Should Damian Wayne Have Stayed Dead?

[Timothy Hunter]

I'm not a Damian hater, I love the little bastard, but Grant Morrison's New 52 Batman Incorporated was such a perfect swan song for the character that it leaves a bad taste in my mouth that DC brought him back so soon.

[MajorHoy]

I'm not a Damian hater, I love the little bastard, but Grant Morrison's New 52 Batman Incorporated was such a perfect swan song for the character that it leaves a bad taste in my mouth that DC brought him back so soon.

I don't necessarily mind Damian being alive again.

Now Jason, on the other hand, maybe didn't deserve to die in the first place, but I sometimes wonder if he would have been better off staying dead considering how long it was before they revived him.
(Also the initial how they revived him is a point of contention with me . . . )

[Timothy Hunter]

I don't necessarily mind Damian being alive again.

Now Jason, on the other hand, maybe didn't deserve to die in the first place, but I sometimes wonder if he would have been better off staying dead considering how long it was before they revived him.
(Also the initial how they revived him is a point of contention with me . . . )

I have to agree with you on this one.

[HsssH]

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

[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.

[batnbreakfast]

I don't necessarily mind Damian being alive again.

Now Jason, on the other hand, maybe didn't deserve to die in the first place, but I sometimes wonder if he would have been better off staying dead considering how long it was before they revived him.
(Also the initial how they revived him is a point of contention with me . . . )

I have to agree with you on this one.

Thank god. Made my day.

[dietrich]

I'm not a Damian hater, I love the little bastard, but Grant Morrison's New 52 Batman Incorporated was such a perfect swan song for the character that it leaves a bad taste in my mouth that DC brought him back so soon.

Tim you seem to enjoy starting threads designed to stir up fans huh?
Yesterday it was Character's You Don't Care For.

Batman Incorporated #8 was imo Damian's finest moment.

Died a hero, showing zero fear facing down his past while protecting others.

Don't think he was brought back too soon.

Damian Wayne got me reading comics, sadly he was dead at the time when I bought my very 1st comic [Morrison's Batman and Robin] shortly after Son if Batman was released.

I was hooked. I needed more stories with the kid so glad he came back so soon.

[exile001]

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.

[Morgoth]

He shouldn't been killed in the first place, imo. I get, that they let Morrison do whatever he planned from the beginning, but at that point it was completely obvious, that he won't stay dead, I think even Morrison knew that. Eventually it turned out to be just another cheap drama, which was eventually reversed. Although, it was a great send-off, and also that wordless B&R issue, it was incredibly strong.

[Arsenal]

The only characters who should stay dead are the characters who were created to die (ie the Uncle Bens, the Wayne’s, etc). The kind of character whose more of an idea than an actual person.

[marvelprince]

The only characters who should stay dead are the characters who were created to die (ie the Uncle Bens, the Wayne’s, etc). The kind of character whose more of an idea than an actual person.

To be fair then Damian would fit the Bill as Morisson had always intended to kill him.

[Bat-Meal]

He shouldn't been killed in the first place, imo. I get, that they let Morrison do whatever he planned from the beginning, but at that point it was completely obvious, that he won't stay dead, I think even Morrison knew that. Eventually it turned out to be just another cheap drama, which was eventually reversed. Although, it was a great send-off, and also that wordless B&R issue, it was incredibly strong.

The only characters who should stay dead are the characters who were created to die (ie the Uncle Bens, the Wayne’s, etc). The kind of character whose more of an idea than an actual person.

At this point, isn't it just a thing where they pretty much everyone get a turn at being dead or 'dead' at some stage?

Jason, Damian, Steph, Tim, Cass, Kate, Alfred, Leslie, Dick - most have had a turn at dying or 'dying' (fake-outs) and coming back. Alfred will be back. And okay, some of those deaths have since been retconned, but still.

[Timothy Hunter]

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.

As much as I loved Morrison's Batman, Talia's turn from sympathetic femme fatale to remorseless leader of a terrorist group didn't make any sense.

[Fergus]

As much as I loved Morrison's Batman, Talia's turn from sympathetic femme fatale to remorseless leader of a terrorist group didn't make any sense.

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.

The exotic/foreign beauty desperate for the love of the white man who is good and just and can not be swayed by the amoral foreigner.

None of that vapid 'Beloved' nonsense.

Morrison's Talia while still a negative stereotype at least had agency, was pretty badass and was far more interesting.

She was powerful. She defeated Batman.

As a love interest, Talia had limited scope. As a villain she has a lot of potential as we see with her increased use across the DCU.

Her dynamic with bruce is made even better with the addition of Damian. Complicated and juicer [so to speak]