#the joke is that Tim is implying that he's the one who messaged Damian | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

nightwingmyboi · 4 years

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Can I ask why you hate Batman and Robin Eternal? (it was my first DC comic ever, my dad bought it for me in one of his trips even though I didn’t know anything about the batfam or comics in general lmao). It’s been so long since the last time I read it I don’t even remember what it was about (I do remember enjoying it in that moment but it may have also been because it was a gift and the drawings were cool lol)

Aww, that’s very sweet. There are certainly bits of the comic that are enjoyable. I’m pretty sure that I’m actually in the minority when I say that I don’t care for it...but since you asked lol, there are several things about these comics that really rub me the wrong way. This is pretty negative (and way longer than I’d planned), so be warned.

For starters, Dick Grayson was just...not treated well by his family members in these comics. It felt particularly brutal here specifically...I think because Dick would say very harmless things, and his family’s responses in return were so abrupt and unreasonably harsh. Like, Dick says that he’s glad to see Batgirl, and wonders what some kids are doing dressed as Robin...

Batman and Robin Eternal #4

And Batgirl bites his head off. Or, there were times where Dick would just be hanging out in the general vicinity, and people would just take shots at him out of the blue for seemingly no reason.

Batman and Robin Eternal #3

It felt like he could barely breathe without someone criticizing him for it. At one point, Dick confesses that he’s feeling discouraged, and Damian’s response is to punch him in the face.

Batman and Robin Eternal #22

Which is a pretty good summary of the family’s treatment of him in these comics to be honest. Just literally, lashing out at him for zero reason while he just takes it.

One scene in particular that really frustrated me was this one:

Batman and Robin Eternal #5

You know, that other time in this comic series where one of Dick’s family members punches him in the face while he, once again, takes the hit and does nothing to retaliate. Good times.

For context...the big bad in these comics is a villain known as “Mother.” Her speciality is brainwashing. She placed several of her “children” in high-profile positions in order to enact her plans, even managing to infiltrate Spyral. In a message left for Dick, Batman specifically explains that “Anyone could be under her control, Dick. They could be people you know. People you love…they probably will be” (Batman and Robin Eternal #1).

Unlike in Pre-52, Tim’s background is largely a mystery. He’s acting suspiciously. So, Dick takes it upon himself to investigate and ensure that Tim’s not one of Mother’s plants.

On Tim’s side of things, he’s upset that Dick investigated behind his back and found out where he’d secretly had his parents living for their safety. Dick unintentionally brought danger to their doorstep (though, notably, no one was actually hurt). But Tim’s pissed, and punches Dick in the face.

Not gonna lie, this was hard to take. I mean, even if Tim was in the right in this argument (which he lowkey isn’t in my eyes), that still does not make it ok for him to just punch Dick out of the blue when Dick is, as pictured above, just talking to him.

And the hypocrisy that Tim is displaying here is stunning. How he had previously told Dick off for keeping secrets from the family by going undercover with Spyral, when he in fact had a whole secret family tucked away in a corner. How he tells Dick off now for invading people’s privacy, when just earlier in this very comic he had planted surveillance devices in Stephanie’s apartment without her consent.

Batman and Robin Eternal #2

How Tim storms off and goes on a solo mission with Jason because Dick’s supposedly too personally invested and thus compromised, when he just got so emotionally unhinged that he lost his shit at Dick and punched him. Once again, may I just say, simply stunning.

But does Tim ever face any consequences for this behavior? Oh, of course not! Instead, we get Jason joking about how great it is to punch Dick in the face when he is not even fighting back.

Batman and Robin Eternal #7

And everyone collectively piling on to Dick and blaming him, even though he had legitimate concerns. Awesome.

Batman and Robin Eternal #6

Batman and Robin Eternal #7

And Dick just continues to take it. Not once does he stand up for himself. It’s so hard to read him continually get shit on, I’m sorry. And it’s crazy how they treat him this way, and yet still ultimately look to him for encouragement and rely on him to save the day in the end? You hate to see it.

I also didn’t like what they did with Cass. I know, I’m just full of complaints. But they really watered her down. With Pre52 Cass, you could actually describe facets of her personality. She was compassionate, had a very refreshing, sassy sense of humor, etc. She wasn’t just...mysterious action girl who has a dark past and cries occasionally. I mean, there were moments where I could see glimpses of personality (the time she visited the ballet being the main one), but on the whole she punched people when needed, and otherwise just stood there as people talked about and around her. Essentially a prop for the story.

Batman and Robin Eternal #24

Another thing that makes me so uncomfortable (that I couldn’t pin down until I read this post here) is the fact that this comics version of events makes it so that Cass’ own backstory no longer has her as the focus; it’s not about her emotional struggles and journey. By having Cass kill Harper’s mother rather than a random man, it makes the story about Harper, and about Cass gaining Harper’s forgiveness. So...more using Cass as a prop...as an element of someone else’s story in what is supposed to be her origin!

Honestly, I have no idea why Cass would want to stay with the Bat-family in these comics anyway...her previous mentorship with Barbara Gordon is nonexistent. She’s no longer Batgirl. The two people who were once her closest friends treat her horribly.

Batman and Robin Eternal #3

Batman and Robin Eternal #4

As if she’s barely a person. Once again, sooooo hard to read this. Why.

Yeah, I could go on forever nitpicking here. You probably got a sense of it already, but I absolutely despise how Tim is characterized here. Most of the time, he’s an ass. Jason also had pretty inconsistent characterization. And I really don’t like how the whole comic treats Robin like something Batman owns and is meant to benefit from, rather than as something Dick created. I don’t like how Cain was “redeemed” in the end, and that Cass took on the name Orphan instead of Black Bat or Batgirl. Once again, how is she connected to the Bat-family exactly? And I don’t like how Dick’s time as Robin is portrayed.

The existence of this comic...drives me insane...

It’s also the worst time to be doing a “Does Batman treat his kids like child soldiers?” arc considering it is coming on the tail end of Spyral, aka that one thing that Dick did because Bruce beat the shit out of him and forced him to.

Nightwing #30

Looking through Batman’s speech to Dick there...some of the things he says to Dick are so uncomfortably close to what Cain says to Cass. Really horrible parallel there. Why DC.

I really don’t know why Dick was so certain that Bruce didn’t do something shady with Mother, as was implied throughout the comic, when Bruce had pulled the Spyral crap fairly recently. Idk why they didn’t play into that side of things. Like, the fact that this arc ends with Dick comforting Batman about them not being child soldiers:

Batman and Robin Eternal #26

Instead of Batman stepping up to reaffirm to Dick that he was a good partner and a trusted ally when he spent the whole comic being insulted by his family and being told this stuff by his enemies (and flashback!Batman):

Batman and Robin Eternal #8

Batman and Robin Eternal #12

Just sucks. I mean, Dick had just recently sacrificed everything (his family, his friends, his life, his identity, everything) to do as Batman wanted and go undercover, only to hear this over and over? To hear that none of it was enough? That he could never be enough? And Dick never gets reassurance that this isn’t true. This comic is just agonizing in so many ways.

Obviously, everyone is entitled to their own opinion, and I am not criticizing this to be a killjoy? Just venting. If you enjoy these comics, you are free to continue to do you. But I am never going to like them. And when I see people championing these books as the best the Bat-fam has to offer...oof is that hard to hear lmao! Surely we can do better than all this.

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fishfingersandjellybabies · 6 years

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If You Ever Want To Join Me - fic

Characters: Dick Grayson, Koriand’r, Damian Wayen Pairing: past/implied dickkory Summary: Nostalgia. Family. What-ifs. In another life, right? A/N: Inspired by/title from: ‘Dancing In The Dark’ by Imagine Dragons. This is such a dickkory song, like heck. If I had to chose Damian’s parents, I’d 400% choose Dick and Kory, whether they’re romantically involved or not.

Climbing into windows was a bad habit, one he couldn’t ever break, not even at Titans Tower.

He came as soon as he heard. As soon as Kory called. Big, bad Damian Wayne was sick. Had to be carried home from a mission like a wounded puppy, because he’d passed out midfight.

And he was probably overreacting. Lord knew his phone was full of messages from Jason, Tim and Steph all saying as much. That he’d gone into ‘dad mode’ and they were wondering if he was going to try to fight this flu bug the same way he’d fight Deathstroke.

Har har. They were all so hilarious.

Still – it was an accident, when he found himself climbing through the window, when he could have – and really should have – used the front door. Or at least rang and said he was there.

But it was too little too late, as he dropped to the floor of the living room. Damian was curled up on the sprawling sofa, a little, shivering, blanketed lump in the corner, head resting on a pile of pillows, his feet shoved against the side of the armrest. He wasn’t in uniform, as far as Dick could tell, but maybe a set of pajamas. A box of tissues sat on the cushion next to his face, a mug of steaming tea on the table in front of him.

Kory was standing over him, one hand carefully stroking his hair, the other reading a thermometer. She too was in civilian clothes. Leggings and a sweatshirt. Comfortable to relax in, but also appropriate, in case she had to jump up and run to the store for cough medicine at a moment’s notice.

She’d jumped when Dick landed, starbolts already lighting up her hands, as she instantly prepared to protect Damian and their home at all costs. He held his hands up in surrender immediately, smiling as realization dawned on her face.

“Oh!” She exclaimed. The buzzing electricity of her power died down, exposing quiet music from the stereo across the room playing. Kory’s choice, if he had to guess. Nostalgic pop songs didn’t seem to be Damian’s style. “Dick, I’m sorry, you didn’t have to come.” At this, Dick watched as Damian’s tired eyes cracked open. “I only called to let you know…”

“I know. But I wanted to come by anyway. Just to make sure he really is okay.” Dick chuckled. Damian rolled his eyes, curling tighter into his blanket.

“It really is just a cold.” Kory explained again, as Dick came forward. “He passed out on patrol from exhaustion, it turned out. Not directly due to his illness, but I’m sure his weakened immune system played a part.”

“Of course.” Dick snorted, sitting on the sofa next to Damian’s head. Damian still didn’t say anything. Seemed about to try to roll over, but was too tired, so settled for looking pointedly away from his brother. Dick just laughed, and ran his hand over Damian’s hair. “You aren’t a real Bat until you almost kill yourself for the cause, right? Sleep is for the weak, or whatever.”

Damian scoffed.

“Aw, let me play big brother, just this once.” Dick whined. Damian rolled his eyes, but didn’t fight it when Dick reached down to fix his blanket. Let his eyes droop closed when Dick went back to stroking his hair. “Get some sleep, Damian.”

Silence lingered after that, with both Dick and Kory watching as Damian did just that. They both stared as he settled deeper into the sofa cushions, pushed a little against his pillow mound, in a halfhearted attempt to get closer to Dick. Listened as his watery breathing slowly evened out in his slumber.

“…Have I mentioned how much I appreciate how much you love him?” Dick whispered with a wistful smile, gazing lovingly down at Damian’s face.

“You don’t need to.” Kory supplied.

“But I want to.” Dick glanced up at her. “Thank you.”

“…You’re welcome.” Kory sighed incredulously, though with an amused smile. She slowly perched herself on the sofa’s arms, peeking at Dick’s fingers as they carded through Damian’s hair.

“And, of course…I didn’t just come here to see Damian.” Dick hummed pleasantly. Kory looked up at his face. He was looking at her now. “I came to see you, too.”

“Oh?”

“I know. Shocking, right?” Dick laughed, though it was clearly self-depreciating. “But I did. I haven’t seen you in ages. Wanted to catch up.”

“That’s…kind of you.” Kory grinned. “I…suppose I feel a little guilty now, then.”

“Why?”

“Damian has offered to let me accompany me back to Gotham to see you. He knows how important we…” She hesitated, and Dick knew why. “…once were to each other. But I always turned him down.”

“I don’t blame you. Besides, I’ve been in and out of Gotham so much lately, I probably wouldn’t have been there anyway.” Dick soothed. “How’s leading the Titans going?”

“Good.” Kory nodded. “Though if you asked Damian, he’d say he was the leader. And we let him believe that to appease him.” She paused. “Though I have no doubt one day he will be the leader, and he’ll be wonderful at it. Just as you and Tim were.”

“Ha, don’t tell him that, he’ll throw a fit.” Dick shook his head. “…They anything like us back in the day?”

“Only in bad jokes.” Kory laughed. Then frowned almost immediately. “There seems to be much less…camaraderie among them. They’re much more serious. And I’m not just talking about Damian.”

“Well, they live in a much more serious world than we did, unfortunately.” Dick sighed, letting his hand still on the side of Damian’s head. “And less camaraderie? What do you mean, they’re not all dating each other like we were?”

Kory laughed again. “No, no, I mean…I mean they all keep their hearts so closed. They’re attempting to befriend each other, but are so scared of the outcomes.”

“Yeah, well. I guess I don’t blame them.” Dick looked down at Damian. His hand had crept out of his blanket now, and past his hill of pillows. It’d found a rare loose spot of Dick’s uniform, and was clinging to it, like a toddler would a favorite toy. “They’ve all been hurt pretty bad. It’s hard to open your heart back up after some of the things they’ve been through already.”

“I know.” Kory agreed. She reached down, and pulled Damian’s blanket tighter around him. “That’s why I stay – to show them that it is possible to love again. And there is no greater team to restart with, than this one right here.”

Dick glanced up at her, eyes near adoring, and she couldn’t keep the gaze. “Kory, have I ever mentioned how much none of us deserve you?”

“Oh, stop.” Kory laughed. Her smile remained, but morphed slightly. From humour into…almost motherly, as she carefully ran her hand across Damian’s shoulder.

“I’m serious. You’re way too good for any of us.” Dick pushed in jest. Kory just shook her head, focused on Damian for just a moment. And as she watched Damian, Dick watched her, but let his mind wander, just slightly. Tuned into the radio just as the DJ switched songs – and snorted. “Oh man, really? Of all the songs, they play this one?”

Kory blinked and looked up. “Hm?”

“This song. Our song, from back in the day.” Dick laughed, sitting back against the cushions. “We’d dance to it when I would sneak into your room. Listen to it while we fell asleep. Or when we would start to-”

“Richard!” Kory cut off sternly, though laughed as she did so. “Sleeping or not, there is a child in this room, and he does not need to hear about such things!”

“Oh, now you’re modest about it?” Dick laughed harder, relishing the slight blush in Kory’s cheeks. She waved him off, rolling her eyes in the process. Dick let his chuckles die down slightly, staring at her all the while. “…When was the last time you danced to it?”

Kory seemed to think, glancing over at the stereo, like it would create a hologram of days gone by. “…Not since you, I suppose.” She sighed, looking back. “You?”

“I can’t even remember, so probably not since then either.” Dick paused, looked down at Damian, then back up at Kory. At the beautiful picture she created, just sitting there, and – god, how much he missed those good old days. “…Want to dance to it now?”

She blinked again, and almost looked alarmed. “With you?”

“Well sure as hell not with Damian, he’s unconscious.” Dick joked.

And lucky for him, Kory laughed, slowly shifting to get to her feet. “…I’d like nothing more.”

Dick took her hand, holding it even as she stood, only releasing it to fall into position. Her hands on his shoulders, his on her waist. It was a closeness that they shouldn’t share, not after their history, and what they were supposed to be to each other now, but could never stay away from, no matter how hard they tried.

(And they, of course, admittedly, might not have tried as hard as they should have.)

But still, the emotions were immediate, as they fell into position, because it felt so natural. Because it felt so right. Because it was all either of them wanted, even though the universe always got in the way.

Kory could feel her heartbeat speeding up, could feel Dick’s under her fingers. And he was instantly looking at her with that way of his – like she was the whole world, and the only thing that mattered.

(But he looks at everyone like that, she had to remind herself. He looks at Bruce and Tim and Donna and Damian like that.)

But. Still.

She doesn’t know who made the first move, or what counted as it. He smiled, soft and warm and safe. She gently shifted her hands to carefully run her thumb along his throat. He swallowed, and his fingers flexed.

The song continued to play. Their song.

It was simultaneous. He pulled her forward just as she tugged at him. His arms enveloped her waist as she wrapped hers around his shoulders, leaning her head down to press her face along his neck.

And he hesitated here – barely, but enough for her to notice – before leaning down himself. Letting his breath wash across her check before he kissed it tenderly, and hid his face in the curls of her hair.

“I miss you, you know.” Dick whispered gently. “Every day.”

“And I miss you, as well.” Kory hummed in return, closing her eyes. She felt a lump in her own throat, and found herself digging her nails into Dick’s shoulders. “And I…still love you, too.”

Dick didn’t respond. She didn’t expect him to.

“I know I shouldn’t. I know we’re done.” She said instantly. She missed the faint shake of Dick’s head. “But I just. I never stopped loving you. I don’t know how.”

He squeezed her, hard, shifting to press another kiss against her face. Lingered there this time, as they continued to sway to the music.

“I’m sorry.” She murmured. “I’m so sorry, Richard.”

“Don’t be.” Then he chuckled, and leaned his forehead against her temple. “And don’t act like I don’t still love you too.”

And despite it all, she still smiled. She knew he probably didn’t mean romantically. In truth, maybe she didn’t either. Their love transcended that, transcended all labels humanity could come up with.

“It’s just…life, I guess.” Dick sighed, and he sounded sad. “Never the right moment, never the right place, blah blah blah…”

She laughed herself as she finally pulled back, just slightly. Just enough to look at him and his deep ocean eyes. “Another lifetime, perhaps.”

Dick grinned, bright and carefree, just like she liked it. “Wait for me there?”

And as the song began its final bars, Dick released his grip on her, only to hold her face, lean up and kiss her forehead, even as she proudly responded: “Always.”

The song ended, and while the request to dance to another tune was on Dick’s tongue, they were interrupted by none other than the reason they were brought together tonight. The one they both cared for, as if they were his father and mother.

(In that other life, perhaps.)

“You two are disgusting.”

They both blinked and looked over. Damian had apparently woken back up during their nostalgia. Was staring sleepily at them, with a grumpiness reserved only for toddlers.

“Aw,” Dick cooed, even as Kory laughed. They broke apart, and Kory watched as Dick leapt back to his brother’s side. Ran his fingers through his hair. “But you love us.”

“Hardly.” Damian whined, even as Dick plopped onto the floor next to him, grabbed that hot tea to offer him. Kory silently went around him, taking her perch behind Damian’s mountain of pillows, and throwing her arm across the back of the sofa. “You’re both nuisances, if nothing else.”

“Mhm. Sure.” Dick laughed, pressing a kiss to Damian’s nose after he refused his drink. “Go back to sleep, kiddo.”

Damian’s lips twisted, in an instant of worry, and perhaps a little childish fear. “…Are you two going to remain?”

“What, you think we’d just leave you here?” Dick grinned.

“Wouldn’t dream of it, small one.” Kory added, gently rubbing Damian’s shoulder, even as Dick fixed his blanket. Damian instantly closed his eyes again, obviously once more feeling secure, though he’d never admit it. Kory hummed a laugh and glanced up. She and Dick’s eyes met, and instantly, they smiled. Secretly, almost knowingly, as Dick silently put his hand over the one Kory still had on Damian’s shoulder. “Now go back to sleep, Damian.”

Yeah. In another life. One worlds and universes and galaxies away.

#dickkory #dick grayson #koriand'r #Damian Wayne

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