Danny gets buried (alive) in a coffin in a cemetery in Gotham by the Fentons. There’s enough ectoplasm to sustain him but he can’t get free of the coffin. Eventually he builds enough power to manifest a shadow of a spectral form as The Black Dog, a Church Grim. The shadowy omen of death tasked to guard the graves and souls of those resting there.
But wait! There’s more!
During this time someone claws their way from their grave, one Jason Todd a body without a complete soul. Danny tries to follow Jason, to protect, to guard, but he can’t leave the cemetery.
Fast forward to Jason’s return to Gotham. For as unsettling as being near his grave can be, Jason always feels safe in the cemetery. That feeling never staying with him past the gates and sometimes… Sometimes he sees a shadowy figure of a dog with eyes brighter green than the Lazarus pits.
The dog seems to be trying to lead him somewhere that isn’t Jason’s grave. It takes so long, too long for Jason to follow the Grim to an unmarked grave. And longer still for Jason to get up the nerve to dig up the grave and find the comatose boy within.
Danny doesn’t know how to go back to his body, he’s been apart so long. He’s been The Black Dog for so long.
Here's a commission of Church Grim with spider lillies!
The Church Grim is a mythical creature from English folklore, that is said to be a guardian spirit that protects churches and churchyards. It is believed to take the form of a large black dog, often with glowing eyes, and is said to be the spirit of the first person to be buried in the churchyard. The Church Grim is said to be a friendly and protective spirit, but can also be mischievous and even vengeful towards those who disrespect the church or disturb its peace. The belief in the Church Grim is still present in some rural areas of England, although it has largely faded from popular culture in modern times.
From the artist: The Moddey Dhoo is a phantom black hound of the Manx folklore that reputedly haunted Peel Castle on the west coast of the Isle of Man. This black dog is described as big as a calf, with long shaggy hair and with eyes like pewter plates.
I always though the black dog trope was cool. Halloween is my favorite holiday and I’m stuck at home this year, so I wanted to draw something fun and creepy to celebrate!
[ID: an illustration of a black dog prancing over a stylized moon cycle. There is a wrought-iron gate and a purple night sky in the background, with dancing purple flames. The dog has a red string tied around its neck, which drapes across the image and stretches up, seemingly originating from a lantern held by a flying bat. Visual detail in red and grey fill in empty space, and a red and white border of stylized eyes defines the edges of the illustration. End.]
loosely inspired by the Princess and the Frog, but more inspired by Comet the Super Horse, Supergirl’s oft forgotten “pet”
And by “pet” I mean Comet isn’t a kryptonian horse, he’s a fucking centaur named Biron cursed by a witch to switch between forms that also gave him superpowers. Might not have been a curse, but still oddly specific considering he was just her horse for a while and also in love with her I think?? Also a member of the Legion of Super-Pets.
So LET’S DO THAT TO DANNY(kind of)
So the legend of the church Grim, is that it’s a protective spirit of sorts guarding churches and cemeteries, taking the form of a large black dog with red eyes.
So, one of the various witches, warlocks, occultists or sorcerers managed to bind Danny, to guard... something. Danny isn’t quite the normal type of spirit and frankly the person clearly messed something up. The result?
Danny is stuck in the form of a black dog with access to some of his powers. Frankly, they seem suspiciously like Krypto’s powers... The League suspects Lex Luthor experimented with cloning Krypto, and Superboy get’s a superpowered pet of his own.
Danny and Kon? The best of friends. They’re practically glued at the hip, where kon goes, Danny goes. Suddenly, being a dog isn’t all that bad. Sure, there’s the can’t talk or order fast food, but Kon feed’s him a lot more “people food” than he should when Ma Kent isn’t looking, and the dog food they get is surprisingly tasty. It’s fun wrestling with Kon, and Kon gives the best belly rubs. They take on bad guys together go on adventures, and it’s a surprisingly enjoyable life.
The one day, snuggled up in Kon’s bed ready to got to sleep, Kon just smooches his dog on the head, and *POOF*
Kon’s dog just transformed into a man his age, who is currently naked and in his bed.