mysteriesgalplusdamianthings

[mysteriesgalplusdamianthings]

As of Batman: The Brave and the Bold #12, local precious-gremlin-who-I-would-die-for, Maps Mizoguchi, is now officially(?) the sixth Robin. Or at the very least, she's now "in" on The Secret™.

If this isn’t a set up for her taking up the Robin mantle officially then I genuinely don’t know what is.

As one of the twelve Gotham Academy enjoyers in existence, I am having the extremely normal reaction of "FUCKING FINALLY! LET'S FUCKING GOOOOO--!"

In all honesty, I'd be lying if I said I hadn't seen this coming from miles away. Like, Maps has appeared in a number of seemingly random cameo roles recently, including Batgirls (2021), and even technically as Robin in the backup issues of Batman (2016) #119-121, and in a short story in Batman Black & White. And most of those got collected in a standalone titled "Maps of Mystery", which specifically gathered all her appearances as Robin (and the Gotham Academy Belle Reve story).

And then, of course, her recent time-travelling Future-Trunks-esque appearance in Birds of Prey (2023), as the tech-based Meridian, from a potential future timeline where she apparently makes it as a superhero using gadgets she apparently designed, proving that she's hero material.

That's not something you do for a character for no reason. That's the sort of thing you do when you want to keep a character in the conscience of your readers for whatever reason, because you have bigger plans for them.

Also interesting to consider that, in the "Mother's Day" story where this took place, Alfred is standing right there and not lying down six feet under wood, dirt and a stone slab, and that Bruce is in the old Batcave under the manor so he still has Money™, I must assume this was some nebulous time in the past (after GA: Second Semester(?), but before City of Bane)... which I won't bother to analyse the exact timeframe of because DC doesn't care about the post-Flashpoint / New 52 / Rebirth / Prime Earth / idfk / Dawn of DC timeline, so neither should I.

But I think it's really funny that this presumably means Maps has known The Secret™ for a long time relative to present-day comics, but always acted like she didn't.

But if all her appearances are in chronological order, that means Bruce is only the fourth Bat whose identity she discovered.

Like, she discovered Cass' identity almost by accident on a trip to the zoo, Damian showed off his grapple gun and gave her an actual Batarang during the three hours he was enrolled in the school (as if she wouldn't immediately put two-and-two together even back then), and she even found out Terry fucking McGuinness would become Batman in a future via a time-travelling grandfather clock.

No I did not make that last part up. Read Gotham Academy istg.

Did Cass know that Maps had been acting as a Robin when she met her, both at the zoo in Batgirls and her future version in Birds of Prey?

Does Damian know the one (1) friend(?) he made in Gotham Academy is potentially in the running for his job?

Is Bruce himself aware that she knows as much about their identities as she currently does?

How is DC going to retcon this so it all makes sense in the barely-functioning canon of the modern DC universe?

I'm digressing. Where was I going with this?

Point is, she's destined to become a Robin, and I'm glad DC finally pulled their fingers out their asses and capitalised on that destiny.

Let's just hope it doesn't take another year for them to follow up on this plotline again.

Bonus: Jason Todd, after learning of Bruce taking yet another happy kid under his wing as yet another Robin, giving her some advice:

#MAPS MIZOGUCHIIII HECK YEAHH #So happy for my girl #maps mizoguchi #mia mizoguchi #gotham academy #IM STILL SCREAMING LETS GOO SEEING HER FLY THAT LITTLE PLANE

[mysteriesgalplusdamianthings]

Can we all just take a moment to just appreciate the fact that Maps is driving the batplan.

Like...

The Freakin' Batplane!!!

No context, just Maps simply living our her wildest dreams. This is just the beginning of her career as a hero, and she's killing it!

#youre doing great honey keep it up! #she was totally geeking out on the inside #gotta act professional infront of the boss #maps mizgouchi #gotham academy #dc comics #batman #robin maps mizoguchi #batplane #damimaps #batfam #fanfiction #dc #robin #man bat #Batman: The Brave and the Bold (2023) #issue12

[mysteriesgalplusdamianthings]

this is the ONLY damian wayne design i accept by the way. brown skin, a crooked nose, dark green eyes and thick eyebrows. keep that white-washed monstrosity away from me

#'oh but he's only a quarter arab!' i'm only a quarter second away from punching you in the face #damian wayne #batman #robin #DC comics #DC #designs

[mysteriesgalplusdamianthings]

The fact this was Damian's go-to fake name is killing me

"Quick think of a fake name!"

"my brother's first name and my other brother's last name. I'm a genius."

#batfam #dc comics #damian wayne

[mysteriesgalplusdamianthings]

OKAY SO WHO ASKED FOR A POST THAT DETAILS DAMIANS CONNECTIONS TO MAGIC?.. nobody? oh okay.

(be forewarned, this is long)

now after ignoring batman 666, let's see what we have.

ROBIN: SON OF BATMAN (2015)

now, in robin: son of batman #1 It's confirmed that after his death in batman incorporated, damian went to hell. Hell is usually connected with the more magical side of the dc universe, but that's not it.

The entirety of the comic delves into damians connections to more mystical things. mythical swords and magical ancient towers, weird extinct bat-dragons, magical cults that want to destroy the whole world, etc etc.

this is easily regarded as one of damians best comics and having peak damian characterisation, so obviously Damian being magically inclined can easily work well with his character.

Now, after a barrel load of compliments, let's get to the extremely negative side of things.

TEEN TITANS (2016)

Damian's cloned brother has magic and that sentence is about as much as i care for this book. Moving on.

BATMAN (2016)

Again, dog shit damian characterisation, but here we go. Damian here actually shows an ability to use a binding spell and has a wand, making some sort of deal with a random demon, but a far cry from damian apparently selling his soul in batman 666. Moving on finally out of rebirth because that was a bad time for Damian's character.

ROBIN (2021)

Now we go back to the good. Apparently from the maternal part of damians family, magic is more commonplace. ra's even having a whole spell book to his name. Robin 2021 kinda toys with the ghul family and the lazarus pits magical and devilish side which isn't new... but it's new to involve damian!

In the final parts of this story, Damian's heart specifically is used as a plot device, lord deathman even dubbing it as "the bloodstream of the demon" and ruh (ra's' mother) uses it as a power source to fuel demon summonings, which started the Lazarus rain event.

TEEN TITANS DARK (Unreleased)

Back in early 2023 (i think) dc teased a sort of "teen titans dark" with damian, black alice and monkey prince. The "dark" moniker referencing Justice league dark, a magic team made up of magic users that solve magical bullshit. It's a good book, recommended read, i just thought I'd add this to the pile.

Detective comics/Knight terrors

Now, including these two together because they're about the same topic: Dreams.

damian is confirmed to have some sort of control over dreams and sleep, defeating demons that show up in his sleep, yet never actually disappear when he wakes up. He also has an ability to stay awake after a massive worldwide phenomenon causes everyone, even the dream masters that taught damian, to sleep and experience night terrors.

Dreams are, again, connected to the magical side of the dc universe. Now I'm not going to pretend like i actually read sandman to you, i can't lie on ramadan, so let's all give me a pass here for my lack of understanding of all that.

Batman and robin (2023)

In this, damian mentions a bit of off screen monster hunting with Frankenstein and lays a trap that lights someone on fire. I used to think this was some sort of hex but this artwork is extremely unclear, but since Frankenstein is mentioned and from my knowledge dc's Frankenstein is magic let's pretend this is some sort.

As an extra note: this guy definitely died. There's no way about it, he got lit on fire with nobody helping him. He's gone. Damian just killed a man.

Extra Extra notes:

talia using magic!

now, i haven't included these examples in the "the ghuls have magic" segment because uh...

(batman: the doom that came to Gotham/dc bombshells)

yeah...

Not only are these interpretations of talia EXTREMELY orientalist but also just generally out of character and could've been done with any randomly introduced characters.

For the unknowing white american people in the crowd: arabs actually don't only dress in revealing "belly dancer" outfits and lanterns. i know, shocking, we actually wear normal clothes.

And just to add again, there's a lot of stories that include ra's having magic, but I'm not the biggest ra's head (lol) so i didn't read them all, i implore u to do your own research because I'm not doing it.

this about wraps it up. thank you to the magic damian believers may we all win someday.

#damian wayne #batman #dc comics #damian al ghul #batfam #damian robin #dc #dc robin #robin damian #batfamily #ra's al ghul #talia #talia al ghul

[mysteriesgalplusdamianthings]

THEBABY

[mysteriesgalplusdamianthings]

just a little guy and his army of pets.

#batfam #robin #dc robin #batcow #damian wayne #goliath #pets #dog #cat #this is the best thing ever

[mysteriesgalplusdamianthings]

I have nothing to add with the new chapter, just Maps being besties with Black Canary.

#maps mizgouchi #gotham academy #dc comics #dc #birds of prey #black canary #barbra gordon

[mysteriesgalplusdamianthings]

I'm not dead, just had a lot of things happen all at once.

Totally forgot about these doodles of Maps and Killer Croc.

#killer croc #maps mizoguchi #dc comics #gotham academy #doodles #mia mizoguchi #batman

[mysteriesgalplusdamianthings]

"Damian should be a veterinarian when he grows up" this and "Damian should be a doctor" that….I think he should take advantage of his wealth and be an art major

#damian wayne #damian wayne meta #dc comics #art major

[mysteriesgalplusdamianthings]

The New Series

The leaks for the next book I'd looking pretty good! And so is the art style. I'm really loving Maps more mature look in these panels and can't help but swoon.

I mean, just look at her!!!

Beautiful.

#maps mizgouchi #birds of prey #dc comics #black canary #barbara gordon #meridian #damimaps #gotham academy #batman #dc #fanfiction #time traveling #oracle #where is her freckles?

[mysteriesgalplusdamianthings]

It's Time for a New Team!!

I'm so happy to get so much Maps in this series. Seeing this new identity and the potential this could bring in the future. And fortunately, there is more to come!

After the successful events of Paradise Island, it was soon revealed as to us why Batgirl (Barbara) wasn't invited on their little adventure in saving Sin.

It was revealed that Barbara would meet her demise each time she joined the team on their endeavors. It would become evident that Maps attempts time traveling "eleven" times beforesge came to that conclusion.

Which makes this whole time traveling somewhat confusing since it wasn't properly explained in full detail. Especially when there's someone else tampering with the past.

Maps explained it in the next scene: What the next plot of the new series will be.

Our next scene just plays out as a hint to the next season in this series where we tackle time traveling. It features our girl Mia! Of course, so I hope we'll be getting more lore about Meridian and how she'll be able to save Barbara. Their investigation will take place in the next book, March 5th.

It will be an interesting concept.

#I cant wait until the new chapter drops #mia mizoguchi #dc comics #birds of prey #blackbat #black canary #meridian #damimaps #gotham academy #batman #fanfiction #time traveling

[mysteriesgalplusdamianthings]

I was told to post this so. Erm…. Dmaian HC’s? It’s small tbh. I think it mostly adheres to cannon, maybe ill do a full body soonish.

#damian wayne #dc fanart

[mysteriesgalplusdamianthings]

I miss this series...

I want to give him a hug and tell him he's doing well

#damian wayne #wayne family adventures #robin #batman #batman webtoon

[mysteriesgalplusdamianthings]

i saw your username in the corner of my eye and thought it said “fatbabydamian”.

THIS MADE ME BURST OUT LAUGHING 😭 i dedicated a csp file called fatbabydamian bc of you ty

#fatbabydamian

[mysteriesgalplusdamianthings]

Al Ghul Family Values 🗡️ (2015 vs 2024 redraw under the cut!)

OGs might remember this one!!!!!!!!!! Someone somehow found this old ass post and the notification reminded me of it… but i still thought it was funny tbh🤡 so i wanted to redraw it!!!!!

#batman #damian wayne #talia al ghul #dick grayson #batman and robin #nightwing

[mysteriesgalplusdamianthings]

end game (ft. damian wayne)

we’re finally getting everyone’s reactions to amnesia-bear-bruce, but aren’t we forgetting the most important kid? (if im mistaken then WHOOPS)

damian wasn’t in end game, and i have no idea where “batman and robin” fits in the current timeline, BUT THAT AIN’T STOPPING ME. This kid loves his dad too much for his possible reaction to not be shown.

#damian wayne #alfred pennyworth #batman #new 52 batman #batman endgame