Batman & Robin #1 Discussion/Spoilers

[CPSparkles]

There's no mandate; it's just the stories that Nightwing gets don't require Damian's presence.

Although it's funny that Jon is going to Dick for advice instead of Kara.

Taylor and Zardasky confirmed that they weren't allowed to use Damian. Taylor had a story with Damian in the early days of his run but was forced to remove him. He revealed this on social media when asked if animal lover Damian will be meeting Bitewing.

This isn't the first time Dc has placed Damian off limits from writers wanting to use him.

he wasn't in Defiance and he wasn't in Batman v The Shadow due to this. Priest said he wasn't allowed to use Damian in his Deathstroke team book and he had to jump through many hoops to be allowed the brief use he got with the character.

For Judas Contract he was forced to redo the scripting of Damian's role multiple times before his editor would allow it.
Orlando the writer of the Batman/the Shadow, cited Damian being put on an off limits list as the reason why he could be used in The Shadow vs Batman the first part of the crossover series which he penned with Scott Snyder.

Kelley and Lanzing, said that they kept pitching stories for Damian but that he was off limits at the moment [this was in Rebirth] they were given Nuclear Winter as a compromise.

Not sure why they keep doing it. During Rebirth, Priest was told that Damian was in danger of becoming over exposed. That was why he wasn't allowed to use him as part of slade's team but a year later DC gave him the go ahead to writer the click baity Batman v Deathstroke where Damian's paternity is questioned.

the sort of story that's designed to grab attention and get people talking.

DC behind the scenes is baffling at time.

His absence in Nightwing wasn't just mandated but they got Taylor to alter a story he had already written to remove Damian.

Which family member that has been used in Nightwing thus far were required by the story?

None. Damian also is required for the stories either, though the Bitewing sitter should have been Damian due to his characteristics.

Nightwing needs a pet sitter does he:
A, call his brother the animal lover who has lots of experience taking care of animals?

B, call my brother who in the past has pinched dogs, thrown a cat at an assailant and left the door leading to Alfred the cat getting out and getting Catnapped by the Penguin?

A is the option that makes sense based on their lore.

However you are right that he isn't necessary for the narrative but that's not why he's been absent.

[CPSparkles]

But require everybody else? I mean, literally everyone have been used there, except him.

it is mandated. Taylor confirmed it. He even had a story with Damian was told to scrap it.

Taylor was allowed to use Damian in his Superman titles. It appears he just wasn't allowed in Gotham/Bludhaven based books or Books with batgirls. he did showup in the Marina.

According to Waid's BvR#1 the family ran him out of town [Don't know why] but he was on good terms with them in his solo series.

[Frontier]

I'm kind of 50/50 when it comes to Taylor writing Damian myself.