Should Damian Wayne Have Stayed Dead?

[JBatmanFan05]

I agree that maybe he should have returned later and in a better story than what Tomasi delivered.

I also agree with this. DC should have waited, but money drove their impatience. And Tomasi's return story for Damian is a good bit forgettable.

I'd have tried maybe to get Rucka to do Damian's return story. Big creative team, big story (not involving Darkseid probably), probably an Al Ghul story (but aims higher than Resurrection of Ra's).

I get this is my issue and don't begrudge anyone who feels different but I dislike Bruce having an actual son. Something about it just doesn't work for me, what with Bruce's core being about the loss of one family and building a surrogate one around himself.

I absolutely agree. I sort of begrudgingly accept Damian, but deep in my mind, don't really treat him or think of him as Batman's true or truest son (which are his Robins). I'd guess many fans agree with us, whether they voice it or not (since the point is moot and gets mooter (?) over time as Damian continues on as a character in various mediums).

I think I'd be louder about disliking the idea of Batman having a biological son if it wasn't Grant Morrison, a favorite writer of mine, who did the story in a run I love, or if Son of the Demon wasn't such an old and good Batman tale by Mike Barr (who I know personally and respect).

[PurpleGlovez]

I have no problem with Bruce having a son if it makes sense, and Morrison put an inordinate amount of effort into making it work within the context of the larger Bat-universe, minus the unnecessary date rape. Problem is, if Batman has a kid around you kinda gotta use him, and most writers (Snyder, King, Tynion, etc.) are wholly disinterested in Damian as a character and thus Bruce looks like an uncharacteristically bad father.

But yeah, they should not have resurrected Damian so soon. Absolutely nothing of worth has been done with him since Morrison and he's been flanderized to the point of oblivion.

[adrikito]

Is like I feel that this topic was created before few years ago too...

I wonder what is the reason this time.. The TERRIBLE Damian TT runs?

[HsssH]

I liked it. For the 1st time talia had agency. She wasn't a pun or a honeypot for Ra's to use to lure Batman.

It is unfortunate that many fans still pretend that this wasn't an issues, or still isn't to some extent.

I'd have tried maybe to get Rucka to do Damian's return story. Big creative team, big story (not involving Darkseid probably), probably an Al Ghul story (but aims higher than Resurrection of Ra's).

I don't like Rucka so I'd probably would have picked someone else, but definitely agree that Darkseid shouldn't have been involved and it should have been mainly about Ra's. And funny that you bring up Resurrection of Ra's, I thought that thing was even worse than what Tomasi did with Damian's resurrection.

But yeah, they should not have resurrected Damian so soon. Absolutely nothing of worth has been done with him since Morrison and he's been flanderized to the point of oblivion.

Robin: SOB first arc that was written and drawn by Gleason was fantastic.

[Blue22]

Damian should have never died in the first place. And given how awesome his current book is, I'm even more glad that he didn't stay dead.

[SixSpeedSamurai]

I get this is my issue and don't begrudge anyone who feels different but I dislike Bruce having an actual son. Something about it just doesn't work for me, what with Bruce's core being about the loss of one family and building a surrogate one around himself.

That and the awful "surprise hidden 10 year old son!" introduction complete with Talia heel turn and corruption of her entire character to that point. I've never warmed to him. Morrison wrote a pretty satisfying end to Damian and evil Talia's story, so should have left it with that.

Tomasi's resurrection arc was pure garbage, and I was half wonder if it was a rejected Superman pitch to power up Jon.

Nothing since his return has really sold me on the character, either. I feel he's in a bit of a holding pattern of the same character arc over and over.

That said, I have been enjoying the latest Robin title (I like Williamson's work and was stoked for Connor Hawke's return) so maybe there's hope for the little guy.

Bruce (and Clark for that matter) having kids is an issue for me because it locks them into a certain age range to have said kid. Unless you do some stupid magic aging up, the kid has to remain forever 12 to 15 because you don't want Bruce and Clark creeping over 40.

[Shen]

Nah, I don't think he should've stayed dead. Also, the duration of his death is irrelevant to me, because with the Al Ghul's involved - It's just a matter of time. For me personally, he's what got me back into comics again.

He had such a taboo and controversial origin, that I wanted to see how DC could take a character like that and develop them (shouldn't have hoped for much, in retrospect).

I'm not blinded by nostalgia goggles (i.e. I don't mind hero's being aged - probably because I'm on the young side), so I don't have a problem with him being Bruce's bio-kid. I view em both as separate entities, with neither one talking away from the other.

My favorite series of comics involving him has got to be Robin: Son of Batman - that's how you set someone on the right path after a hellish life (and afterlife XD).

[phonogram12]

Yes. The only time I could ever really stand him when Bruce was there to put him in his place. On his own or with a team he's pretty insufferable.

[SixSpeedSamurai]

Yes. The only time I could ever really stand him when Bruce was there to put him in his place. On his own or with a team he's pretty insufferable.

I don't like Damian either, but the new book is actually pretty good. Enjoying it.

[Fergus]

I don't view Damian as Bruce's truest son either. I don't believe we are supposed to either despite the 'Son of Batman' tag that DC uses to market him.

Blood never meant a thing to Bruce and it didn't when he was presented with Damian.

It is significant that Dick Grayson was the one who brought Damian into the Bat family while Bruce was presumed dead. An important fact that's at times overlooked or ignored.

It's also significant that a huge part of Damian's past was focused on and defined by the significance of the blood that runs in his veins which all amounted to nothing when he was sent packing [blood and all] by Bruce.

Bruce Wayne has been a parent for over 80 yrs.

[Frontier]

People seem to be enjoying his new comic, so I'd say it was a good thing they brought him back.

I don't view Damian as Bruce's truest son either. I don't believe we are supposed to either despite the 'Son of Batman' tag that DC uses to market him.

Blood never meant a thing to Bruce and it didn't when he was presented with Damian.

It is significant that Dick Grayson was the one who brought Damian into the Bat family while Bruce was presumed dead. An important fact that's at times overlooked or ignored.

It's also significant that a huge part of Damian's past was focused on and defined by the significance of the blood that runs in his veins which all amounted to nothing when he was sent packing [blood and all] by Bruce.

Bruce Wayne has been a parent for over 80 yrs.

I loved that B&R issue where Damian sends Bruce and Alfred on a globe-trotting trip significant to Thomas and Martha.

[JBatmanFan05]

It is significant that Dick Grayson was the one who brought Damian into the Bat family while Bruce was presumed dead. An important fact that's at times overlooked or ignored.

While I don't view Damian as Bruce's truest son, I don't know how significant this specifically is considering this assertion could be argued or nitpicked somewhat.
What does it exactly mean to be "brought into the Bat Family"?....Bruce/Batman did care for Damian some in a fatherly way (with Damian acting about in Batman's cave and world) before Dick becomes Batman. Batman and Son has Batman reluctantly taking Damian to Gibraltar with him to stop Talia (so that's some father/son crimefighting). Then Damian hops around a bit between father and mother, and then Battle for Cowl/Batman & Robin has Dick making Damian his Robin. And later Bruce basically ratifies Damian as Robin. So while there may be some tiny kernel of distinction one can make about how Damian became Robin, it's probably one that could easily be overstated or overinflated.

And funny that you bring up Resurrection of Ra's, I thought that thing was even worse than what Tomasi did with Damian's resurrection.

Yea, to be fair, Tomasi probably edged out the Morrison/Dini/Milligan/Nicieza Resurrection of Ra's, which in retrospect (and even at the time), looks more and more like an editorially-mandated rush job cash grab where everyone's heart was not in it. It was a real "miss," especially when compared to the good/interesting Death and the Maidens where Ra's died.

DC has gotten at least a tiny bit better on (editors) not more or less forcing stories onto writers like with Resurrection of Ra's. And looking back, there proved to be no apparent or good reason why Ra's needed to be rushed back.....for those "classic appearances" (sarcasm) in RIP's Last Rites, Nightwing, or Red Robin? Until Incorporated happened, I'm not sure any memorable Ra's stories happened after he was resurrected.

[marvelprince]

While I don't view Damian as Bruce's truest son, I don't know how significant this specifically is considering this assertion could be argued or nitpicked somewhat.
What does it exactly mean to be "brought into the Bat Family"?....Bruce/Batman did care for Damian some in a fatherly way (with Damian acting about in Batman's cave and world) before Dick becomes Batman. Batman and Son has Batman reluctantly taking Damian to Gibraltar with him to stop Talia (so that's some father/son crimefighting). Then Damian hops around a bit between father and mother, and then Battle for Cowl/Batman & Robin has Dick making Damian his Robin. And later Bruce basically ratifies Damian as Robin. So while there may be some tiny kernel of distinction one can make about how Damian became Robin, it's probably one that could easily be overstated or overinflated.

I don’t think you can really argue it. Bruce may have accepted him as a son, but he still treated him as problem he had to deal with / fix vs Dick who actually went the next step of making him his Robin. All Bruce did was leave that in place, but I think too many fans overlook how Dick as Batman lead to Damian maturing and developing respect for the other members of the Bat-family outside of Batman. The dynamic between Damian and Dick was gone too soon and isn’t referenced nearly enough.

[JBatmanFan05]

I think too many fans overlook how Dick as Batman lead to Damian maturing and developing respect for the other members of the Bat-family outside of Batman. The dynamic between Damian and Dick was gone too soon and isn’t referenced nearly enough.

If this is what is meant, then I can agree with this. Of course I'm no expert on how many times Damian's origin is recounted in various titles/comics, but I definitely think Dick should be hugely emphasized as changing Damian fundamentally.

And yes, Dick and Damian was gone too soon....I wish DC or Morrison would have come up with a way to do stories set in between Morrison's Batman & Robin first/last/main arcs where maybe DC could have its Bruce Batman back, but fans still got stories "set in the recent past" about Dick/Damian as Batman and Robin. That could have worked as a compromise in my mind (kinda like how King is still sorta doing his run off in another book), but what do I know.

[Frontier]

I think Bruce and Dick both had a part to play in Damian growing up to be a better person, it's just probably the most significant starting point was being Dick's Robin.