When Batman's Been Dead - Batman & Robin 13: The Essence of Dick Grayson

[jlroberson]

Possible spoiler.

People may knock Morrison, or for that matter Frazer Irving(whom I like, and hope I don't see a cascade of flames here), on BATMAN & ROBIN. But for my own part, Morrison has taught me to respect Dick Grayson, and to understand what he is. And to me, this sequence, in the final panel, is the essence of what Dick Grayson is. He never gives up and there's always a way. If Batman is "justice", Grayson is "hope."


Also, you can knock Grant all you like, but Dr. Hurt's far more interesting than, say, Hush.(and I just noticed a tiny hint of Adams in Dick in that last panel. Probably unintended but neat)
(PS if interested: This week's LULU.)

Writer: grant morrison
Artist: frazer irving
title: batman & robin
character: batman/dick grayson
character: dr. hurt
character: robin/damian wayne
theme: when batman's been dead
publisher: dc comics
Have icons.

Comments

[arbre_rieur]

"Brief bloom"?

[jlroberson]

"You're finished." And the look in his eyes. Dick doesn't give up even at a moment like this.

[arbre_rieur]

No, I mean, "Why the hell is he saying 'brief bloom'"?

[dejadrew]

(shrug) Something bloomed briefly. I figured he was talking about someone dying young, or someone's time as a superhero coming to a premature end, or both. In context, either Dick or Damien. It was a little odd, just throwing it out there as an unattached noun ("farewell, brief bloom" or "now fades a brief bloom" would have been clearer in intent) but I didn't have a problem with the gist.

[jlroberson]

I think the way he says it implies contempt or mocking.

[stig]

You tell 'im, Dami!

[icon_uk]

Though it probably won't happen, there's a part of me that's really hoping that Dick has done something like call in the JLA here, just because it's the last thing Hurt would expect, and being prepared to ask for help is a very Dick Grayson thing to do, and one that distinguishes him from Bruce.

If Dick tries to outdo Hurt like Bruce would, he will lose because he's not Bruce, if he approaches it like Dick Grayson, completely ignores Hurt's Freudian motivation bullshit and treats him like just another deranged villain, he stands a much better chance.

[wizardru]

Dick doesn't need the JLA. It's the night of the eclipse and the return of the GOD DAMNED BATMAN. He knows Batman is coming from the future to kick Hurt's ass.

[icon_uk]

Ah, I didn't know Dick was aware of that.

[jlroberson]

Remember some hint is made of some power that Hurt expects connected to a black sun, the repeating event in RETURN, and connected with whatever booby trap Darkseid has laid for the world via Wayne.

Two things. Fucking Christ, FC isn't even OVER yet? Sorry, had to vent.

Second, this sounds like it could be Bruce's biggest mindfuck of all.

Or, and third: Grayson has been connected a lot to Lazarus Pits and the question of their use in this storyline. Just saying.

[jlroberson]

Hope he can pull that bullet back out of Dick's head then.

Although interestingly, though we're explicitly shown the shooting, we are just as explicitly shown no exit wound or blood. Dick's face is intact in the shot. It wouldn't be. I think that's meant as more than tasteful.

[benicio127]

I think that would seem like a bit of a repeat of the recent events in Red Robin where Tim called in his friends to help out against Ra's assassins.

[crinos]

I will admit Hurt may be interesting, but my problem with him is that they touted this guy as "The man who is going to kill Batman", when he SO didn't earn it.

I mean, if you're gonna do "Someone kills Batman" story, then use the Joker, or Ras Al'Ghul, Or Bane, or one of Batmans hundreds of established villains. Hell, even Black Mask has more business killing Batman than this clown.

But what do we get? Dr. Hurt and his legion of guys who look like they just took random costumes off a rack. (Including a Mime, a Luchador, and Big Daddy from Bioshock).

I mean, its like what they did with the Sentry, they create this new character and pretend like he's always been the most powerful and beloved hero in the history of Marvel Comics. Well, it would be nice if we could do something like that, but unless you pull a TARDIS out your ass, that shit aint happening.

[icon_uk]

Wholehearted agreement, the Club of Villains were touted as being "World class villains", the creme de la creme of international supervillainy, when by their actions they appeared to be the leftovers after a theme-villain recruiting drive during a slow week at the Iceberg Lounge. Constantly saying "We are scary villains" doesn't work when we don't see them doing anything that scary, and the one real achievement they did make (capturing Nightwing) happened offpanel.

But then, much as I love his quirky characters normally, Morrison's villains in his Batman have left me cold; Hurt, the Legion of Losers Club of Villains, Pyg, Flamingo, etc. The criminal sideshow gang had some potential (especially with Dick's circus roots), but they were more or less instantly forgotten.

[jlroberson]

I kind of want Hurt to end up actually being who he claimed. Though that would knock a foundation stone out of Batman, it would also create another, and also, I think part of the purpose of RETURN is to provide a reason to be Batman besides that your parents were killed, which we all complain it got reduced to anyway. Before he died he was a bitter, then a crazy fuck. It was indicative that angle was running out of things you can say.

If Hurt really turns out to be Thomas Wayne...well. I expect him to successfully FOOL people he is. But.

BTW, what's said above about Dick's way being to ignore Hurt's psychological BS--whereas Bruce would directly confront it, as he does with the Joker(and in this issue we see Dick not taking the Joker seriously to his face)--is also true. Dick is more about doing the job than proving anyone wrong as part of it; he could give a fuck. One can consider his constant talking when fighting as white noise to keep out what villains say, much as Spiderman uses his patter.

[cloud_wolf]

These pages are much better than the preview pages. I kinda got people's complaints about those but then I saw the page with Martha and Bruce with Thomas going "My wife... my son", you know the one, and I thought that one was brilliant. And I'm starting to like the crazy use of colour.

[jlroberson]

Yes, the one consciously made to look like an inversion of the cover of YEAR ONE part one. Those pages are all pretty amazing-looking.

Though now I'm wondering how Bruce survived, as Hurt had said before Bruce only lived because Chill lost his nerve, and yet there we see an apparently dead and bloody Bruce. The only way this can work is to explain how Bruce's memories conflict with what happened.

Also: Hurt coming back and pretending to be/actually being Thomas. Except the scandal that Hurt revealed has Thomas as its FOCUS. So I'm interested in how Hurt is going about this now, because obviously the plan has been modified since RIP, for those who have paid attention.

[joasakura]

so is damian threatening to cripple hurt because he's hurting dick?

if so, my love for the little bastard just shot up 10 points ;D

[jlroberson]

He is, and the Batman whose death will make Damian pledge his soul to the Devil to save Gotham might be this one.

And that becomes even more interesting when you consider all this "black sun" stuff we're building to. Whatever is coming when Brice returns, it appears Damian might be the one who saves the day. (I am fully expecting an ending a lot like that of ZENITH, actually, which wouldn't bother me)

[thehefner]

Also, you can knock Grant all you like, but Dr. Hurt's far more interesting than, say, Hush.

And in terms of Batman criminal masterminds who strike at him psychologically as Bruce Wayne to tear down both of his personas to in effect destroy and become him at the same time, Professor Hugo Strange is far more interesting than both.

[irrelevant]

This. Way more interesting the good old Ra's as well.

[ghosty732]

I think that Paul Dini did a lot for Hush, making him at least fill a unique role in Batman's Rogue Gallery. I can't say that much for Dr. Hurt.

[hoey]

Seeing as RoBW is coming to it's peak soon, how many "enemies/confidants/non-JLA/etc" know that this Batman isn't Bruce but Dick?

[jlroberson]

Seems like everyone's figured out this isn't the same Batman(just size alone would tell you that, and the smile). I think the Joker knows this is the guy who used to be Robin, and Gordon. Now, I am not sure who might think it's Grayson specifically, but Nightwing disappearing and Dick showing up to so many Bruce events is a bit obvious for someone who's looking, as Harvey proved not long ago.