that they did such a great job in establishing Dick as his own character yet still make him like Bruce with his relationships. I do get it but I wish they would make him over for it. That he did what Bruce Can’t do

[johnpeelgothisgun]

I don't think it matters who's with Babs, be it Dick or Bruce or anybody else. The writers will play with it, but it won't stick. She will date just about everybody eventually and DC will break them up every time.

It's probably because of this ultimate inconsequence of most Batman comic romances that NOTHING in Batman comics bores me more than the characters' dating lives. I honestly prefer the married couples.

Although, on in/consequence: One of the things I hate about the revisions to the animated adaptation of "The Killing Joke" is that Barbara is converted there into an example of a typical Bruce Wayne Girlfriend: a beautiful, disposable woman who falls hard for Bruce and gets horrifically maimed for it. I suppose if the real agenda were to get her back in a wheelchair, then, yeah, let her date Bruce for awhile...

[Godlike13]

I don't know if this counts as sabotaging or "stealing", probably the latter, but near the end of Batgirl New 52, there was the issue where Dick suddenly shows up after she assumed he was dead the whole time to try and crash her friend's wedding and force her into a situation where he can playfully flirt with her, despite her already being in a relationship with Luke, in which she then chewed him out for how bad all of that was.

And in terms of Dick's committing issues, there was the Nightwing Annual where Barbara decides they should just try and do it because the timing will never be right so they shouldn't just keep waiting, and Dick's the one who leaves just because he felt he couldn't stay in one place.

Ya, that’s the one I meant by trying to steal her. But to put things into perspective, Babs dumps Luke like a week later and within the year Dick and Babs are back to one of them trying to awkwardly hook up with the other. This time it not being a good time for Dick. This isn’t Dick being horrible to Babs, it’s the frustrating nature of their current relationship. That particular issue just tried to put it on Dick, but the reality is it’s what they both do. Randomly jump into each other’s life to play their game regardless of convenience or who is around.

And there neither we’re gonna make the commitment, and Dick was already moving. Dick just bolted early before they had to confront one another about it.

[Restingvoice]

When's the first time Dick and Babs become official couple in comics?

[Fergus]

Babs and Bruce should NEVER be a thing, it is creepy and wrong on so many levels.

Inside the Bat-family, I've always been a fan of Dick and Barbara. DC allowed it pre-Infinite Crisis and the fan-bases were mostly happy and it didn't take anything away from either character.

We're getting Bat/Cat soon, so maybe DC will learn that a powerful couples comic can work. I mean, how great would a twice a month title starring the two be? It could be Batgirl/Nightwing issue one and Nightwing/Batgirl on alternating issues.

That said, there's nothing wrong with Jason Bard and I'd totally be open to seeing a new, compelling love interest. Maybe a reformed Killer Moth...?

The bolded sounds tedious. We already had Batman/Superman and Superman/Wonderwoman dc knows just how lucrative these are and have done for a while so that's not what's stopping them

[Inversed]

Ya, that’s the one I meant by trying to steal her. But to put things into perspective, Babs dumps Luke like a week later and within the year Dick and Babs are back to one of them trying to awkwardly hook up with the other. This time it not being a good time for Dick. This isn’t Dick being horrible to Babs, it’s the frustrating nature of their current relationship. That particular issue just tried to put it on Dick, but the reality is it’s what they both do. Randomly jump into each other’s life to play their game regardless of convenience or who is around.

And there neither we’re gonna make the commitment, and Dick was already moving. Dick just bolted early before they had to confront one another about it.

Yeah, and like you mentioned, once she broke up and had a couple other shorter relationships, she was back to trying to get back with him even though it wasn't right. It's just annoying seeing the constant back and forth of "I'm too good for you now" to "I don't need you anymore" to "I NEED YOU" gets really irriating. I'd much rather they just commit to someone and telling that story.

[WonderNight]

Well I'm a fan of dick/power girl.

To me babs and dick works as friends/family but not as a couple. The reasoning is for babs story she needs someone who's home and life is Gotham. With dick his growth and story is about moving beyond Gotham and batman and to make both a home and a name for himself that's his own. That's the whole point of nightwing. Gotham is babs life, dick has moved on.

Plus dick is already TOO much under Gotham and batman that it's killing his own growth and agency! He's currently is nothing more than bat fodder. This is what happens when the vast majority of dick's life revolves around batman, batfamily and Gotham.

Let dick go out into the dcu world and build more of his own. Not every aspect of dick's life should revolve around the batman mythos. Dick needs more of his own!

[AmiMizuno]

I agree. I don’t mind if Dick helped out. I mean he is still part of the batfam so it makes since for him to help them every now and then. This is why I like Kory and Dick. It shows his growth but Dc keeps making him go back and forth

[WonderNight]

I agree. I don’t mind if Dick helped out. I mean he is still part of the batfam so it makes since for him to help them every now and then. This is why I like Kory and Dick. It shows his growth but Dc keeps making him go back and forth

yep dick is batfamily and will/should always be batfamily. But dick should be the son that grow up and moved out into the world. Especially with how big and bloated the batfamily has become. Dick's life outside of batman needs to come first if he is to continue his growth.

[AmiMizuno]

How would you guys continue his growth? Honestly does Dick live in gotham or did they make him live in Go city?

[Tzigone]

We talked skeevy relationships earlier, and I just want to chime in with Earth 2 Dick Grayson and Huntress. Who the heck thought him hitting on her, especially in that way, was a good idea? Eww.

Plus dick is already TOO much under Gotham and batman that it's killing his own growth and agency! He's currently is nothing more than bat fodder. This is what happens when the vast majority of dick's life revolves around batman, batfamily and Gotham.

I'd take both Dick and Babs out of Gotham - they are too old and too experienced to be staying in Bruce's shadow and under his authority (using his equipment/headquarters, getting directions from him, etc.). Barbara used to be able to be separate from Batman and operate there, but that time has passed, and I really think de-aging her or even earlier making her his protege killed the concept. I also think Kate is better served by not being around Batman much (operating more independently) even if she stays in the city, too. She has a better shot at the less personal history they have, which is why I prefer them unrelated as I understand to have been the initial intent when she was created.

Well I'm a fan of dick/power girl.

Never read Power Girl much, so have no opinion on her specifically. I strongly prefer Earth 2 characters on a different Earth. And I really don't want to see another closer Bat/Super relationship. Dick is the only Robin who hasn't had one, and I'd like him to stay that way. Though, to be fair, I'm not even sure what her history is at the moment.

But, back to Babs, since this thread is about her - what sort of character/relationship (or lack thereof) would be best for her character. I've mentioned Dick as my fave, but I still want to put a shoutout for old-school Jason Bard. Firstly, because I like him, even if they were never a serious relationship in the bronze age. Secondly, because I'm a little sad at the lack of civilian love interests (or even supporting characters) in comics these days. Maybe I just have blinders on, but it seems like most new heroes don't have them. And I guess (just thought of this) it has shades of golden age Black Canary and Larry, though I haven't read many of those stories.

[WonderNight]

How would you guys continue his growth? Honestly does Dick live in gotham or did they make him live in Go city?

Dick currently living in bludhevan. But first we have to look at what dicks growth means in practice, why did dick become nightwing in the first place? What's his lore?

It's about dick becoming a man, his own man, his own hero. So how would that look in practice with dick trying to be more independent from batman.

1. Move out of dad's home a.k.a Gotham and find/make your own. Bludhevan, new York etc.
2. Love interest outside of the batfamily and Gotham.
3. His own rouges outside of batman and Gotham.
4. To be relevant in the greater dcu beyond batman.
5. To be relevant beyond batman and Gotham in general.

This is how you can make nightwing relevant beyond bat fodder.

[kjn]

Well I'm a fan of dick/power girl.

To me babs and dick works as friends/family but not as a couple. The reasoning is for babs story she needs someone who's home and life is Gotham. With dick his growth and story is about moving beyond Gotham and batman and to make both a home and a name for himself that's his own. That's the whole point of nightwing. Gotham is babs life, dick has moved on.

I don't necessarily disagree about Dick here, and Dick/Power Girl is a swell couple, but I'd say that Babs needs to move beyond Gotham just as much as Dick. DC's regression of her back to Batgirl with the New 52 really hurt the long-term potential and use of the character, and she has been stuck with all sorts of strange and misaimed creative decisions ever since then, and being thrown hither and thither as a character.

[WonderNight]

We talked skeevy relationships earlier, and I just want to chime in with Earth 2 Dick Grayson and Huntress. Who the heck thought him hitting on her, especially in that way, was a good idea? Eww.

I'd take both Dick and Babs out of Gotham - they are too old and too experienced to be staying in Bruce's shadow and under his authority (using his equipment/headquarters, getting directions from him, etc.). Barbara used to be able to be separate from Batman and operate there, but that time has passed, and I really think de-aging her or even earlier making her his protege killed the concept. I also think Kate is better served by not being around Batman much (operating more independently) even if she stays in the city, too. She has a better shot at the less personal history they have, which is why I prefer them unrelated as I understand to have been the initial intent when she was created.

Never read Power Girl much, so have no opinion on her specifically. I strongly prefer Earth 2 characters on a different Earth. And I really don't want to see another closer Bat/Super relationship. Dick is the only Robin who hasn't had one, and I'd like him to stay that way. Though, to be fair, I'm not even sure what her history is at the moment.

But, back to Babs, since this thread is about her - what sort of character/relationship (or lack thereof) would be best for her character. I've mentioned Dick as my fave, but I still want to put a shoutout for old-school Jason Bard. Firstly, because I like him, even if they were never a serious relationship in the bronze age. Secondly, because I'm a little sad at the lack of civilian love interests (or even supporting characters) in comics these days. Maybe I just have blinders on, but it seems like most new heroes don't have them. And I guess (just thought of this) it has shades of golden age Black Canary and Larry, though I haven't read many of those stories.

as long as babs is batgirl she should be in Gotham. I think babs should a love interest that's a rookie cop that works with batgirl but doesn't know she his girlfriend.