So, in the Red Robin comics, Tim Drake tells Cassie Sandsmark that he heard the Anti-Life equation (& agreed w/most of it) & it’s my understanding that he wasn’t the only hero that heard the equation… so, if Anita Fite (my girl Empress from the Young Justice comics) can control people thru speech bc she knows parts of the equation, does that mean that all the heroes that heard it could have the same ability?
something I think is super sad but also very funny: Dick had his breakdown over Bruce’s death in Last Rites, but Tim waited until after Battle for the Cowl was over to have his
Tim held himself togetherJUST long enough to make sure there was a Batman in Gotham and then noped tf out lmfao
like Tim knew damn well Dick was about to take up the cowl even before Battle for the Cowl happened. It was as plain to him as the sun rising in the East every morning:
“Gotham City needs someone wearing the cowl. The obvious candidate will step up soon enough. Until then, the city has me.” -Robin (1993) #183
Tim was really out here like “fuck having the mental breakdown I’m very obviously just barely staving off. I’ve got to keepmyshit together long enough for my brother to get hisshit together, and then I can go run off and have a good cry somewhere.”
And then of course Dick proceeded to (in Tim’s eyes) very visibly not get his shit together:
“Dick has changed since we lost Bruce. It’s as if he’s cut himself off fom all emotion. He’s unapproachable. And it’s not like I haven’t tried.” -Battle for the Cowl #1
“It has to be one of us, Dick.” “We’ve gone over this, Tim.” -BftC #1
(Which…Cass is right there. She’s right there. But I guess to be completely fair to Cass in BftC, she’s 20-ish, just healed from an incredibly long-lasting traumatic incident, newly adopted, and doesn’t have nearly the level of crimefighting or investigative experience Dick does)
Anyway, so Tim’s just [constant internal screaming], because he’s on the verge of an active mental breakdown at basically any given moment but he’s obviously got to be there for Gotham until his dumbass-but-relatable older brother finally does what needs to be done. Note that Tim’s not alone in this endeavor: basically everyone else in Dick’s life is also pressing him as well, because (shocker) they allknow that Dick is the only one who could take on Bruce’s legacy, be seen as legitimate doing so, and make something new out of it.
So of course Tim had to force his hand, because how elsewas he supposed to get anything done? He’s promised himself that he would watch over Gotham until Dick steps up, and temporarily becoming Batman is the only way he sees to fulfill that promise. This is basically one of two ways I can make Tim’s decision to “become Batman” in BftC make sense, because pretty much the only the other option is that Tim finally cracks just a bit and just wants this whole mess to be over with and his life to go back to normal. So he does what Tim does best, which is take initiative and step up to the plate when those around him refuse to. Tragically, both options make a lot of sense if you read Tim’s internal narrative:
“Gotham’s Network has kept the dam from breaking. No one can argue that. But there are too many holes that need plugging. For every one that’s filled, three more take the place. It’s just a matter of time. Dick knows it. Gotham knows it. And so do her enemies. They’re ready to topple it over like a house of cards. But not on my watch. Not on Batman’s either.”
At least Dick finally takes up the cowl at the end and gives Tim a bit of internal leeway to go feral, punch Damian in the face, and smash up tables in the Manor portrait gallery before fleeing the country on a desperate “hope and a prayer” mission to prove that his dad was actually still alive. Messy but totally understandable behavior, tbh.
was messing with some fake tweet makers and the idea that dick just uses twitter to compliment and flirt with himself hit me and i couldn’t stop til i made it.
A while ago, I posted about Prodigal, the DICK-and-TIM Batman run and one of my favorite comic storylines of all time, and I learned from comments that it’s pretty hard to track down for new readers - the comics are collected together on Kindle and Comixology, but not on DCU Infinite, and of course it’s spread out over a bunch of different comics.
So I have made a list! A really long list!
If you, too, would like to read about
Dick having a self-worth crisis! Tim being excited about their teamwork!
Tim being amazed by basic household tasks! Tim apparently eating and hanging out in the Manor half the time, except when his dad periodically remembers he exists and demands company!
Jack Drake being a terrible parent! Dick worrying about Tim’s bruises!
Tim being a nosy busybody and Dick reluctantly confiding at first and then actually unburdening himself!
Dick and Tim all on their own (no Alfred! no Bruce! just an inexperienced Batman and an inexperienced Robin!)
Dick’s journey from “this kid is impressive but sometimes annoying” -> “I will punch anyone who looks at him crosswise”!
Tim’s journey from “desperate to impress” -> “actually admitting to insecurities”!
Jason: Alright kid. I’m calling in a favor you owe me.
Damian: Fine. What do you need?
The rest of the Batfam:
Tim: That’s IT?
Jason:What?
Tim: Not even a single protest?
Damian: There is no need to make a big deal of this.
Tim: Last week when I asked for help you laughed for fifteen minutes straight!
Damian, shrugging: I owe Jason some favors.
Dick, suspiciously: How many favors are we talking about here?
Jason, grinning slightly ferally:Enough.
Steph, impressed:How?
Damian, scowling: None of your concern, Stephanie.
Duke: What’s the big deal? I thought everyone owed everyone else favors at this point.
Bruce: *sighs and puts some batheadphones on*
Steph: Not Damian.
Tim: Damian owes no one anything, ever.
Damian: Just because I don’t make a habit of incompetence…
Dick: Jason, seriously, how come Dami owes you a bunch of favors?
One week ago
Damian: Did you get it?
Jason, pulling a small kitten from his jacket: Here you go.
Three weeks ago
Talia, on the phone:Boys.
Damian:Mother.
Jason: Hey mom, guess what? I broke into the CIA again.
Talia:
Talia: I know what you’re doing, Jason.
Jason: Oh, and if Luthor calls you it’s totally not my fault that his laser prototype thing went missing.
Talia:
Jason: I mean, I suppose it sort of is, since I’m the one who stole it and all, but-
Talia:Enough.
Talia: Damian, I apologize for being upset over the giraffes. Please continue doing your best to convince your brother to stay out of trouble, darling.
Damian: Of course, Mother.
Two months ago
Damian: I need you to hide these.
Jason: Look, we both know I have skills, but how am I supposed to hide a whole ass elephant?
Damian:Please?
Jason: You know, your puppy dog eyes were a lot more effective when you were six.
Damian:
Jason:Fine.
Five months ago
Jason: I hope you have a good explanation for this, brat.
Damian: I don’t see what the big deal is. I just asked you to pick me up.
Bruce Wayne is so dumb. Billionaire playboy bachelor is such a stupid cover when stressed single parent is not only the truth but also easier to explain to all these rich folks.
All this weird in depth knowledge? Had to help with school presentations
Tired? Sleepy? Looks a bit sick? Huh yeah the youngst has the flu right now
Literally always has “my child is sick/home alone” as an excuse to not be anywhere and leave suddenly
No need to flirt with people
Can talk about children for hours and bore people away from paying attention
“So my child’s first languge is actually X so of course I had to learn it”
“Oh yeah, I was in Spain last week. Lovely country.”
“Really??? Didn’t see any pictures from you.”
“I don’t want my children exposed to the media storm”
Buying weird stuff!!!!
“Oh yeah, Jason’s super into DIY right now, we’re at the hardware store every week basically”
Bottom line Single Dad is the bet cover he could have had and DC has to ruin it
Yeah, my second child jumped into my bed this morning. Feet first.
Black eye?
That would be the milk my oldest spilled on the floor which he forgot to clean up before I slipped on it and went head first into my wool carved cabinets.
You just disabled this bomb???
Yeah, my third kid build a working model and we didn’t have time to call the bomb squad so I made sure if he does something like that again, I know how to deal with it.
Your vast knowledge of rockets and space ships??
Also my third child. Timmy’s so smart, honestly, I have no idea where he gets all this stuff.
Why are you able to understand that strange magic person who’s only speaking in Old English?
Jason went through a phase.
Why is your youngest carrying swords around and shouting death threats?
I slept with a rich, Middle Eastern king’s daughter and I didn’t get custody until he was 10. Damian was raised very…traditionally.
You backflip??
Dick’s a circus acrobat and an Olympic class gymnast. He looked so happy when he said he could teach me, I didn’t have the heart to tell him no.
You have huge dark circles under your eyes, you okay?
I haven’t slept in three days, the kids are all down with some kind of sickness.
Why is that small child covered with bruises and why is his arm in a cast?
Dick thought it would be fun to swing from the chandelier in the main entrance, to the top of the banister of the stairs and to slide down to the bottom.
He missed.
Okay but consider: a Bruce Wayne who uses the dumb bachelor cover up until Dick’s first science project living with him and Bruce has the light bulb moment while Alfred is treating the burns
Given that his daughter’s biological father VERY publicly framed him for murder, he could also use it as an excuse for being good in a fight: “I learned it in prison”
I love the idea that many, many, many people don’t believe Bruce and start getting incredibly suspicious…until they meet his children.
Random person, who had just been talking about how weird it was that Bruce knew old English: Did anyone else feel a chill down their spine?
-
Random person, who had just seen Bruce put a pin back in a hand grenade: Tim, dear, did you really build a bomb once?
Tim: Who narc-ed?!?!? Was it Steph? I bet you it was Steph, Steph never could keep a secret, it was only three kilos of nitroglycerin, why was she so concerned!?!?
Tim: …uhhh…
Tim: I mean, what? That’s insane! You can’t prove anything!
-
Dick: …did you need something?
Dick: *Is 26 years old, 6’1, and 235 pounds*
Dick: *Is also hanging upside down from Wayne Manor’s chandelier*
Random person, who was formerly going to question why Bruce possessed the skills to jump out a window from three floors up and get back up without a scratch: …never mind.
Damian: Father. Please revoke your ‘No profanity’ rule.
Bruce: Why?
Jason: *Somewhere in the manor* WELL THAT JUST DILLS MY PICKLE.
I just love this so much omg…just imagine the challenge of it all for the Batboys to find the most irritating substitutes in revenge. Like it progresses to an INSANE LEVEL and Damian is just so done with then
–
Bruce: Jason you are in so much trouble–
Jason: I GUESS YOUR KNICKERS ARE IN A KNOT!
—-
Tim: I know you stole my coffee, you egg-suckin’ dawg!
Bruce: *sighs* Not you too…
–
Dick: Gosh golly, YOU KNOW SOMETIMES BRUCE REALLY GETS MY GOOSE
Damian: Grayson NO
–
Jason: *waving gun around* Oh no demon spawn! I have a Rooty Tooty Point ‘n Shooty!
Damian: *crying internally* TODD, THAT’S NOT EVEN A PROFANITY
–
Jason: I’m gonna tan your hide!
Riddler: Wait what?
Jason: You don’t watch out, I’m gonna cream yo’ corn!
Riddler: Wait does that mean you’re going to kick my ass??? Wat???
Jason: *roundhouse kicks him* Yes.
–
Jason: Well butter my butt and call me a biscuit!
Bruce: FUCK IT, JUST CURSE. I DON’T FUCKING CARE ANYMORE JUST STOP FUCKING TALKING LIKE THAT PLEASE GUYS. YOU ARE KILLING YOUR FATHER
Tim, an intellectual: Jay, I guess someone really dilled his pickle today
He’s tried and tried to be more vigilant when sleeping at home but he can’t get himself to do so
Batman: [asleep in a chair]
JLA member: [breathes]
Batman: [eyes snap open and stands up]
Bruce: [passed out on the couch, snoring like a lawn mower]
Loud crash
Screaming
His kids stampeding by him
A literal gunshot
Bruce: [sits up, groggy] “what was that?
Alfred: “nothing, master Bruce”
Bruce: “ok” [falls back down]
More chaos
Fire alarm goes off
Titus barking
Damian: [is thrown onto Bruce]
Bruce: “oof” [finally gets up]
alternatively
Damian: [is thrown onto bruce]
Bruce: “oof” [wraps arms around damian and falls back asleep]
Damian kinda struggles for a little while before giving up, but then he’s gotta go to the bathroom and Father Still Will Not Let Go so he has to swallow his pride and ask for help. It takes all of his siblings to pry him out of Bruce’s arms and the man still doesn’t wake up.
And then Jason gets trapped in Damian’s place.
And they leave him there, the traitors. Dick is taking pictures because it’s adorable, Tim is taking pictures because prime blackmail material hello,Steph and Duke are laughing and Cass is smiling but it’s uh… It’s that smile that says she’ll gut him if he wakes Dad.
Guess he’ll just let the old man have this one.
Jason be like: *snuggling in* I hate this. *Curling into Brucedad like the cat he is* this is a worse fate than death. *Urging Bruce to pet his hair by nudging his hand* uhhh, why Oldman? *Aggressively snuggles deeper* whatever. I abhor this. *yawns and grips onto Bruce tightly*
and he may be strict as batman, but he’s strict with the justice league too, because he has too, no one else would, and if no one else did they would all fucking die
when I say he makes mistakes I mean not communicating clearly with dick and Jason, making dick feel like he was replaced even though that wasnt his intention, making Jason feel like joker was more important even though that wasnt his intention
Bruce adopted Jason not because he was looking for a new partner, a new kid, but because he saw a kid who needed help and also a need to do more than they’re capable of and he can’t just leave him be
he does the same to dick, he’s not adopting dick to replace his parents, not adopting Jason go replace dick, not adopting Tim to replace Jason
Jason doesn’t know yet why Bruce couldn’t kill, but he does now
and it pisses me off when people portray Bruce as a shitty person, as a shitty dad
because he’s not, and the animated stuff shows that perfectly
kid shows are usually better because they’re not shying away from vulnerability and being NICE
I’m all for darker shows but I’m getting really tired of edgy and “mature” content with no emotion other than rage and anger
but that’s not what batman is god fucking damnit
and I hate that some of the comics and games and movies fuels this fucking misconception of batman
to throw away Bruce’s empathy, his kindness and compassion, is like throwing away his entire fucking character
batman is great BECAUSE of his contradictions, human yet strong, feared yet respected, violent but gentle, striking fear into the criminals of Gotham but providing comfort to the innocent, that is what makes him great.
why do you fucking think he’s doing this?????? do you really think he would pour his heart and fucking soul just because ohh haha punching bad guys bad coping mechanism no it’s because he fucking CARES. he pours his heart and soul into saving Gotham because he fucking cares. both as Bruce and as batman, he knows he can’t do some stuff just as Bruce, on the side of law, because of his fragile public image, and he can’t do everything as batman, sometimes he would need to go by the law to fully help, both sides of him are still him, both sides of him are compassionate and full of kindness and he does NOT FUCKING HELP AND LOVE AND CARE JUST FOR SOME IGNORANT FUCKS TO THINK HES AN UNFEELING COLD HEARTED PERSON.
the reason he’s doing this at first is because of his parents, his parents goal were always to make Gotham a better place, and he wants to continue his mission, he did not fucking master everything for 17 years just for you fucks to think this doesn’t matter to him. that Gotham doesn’t matter to him. that the people doesn’t matter to him. that he doesn’t care. he didnt think so far to keep the justice league safe and for the kids he saved to not fear him just for you to think he’s a violent man beating peace of shit. he did not fucking take in kids who needed a parental figure in their lives, who needed to do things more than they can right now, who would do things they would surely regret in the future, or who would turn out much worse without him, just for you to fucking think that he would abuse them and treat them like garbage.
batman isn’t fucking crazy. he isn’t unhinged. he’s not punch first ask later. dude if he could he fucking would solve things out peacefully and by the law as Bruce but he fucking can’t. he’s literally THE FUCKING BRAINS OF JUSTICE LEAGUE. AND YOU THINK HES VIOLENT???? the reason people think he’s oOoo sO viOlEnt IS BECAUSE HE NEEDS TO PUT IN MORE FUCKING EFFORT TO TAKE DOWN HIS ENEMIES. HE CAN’T JUST NONCHALANTLY DEFLECT BULLETS LIKE SUPERMAN. HE CANT JUST STRIKE FEAR INTO CRIMINALS BECAUSE THEY FEAR HIS POWERS BECAUSE HE HAS NONE. HES SO VIOLENT BECAUSE HE NEEDS TO BE. HE CANT JUST WALK UP TO SOME PEOPLE AND TAKE THE GUN OUT OF THEIR HANDS AND BE LIKE LOL SCRAM. HE NEEDS TO ACTUALLY TAKE THEM DOWN??? USING STEALTH??? AND INTELLIGENCE??? AND PLANNING??? HE DOESNT FUCKING BEAT DOWN EVERYONE??? MAYBE MAKE THEM UNCONSCIOUS YEAH BUT HES ONLY VIOLENT TO PEOPLE WHOS LITERALLY TRYING TO KILL HIM?????
BATMAN ISN’T GOING TO FUCKING LOSE IT AT THE NEXT SECOND, ONE OF HIS STRENGTHS IS HIS AMAZING GODDAMN SELF CONTROL AND WILL. HES MUCH MORE SANE THAN WHAT PEOPLE THINK.
do you REALLY fucking think that Alfred would let Bruce fucking abuse his kids.
do you REALLY fucking think that Bruce would adopt these kids just for him to ruin their fucking lives?
Bruce did not fucking give rogues a second chance at life, to just want the best for them, to want the best for his children, to give a support group for the adult heroes and give them resources they couldn’t have on their own, to use his riches to make Gotham a better place, who uses his strength and intelligence to save people, just for you all to fucking talk shit about him
people fucking forget that Bruce doesn’t want his kids to be crimefighting, that without him they would all be fucking dead in an alley anyways, dick would be stuck in a fucking system that doesn’t care about him, and if he finds out who his parents killers are, would foolishly think he can take them down, but he fucking can’t, and Jason was a crime alley kid, he would get stuck in a middle of something and fucking die a meaningless death with no one to fucking care for him, Tim would be stuck with his parents negligence, until the future, with no siblings no father no grandfather to care for him, until he had to take over his parents job, until he had to die living a life he did not enjoy. Stephanie would’ve suffered because she had a fucking villain as her dad, she would receive consequences no matter the fucking outcome. Cassandra is even worst, being abused by your parents who are the world’s best assassin is going to fucking suck obviously and she would’ve been another fucking assassin and done so much worse if bruce wasn’t there. dick would’ve ran off and try to avenge his parents anyways, except he doesn’t have any training and will get himself killed. Bruce begged Tim to not become a robin, not after Jason’s death, not after he lost his son.
he’s not forcing any of his kids to be a vigilante, it’s the fucking opposite of that
Lex Luthor: I don’t do business with Gotham criminals
Black Mask: why not?
Lex Luthor: you regularly have your operations shut down by a 10-year old. And one without superpowers at that. I can’t have that level of incompetence in my organisation.
Black Mask:
Black Mask: I feel like you’ve never met this particular 10-year old.
