Dick growing up...MISTAKE????

[Vakanai]

I can’t help that in some way that can’t be a good thing to leave these characters locked in some forever peak age as history goes by them.

Why not? I think it is a very good thing. 80 years later and we still have new stories to tell with these characters in their peak.

[gregpersons]

I think we shouldn't have to choose. Just start a new Earth where Dick is Robin, and everyone is peak IP form, and no one ages, and no one dies. The BTAS "Adventures" universe for the "main" universe. If you've played any Batman video games or watched any movies or cartoons, this title is instantly accessible to you. Although then again both BTAS and Arkham have Dick as Nightwing, so, idk.

And allow an Earth-2 with Rebirth+ all old continuity where characters do age and die.

[Vakanai]

I think we shouldn't have to choose. Just start a new Earth where Dick is Robin, and everyone is peak IP form, and no one ages, and no one dies. The BTAS "Adventures" universe for the "main" universe. If you've played any Batman video games or watched any movies or cartoons, this title is instantly accessible to you. Although then again both BTAS and Arkham have Dick as Nightwing, so, idk.

And allow an Earth-2 with Rebirth+ all old continuity where characters do age and die.

It's almost guaranteed that at some point the higher ups will play favorites, putting the best talent on one continuity and less good creators on the other.

[Celgress]

I personally don’t see it as a problem, I like the concept of legacy characters and heroes aging, growing with experience and becoming something new. It’s a reason why I really like the DC universe, and especially the JSA and the Titans and Young Justice.....

I feel the exact same way which is why I hate what Marvel did to Peter Parker in 2007 (and in many ways continue to do). I prefer character development over status quo stagnation any day.

[gregpersons]

It's almost guaranteed that at some point the higher ups will play favorites, putting the best talent on one continuity and less good creators on the other.

I do like these different pocket universes like White Knight, and Miller's DK verse and so on. I'd love to see Tom Taylor on a Bat title where he can be free to do whatever.

It'd be cool with me if one of these involved Dick as Robin.

[Vakanai]

I do like these different pocket universes like White Knight, and Miller's DK verse and so on. I'd love to see Tom Taylor on a Bat title where he can be free to do whatever.

It'd be cool with me if one of these involved Dick as Robin.

I do think these pocket universes are the best bet for these kinds of things. Rather than age a character in the main books, explore it out of continuity with more freedom and much more of a specific writer's or artist's vision.

[Zaresh]

Huh, I was discussing this with my mother a few days ago (I was trying to explain her the Crisis). My point then was that I see no appeal in a character who doesn't change, personally. Why would I be invested in their stories if, in the end, they ammount for nothing? It ends up burning me up. It's what I call the Simpsons effect (and one of the reasons why I like futurama way more).

In any case, it doesn't matter, because I really believe that this whole thing would be fixed if every character were to have their own continuity and timeline, separated of each other but with non connected cameos. But of course, that way you can't cash from events.

[gregpersons]

Huh, I was discussing this with my mother a few days ago (I was trying to explain her the Crisis). My point then was that I see no appeal in a character who doesn't change, personally. Why would I be invested in their stories if, in the end, they ammount for nothing? It ends up burning me up. It's what I call the Simpsons effect (and one of the reasons why I like futurama way more).

It's interesting to compare it to animated TV shows that have been on a long time. Dick is kind of like if The Simpsons had inadvertently aged Bart up by having him grow into a high schooler and then wanted to spin him off in a new show about Springfield High, then gave Homer and Marge a new 8-year-old kid with an even bigger attitude... then killed off that kid, then brought in their nephew... then revealed Homer had a secret lovechild no one knew about it until now who is like an 8-year-old Homer... and Bart was still around but now he's an adult and big brother to a bunch of mini-Barts.

As convoluted as that sounds, I think I'd probably be more interested in post-season 10 Simpsons episodes if the characters actually did evolve and change, even as awkwardly as that.

In any case, it doesn't matter, because I really believe that this whole thing would be fixed if every character were to have their own continuity and timeline, separated of each other but with non connected cameos. But of course, that way you can't cash from events

I think that's a great solution. That's pretty much what Hypertime is

[Aahz]

I still think that they have reached a point now, where they can't really age up characters in the main universe anymore. Having all of the classic Justice League members being grizzled and old is imo not going to work on the long run.

Only way I see how this could work if they would do something like the Pre Crisis Earth 2 just with the modern characters.

[Agent Z]

Why not? I think it is a very good thing. 80 years later and we still have new stories to tell with these characters in their peak.

What new stories? It's almost always either a re-telling of the origin or re-telling of an iconic story.

[WonderNight]

It has its pluses and minuses.

It was no doubt a fresh and exciting idea at the time. But Nightwing as a brand just doesn't mean as much as Robin does. Robin is the identity that makes Dick famous, and the fact that he used to be the original Robin in turn is the main reason behind Nightwing's fame. Since Robin is a unique identity, not anything like "Bat-Boy", it could have survived on its own or with the Titans. Especially in the TT cartoon, Robin proved he could be successful away from Batman.

So there wasn't really a need to give up the identity. All they needed was to give him some pants. Unfortunately, merchandising won out.

Agreed! Nightwing needs a new purpose, one that make nightwing relevant beyond "I use to be robin" and "diet batman". That's why I agree with tim seeley, nightwing should be the nick fury of the Dcu.

That a role and purpose that you can sell nightwing on and not I was robin. A purpose that's all nightwing and not robin or batman.

[SiegePerilous02]

Why not? I think it is a very good thing. 80 years later and we still have new stories to tell with these characters in their peak.

What new stories? It's almost always either a re-telling of the origin or re-telling of an iconic story.

I think it's more that fans should outgrow the characters and let them go to future generations.

Batman doesn't have to age up and go anywhere. He's always going to be new to somebody. Future stories not changing it up shouldn't be a big deal, since we shouldn't be the ones they are aimed at anyway.

[Vakanai]

What new stories? It's almost always either a re-telling of the origin or re-telling of an iconic story.

No they're not, but if that's your attitude I don't care to argue with you about it.

I think it's more that fans should outgrow the characters and let them go to future generations.

Batman doesn't have to age up and go anywhere. He's always going to be new to somebody. Future stories not changing it up shouldn't be a big deal, since we shouldn't be the ones they are aimed at anyway.

Exactly. These characters should outlive us. Bruce Wayne as Batman should be a thing generations from now.

[Frontier]

I still think that they have reached a point now, where they can't really age up characters in the main universe anymore. Having all of the classic Justice League members being grizzled and old is imo not going to work on the long run.

Only way I see how this could work if they would do something like the Pre Crisis Earth 2 just with the modern characters.

This is why I think we should just stop worrying about character ages when they hit their 30's. By that point they're not really going to show their actual age.

[docmidnite]

Like I said before, If you age Bruce and his generation to retirement, seniors age, and eventually death, then eventually you're going to have to do the same thing with Dick and his generation, then Tim and his generation, then Damian and his generation, then the generation after that, the generation after that and so on and so on...

In my opinion fans might say they want characters to actually age like normal people. But what they really want is the original character aged so their favorite legacy character can have all of the focus because I have no doubt that if you aged Dick to retirement age, seniors age and eventually death with someone completely new permanently replacing Dick as Nightwing in say, his mid-40's, Nightwing's fans would be outraged.