That's not true. There is no bird called Signal or Red Hood.
I honestly think dietrich lays out some pretty strong story evidence for Damian's likely change in name. The biggest being the fact that Tom is likely building up to having Bruce reevaluate letting Damian be Robin thanks to his alternate dimension father.
I think the boys will stay in pairs (Bendis double confirming that Damian and Jon will still be very good friends, even viewing it to the level of Miles and Ganke's life long friendship). So, I'd imagine if Tim is likely to stay as Robin (why not just call him Red Robin from the start if they wanted him to be called something else?) then Conner is likely to stay as Superboy.
"Mark my words! This drill will open a hole in the universe. And that hole will become a path for those that follow after us. The dreams of those who have fallen. The hopes of those who will follow. Those two sets of dreams weave together into a double helix, drilling a path towards tomorrow. THAT's Tengen Toppa! THAT'S Gurren Lagann! MY DRILL IS THE DRILL THAT CREATES THE HEAVENS!" - The Digger
We walk on the path to Secher Nbiw. Though hard fought, we walk the Golden Path.
I agree the boys will stay in pairs.
However, I think Damian is the likely to mantain Robin identity, while Tim will change his identity.
I think Bendis just want to appeal nostalgia with Robin identity for Young Justice, but I think Tim will change his identity at the end.
I definitely agree that they'll keep the kids "paired up" and whichever Super changes his name, their corresponding Bat will too. So Robin and Superboy will stick together either way.
I'm just not sure which pair will change their names. I can see really good reasoning for both pairs to change their names, but also strong reasons for them not to.
But I'm starting to wonder if we'll end with a Bat Nightwing and a Super Flamebird when the dust settles. DC doesn't care about Dick Grayson these days and Didio's dislike for the character is well known. Normally I wouldnt care about a personal bias since it shouldn't impact the job, but looking at how Dick's treated these days it's hard to think that doesn't factor in. And Bette hasn't been showing up anywhere and has gone by Hawkfire (or Firehawk or some sh*t) since the New52.
I want Nightwing and Flamebird back together but not at the cost of Grayson. Dead, limbo, retirement, or a new heroic codename, none of that will do him any favors.
"We all know the truth: more connects us than separates us. But in times of crisis the wise build bridges, while the foolish build barriers. We must find a way to look after one another, as if we were one single tribe."
~ Black Panther.
Flambird sort of comes out of nowhere no matter the pair. I mean Nightwing obviously means something to Damian and Tim, but Flamebird means pretty much nothing to Conner and Jon. They'd be picking the names just because they matched their Robin, and that's not great. I think Dick's sticking with Nightwing because he has a movie coming out, plus he still has a book, right? And I'm sure Titans will graduate him to Nightwing soon enough.
And appealing to any sort of nostalgic itch is not out of the realm of possibility, but it's just all together off in this case. You're changing Tim name once just to change it again in a relatively short amount of time. That just doesn't sound likely at all.
I'm standing by my prediction: Damian and Jon will change their names, and Tim and Conner will stay Robin and Superboy.
Last edited by Superlad93; 03-20-2019 at 07:47 PM.
"Mark my words! This drill will open a hole in the universe. And that hole will become a path for those that follow after us. The dreams of those who have fallen. The hopes of those who will follow. Those two sets of dreams weave together into a double helix, drilling a path towards tomorrow. THAT's Tengen Toppa! THAT'S Gurren Lagann! MY DRILL IS THE DRILL THAT CREATES THE HEAVENS!" - The Digger
We walk on the path to Secher Nbiw. Though hard fought, we walk the Golden Path.
For the most part, so does Nightwing. Sure, it's Dick's name and he's a brother to both Damian and Tim, but that's relatively thin reasoning for either of them to take the mantle. Neither Tim nor Damian have any ties to Krypton beyond friendship with a half-Kryptonian. Dick at least had tons of pre-Crisis adventures with Uncle Clark to justify it.
I dont expect it to happen, but give how DC treats Nightwing and the serendipity of Nightwing & Flamebird.....Im too jaded to rule it out.
"We all know the truth: more connects us than separates us. But in times of crisis the wise build bridges, while the foolish build barriers. We must find a way to look after one another, as if we were one single tribe."
~ Black Panther.
I kind of hope Damian gets his name changed? But that's because Damian Wayne, Son of Batman, Heir to the League of Assassins, already has enough branding going on in there, and he isn't really much like "Robin" in the classic sense (Batman's plucky sidekick who keeps his thoughts from getting too dark because he has to teach and guide them). Meanwhile, Tim's so Robin that even when his name isn't Robin, he's, er, still Robin. He's just also Red now. Unlike Damian, he has no other brand identity. I mean, I've written about this more in the past elsewhere, and I'm not convinced that just because Damian shouldn't be Robin doesn't mean he'll actually get the name change. He's very much entrenched by now.
At the same time, I don't know, I really don't think Jon's name is going to change, and I agree with the premise that the Robin-Superboy teams will probably stick together in this change, if it happens.
Despite the seeming branding problem it would cause, being less punchy, I think "Kon-El" could work well enough on its own. Wouldn't be the first time a Superman Family hero used just an adopted Kryptonian name as their main handle. Look at Mon-El and Kell-El. Sure Kell had the ipso facto better name of "Superman X," but that wasn't what he chose to go out on when he was sworn into the Legion. Kon-El could join the ranks of those Supermen who just use their names.
"You know the deal, Metropolis. Treat people right or expect a visit from me."
I agree. Pretty much more reason in my opinion why it's not super likely. Even with Dick staying as Nightwing, I doubt we ever get a Flambird again. Your average comic fan doesn't actually know Nightwing means anything more than some vague bat connection. I certainly didn't.
I think we'll see Dick back as Nightwing very soon. Similar to Aquaman I think they're looking for their big super star writer and artist.
"Mark my words! This drill will open a hole in the universe. And that hole will become a path for those that follow after us. The dreams of those who have fallen. The hopes of those who will follow. Those two sets of dreams weave together into a double helix, drilling a path towards tomorrow. THAT's Tengen Toppa! THAT'S Gurren Lagann! MY DRILL IS THE DRILL THAT CREATES THE HEAVENS!" - The Digger
We walk on the path to Secher Nbiw. Though hard fought, we walk the Golden Path.
Funny enough, I think the exact reasons you've given for Damian not actually needing to be Robin are why Jon, Son of Superman, Heir to the Superman Dynasty, doesn't actually need to be Superboy. Plus as an added bonus on his part, Jon's named after one of the most famous and recognized characters in Superman history, Jonathan Kent.
Given that Jon Kent can't really explain to his godfather, Perry, and the rest of the world why he's 17 now when he should be 11, I think it's safe to say he's likely making his identity public (in a way that keeps his Clark and Superman separate because Bendis likes Clark as Clark in Action). And since Bendis seems to be hinting at the Legion in the Superman book, I'd say Jon may be pulling a Mon-El/Kent Shakespeare.
"Mark my words! This drill will open a hole in the universe. And that hole will become a path for those that follow after us. The dreams of those who have fallen. The hopes of those who will follow. Those two sets of dreams weave together into a double helix, drilling a path towards tomorrow. THAT's Tengen Toppa! THAT'S Gurren Lagann! MY DRILL IS THE DRILL THAT CREATES THE HEAVENS!" - The Digger
We walk on the path to Secher Nbiw. Though hard fought, we walk the Golden Path.
You know what, that does make sense. I suppose maybe I didn't think of it as naturally because Jon doesn't have a Kryptonian name that we know of to fall back on in the absence of "Jon Kent" as a secret identity the way Mon and Kon do - though of course, there's no reason he couldn't have one I suppose, and if he's with the Legion, he doesn't even need to! I like your idea, and I think it works well and makes sense!
"You know the deal, Metropolis. Treat people right or expect a visit from me."
"We all know the truth: more connects us than separates us. But in times of crisis the wise build bridges, while the foolish build barriers. We must find a way to look after one another, as if we were one single tribe."
~ Black Panther.