Dick Grayson: Robin/Batman/Nightwing/Agent 37 Appreciation 2022

[Leancarp900]

Nice. No argument from me, though...

...Robotman and Batgirl on the Titans?

[Aahz]

Completely understandable. For what it's worth, it's still a sight to behold when he does take them on all on his own (XD):

That scene is almost as dumb as Harley taking out the Trinity in "Heros in Crisis" or Catwoman one shotting multiple Speedsters in Tom Kings Batman run.

[Claude]

Yeah, I imagine it'll be a regular back-up... I wonder if it'll always be with Jon? Pacat's bit of the annual will be as well as the one in issue #101.

Could be fun, if so. Or as a more varied "team-up" thing if it widens out.

Enjoyed Pacat's story in the Annual, good voices for Dick and Jon - a couple of Robin flashbacks that hit the sweet spot between "Bruce was demanding and intimidating during training" and "this is because he took training very seriously, not because he was a monster", which far more experienced writers have flubbed.

Happy if these are becoming part of the package going forward.

[Rac7d*]

Completely understandable. For what it's worth, it's still a sight to behold when he does take them on all on his own (XD):





Nice. No argument from me, though...

where is that image from?

enjoyed the annual, i had hoped way back Dick would be training Duke but I dont mind seeing it wth jon. i hope it desnt end with clark return

[Leancarp900]

That scene is almost as dumb as Harley taking out the Trinity in "Heros in Crisis" or Catwoman one shotting multiple Speedsters in Tom Kings Batman run.

That Catwoman scene is overhated imo. It's pretty obviously just a gag meant to show that Ivy's mindcontrol isn't that strong.

[ayanestar]

What is it with DC and connecting all kind of people to Dick's origin story? I'm not yet sure if this is a good thing or not, but if it's not, I'm blaming it on Tim.

[Badou]

I really don't care about the dog at all. I'd honestly rather read another Blockbuster arc than have to read about the dog again.

[Claude]

What is it with DC and connecting all kind of people to Dick's origin story? I'm not yet sure if this is a good thing or not, but if it's not, I'm blaming it on Tim.

Are we up to that many? We've got Tim* and Heartless in the audience and the Owls behind the scenes, who am I forgetting?

*is that still Canon? I can't remember it having been mentioned in decades, but I'm not hugely up to date on Tim Stuff.

[Badou]

Are we up to that many? We've got Tim* and Heartless in the audience and the Owls behind the scenes, who am I forgetting?

*is that still Canon? I can't remember it having been mentioned in decades, but I'm not hugely up to date on Tim Stuff.

Raptor was apparently also at the circus that day. I think Seeley had him stealing people's wallets underneath the bleachers when it happened.

[Claude]

Raptor was apparently also at the circus that day. I think Seeley had him stealing people's wallets underneath the bleachers when it happened.

Oh! Yeah, of course - I forgot all about that. Yeah, I remember thinking that was a bit silly.

[Drako]

The circus were a big attraction and the flying grayson were the main event, so would you think it had a lot of people watching at the moment of their death. I don't know how many people you can put at a circus tent, but i think it would had at least a big number.

I don't have a problem with this connection. Heartless was just a expectator. I think Melinda Zucco is more of a problematic retcon than this, same with Raptor.

[Frontier]

I can't wait until they retcon that Babs was there.

He wasn't for a good long time and it actually benefitted him more as an adult character than being a Bat character as an adult ever did (with the exception of Morrison's run and the current outstanding run by Taylor, of course ).

I think it also benefitted him to be a more solo hero and find his space away from the Titans and with the Batfamily, and I think that was very impactful for the character in a positive way.

The thing is Murderer/Fugitive actually set things right. He finally embraced the fact that he was every bit Bruce Wayne as he was Batman in a story that only could've been written by the superlative talents that are Ed Brubaker and Greg Rucka. It was just immediately after that that things were brought back to Dixon level in terms of his general grumpy demeanor.

I mean, Dixon didn't write him as constantly grumpy/unlikeable though even if he had his moments. I also don't think he went as far as Brubaker/Rucka wrote Bruce at times.

Nice. No argument from me, though...

I love how three characters aren't wearing pants and only one of them is a girl.

Enjoyed Pacat's story in the Annual, good voices for Dick and Jon - a couple of Robin flashbacks that hit the sweet spot between "Bruce was demanding and intimidating during training" and "this is because he took training very seriously, not because he was a monster", which far more experienced writers have flubbed.

Happy if these are becoming part of the package going forward.

Somehow I feel like Taylor wouldn't have been as flattering if he wrote it.

That Catwoman scene is overhated imo. It's pretty obviously just a gag meant to show that Ivy's mindcontrol isn't that strong.

Yeah, but it wasn't the first time King was inconsistent with characters' strength/ability levels to make Catwoman more OP.

I really don't care about the dog at all. I'd honestly rather read another Blockbuster arc than have to read about the dog again.

But the dog is so cute! And adorable! And that sells positive buzz!

[phonogram12]

I think it also benefitted him to be a more solo hero and find his space away from the Titans and with the Batfamily, and I think that was very impactful for the character in a positive way.

Except it really didn't benefit him. He never really needed the time away from the Titans the same way he did Batman. His time with the Titans helped him grow as a character, out from Batman's shadow. Returning to the fold he was kind of just a sidekick again, with all of his sidekick issues that he had gotten over a long time ago all of a sudden returning for the same of "drama."

I mean, Dixon didn't write him as constantly grumpy/unlikeable though even if he had his moments. I also don't think he went as far as Brubaker/Rucka wrote Bruce at times.

We'll have to agree to disagree on that one. At least with Brubaker and Rucka there was a light at the end of the tunnel. With Dixon it didn't feel like he would ever change.

[Frontier]

Except it really didn't benefit him. He never really needed the time away from the Titans the same way he did Batman. His time with the Titans helped him grow as a character, out from Batman's shadow. Returning to the fold he was kind of just a sidekick again, with all of his sidekick issues that he had gotten over a long time ago all of a sudden returning for the same of "drama."

I mean, I think any character can benefit from being on their own and making their own place for themselves away from family (Bat) or Found Family (Titans) but I don't think he was 100% a sidekick again because his experience and maturity left him in a different relationship with Bruce and with the other members of the family than he would be if he were still Robin.

Of course I'm pretty tired of the constant "Bruce emotionally messed Dick up by raising him the way he did" and even Taylor is guilty of it.

We'll have to agree to disagree on that one. At least with Brubaker and Rucka there was a light at the end of the tunnel. With Dixon it didn't feel like he would ever change.

I guess the issue is more that Brubaker and Rucka's Batman absolutely needed to change the way they wrote him, while I don't think Dixon's was anywhere near as bad. At least reading him in the 90's.

And I think a lot of Batjerk stems from inspiration from the 2000's Batman they cultivated.

[Claude]

Somehow I feel like Taylor wouldn't have been as flattering [to Bruce, regarding Dick's time as Robin] if he wrote it.

You know, just an aside - I agree that the current Nightwing run shows more of Bruce's rough edges interpersonally than is the fashion in mainstream continuity these days*, but I wonder if that's more a Redondo than a Taylor thing. I'm sure there was an interview early on where Redondo mentioned that part of what was important to him defining a "Nightwing" title was reducing Batman involvement, and the only present day "Bruce and Dick, teamed up and in costume" moment in the run so far was during Fear State with Robbie Rodriguez filling in on art.

Over on Son Of Kal-El, Taylor's Batman is notably... cutesier. But even then, I suppose, even with Bruce and Dick were both guest-starring in an issue - they guest starred seperately and didn't share any scenes.




*which I don't mind, tbh. One of the interesting thing about the Batman-and-Robin/Bruce-and-Dick relationship is that they have a long history with ups and downs - and I really like things like the flashbacks to getting to know Barbara or visiting Robin!Jason, where other members of the Bat Family start to fill in the gaps with each other that Bruce isn't as good with. Equally, I enjoy the slight awkwardness about money and the role of billionaires - and Clark gently pushing Dick towards the idea that he's being unfair to Bruce, and should reach out. Gives it layers, and different characters different things to do.