Thoughts on new Shonen Rival inspired Character?

[OopsIdiditagain]

James Tynion:
"I remember, a few years back, right when I had first gotten wind of the creation of the Middle Grade and YA lines that DC Comics was developing… I approached the editor in charge of the program with an idea. I wanted to do a book with the energy of a Shonen Manga, that told the story of Bruce Wayne travelling the world and training to be the world's greatest crime-fighter… I don't think I ever wrote up a pitch document, but I do remember laying out the core cast in a notebook. There was a cowardly thief style character, a young woman who may or may not have escaped from Themyscira, but the character that had really instigated the whole idea was Bruce's Rival. The key to that idea was to create a Zuko to Bruce's Aang. The Gary Oak to his Ash Ketchum. The Draco Malfoy to his Harry Potter.

I'll be blunt. My initial ideas for that character were pretty basic. The rough concept I had played around with in the Shonen series pitch was that young Bruce was a bit of a scamp, more of a Robin type character, so his rival would be the more serious type. But that dynamic wouldn't work in the present. He needed to be something more. He needed to be a fascinating inverted mirror to Batman… And he needed some flair. And a name"

I'm neutral. Shonen rivals dynamic can either be great:


Or downright annoying:


Apparently marvel already has an edgy japanese inspired Rival with same name too.

[Frontier]

Isn't Superman kind of Bruce's rival? At least in some sense.

[Mutant God]

Isn't Superman kind of Bruce's rival? At least in some sense.

I agree with this, Superman is the cheerful protagonist and Batman is the dark/cynical rival

[OopsIdiditagain]

Isn't Superman kind of Bruce's rival? At least in some sense.

I agree with this, Superman is the cheerful protagonist and Batman is the dark/cynical rival

If it was a shonen Superman would be the character that was always an ally/friend from the beginning like Al from full metal alchemist, Zoro from One Piece or Chad from Bleach

[Restingvoice]

How many childhood friends and friends turn evil plus dark counterparts this guy's gonna have?!
I mean I guess a shonen rival's kinda new since even all of those aren't shonen rival. The closest thing he got during training years is Morgan Ducard.

[Frontier]

How many childhood friends and friends turn evil plus dark counterparts this guy's gonna have?!
I mean I guess a shonen rival's kinda new since even all of those aren't shonen rival. The closest thing he got during training years is Morgan Ducard.

Don't forget he apparently met Harvey Dent as a kid now.

[the illustrious mr. kenway]

James Tynion:
"I remember, a few years back, right when I had first gotten wind of the creation of the Middle Grade and YA lines that DC Comics was developing… I approached the editor in charge of the program with an idea. I wanted to do a book with the energy of a Shonen Manga, that told the story of Bruce Wayne travelling the world and training to be the world's greatest crime-fighter… I don't think I ever wrote up a pitch document, but I do remember laying out the core cast in a notebook. There was a cowardly thief style character, a young woman who may or may not have escaped from Themyscira, but the character that had really instigated the whole idea was Bruce's Rival. The key to that idea was to create a Zuko to Bruce's Aang. The Gary Oak to his Ash Ketchum. The Draco Malfoy to his Harry Potter.

I'll be blunt. My initial ideas for that character were pretty basic. The rough concept I had played around with in the Shonen series pitch was that young Bruce was a bit of a scamp, more of a Robin type character, so his rival would be the more serious type. But that dynamic wouldn't work in the present. He needed to be something more. He needed to be a fascinating inverted mirror to Batman… And he needed some flair. And a name"

I'm neutral. Shonen rivals dynamic can either be great:


Or downright annoying:


Apparently marvel already has an edgy japanese inspired Rival with same name too.

Right now I'm more into the new characters of Tynion's run than the old faces. If there is a Clownhunter or Ghostmaker solo I'd buy it till it gets canceled at issue 8.

I disagree with his analogy because Bruce is Zuko not Aang. Pattinson's take reminds me more of Kurapika from Hunter x Hunter. I think the only other shonen protagonist he'd remind me of Is Ichigo from BLEACH!.

So giving him a darker more cerebral rival feels weird or wrong to me. There is a reason why he fights an evil clown guys.

He needs someone like Zaheer from Legend of Korra. So making GhostMaker someone with charisma and a spiritual side would be for the best.

[OopsIdiditagain]

Right now I'm more into the new characters of Tynion's run than the old faces. If there is a Clownhunter or Ghostmaker solo I'd buy it till it gets canceled at issue 8.

I disagree with his analogy because Bruce is Zuko not Aang. Pattinson's take reminds me more of Kurapika from Hunter x Hunter. I think the only other shonen protagonist he'd remind me of Is Ichigo from BLEACH!.

So giving him a darker more cerebral rival feels weird or wrong to me. There is a reason why he fights an evil clown guys.

He needs someone like Zaheer from Legend of Korra. So making GhostMaker someone with charisma and a spiritual side would be for the best.

That makes sense. Edward from FMA is how imagine young Bruce would be like.

[the illustrious mr. kenway]

That makes sense. Edward from FMA is how imagine young Bruce would be like.

I forgot about Ed actually. He was one of my faves back in the day. I could see a young Bruce being like Ed but i don't believe it 100%.

It would be weird to read Bruce as a Robin like scamp but i kinda want to now. I'm guessing we might have more scenes with young Bruce now. Hopefully the cowardly thief character he mentioned pops up.

I think a good shonen rival for Bruce would be Ethan Bennet from the 2000s Batman cartoon. Or even Diggle from the Arrow show.

[Jackalope89]

Right now I'm more into the new characters of Tynion's run than the old faces. If there is a Clownhunter or Ghostmaker solo I'd buy it till it gets canceled at issue 8.

I disagree with his analogy because Bruce is Zuko not Aang. Pattinson's take reminds me more of Kurapika from Hunter x Hunter. I think the only other shonen protagonist he'd remind me of Is Ichigo from BLEACH!.

So giving him a darker more cerebral rival feels weird or wrong to me. There is a reason why he fights an evil clown guys.

He needs someone like Zaheer from Legend of Korra. So making GhostMaker someone with charisma and a spiritual side would be for the best.

You apologize to Zuko!

Bruce is Azula.

[Jcady59]

Right now I'm more into the new characters of Tynion's run than the old faces. If there is a Clownhunter or Ghostmaker solo I'd buy it till it gets canceled at issue 8.

I disagree with his analogy because Bruce is Zuko not Aang. Pattinson's take reminds me more of Kurapika from Hunter x Hunter. I think the only other shonen protagonist he'd remind me of Is Ichigo from BLEACH!.


So giving him a darker more cerebral rival feels weird or wrong to me. There is a reason why he fights an evil clown guys.

He needs someone like Zaheer from Legend of Korra. So making GhostMaker someone with charisma and a spiritual side would be for the best.

Jotaro Kujo from Jojo’s Bizarre adventure is very Bruce esque especially post Stardust Crusaders Jotaro, I couldn’t help feeling that he came off like Batman during Diamond is un breakable.

[Blue22]

Jotaro Kujo from Jojo’s Bizarre adventure is very Bruce esque especially post Stardust Crusaders Jotaro, I couldn’t help feeling that he came off like Batman during Diamond is un breakable.

Oh God. I never even considered that. Jotaro is basically Japanese Batman lol.

[Pohzee]

What is a shonen? A quick google just seems like a cartoon. Not familiar with the archetype

[Vakanai]

What is a shonen? A quick google just seems like a cartoon. Not familiar with the archetype

Anime aimed at boys. Think Pokemon, Shaman King, Digimon, Hunter x Hunter, Fire Force, stuff like that.

[Blue22]

What is a shonen? A quick google just seems like a cartoon. Not familiar with the archetype

Shonen/Shounen/Whatever is basically a genre of manga/anime that's gear towards young and teenaged boys. Stuff like Dragonball, Naruto, Bleach, One Piece, etc. It's basically the Japanese equivalent to Superhero comics in the West.