#I read some of the inner monologue during Red Robin
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[27] get to the point and fast (but not fast enough)
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masterpost ao3
[26] [28]
After that whole show in the LG, Marinette was tense and on edge. She didn't appreciate the flippant way they spoke about him. Maybe they were right, but she felt a surge of possessive protectiveness she couldn't cut down. So, stiff she sat all through free time and the subsequent dinner, choosing to skip the spar between her and Adrien after. Her platonic soulmate simply brushed it off, attributing the snub to the bad mood she had picked up during the club meeting.
She ignored most of her friend's attempts to start a conversation, giving only short, stilted answers. Her friends, bless them, weren't getting mad at her for this, picking up on the fact that something is bothering her. Adrien elected to bring it up later,when she was ready to talk.
"Hey, Mari?"
She turned away from her door, hand pulling away from the handle.
"I was wondering if you'd still be okay with sharing a room with me? I don't think I can stand this for two more weeks," Alya grimaced.
A tiny bit of tension melted off Marinette's shoulders. Managing a smile, she nodded.
"Of course, Alya. We'll talk to Mlle. Bustier tomorrow and get all your stuff moved after school. How about that?"
Alya perked up.
"Hell yeah, girl! I can't wait to be your roommate!"
Alya turned away to enter the room she unfortunately shared with Lila, still smiling.
'Another thing I'll have to tell Robin about.'
The first thing she did when she got into her room and shut the door was to throw open one curtain. Just the one over the window where Robin would enter. She then cracked the window slightly, so he could easily open it from the outside. Once she was satisfied with her work there, she dug around in her carry on bag for the cookie stash she had brought just for Tikki. She passed one to the Kwamii, who happily accepted it.
"You can't let it get to you," she whispered.
Tikki looked over to her chosen, who now stood in front of the bathroom mirror but stared down into the sink. She flew over to her, resting lightly on her shoulder.
"What's wrong?"
Marinette heaved a great sigh before walking back out into the bedroom.
"It's just... the things those students were saying about him, you know? They all made him out to be this... I don't know, what's the best word? Mean? Mean person, and I just... i don't know, Tikki."
Tikki nodded sagely, surely about to pull on some timeless and encouraging knowledge from like.. a million years ago.
"You'll just have to form your own opinion about him and disregard everyone else. He can't be all bad!"
'Okay, so not nearly as.. encouraging as I hoped for,' she pouted.
Another benefit to having the window slightly open (other than the obvious soulmate entry point), was the fact that Tikki would know exactly when to hide. It was the telltale sound of metal cord in track, the same sound her yo-yo makes when she's zipping between buildings. Or any of the bats' grappling hooks to be perfectly technical. The next sound being a window sliding open. Quickly, she schooled her expression and went to face her soulmate.
As soon as his boots hit the floor, she started to relax a little. Neither of them could quite put their finger on it, but they felt... comfortable.
"Robin," she smiled.
He inclined his head in response, which Marinette could only assume was his version of a warm greeting. He was certainly one of the most difficult people to read she'd ever met. Over time, she'd have to really work at learning and understanding his body language if she really wanted to know her soulmate.
Robin got to work at pulling the arm chair over to where it was only just in view of Red Robin, today's chaperone. It was all he could do to avoid his brother's interested gaze. Once settled, Marinette cross legged on the end of her bed, Robin opened his mouth to say something. Whatever it is seemed to have dissipated into the air because he immediately closed his mouth again.
"What can you tell me about yourself?" Marinette threw out there.
He pondered for a moment what was safe to say.
"I'm a vegetarian."
That seemed innocent enough. Could be anybody under that mask. Yes, very convincing.
"Oh, fun! Have you always been or is it recent...?" she trailed off a little.
"A few years now."
Due to the mask, Marinette unfortunately was unable to see Damian wrestling with whether or not he can say what he's about to say. Ultimately, he bites the bullet and just says it.
"Your parents are bakers?"
Nevermind the fact that he probably shouldn't know that yet. Marinette knew that the Bats were supposed to be detectives. She was far from stupid. It was completely expected that he would do as much research as he could on her going into it, especially given that some random stranger had now seen the inside of the Batcave and had no idea what Nightwing had said while he was away. So, him knowing things? Not worrying.
"Yes! They are."
It was the things he didn't know about that Marinette was worried about.
"What would you say makes your bakery unique among all the others in Paris?"
Alright, cool and collected. Questions clearly planned in advance. She could work with that.
"Hmm, I would probably say our mixture of both my mother and father's technique. For example, rice flour in the bread, instead of just regular flour like my dad had always been taught, gives it a much lighter texture," she answered.
He nodded thoughtfully, but his visible face revealed nothing. Meanwhile, Marinette was starting to get antsy that he hadn't said anything about Adrien. He has to know. His friend had to have told him. Unless he wasn't a friend and just a person that sits with him and he was just asking for no reason other than curiosity and oh no! Now she's about to drop this bomb on him that he wasn't prepared for and he's gonna be really mad and-
'FOCUS, WOMAN.'
"I have a platonic soulmate."
'AND FULL SEND IT IS. CONGRATULATIONS!'
Her normal inner monologue was clearly returning the more time she spent with him. If Damian could only hear it... oof. He'd wonder how the Universe came to this match when looking over all the people of the world (and off world).
The conversation plans he had (but clearly had no idea how to execute) were derailed with this sudden admittance. But, finally he showed a visible emotion. Surprise wasn't really the one she would have gone for but beggars can't be choosers. He didn't respond right away so she kept going.
"His name is Adrien, and he's one of my best friends. It's the glowy kind where when you touch your skin glows. so, it doesn’t show up all the time. It's kinda cool. And it's totally platonic! We are just friends!"
He nodded slowly. He spent a few seconds cramming down any negative feelings towards this guy he'd never even met... well he had, but not as himself so it didn't count. And he knew this was coming, he just didn't realize she'd be so blatant. It was... rather refreshing that she didn't try to hide it. She didn't really know about his track record of jealousy (Lord knows Tim certainly does), so she didn't feel afraid sharing that other connection with him. It was, simply put, nice.
"Okay," was all he said, though, deciding to sort through the more complicated feelings later.
Normally he would have argued with.. well not her. It’s not her fault. But her wide eyes and earnest expression begged him to be okay with this.
“Okay,” he said again.
She seemed positively relieved. Somehow she understood what that okay conveyed - at least in part.
Let’s change the subject, shall we?
"So, since you are a vegetarian, what are your favorite recipes?"
And the conversation went on. For a good bit. Food is a lovely common ground between people trying to get to know each other. The conversation tapered off naturally, having went into the logistics of cooking meat replacements things, which, Marinette frankly knew nothing about.
Both vigilante and civilian were sitting relaxed in their respective spots, a comfortable silence all around them. They hadn't yet been able to just take in their soulmate yet, having the secret identities, sneaking in the window, and a liar knocking on the door to deal with. The next night, Alya would be moving into this room, unable to stand Lila anymore, especially after hearing the full extent of her best friend's rivalry with the girl. Marinette had to be sure to tell Robin that they would have to figure something else out the subsequent nights she would be in Gotham.
It was Marinette that eventually broke the easy silence. She'd managed to get the platonic soulmate situation off her chest, but one, that may be far more pressing, remained.
"Lying by omission is still lying, non?"
He thought for a moment before answering.
"Most people would say that, yes."
Nodding thoughtfully, Marinette gently folded her hands in her lap, taking a second to gather her words before speaking. She was fairly confident she had his identity figured out. By her logic, and his if he considered himself "most people", not telling him what she knew was the same as deceiving him, and that was the last thing she wanted to do.
"I hate lying. I'm awful at it, too."
His usually straight expression twitched slightly, probably at the thought of the girl in front of him trying to tell a lie.
"And this is why you do not like Lila Rossi?" he supplied.
Marinette took his slight derailment in stride.
"Among other reasons, but that's not exactly where I'm going with this," she said.
The slight lift of the mask suggested he was raising his eyebrows.
"What is it, then?"
Marinette took in a breath and prayed he wouldn't be too upset.
A quiet but urgent beep interrupted her train of thought. Robin frowned and reached down to look at the offending communicator.
He let out a sound of intense frustration, before looking across to where Red Robin was currently standing, waving him over.
"I'm afraid I must cut this short, Marinette. I am required elsewhere."
He started towards the window.
"Okay, but-"
He looked back, expectant but tense. She backpedaled. She wouldn't be able to function on a mission if someone were to drop an identity compromising anvil on her head, so she wouldn't do it to him either.
"It can wait."
Nodding he said, "See you tomorrow."
And he swung away. She watched as he landed alongside Red Robin, who hardly waited for him to catch his balance before dashing off into the distance. As soon as the two were out of her range of vision, Tikki appeared by her head.
Marinette looked like a thousand pounds had just been added to her shoulders. She threw up her arms in a silent freakout, trying not to alert her room neighbors of her recent strife. Tikki simply shook her head.
"Don't worry, Marinette," she said at her holder's expression. "You'll get another chance tomorrow."
'Tomorrow. Tom- TOMORROW?!'
"Tikki!"
All the blood fell out of her face.
"Alya is moving in here tomorrow after school!" she screeched as loud as she dared. "I cannot believe I forgot to tell him that very vital detail!"
She dropped her face into her hands. Her head popped back up quite fast, Tikki was sure she hurt her neck, and began pacing.
"I have to figure out how to tell him..." she muttered. "Maybe I could leave a note in the window- no, Alya might see it..."
"Marinette."
She kept on mumbling, going over as many options as she could think of to solve this.
"Marinette!"
The kwamii finally got the girl's attention and smiled to soothe her.
"You go to school with him. You'll just have to send the message that way."
"... yes! Okay, okay, so tomorrow after class I will go find Alya - she's in his class right? - and I ask her about moving in... yeah! That'll work! Thank you, Tikki, you're a lifesaver."
She collapsed on the bed, suddenly drained after her panic.
"Okay. I have a plan. Everything will be fine."
***
Okay unlike the last few times, i kinda have most of the next chapter written already so the wait shouldnt be nearly as long
Thank you all for the continued feedback and support! I really appreciate all of you ❤
please dont be afraid to let me know if ive made a continuity error or something similar and feel free to ask me questions!
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ROBIN 80TH ANNIVERSARY - REVIEW!! - The GREAT, the okay, the meh, the wait what, and the freaking awful
None of the stories I’d consider bad in this besides the Super Sons one.
They have flaws, some don’t have any but aren’t that great, and just weird choices, with some disappointments.
I’m just gonna be honest about each story because that’s all I can do.
--
DICK GRAYSON’S FIRST STORY: Really freaking good.
My favorite story is probably the first one:
Like the art is the best in the whole issue, and the only real flaw is how mean they made Bruce through-out it.
It’s yet again another story of how and why Dick quit (I guess he didn’t get fired this time) being Robin, but it’s just nice. Nice pacing, timing, dialogue, good art, and because the people working on it are 80s writers and artists, it keeps it feeling classic.
Which is great for a little showing of the 80s world, and I’m no big 80s DC guy at all, but it’s a really nice flashback for that.
One thing that was disappointing but I won’t count as a flaw (since it’s really not, just a wasted opportunity) is that this kid didn’t end up being Tim:
It looks like a young Tim, it’s drawn by the first artist on Tim’s Robin ongoing, written by his creator, it’s about the history of Robin, and he’s an overeager Robin fanboy-- like why wasn’t this kid Tim? He even has that dorky bowlcut Tim had when he was little, just less 80s styled.
A missed opportunity honestly.
The story though shows Dick’s compassion, talent, frustrations as he became his own man, his views on Robin, some of his sense of humor even. So his characterization is pretty great, but it is written by the man that grew Dick his own unique character to begin with, and it’s great to see this story keeps it up. (Prolly gonna find out this is an old script, but hey, it’s a good one.)
A weird retcon story, but it’s a nice callback to the 80s, and I think it’s really well-done beyond Bruce being a controlling grumpy prick to the point it feels like parody.
--
DICK GRAYSON’S SECOND STORY: It’s just alright.
Where the first story is a flashback to the 80s, this is a direct flashback to he 90s, with the writer and artist that started his ongoing solo.
And it’s good. Like I had a lot of fun reading it, good heroics, feels of it’s era, but like the last story that’s the fun.
There’s nothing really to say about it besides it’s good. There isn’t anything too standout about it.
--
DICK GRAYSON’S THIRD STORY: It’s forgettable.
I forgot this was a thing in this, and it just feels like a waste of page.
It’s in no way bad that I seen, but it’s so very bland and one note. Titans fight and Dick acts as leader. Very generic.
The art’s really good though.
--
DICK GRAYSON’S FOURTH STORY: It’s better than that last one at least.
Unlike the last one, this feels like it at least has a point to be here, and it actually feels like it makes sense to be in he 80th anniversary as well.
I’m not a personal fan of the “Grayson” series, it just sexualized Dick too much honestly, made him cheesier again a bit, and the writing was a little on the off-side in a way that just made it all feel empty besides a few moments, but I never read the whole series to be a great judge on it.
But also because of that, I have no idea who these people are for this story to be grand. What makes it feel like it’s worthy of being here though is trying it back to the history of Robin like the first story with these little bits.
Without these moments though, you wouldn’t have a clue why this is there.
Also Dick just suddenly wears this:
Which is super duper off-putting. But Oh-ho gotta have sexy Dick in there somewhere I guess. Just-- wow, was that super sudden.
--
JASON TODD’S STORY: It’s good but this kid doesn’t look right.
The story is very simple and sweet, and I think it works a lot given Jason and Bruce’s complicated relationship.
It’s even written by Judd Winnick who did Under the Red Hood, which is awesome.
But who is this kid they keep calling Jason exactly? It irrationally bugs me, because all the art has been super spot on till this story. They even write him well, but it just genuinely doesn’t look like post-crisis Robin Jason.
Like to show what I mean--
You read it and this is how the kid speaks.
Super snarky,
a bit of a rude edge to it,
practical sounding but rough teen-ish still
yet still mature enough to feel like he can handle himself.
So you might place this around when Jason was 15 given he’s Robin, and when he was 15 and when they gave him a unique design finally away from a generic silver age Robin, he looked like a young body builder--
Like this is what Jason Todd looked like when they settled his look away from a Dick clone:
A young body builder type, strong jaw, working out, mature features for his age
So who the heck is this?
Like this isn’t what Jason looked like besides pre-crisis, but this is post-crisis Jason. They already settled what he looked like during that 80s run, and this isn’t it. He’s not supposed to look like a generic silver age Robin anymore.
Even beyond it not looking like what Jason’s supposed to, it doesn’t fit the dialogue. He’s written as a practical, snarky, yet in his own way still mature teen. Soooooo why’s he look 5?
It’s so off-putting and it bugs me.
However, beyond that, I really like the story, and at least the artist was good at drawing adult Jason.
Them representing Bruce’s and Jason’s complicate relationship of distant but still caring is something I really enjoy. It’s so much more true to character rather than acting like Jason is just a part of the family like nothing ever happened.
More of that dynamic for them, please.
--
TIM DRAKE’S FIRST STORY: It’s pretty good, but it’s missing something.
Not the highest praise ever, but I do like this story. I enjoy it’s setting at Tim’s school. High school was a constant setting for Tim’s comics in Robin, and they rarely ever treat it like that so I enjoy this story bringing it back.
I really enjoyed the connection between extracurricular activities and what he does as Robin. It’s that blend of relatability and heroics that really made Tim work as a character. So that’s also great they brought back.
One of my favorite things that they bring up is Tim being into eSports, cuz it reminds me of how much Tim was into video games. It’s a very modern version of him being into the arcades in the 90s. Which is great.
However a downside is that it doesn’t really focus on Tim as a character like the other stories did with the other Robins.
Nothing about his never give up attitude, his insecurities, his underdog likability, how hard he is on himself, or things like that.
In-general this story says nothing about his personality besides a mention that he’s geeky. Which is a pretty big let-down because it keeps it from being any better, despite it already being good.
Freddie William’s art is also very hit or miss. It’s so crude sometimes, and Tim seems so buff compared to before in his actual Robin run. It’s very displeasing given that his early Tim work was top 5 Tim art material. However I still enjoyed that they brought him back even if he can’t draw Tim as well anymore. Tim’s still good in the babyface in most panels at least.
BUT-- this is still a pretty good Tim story. It’s just lacking.
Like it just should’ve been more about Tim as a character since it’s a Tim Drake story.
--
TIM DRAKE’S SECOND STORY: It’s honestly just pretentious.
Tim doesn’t talk like this. Tynion has a melodramatic tone to his characters that works great for characters like Batman, I’ve actually quite liked his Batman run so far partially because of that, but it doesn’t work for Tim.
This is not what Tim talks like. It’s so very unnatural sounding for a kid. Yet Tim talks in this incredibly dramatic tone except for a few light hearted spots, when I feel like it should be the opposite.
It’s also trying hard to be a character study, but again it’s so unnatural. It sounds like a fan describing their view of the characters, not the characters themselves. Like since have these guys became each others therapists?
And then he has Dick say these things that makes Tim seem like a Gary Stu and the greatest most talented guy ever.
Also having Tim hang out with Jason when Jason’s using guns even though Tim’s insanely against that sort of thing.
They even have Damian talk like a typical fan person who dislikes Tim based off of superficial things for a bit.
The fact it treats that Detective Comics Rebirth part of Tim’s character history as uber important is also a bit pretentious of the writer given he wrote that too. Despite Tim only being in that run for like three arcs and wasn’t even in-character for most of it.
Best part of it, is the vague acknowledgement that Tim didn’t want to be anything else but Robin to me.
Otherwise it just reeks of awkwardly written fan fiction.
Honorable mentions of quality though, is Dick and Tim being brothers train riding, and Damian’s mini-adult coming out. I’m so sick of them making Damian a generic kid sometimes that I actually liked this part even if it’s through a snarky filter.
--
STEPHANIE BROWN’S STORY: Better than expected, it’s actually pretty good.
I actually really liked this story. Overall I think Steph’s actual Robin run sucked, this is still a good story if I can get past the era it’s set in.
Unlike Tim’s stories, this actually uses her character.
How reckless she can be without it being super exaggerated, her attitude, love that they brought back the diary format for her inner-monologue too.
There’s not much to say besides I’d actually consider this one of the best stories in the thing, except for the fact Steph clearly disobeys Batman and she was said to get fired for that. That’s a decent plot holes for me.
I super love the detail of Tim being so small that Steph can’t fit in his uniform. That cheered me up.
Them bringing back her Robin era artist was also great. Unlike Freddie Williams, their art actually really improved.
DAMIAN WAYNE’S FIRST STORY: The genuine worst story in it.
It’s so-- baaad.
Fan service can work if it’s in good quality. Like being in-character, or a nice homage. The train riding in Tynion’s story was that.
This isn’t that.
Damian and Jon didn’t get along right away, not even soon enough for this “mostly” part to feel right as a joke, because they obviously didn’t get along mostly right away. They fought a lot. They even show it on the full page them fighting, but they downplay how long they did fight just for fanservice. It took a long time, and even when they did it was still contrived.
Then they have Damian and Jon in the same class, when they aren’t the same age for that to make sense..
They even have Jon help Damian on his tests when it’s constantly shown that Damian is a brainiac who wouldn’t need that.
It’s literally even in the history summary at the end that he’s highly intelligent. So he probably wouldn’t even ever need a study partner considering he’s even said to have actual PHDs anyway. Which makes the study partner thing just plain out of character.
There’s also panels that straight up feels like oddly specific deviantart fetish art, which is so nasty. Especially considering that I know damn well that’s there’s pedophiles who make this same kind of oddly specific fetish art on there. So much so I had to stop using the site cuz of the anxiety it gave me.
And they downplay how mean Damian can be too Jon so much that it irks me.
This is the worst story in the whole comic, genuinely. Nothing good is in it, besides some decent enough art.
It’s certainly pandering to it’s fandom, but to certain parts it really shouldn’t be.
(This sort of stuff was still happening in their miniseries. Jon really shouldn’t want this as a brother. That’s stockholm syndrome.
--
DAMIAN WAYNE’S SECOND STORY: It’s better than the last one, but somethings missing still.
Unlike the last one avoiding talking about Damian’s actual character besides to play it down. This one actually uses it.
It’s just so quick, and empty feeling at the same time that it’s missing something. A bit like an inverse of Tim’s first story. Tim’s story had the setting and interesting story format, but no real character, while this has a lot of usage of the character but no interesting setting or story.
A lot of Damian’s character is that he’s not a natural Robin as far as attitude goes. He isn’t a typical Robin, and I enjoy how they play into that rather than be afraid of that. It’s what makes this actually work for me.
Although it makes you question why he’s still Robin, I consider that a good thing, because YOU SHOULD. You want the character’s to actually acknowledge things as if they’re real and not just ignoring things.
He’s not typical, he’s unique for better or worse. That’s Damian, and that’s what you should show of him.
This goes into why Damian’s the exact opposite of what a Robin normally is. That’s great.
But it’s missing anything memorable about it. However I think that’s cuz it leads into a future issue of Teen Titans which gives it a reasonable excuse.
I’m really hoping it leads into something.
Although i have a feeling they sadly might do the same thing as typical and ignore Damian’s actions more. Avoiding any genuine feelings.
--
OVERALL
It’s not nearly as bad as I thought it would be. Only two stories I’d actually call bad, which is a lot less than I thought With just occasionally sloppy art, not even what I’d call back, but just crude or not drawing the character accurately which will annoy some more than others.
When I heard of this book I got so worried, but only two stories is actually almost relieving how little that is given the potential ego-driven things they could’ve done, which only those two stories then.
To me, I say it’s worth a pick-up, just rip out a story or two to keep it friendlier to revisit
Mostly was just really missing that extra heart in a lot of the stories.
#Tim Drake#Robin#Dick Grayson#Nightwing#Jason Todd#Red Hood#Stephanie Brown#The Spoiler#Bruce Wayne#Batman#DC Comics#Bat-Family#Batfamily#Bat-fam#Batfam#Teen Titans#Young Justice#Young Just Us
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Best of DC: Week of March 18th, 2020
Best of this Week: Robin 80th Anniversary
All of the Robins are awesome.
Every Bat-fan has their favorite as they usually define the era when they began their love of Batman and comics in general. Older fans love Dick Grayson for being the first and greatest Robin that helped make Batman brighter. Edgy 80s kids and teens both love and hate Jason Todd for being the bad boy that died. Younger fans love Tim Drake for being the one to carry the name in the later seasons of the animated series and being one of the best and smartest Robins. Girls get representation from the spunky Carrie Kelly and the awesome Stephanie Brown. No one like Damian. (I’m kidding, he’s super fun.)
There’s a Robin for everyone and this 100 Page Spectacular celebrates the long history of Batman’s greatest sidekicks (though misses a chance to give Carrie Kelly her own short story) and does an amazing job in displaying each characters personalities by some of the best people to have written them over the years. Because there are so many, I’m only going to talk about the ones I really enjoyed!
The first FOUR stories follow Dick Grayson and some of his best eras.
“A Little Nudge” is written by Marv Wolfman with pencils by Tom Grummett, two parts of the legendary team behind the best years of the New Titans (1989). This story follows Dick Grayson as Batman begins to nudge him in the direction of becoming his own man by being increasingly irritable to his protege. At this point in time, Dick was dealing with the stresses of outgrowing his childhood identity and Batman’s continuing overbearing nature. Where Bruce was all about being cold and methodical, Dick thought with his gut.
Grummett, Scott Hanna on inks and Adriano Lucas on colors illustrate Dick’s frustration through his increasingly sour facial expressions and sudden heroic actions. The costumes are as colorful as those old days with Dick wearing the bright yellow cape, bright red tunic and the elf shoes. In the middle of the dynamic duo’s fight with Natural History Museum thieves, Dick stops fighting when a child gets shot, against Bruce’s orders, and stays with him until the bad guys either get away or get taken down by Batman.
Later on, Dick tells Batman that he’s outgrown the Boy Wonder name and sets off to become his own man as Nightwing. Wolfman gives readers an excellent inner monologue from Bruce where he owns up to the fact that he was nudging Dick in that direction because he had just turned eighteen and Bruce believed in him. Batman always supports his kids, especially his first and it turns the story of separation into something heartwarming.
“Aftershocks” is a fun story by Chuck Dixon and Scott McDaniel who worked on my favorite Nightwing series in the 1996 - 2005 era of the character. This wasn’t anything major, just Nightwing doing everything he could to save people after an earthquake causes massive damage to a suspended bridge in Bludhaven. This era of Nightwing was characterized by him mostly striking out on his own and becoming a Bludhaven police officer, being inspired by Jim Gordon.
Dick really came into his own and developed a rogues gallery to himself during this time, not to mention the sweet costume with the blue “wings” running down his arms into his fingers and those big, bulky gauntlets and boots. This era was the epitome of the 90s with big set piece moments, big muscles and Nightwing just being a nice and generally charming guy. After diving off of the bridge to attach a winch to a falling car, the woman inside asks to name her baby after him and he smiles and says, “Robin works, right?”
“The Lesson Plan” is a story from my favorite modern age creators in Tim Seeley, Tom King and Mikel Janin. The Grayson series took place shortly after Dick’s identity was exposed to the world during “Forever Evil” (2013) by the Crime Syndicate. At this time he was acting as a spy for an agency called Spyral while spying on them for Batman. I never think of Tom King as a comedy guy, but this story was almost gut bustingly hilarious. It was just a world trotting adventure where he teaches one of the students of St. Hadrian’s how to be a spy.
Truly this series was Dick at his most handsome, witty and skilled. He jumps out of a helicopter and grabs onto the cords of a cable car before rescuing a woman held hostage by terrorists on walruses. Dick, the student and the hostage ten fight off more terrorists in Tanzania, riding a bus headed for Los Angeles of all places before Dick finds himself in something Dejah Thoris would wear and having a night with the hostage who reveals herself to be a gorilla from Gorilla City. It’s absolutely absurd, but it is immensely fun and welcome since that whole series is well regarded by fans.
“More Time” by Judd Winick, Dustin Nguyen and John Kalisz is a far more somber tale about Jason Todd potentially a short time after the events of Under the Red Hood. Jason Todd was the second Robin and met his unfortunate end in the 1988 story, A Death in the Family by Jim Starlin and Jim Aparo. Jason eventually returned in the Batman: Under the Hood story where Winick and Doug Mahnke re-envisioned the former Robin as a violent vigilante Jason does have something of a strained relationship with Batman, but it wasn’t always that way as this story illustrates.
One thing that Dustin Nguyen has always been great at, it’s making kids super adorable and he does so in this story as it flips back and forth between the past and the present as Jason gives Bruce a birthday present in the form of his father’s watch, which Jason sought to fix. Nguyen and Kalisz characterize the past with Jason appearing as a happy, young kid under the dim lights of the Batcave and a twinkle in his eyes. He’s happy to have a home and a father to care for him so he wanted to do something nice for him.
Present Day Jason is characterized by dark backgrounds with bright oranges, smoke and heavy blacks for the shadows. Jason is far more tired, grizzled and angry, but he still finds the time to place the same gift box from all those years ago on the Batmobile for Bruce to find. At this point in time, they may have been at each other throats, but the love between them was still there, buried deep - culminating in two side by side panels of past and present Jason saying, “Happy Birthday, Bruce.”
“Boy Wonders” is a story about Tim Drake by James Tynion IV, Javier Fernandez and David Baron and sees Tim taking advice from all of his brothers. Next to Chuck Dixon and Geoff Johns, James Tynion IV has had one of the longest lasting impacts on the Tim Drake character throughout his run on Detective Comics by emphasizing the power of his mind in comparison to the other Robins and why he could ultimately be the successor to Batman above each of them or eke out a new life for himself.
While taking down the cast of The Warriors on a speeding train with Nightwing, Tim contemplates what his future will be. He looks to Dick as the one who did everything that he’s doing now and Dick tells him that as the smartest Robin, the best thing he could do is use that mind to bring up the next generation of heroes. Jason, the reason he’s even wearing the costume of Robin in the first place, tells him to take everything he’s learned from Batman to become BETTER than him. Arguably, it’s Damian that gives him the best advice by telling him that he’s the most capable of all of the Robins and that he should choose a path himself instead of relying on the advice of others.
Of course, this story takes place before the events of Detective Comics Rebirth where Tim does chart his own path in making Gotham safer with his Gotham Knights Protocol, but things don’t exactly turn out well for him. For all of the talk about how Tim is the smartest, he unfortunately could never get out of his own way long enough for things to go right...especially now that he’s going by “Drake” in that awful brown costume.
“Fitting In” is a Stephanie Brown story by Amy Wolfram, Damion Scott and Brad Anderson which sees Stephanie trying to live up to the standards of each of the boys that came before her. Stephanie was absolutely the shortest term Robin that Batman took on, as he only allowed her to take up the mantle in an attempt to get Tim back after his real father told him to hang up the cape after discovering his sons identity.
Even still, Stephanie did everything she could to earn Bruce’s respect and Wolfram plays on this and that past story by making it more about Tim than Steph. She has to train in the same costume that Tim did, but she proves more...voluptuous than Tim. Her costume bursts at the seams and Alfred designs the costume that she’s known for. She and Batman then get a call about fire at an amusement park and ride off to take down Firefly.
Unfortunately for her, she gets captured, but being the innovative girl that she is, she manages to free herself and take down Firefly at the same time. Damion Scott’s art is very well suited to the cartoonish action and paints her as a capable sidekick despite initially being a damsel in distress. I honestly wish her run as Robin would have been longer because she honestly fits well in the role as the bubbly Robin in contrast to the hell that Tim was going through at the time.
A point can be made that this story also had some needless sexualization, but given Bruce's lack of respect for Stephanie and him just wanting a replacement Tim at the time, this was well written from that perspective. He never cared for Stephanie and her time as Robin was mostly her trying to live up to Tim's standard which eventually left her to try too hard and "die" because of it. I’ll always take more Stephanie Brown as I can cause even now there’s not enough of her and I’m damn sure not reading Young Justice by Brian Michael Bendis.
“My Best Friend” is the one that makes me the most sad as it revolves around Jon Kent writing an essay on Damian as well...his best friend. I feel like the Super Sons series was also done a dity hand by BMB as he took Jon and aged him up for his Superman story when we could have gotten more fun stories between Damian and Jon. As far as homages to one of the better Rebirth series this one was just fun.
There’s not much to say other than Jon reminisces over a few of their adventures and tells readers about the side of Damian that we don’t often see because the Bat-boy is always a little bit too intense. Jon reminds us that they’ve fought for most of the time they’ve known each other, but when it comes to being heroes, Damian always had his back. It’s heartwarming. Of course there’s the continuity issue of them going to the same school in this story cause Jon was only ten at the time and Damian was thirteen, but honestly I only care about the friendship.
“Bat and Mouse” is a story by Robbie Thompson and Ramon Villalobos which sees Bruce and Damian having separate brooding inner monologues about how neither understands the other anymore and about how they want to open up to each other, but the distance between them has grown too wide. Admittedly, this is a much darker story in the respect that Batman and Robin haven’t really been the same since Damian started his new Titans team and started down a darker path that his father has yet to find out about.
Thompson captures this feeling that Damian is arrogant but scared. He feels like he’s outgrown what Batman has become because he’s willing to get rid of threats almost permanently through erasing their memories and villainous tendencies (see Teen Titans, 2018). At the same time, he’s afraid that maybe what he’s doing isn’t the right path and he so desperately wants to reach out to his father, but feels like he can’t.
Batman is the same way in that he loves his son more than anything and wants to regain the relationship that they had in the past, but doesn’t know how to say the words either. He knows that Damian is hiding something big, but he doesn’t want to accuse the boy and deepen the already cavernous rift. Even as they take down the robotic villain Quietus, they show signs of breaking through their equally cold exteriors, but fail to do so and I get the feeling this will all come to a head soon.
The Robins will always be some of my favorite characters in all of comics. Each of them have distinct personalities and quirks that set them apart from a lot of comic characters, especially when it comes to the trauma that they’ve faced alongside Batman. This special won’t be for everyone, just like each era of Robin isn’t for everyone, but overall, I really enjoyed it and the creators selected to honor these fantastic characters.
#robin#robin 80th anniversary#dick grayson#jason todd#tim drake#stephanie brown#damian wayne#carrie kelly#dc comics#comic books#comic review
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JayTim Rec List 1/?
In an effort to extricate myself out of the deep, dark, dank cave that is the marvel cinematic universe (or just marvel in general) for more than two minutes, here is a list of jaytim fics that I recently read, enjoyed and or generally love under the read more.
Please remember to kudos/like/bookmark and tell the author how much you enjoyed their work!
READ:
dick grayson, snooping? it’s more likely than you’d think by dragonryder94
Words: ~3k | Complete
dick knows that something is up between jason and tim. he just doesn’t know what...not yet at least.
Comment: A Dick armed with memes and trying to have good ol’ brotherly Bonding Moments™ with Tim and Jason is just downright hilarious. A quick laugh and an absolute banger.
In Which Conner is Meddlesome for Tim's Own Good by GeneratorCat
Words: ~2.7k | Complete
“Homecoming dance!” it proclaimed. “Saturday, Oct. 24th”. And then, at the bottom some bastard had written, “Do you have your date yet?”
Tim wanted to scream because no, he didn’t have his date yet, and he probably never would. He was too scared to ask them.
Comment: *slams fist on table* you have no idea how much I love high school aus goddamn and this is the cutest!! Do you want awkward teen angst? Kon being chill but also hilarious??? Tim making a fool of himself??? Then this is it. This wins all.
Plus note: Anything by GeneratorCat is great. Puns everywhere, a humour that will hurt your gut laughing, and a writing style that’s tighter than Jason’s abs.
do you wanna feel a little beautiful, baby by Sister
Words: ~42k | Complete
"They're watching me," Jason says, when Daisy Mae has left.
"Who, the drag queens?" Tim says. His face is an inch from Jason's chest, and when the strobe lights flash their way he can see a drop of sweat moving down Jason's pecs. His mind feels staticky, bouncing from general outrage to a general desire to put his mouth on Jason's skin. He's too horny to be rational about any of this.
++
Tim goes to a gay club and finds himself embroiled in one of Jason's cases. Glitter is involved. Also crises of morality. Also booty shorts.
Comment: Case fic, baby!!! Listen, I have many weaknesses and they’re usually words starting with C and case fic happens to be one of them. The case was a riot, the secondary cast was a riot, and the jaytim was a blazing hot riot. This fic is lit from beginning to end. Guns, gangsters, glitter and gays everywhere. Really hits the G spot.
this pen was inked with the promise of you by clarityhiding
Words: ~21k (4/5) | WIP
Everyone has a mark-match, someone whose mark will match their own. No matter what, you will always meet your match after your mark comes in and before you die, it's just a fact of life.
Tim's mark starts to come in the summer he turns twelve. Less than a week later, his match is dead. He doesn't meet anyone at all in the time between.
Comment: I usually steer away from a/b/o fics since gender dynamics is not my thing but this is a goodie. I’ve only read the first chapter of this but I already know this is going to be a great time!!! But by great time, I also mean in a dark sense— @themandylion really hits the melancholic, listlessness, apathetic vibes of depression in the most wonderful, nuanced way, and when the emotions come, they’re explosive. Plus, the world building is amazing, and this is all in one chapter!
Cats, Bats, Kittens, and Hatchlings by ThePackWantstheD
Words: ~72k (18/?) | WIP
In which Selina finds Jason trying to steal Batman's tires and offers to make his sticky fingers a bit stickier, Bruce finds Tim taking pictures of him and thinks that an orphan can take care of an abandoned boy, and the boys learn that life is a lot easier when there's another sidekick around to talk to.
Comment: This fic took my broken heart—my broken, fragmented, crowbar-shaped holed heart—and lovingly stuck cat shaped plasters all over it. This fic was sweeter than a raspberry mocha with one sugar and cream on top. This fic will probably give me diabetes faster than any sugar addiction. This fic is just pure and warm and will shield me through torrential storms. It’s just that good.
Selina and Bruce as great mentor figures and Stray!Jason (not something I see quite often!) with Robin!Tim. Slow Burn.
Day 5: Fake/Pretend Relationship // Royalty AU by CatChan
Tim stayed deathly silent, hoping that his iciness alone would convey the weight of his disapproval.
No such luck. The old earl kept prattling on about how much more suitable to rule Tim was compared to his older brother because at least Timothy had been adopted from a ducal family and not street performers.
Tim took a deep breath to calm himself, then smiled as sweetly as he could, and told the old fart that he would be sure to relay his message to his father the king.
Earl Duchamp blanched, and started stuttering. Tim didn't give him any sympathy, or wait around for his rushed excuses, instead storming out of the room.
Comment: Historical AU with exposition that’s so fascinating, it doesn’t feel like exposition. That’s a amazing feat alright. It’s just a lot of fun for such a short chapter (Like a fun pilot episode to a historical tv drama) and I don’t want say too much of the interactions because it might spoil the fic. Suffice to say, the world it builds leaves you wanting more so might as well jump in and read the whole collection while you’re at it.
"Mi cama es su cama" by redrobinfection (ChristmasRivers)
Words: ~9k | Complete
JayTim Week 2018 - “Bed Sharing” (Day 6)
Tim and Jason aren’t friends. They’re barely allies at this point. But for whatever reason, they keep crashing each other’s apartments, lairs, and safehouses, all in search for a bed to crash in for a bit. It starts out simple - it’s just a safe place to catch a nap, a safe place to recover after an injury, a safe place to hang - but with each visit, it turns into something more - it’s a welcome place to hang, a comfortable place to recuperate, their safe haven in dire times. It might take awhile, but, slowly Jason and Tim turn into something more too.
Comment: So I read small bits and pieces of this during Jaytim Week, and while I haven’t fully read it cohesively in one sitting (before I fell into the marvel hole *cough cough*), what I do remember it was that it was a very soft and healing fic. If I had to describe the feelings and associated scenes this fic evokes, it’s a cosy, intimate blanket, and a warm body snoring beside you. Comfort packaged in a fic. Tim’s sleepy/sick talk was damn hilarious, and I really liked the gritty details involved with wound cleaning. I thought it was skilfully described.
Mania by Pisces314
Words: ~6k (3/?) | WIP
“I didn’t realize,” Dick’s voice startles Jason, but he doesn’t loosen his grip on Tim. When he looks up, Dick is staring at them with wide eyes. “That you two were...uh.”
It hits Jason then, what the position they’re in might look like from Dick’s point of view. His restraining hold on Tim, and Tim’s now submissive posture, curled up against his chest, probably look to an outsider like a comforting embrace between two people who are much more acquainted than they actually are. His face flushes, but he doesn’t bother to correct Dick’s misunderstanding.
Comment: @glaciya is almost always an auto-read for me. The fact that she can flip from cute space, jolly ranch kisses that kills you from sheer amount of fluff and goodness to this is mind blowing.Just from the first chap, it’s already got a great emotional reveal (count me shooketh), descriptions that really immerse you in the terse atmosphere between all the characters and writing that captures a great deal of nuance/overtone of hurt/comfort. It’s wild.
Dreams From the Sargasso by RivetingFabrications
Words: ~46k (17/?) | WIP
Timothy Drake ventured out to solve the mystery behind his parents' deaths, but being taken captive by the most wanted pirate in history hadn't been part of the plan.
Comment: RivertingFabrications is also another auto read for me, and while I read this a long time ago, I remember that the JayTim interactions were fiery and terse, on the brink of something great, and the camraderie between Jason and the secondary characters was an absolute joy to read.
Viking AU | The Red Hunter by @drabblemeister
Link is only to the first instalment
Comment: The only way I can describe the writing is just, lush. Amazing descriptions of the environment which intermingles with Tim’s inner monologue to create a tension that is off-the-charts and an action scene that demands heavy drums and an orchestra. It’s suspenseful, gripping, and engrossing, and this is only the first two drabbles.
Casebook of Detective Timothy Drake by chibi_nightowl
Works: 5 | Words: ~150k | Series in Progress
Comment: The thing about @chibinightowl is that if you asked me to rec one of her works, I’d probably just start listing off her ao3 portfolio. Everything she writes is gold and I will accept it as actual currency if they let me (one day).
If I had to pick one (a harsh, cruel, gruelling etc. ask for a mortal like me) it would be this series. A series of case fics with never-was-a-vigilante Detective Tim, a fully fleshed out cast of secondary characters (Tim’s partner in particular is a favourite), exciting, intriguing cases that will keep you guessing and friction with Batman that is riveting to read. Gives me Nora Robert’s Eve Dallas Series and Karen Rose vibes. Love love love love love this series.
TO READ:
These are fics on which I plan to read, but the premise sounds too good not to be advertised:
If You Don't Grow by GeneratorCat
Words: ~28k (8/?) | WIP
“I need to take care of myself. I can take care of myself.”
“You shouldn’t have to, you’re just a kid.” God, does Dick know that. He knows what it feels like to be doing things you shouldn’t have to do at such a young age. About feeling like you have to take care of yourself, be strong and useful.
He knows now it’s bullshit.
(Officer Dick Grayson meets Jason on the street.)
((Alternatively titled: In which Dick pulls a Bruce))
Comment: What more can I say. I’m a sucker for flawed mentor types who try their best!!!
Build A Dream With Me by Myoneloveismusic
Words: ~10k | Complete
Tim fell hard and fast when Batman and Robin first appeared in Gotham. He followed them for years, taking pictures, and watching in awe form the shadows. But after one fateful encounter with the second Robin, Tim found himself falling in a different way. Everything got torn apart when Jason died and Tim forced himself to take on the role of Robin if it meant keeping Bruce sane. But when Jason returns from the dead and makes his reappearance back in Gotham, can the two repair what had been blown apart or will they be separated forever?
Comment: Teen!! Angst!! *throws confetti* but also paired up with @my-one-love-is-music‘s crafty way to frame fic like a movie scene and this sounds like a fun time.
Astra Inclinant by SociallyAwkwardFox (Maze_Runner_Fae)
Words: ~30k | Complete
Every hero has a story. A tale spun by the Muses destined to pass from generation to generation, until the end of time. At the time of their conception, Fate already knows the paths they will walk in their lifetime and how it will end. She knows the stars they will see, the people they will meet, the scars they will bear-like badges of honor etched into their skin. With this knowledge, She designates a few to ensure every hero follows the correct path and completes their duty to the universe. These immortal beings act as a hero’s guide and watch over their lives, until their journey is complete. From one hero to the next they go, dedicating their lives to the universe and Fate’s will.
Comment: A ‘Hero’s Journey’ narrative never gets old (like BP!) and mix that with Greek Mythology and like a great, angsty jaytim fic. Featuring Seer!Tim and Hero!Jason.
Flying Blind by TheSkyIsALie
Words: ~4k | Complete
In the wake of a catastrophic loss, it's the path Jason sets that Tim follows back to safety.
Comment: I mean damn look at the summary already! It’s premise I haven’t seen for jaytim before and the tags have the dangerous combo of Domestic Fluff and Hurt/Comfort aka just looks amazing.
Making Amends by writemydreams
Words: ~11.8k (3/12) | WIP
A new drug called Cupid’s Heart arrives in Gotham and Blüdhaven. Highly addictive, it also serves as a potent aphrodisiac. Jason enlists Tim’s assistance in rooting out the drug in Gotham and discovering the source. Along the way, Jason hopes Tim will see he’s changed and that he’ll learn to trust him.
What started out as a simple drug case becomes more complex when Dick discovers Cupid’s Heart comes from a resort for struggling couples. Jason and Tim go undercover as pretend fiancés to find the drug, something difficult for Jason since all he wants is to be in a genuine relationship with Tim.
Comment: A case fic!!! And damn, the tags looks delicious, ‘Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Pining, Fake/Pretend Relationship, and Dick Grayson is a Good Brother.’ It just looks like a really good time.
Turnabout is Fair Play by Skalidra
Words: 5.5k | Complete
When Jason gets an invitation to the Continental's latest competition, a simple game, he gladly accepts. It's a bit of fun, an opportunity to win a couple prizes and some recognition. That is, unless one of the other people assigned to his group gets in his way. May the best killer win.
Comment: I mean, Skalidra is a guaranteed good time, and she does action scenes better than most published writers. The way she balances detail and action still results in a fast-paced, tense scene so this sounds like a perfect murderific jaunt for a bad day.
At Cosmos' End by RivetingFabrications
Words: 11.8k (4/?) | WIP
Tim has quit Starfleet and gone rogue – the system can’t help everyone, despite its best intentions. But when he finds an olden spacecraft in the outermost reaches of space where none should be, he finds more mysteries than answers.
Comment: The tags says you don’t have to be a hard core trekkie to get the gist of what’s going on. It sounds amazing nonetheless.
SPECIAL MENTIONS:
@sociallyawkwardfoxwriter and @my-one-love-is-music who are both doing Write 365. A crazy feat and not all of the drabbles are JayTim. List of AUs are only from what I recall and there’s more on their blogs!
Write 365 by @sociallyawkwardfoxwriter
Star Wars AU; Dancer AU; Pacific Rim AU; Tomb Raider AU; Oracle!Tim AU; Werewolf!Jason AU and more.
Write 365 by @my-one-love-is-music
Barista!Tim AU; Werewolf!Jason AU; Mermaid!Tim AU; Hunger Games AU and more.
and:
JayTim Week
A place for ongoing JayTim weeks.
Remember to kudos/like/bookmark and tell the author how much you enjoyed their work!
—
Published: 4th June 2018
#jaytim#jason todd#tim drake#red hood#red robin#fic rec#fic recs#fanfic#rec list#long post#first of many hopefully#jaytim rec list#long#what must she be procrastinating to compile such a huge list you ask#well my friend the answer is everything#praying that read more works for mobile users
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Presentation Script
Originally written and performed on 30/01/17
The Path
Two weeks ago, this class took debate on a persistent argument that has polarised game-related discussion since the inception of its industry. Are video games an artform?
Be it esteemed film critics decrying its simple incomparability to more matured and understood forms of media, to industry veterans coming to its defence in celebration of its continual growth through the half-century of its existence.
The reason this question has stood for so long, is because it’s one that refuses to be answered unequivocally. Sure, an array of titles released over the past few years have turned the heads of sceptics, but none have given that one push towards the irrefutable evidence that the industry yearns for.
The primary question is this; is The Path a game that gives that evidence?
My answer, is....
On the topic of polarising discussion, I read up on the reviews and critiques on The Path prior to downloading it. The 2009 psychological-horror title produced by artists-turned-game developers, Tale of Tales, seems to differ interest in some journalists
One such journalist gave the game a perfect ten, praising its defiance of conventional game design and its courageous efforts to release a game that goes beyond its mechanical traditions during a time where AAA gaming rules all.
Whereas another wrote a hatred-fuelled scathing of the game; amongst the other colourful word choice, described it as the worst game he ever played.
Even in the developer’s lengthy post mortem on The Path, they admitted that the project was subject to “mean-spirited criticism or over-the-top adoration and not much in between”. I’m going to have to defy that presumption, and say I swing solidly in the middle of it all.
Trying to figure out the story is a graft in itself, but here’s what I think's going on.
The game begins in a red apartment hall with six sisters all of whom are at different ages with different personality traits. The player selects one to go on the adventure of delivering errands to their grandmother’s house. Once the game begins, the player is given two tasks.
Go to grandmother's house and stay on the path.
But games are never as simple as that, as the player defies the instructions and ventures out to the forest where they encounter new, enigmatic characters and perhaps even find a wolf.
Of course, this holds much in common with the Little Red Riding Hood fairy tale. It’s easy to first think ‘Oh great, a darker and more mature take on the fairy tale that echoes the original vision of the Brothers Grimm, sounds good’, But in terms of overall themes, the developers took a different path.
The game’s central theme is “Waldeinsamkeit”, a German word for the emotion of being lost in the woods. It’s a horror game that doesn’t rely on jump scares to give the player little bursts of adrenaline, but rather invokes a constant feeling of unrest and discomfort. You, much like the character, experience vertigo when attempting to navigate the forest. The lack of a real map and the mechanic of the path disappearing behind you when you’re in the forest too long amplifies this emotion. When you venture off into the woods, you’re stuck there.
It’s only when you’re in the woods that any semblance of conventional game takes place. It becomes a sort of collect-a-thon with context-sensitive artefacts that only specific characters can interact with. The reward being an insight into the character's inner-monologue where their individual personality traits are identified.
During gameplay, we realise that disorientation is a game mechanic in more subtle ways than others. The pause menu for example. Notice how there is no uniform to the options, why is ‘continue’ at the bottom instead of the top? Why is ‘quit’ third from the bottom instead of the bottom?
This is taken further in the sprint mechanic of the game. The Path is a very, very slow game, yet this is the only game I have ever seen to discourage sprinting.
As you see here, the longer you sprint, the more aerial your perspective becomes until you can no longer see in front of you. The quickening heartbeat also creates tension before that character runs out of breath and goes back to walking. Perhaps this is a 4th-wall breaking parody of how common the “sprinting” mechanic is, and how the player is always in a rush for their instant gratification rather than taking their time to admire the scenery.
It wouldn’t surprise me, as there are other 4th-wall breaks scattered around the game, including here where the character looks at you whenever you have the camera on her.
So, what’s the point of it all? To collect all the items and make it your grandmother's house for a happy ending? Not quite. As I said once you’re on the path you’re kind of stuck there. It’s only when you encounter “The Wolf” that an endgame comes along.
Now these aren’t wolves in the tradition of the fairy tale, but rather an individual figment that epitomises the characteristics of each of the sisters, who by the way are all named after a shade of red, be it who they are, or what they fear.
Ginger for example is described by developers as “The tomboy” of the siblings. We learn through her inner-monologue that she feels disconnected and frustrated by her sisters because of it. Thus, the wolf she encounters is a young woman, an allegory of her feminine side.
Ruby, described as “The Goth” is at her most excruciating stage of adolescence where she hasn’t exactly found herself and is fascinated with death and decay. Her wolf is an older man who pressures her into smoking. By this, he is a metaphor for Ruby’s grim obsession and rebellious side.
Robin is the youngest who’s wolf is the only one that is an actual wolf, or at least werewolf. As she is young and naive and loves animals she is not afraid of the wolf and sees it as a “big cuddly thing” rather than a dangerous animal so she takes a ride on it.
The only thing that the six wolves have in common is that after the encounter, the screen goes black and the screen flashes with quickly edited frightening imagery paired with distorted, screeching sounds until it goes black again.
When it comes to, your character is lying down on the path. She groggily stands up and very slowly makes her way the gran's house. Sluggish, and wounded. And that’s pretty much where it ends.
What happened?
My only interpretation is this; in the earliest stories of little red riding hood, the wolf asked the girl if she would take the “path of needles or the path of pins” This path the fable referred to is symbolic of a rite of passage, an event that changes somebody to begin their next stage of adulthood.
As such, I believe that The Path’s ending represents growing up. Every one of the sisters endures a traumatic experience and from that point on, their perspective and life have changed. This interpretation is validated when you get inside the grandmother’s house, and it becomes a sort of psychedelic, other-worldly rail shooter game. What was once safe and secure is now foreign to them.
Perhaps Robin was attacked or hurt by the wolf in some way while she played with it, confounding her trusting expectations of animals, and now she realises that the world isn’t as innocent as she thinks and there is real danger out there. Maybe Ruby has realised her desire for rebellion and acceptance has led her to being part of the bad crowd, which has left her prone to peer-pressure and toxic relationships.
The interpretations go on and on, and if there’s one thing that the developers agree on these connotations, is this haunting revelation. That the player could have prevented this from happening, by just going to the grandmother’s house and leaving it at that. Bringing into question our own responsibility as a player in the worlds we toy with.
Here’s the issue with that.
The first time I played the game, I stayed steadfast to the games wishes. Walking on the path at a snail’s pace over a gruelling six-minute timespan. I got to the house, sat beside the grandmother, and the game faded to black to signify a happy ending.
And then, this appeared.
The game gives you a literal report card, failing you for following its instructions and prompting you to try again.
I feel as though this betrays the developer’s intent on pinning all the responsibility and guilt on you for the fate of these girls. At no point when I walked the path was I tempted by some sort of forbidden fruit or curiosity to go the forest. At the risk of sounding cynical, I didn’t venture off the path as a rebellious act of player agency, as some way to get back at the designers for giving me such a definable objective. I did it to get my money’s worth. To see what the game had in store.
The Path is not really a game, nor is it without its faults, and I believe it to be far from exemplary when it comes to game as an artform. However, it is an experience and a work of art in a subjective manner that’s full of potential in its dealings with risky, taboo subjects., and without designers like these taking risks and liberties at every turn, we’d still be stuck in the age of pong and space invaders. The Path is not yet a showpiece to show games as an artform. It is however, a rigid stepping stone.
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I don't like damian, it's a little cocky shit, I think he's too rough with his team and I understand that because he was raised as a prince by Talia and his grandfather. I think most writers didn't handle it properly, they make it seem like Damian is not a jerk for like two pages and then he's a little shit again in the next issue. Maybe I think so because the only thing I read with him has been supersons and teen titans when he is the leader. sorry for the rant
I go back and forth on rather or not I like Damian quite a bit, because I feel like his character has a lot of potential to be really good, and has his moments were its seems like he is going to be at least somewhat good, but then a mix of fans and DC writers drop the ball with him and it ends up with me not liking him that much.
They let him mostly get away with a lot of stuff he does besides occasional things, they try to give him sympathetic moments that don’t really feel sympathetic, they’ve done small retcons to make him more sympathetic, try and turn other characters into jerks to make him look more likable in comparison, and ignore a lot of behavior stuff he does, all while trying to force him to be cute and quirky in all these contrived moments that are actually kind of messed up, because to fans who are more casual and either don’t care or pay attention to details they’ll suck it up regardless of how he’s supposed to be.
Like a big example of what I’m talking about is in an issue of Red Robin, and I’ve brought the issue up before, so I feel like to some people that read this it might be annoying if they’ve already seen me talk about it before, but it encapsulates a lot of what I said there.
Damian breaks into Tim’s base, and hacks Tim’s computers, were he finds out he’s on a hit-list of Tim’s (not a hit-list where to kill him, but to keep track of them, I’m decently sure Superman was even on the list), and later on Damian assaults Tim, with the potential chance that he wanted to kill him because he doesn’t think it’s fair Tim doesn’t trust him.
but
He broke into Tim’s base, hacked into his things, and assaulted him all in the course of a day.
He’s showing Tim why he shouldn’t trust him, plus the last time Tim met him and actually interacted with him was when Damian was mocking Tim as he was having a mental breakdown and was on the brink of losing his sanity.
Tim doesn’t have any reason to trust him besides Dick saying he’s gotten better, but it’s never shown to him that he has gotten better.
However Damian is clearly being portrayed in a sympathetic light as if we should feel bad for him since Tim doesn’t trust him, but the logic shows that he does a ton of bad things, and Dick even when tries to punish him, it’s barely anything, I believe he says he’ll talk to him, and he seems to give Tim more crap for it, or at least it seems that way because that’s what we see, giving more boost to the idea we’re only supposed to focus on how sympathetic Damian it is.
and it’s moments like that where I find Damian to be an annoying character, because writers keep dropping the ball with any kind of realistic character dynamics, they just ignore so much stuff to put Damian in a light without earning him being put into that light.
They ignore the obvious things Damian has and continues to do that made Tim not trust him in the first place, they water down Tim and Dick’s brotherly bond for the sake of Damian and Dick’s relationship, and after the fire they only focus on Damian saying it’s not fair and Tim getting talked too about how it’s not fair more than anything else.
For another example of what I said, in an issue of New 52 Batman and Robin (another issue I’ve brought up before, so I’m sorry for anyone that’s already seen me talk about these issues and I’m seeming repetitive, they’re always just the best example of what I’m talking about),
they force Tim’s character to play the role of the jackass, he mocks Damian for no good reason, something Tim never done before, because before Tim’s thoughts on Damian was that he had a hard time trusting him because of his connections to the Al Ghul family, and his history of belittling him and assaulting him. He never just made fun of Damian, he mostly just kept bringing up why he couldn’t ever trust him, but because Tomasi (the writer) wished to make Damian more likable, he made Tim act out of character for it, and later on in that same issue
Damian pledges to beat the shit out of the other Robin’s to prove he’s superior, and even tries to gaslight Tim into believing he’s as bad himself.
Meaning, Tim doesn’t like Damian because he’s formerly killed people, assaulted Tim himself, and overall treated him like crap.
and Damian tried to make the argument that, because Tim was furious at the people that killed someone around him, that he’s just as bad as him.
It makes no sense, and it sounds like Damian should clearly be the bad guy just off of those actions, but they give him a “it’s not fair” moment to try and turn the wheel to make Tim look bad instead, it’s conflicting and confusing, but that’s how they do it to make him sympathetic in these genuinely forced ways. They tried to ruin characters in these moments for his benefit.
–
The tragedy of Damian’s character history that’s sympathetic is how they showed that he was brainwashed since birth to kill that he always was desensitized to it, and so when he goes to meet his dad he decapitates people who did wrong and tried to murder Tim because that’s what he thought would bring him honor in his mind and heart and he was shocked and heartbroken when he realized that’s what wouldn’t bring him his father’s love.
It’s tragic to think about something like that happening to a person, to be desensitized from such actions since their literal birth is tragic, but to me, later on, they ruined the point.
They later on showed flashbacks of Damian crying because the Al Ghul’s asked him to kill an animal, it’s a moment shared a lot to bring sympathetic tears to Damian but it never worked for me,
because it’s inconsistent to what they’ve shown before.
Before they’ve shown Damian to be desensitized to violence before he could walk, completely unaware that being violent is the sort of behavior that isn’t normal and should be shunned from normal society. He’s full blooded confused that Bruce doesn’t think that should be something that’s honored. He’s not at all used to something like that.
Thinking killing is wrong was alien to him.
So to show him knowing it’s wrong already ruins the whole point of his origin story and character growth.
It tries to make it seem like he’s always known it wrong, instead of how he actually learned it was wrong.
I genuinely feel it took a lot away from his character to do that to him. It chopped away his character growth only to make him seem more sympathetic in flashbacks they didn’t even have to do. It was unnecessary, because being brainwashed in a cult since literal birth is a genuinely tragic tale, and to see them move past that and learn that the cult was wrong is what his satisfying growth was.
To give Damian that flashback only took away from his story and character growth.
–
There’s even some points where they can’t make up their mind on what he’s like. Sometimes he’s genuinely so arrogant that he genuinely thinks he’s above people, and deserves grand treatment instantly, and tsks at people who don’t.
Which is how he was introduced and continued to be under his original writer, and still others since that’s how he was introduced.
But then sometimes writers seem to misunderstand him wanting his father’s honor into him being insecure.
Causing disconnect even that way, even the basics of his character some writers can’t keep clean and understandable.
So it’ll go back and forth between him and his inner monologues talking about how he doesn’t deserve it because of all he’s done with a arrogant expression.
To him being sad because he doesn’t deserve it in a more insecure light like it hurts him more. Making it go back and forth between the two with no reason as to why.
Some say it’s an act, but they have him get sad in front of people when they do that, like it’s not an act.
He can still get sad, he was sad when he couldn’t get his father’s honor, and how he was treated in his past by his mother, but they couldn’t recognize his behavior in other moments to get a fuller picture of it. They made him messy to follow with writing like that.
They couldn’t keep it clean and consistent so he could manage to be a stronger character that people could recognize and understand his behavior from. They kept changing it between writers. It’s very clumsy character work in that way.
Then during some of this and especially currently, Damian’s basic personality gets shredded, just to make him a contrived cute character.
–
They give him short jokes that don’t work, because originally he was actually quite tall for his age, but they ignore that because the casual fan is rarely ever going to know that fact.
They even try to portray his heinous behavior as quirks.
In the build up to Super Sons, Damian Wayne kidnapped Jon Kent and looked like he was going to begin to conduct an experiment on him because Damian thought Jon was going to become hazardous, and it appeared as if he was going to murder him.
Despite having super powers, Jon Kent was raised as a practically normal kid, went to school like a normal kid, and his behavior is a normal kid. He wasn’t a superhero yet besides moments where he had to be.
He was a practically normal kid who thinks like a normal kid, and got kidnapped to some mysterious place to be threatened by a stranger.
Superman came busting in to save his own child from the horrendous position Damian put Jon in.
and then the next step in the story treats all of this as if it was cute and quirky, because Clark and Bruce set their kids up on a play-date to learn to get along, and treat Jon’s potential trauma that he realistically would have as nothing and ignore what he would most likely have, because that wouldn’t be cute to anyone, and that’s all they wanted. For Damian to seem quirky and cute.
Even in the very first issues of Super Sons, Damian stalks Jon Kent for the whole day while he’s at school using disguises and even breaks into his home at night while Jon’s vulnerable sleeping.
Horrifying behavior
and stuff that was previously taken very seriously and presented as horrifying behavior before, but by this time they treat it like it’s a cutesy quirk, and have Jon shrug it off like it wouldn’t be terrifying having a stalker. They treat it like “aw Damian wants a friend”.
I’ve even seen people try to force a romance between them into it.
Characters don’t even question the behavior that much besides a few moments that feel ignored in their own right because the writer’s don’t want Damian to be viewed as unlikable for it, and waste every opportunity to craft a story that’s worth Damian’s character.
Sometimes some writers even add in nonsensically cutesy moments for him like riding his dog out of no where for him to seem more quirky,
ignoring the history with his animals and how he treats them with the upmost respect because they helped him gain an understanding of empathy after being brainwashed since birth.
Something full of depth and good moments simplified to make him cute.
He isn’t cute.
He shouldn’t ever be cute as a character trait.
He does horrible things. To simplify him and change him for lazy writing is a disservice to his character.
Genuinely allow Damian to be Damian in stories that are worth his character instead of forcing him into crap that he doesn’t belong in because you have to change him for it to work.
If you have to change a character to fit them in you shouldn’t use that character.
He’s a character that’s been wasted several times only to woobify him, and I’m desperate for him to be in a comic that can actually use his character well instead of continuing the trend.
For me it’s again and again and again they waste Damian’s character, ignore his previous history, force him into boxes he doesn’t fit into, and not too many people ever call it out-
-because when I see people do it (respectably may I add, I’m not counting the jerks) they typically just get insulted for it aggressively even when it’s purely just for critical thought.
For me I can’t help but go back and forth on my opinion of him because while I find aspects of his character interesting, and very possible for good stories, the longer his character continues the more bad writing no one acknowledges continues. It’s frustrating for me.
Damian was one of the characters that helped me get back into DC comics, I was another person who came into the fandom because as a kid I enjoyed the Batman and Teen Titans cartoons, and then later on as a teenager I found “Batman vs Robin” I thought it sounded cool and watched it, found it interesting, and after a while I got into the comics the characters spawned from.
When I started, it could be argued Damian and Jason were my favorites, but after reading an absolute crap ton of comics, Tim was the one I was able to read 200 comics in a row for, while Damian’s writing annoyed me more and more because I just kept seeing more flaws that ruined the connotation of his character for me.
It still frustrates me because they dropped the ball with him repeatedly like he bounces.
So if it helps you feel better, as a person who has a heckuva lotta thoughts on the character, and has read crap tons of comics with him in it, I have a love hate relationship with him.
He had good potential, but the writers ruined him for me. They had no idea how to use him right, so I think it’s a-okay if you don’t like him.
It’s nothing to worry about, at least to me, because there is continuous problems with his writing that are valid, in my eyes at the very least.
Even though I still believe he deserves a better writer to actually get stories befitting of his character.
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Hi! I've seen you say a couple of times you didn't like the Red Robin series from before Tim's writing got taken out back and shot, and since I agree with you on a lot of Tim-stuff but i really liked that run i was wondering why. And if you don't want to get into it that's totally fine, but is there any chance you could direct me to a post where you did discuss it? I just really like your perspective even when I don't agree so I'm curious why you disliked that series.
I have a really complicated view on the series because it’s not so much that I don’t like all of it, it’s just I don’t like where it was starting to go.
The first arc is enjoyable to read for me (mostly).
It plays like how Tim probably would in the nightmare-ish situation that he’s put into. He’s confused and conflicted the entire time, and doesn’t fully know what’s going on. He’s a bit more violent because he’s angry (Tim did have moments of anger even if people aren’t always aware of it), he’s in the shadows more. It just feels like Tim having a mental breakdown and dealing with his crap situation.
So overall that part of it is good to me even if I don’t like overly edgy stuff.
–
The scene were Tim becomes Red Robin is awful though, everyone’s out of character.
Tim wouldn’t punch Damian unless Damian attacked first, or he thought Damian was going to attack someone.
Dick wouldn’t just strip Tim of Robin without talking to him first about it. Dick knows Tim has depression, and Dick knows the pain of having Robin taken away from you.
and Damian seems completely uneffected by his dad (the only reason he’s really there) being killed, almost the point he seems happy about it because of how the artist draws him being sassy and smirky without a sense of deflection (him in general is out of character here).
It’s a really crappy scene to me. Just absolutely bad. It feels like it was written in 5 minutes because they realized they forgot about it. One of my least favorite scenes in any of those character’s history.
–
The reason why I don’t like it though, is more of how it seems to slightly turn after that first arc, after he beats Ra’s and what not. It feels like FabNic (who took over at that point), just did not care about Tim, and how the character is. It felt like he wanted to turn him into a Batman Jr type and not really write who Tim is.
I don’t feel like Tim would have a hit-list type deal, I don’t feel like he’d try to kill Boomerang, or I guess more accurately, do anything that in the long run would result in his death. Just the overall turn they make Tim take as a character feels more like they wanted him to be closer to an anti-hero or Batman than how he’d actually be.
Just the fact they tried to give him his own Catwoman makes it feel more like they wanted him to be more Batman Jr, then his own self.
He was offended when YJ implied he would ever have a way to figure out how to defeat them, and he cried when he thought Bruce killed someone.
You could say it was a matter of his negative character development, but if I’m remembering correctly there was a few moments before FabNic took over where Tim said he was getting better, and seemed to be wanting to improve even if he didn’t want to fully admit he needed to improve because he didn’t really like who he had to be during that first arc.
So for him to go on and do these gritty Batman-esque things and even full anti-hero things just feels very un-Tim. Even just Tim’s views on becoming like Batman, and how strong his will is shown to be to overcome situations a kid like him shouldn’t be able to overcome, makes it feel like doing that is at least a touch out of the way for him.
I don’t feel like Tim would do those things even at where he is in the Red Robin story, because Tim has felt guilty for feeling like he was responsible for someone losing their life because he wasn’t fast enough, even to the point of PTSD from feeling like he resulted in someone dying. I don’t feel like Tim could ever kill someone willingly like how they imply in the last issue of Red Robin. It could’ve been the worst note for the last hint of Pre-New 52 Tim for the time being to land on, because it didn’t set up who Tim was. It feels more like it was setting up how New 52 Tim was going to be.
Every time I get to that part of the series I feel like I’m reading stuff written by a guy who didn’t have an interest in Tim because he thought him being a geeky dweeb wasn’t cool or interesting, so he tried to take advantage of his gritty life during the first arc and before and turn him into someone that they personally liked.
There’s glimpses of Tim still there. There’s moments that feel like Tim, the inner monologue has dweebie comments that feel like Tim. Moments of softness that feel like Tim, and even what Tim was like during the first arc.
It’s just that other stuff there that feels almost like there was a editorial note to make him someone different than who he was. Like Tim didn’t matter, just what they wanted to have in a character.
Something about it just started to feel too disconnected from Tim to feel like the natural continuation of the character from that point.
Too much like a vague selfish desire was there to change what wasn’t broken.
Then it continued into the New 52 Tim where he was a borderline sociopath at some moments and didn’t feel like Tim at all.
To me the New 52 Tim was just exaggerating the stuff set up for a decent chunk of Red Robin to the point that Tim was almost completely unrecognizable as a character.
I guess in a way I’m trying to say it was starting to set-up that decade of bad Tim writing that’s still having trouble with getting better.
So many misinterpretations have came from Red Robin because the latter problem of it tries to hard to change him rather than show how he actually is. So people have this view of him as being a master-manipulator. Which admittedly has started before Red Robin, but really set into process after.
It started a process of Tim being unrecognizable in a way that’s still being felt today.
Other characters have changed but they still feel recognizable. During parts of Red Robin it feels like they didn’t want for him to be nearly as recognizable.
So I just have difficulty liking Red Robin because of it.
It gets put on a pedestal for being the best Tim series, but doesn’t do a good job of showing how the character is because eventually it gets so focused on changing him into something he’s not.
In a way it’s not so much the quality of the writing, it’s more of the ability for it to care about it’s main character, and I don’t feel like it cares about Tim.
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