Well, it's official - Interview with Grant Morrison confirms new Dynamic Duo ID's

[icon_uk.insanejournal.com]

(Sadly it's not the pairing from my icon, but you can't have everything)

From new interview with Grant Morrison at IGN here

IGN Comics: So let's talk about the new team of Dick Grayson and Damian. What's their dynamic like?

Morrison: There's just real friction between them. Damian doesn't respect Dick Grayson at all, and Dick Grayson is kind of this consummate superhero. The guy has been Batman's partner since he was a kid, he's led the Teen Titans, and he's trained with everybody in the DC Universe. So he's a very different kind of Batman. He's a lot easier; He's a lot looser and more relaxed. At the same time Damian is pretty hard to deal with. The characters are just amazing fun to write. Sparks fly all around them.

IGN Comics: You've said this is all part of the greater Batman story you're telling. I'm assuming you knew you wanted to bring Dick and Damian in once you took Bruce Wayne off the map with RIP and Final Crisis. I think some fans are wondering why you didn't want to tell the story of how Dick assumed the mantel of the Bat?

Morrison: I wanted to just come in – I know some fans don't like this approach – but I like to just come in when the story is underway and the fun has started. I thought that background stuff could be taken as read. Tony Daniel's dealing with those details in Battle for the Cowl, and the basics have been laid down. Apart from that, everything you need to know about the intervening time and how Dick and Damian got together gets explained over the next year of Batman and Robin anyway. It's all in the story. I just didn't want to front load it with expository material, because I wanted to jump straight into action with the characters, to be honest.

For legality, a couple more upcoming JG Jones Batverse covers

Comments

[moneyless_jew.insanejournal.com]

I love it. I love that he's writing for Dick.

I don't like Tim potentially getting the shaft, but we'll see what happens. I like Damian.

[jarodrussell.insanejournal.com]

I thought Scans Daily was all for Tim getting the shaft. ;)

[colonel_green.insanejournal.com]

This calls for a Bucky-Cap vs. er, Dickman (?) crossover!

[sherkahn.insanejournal.com]

No, not Dickman... Bat-Dick. Always The Bat first.

[sistermagpie.insanejournal.com]

So Damian doesn't respect Dick at all. But he's going to be Robin. That sounds like a turnaround--a Batman working for Robin as a disciplinarian/nanny.

As I said in some other thread, I don't hate Damian and even found him funny at points, but he still feels like he's from some other universe. In this one people take killing seriously and are committed to protecting the innocent and training under Batman. Even kids who try hard sometimes don't make the cut. There's just nothing about Damian that would recommend him for Robin.

But now there's a bratty, entitled killer kid who would be funny to work with that because hey! Sparks a-flyin! But it seems like the only reason this kid would be Robin is because Bruce Wayne is his bio-dad (and biological kids rule--he's got more midochlorians!) and more importantly, Grant Morrison is his fictional creator dad. So he's just entitled or something.

I'll wait and see how he's going to explain how these two "got together" but already Damian seems more like a Robin for an AU wacky episode of an animated show rather than a kid ready to make the commitment to be Robin. I like both Goofus and Gallant but sometimes Gallant's way does earn the rewards. Robin's supposed to be the one undergoing trials to prove himself here. If he doesn't want to do that, doesn't respect Batman (who is Dick) then why doesn't he just keep walking? He can improve his character by joining a basketball team or something.

[icon_uk.insanejournal.com]

I can actually see the dichotomy working there; We have Dick, the non-biological child who is everything Batman could ever want in a son. Damian who IS the biological son, who is everything Batman would be appalled by in a child.

Dick not wanting to see Damian go to the bad, for Bruce's sake, would be a good motivator for him, and Damian is too arrogant to back down if Dick challenges him. And Dick's had MUCH more experience at handingling wayward kids from his times leading the Titans than almost any other character in the DCU. He's also probably the only one who could get through 24 hours without killing Damian.

[parsimonia.insanejournal.com]

everything you need to know about the intervening time and how Dick and Damian got together gets explained over the next year of Batman and Robin anyway. It's all in the story.

In other words...BftC = filler. :D

[interrobamf.insanejournal.com]

I don't even think it pretended otherwise.

[escherichiacola.insanejournal.com]

I'm just here to giggle over the "sparks fly" comment.

[unknownscribler.insanejournal.com]

What would be really really sweet is the first thing Bruce sees when he returns is the Joker beating Damien to death.

[foxhack.insanejournal.com]

*groans*

Really? Are you kidding? Blah. There goes Nightwing, or maybe Tim will be Nightwing.

[icon_uk.insanejournal.com]

But surely the only Nightwing in the DCU is Chris Kent? I'm not aware of any others... :)

[kagome654.insanejournal.com]

I am really looking forward to this. It sounds like it could be a lot of fun. Hopefully by the end Damian will have learned that he's damn lucky to be working with someone like Dick.

Or maybe Dick will be so sick of him by then he'll just slather the kid in BBQ sauce and toss him to Harley's hyenas. Either way, I'm just going to (hopefully) enjoy the ride.

[box_in_the_box.insanejournal.com]

Hopefully by the end Damian will have learned that he's damn lucky to be working with someone like Dick.

Judging from how the dynamic between Scott and Emma worked out - with Scott being described beforehand by Morrison as similarly uber-competent, and Emma being described by Morrison as "wonderfully bitchy" - I sincerely doubt it, since THAT one played out with Scott turning into a dope and becoming Emma's bitch, while Emma was given a pass by Morrison to do whatever she wanted.

No, the sexual part of that dynamic won't be recreated, but since Damian is quite clearly a favorite of Morrison's, I wouldn't be surprised to see Dick starting to back down to Damian, or maybe even thinking OMG HE KNOWS EVEN MORE THAN I DO ABOUT HOW TO DO THIS

[moneyless_jew.insanejournal.com]

BTW, can someone explain to me the utterly confusing new Bat-title layout? What are Dini's books? I might try one for once.

[colonel_green.insanejournal.com]

Dini's books:

Gotham City Sirens - 2.99, Dini writing Harley, Ivy, and Catwoman.

Batman: Streets of Gotham, 3.99, Dini writing stories from various perspectives in Gotham; backup stories by Marc Andreyko featuring Gotham DA Kate Spencer/Manhunter.

I'll be picking up Rucka's new Batwoman-centric Detective Comics, and maybe one of Dini's, depending on previews/reception.

[midnightvoyager.insanejournal.com]

*quietly wanders off to find a large bottle of hopefully lethal pills*

[slicensmile.insanejournal.com]

I'm waiting to see how it'll all pan out, though Robin-Damian makes me want to explode a bit. Way to *completely shaft* Tim Drake, who has spent his entire life thus far trying to live up to Bat-hero-dom.

[box_in_the_box.insanejournal.com]

Damian gets the role because he benefits from the nepotism of being Batman's Morrison's son.

[jlroberson.insanejournal.com]

I think that if it's to be Dick, then it has to be Damian, for a few reasons. One is that Tim and Dick are just too close. They've argued before, but ultimately Dick is too much an older brother to be Batman to him. The second is that with Batman's attitude ratcheted down from Bruce's obsession, there's more room for friction in the situation, and Damian can provide that. And his viciousness balances out Dick's lack of same, and gives Dick something to teach him. Whereas with Tim it'd basically be big Robin-little Robin.

[box_in_the_box.insanejournal.com]

I actually think a Dick/Tim Batman/Robin sibling dynamic would be pretty interesting.

Of course, it doesn't help that I want to see Damian die even more than I ever wanted to see Jason Todd die, so there's that.

[box_in_the_box.insanejournal.com]

Considering that pretty much every single aspect of Morrison on Batman to date has been total fail, these interview comments do not encourage me.

Another poster had it exactly right - Morrison is showing entitled privilege toward one of his original characters, without doing anything in the writing to make that character worth it. Damian is basically dark!Poochie, and the sooner that little fucker gets fridged, the better.

And I once thought his tendencies on this score couldn't get any worse than when he ruined the character of Emma Frost ...

[kagome654.insanejournal.com]

I don't know, I'd say he's closer to 'The Wesley' or 'The Scrappy' than Poochie. After all, at least somebody other than his creator loved Poochie.

Jason will always be the Batfamily Poochie to me

[jarodrussell.insanejournal.com]

Apart from that, everything you need to know about the intervening time and how Dick and Damian got together gets explained over the next year of Batman and Robin anyway. It's all in the story.

It's just like my old English professor, Shmidt Von Standler, that I just made up used to say. He'd say, "Ledsworth," which wasn't my name, but I didn't mind, "Ledsworth, never let a thorough, understandable narrative stand in the way of a tautology." I still think of Shmidt every time the moon is high, as I plunge by knife into the hearts of those I've been cursed to slay. I'll hate him until all have died for his sins.

[akodo_rokku.insanejournal.com]

...please have my manbabies.

[filthysize.livejournal.com (from insanejournal.com)]

I'm with Morrison. Frankly, we didn't need any of this Battle for the Cowl bullshit. You know that page at the end of RIP when Dick is standing near the river holding up the cowl. There's the Battle. Dick is Bats, Damian is Robin. Whatever. New status quo. Done. Let's get to the fun, shall we?

[batcookies.insanejournal.com]

Yes, let's get to the fun.

When is Morrison's Reign of Terror over?

[batcookies.insanejournal.com]

I really can't wait for Morrison to start.

Because the sooner he starts the sooner he'll finish, and if I'm very very lucky, he'll take Damian with him as he leaves.

In the meantime we're stuck with a 7 year old brat that's as omni-skilled as Bruce (when Bruce is written by someone that hasn't turned him into the omnipotent Batgod).

[thebigapricot.insanejournal.com]

He's 7? In my state he would have to ride in a booster seat in the back seat of the Batmobile.

[ladymirth.insanejournal.com]

Blah, blah, blah I don't care, WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN TO MY TIMMY? The only way I'm going to forgive DC for this mess is if they give Red Robin his own series and bring Spoiler back.

And as far as I'm concerned, Helena Kyle is Bruce's only biological child and if poor Jason couldn't be redeemed, neither should Damien the hell brat.

I reject your reality and substitute my own!

[icon_uk.insanejournal.com]

And as far as I'm concerned, Helena Kyle is Bruce's only biological child

The Helena who was Bruce's was Helena Wayne.

And any universe which doesn't acknowledge Terry Wayne (http://the-blackcat.deviantart.com/gallery/#Cabbage-Patch) isn't worth the having IMHO!

[seawolf10.insanejournal.com]

Ugh. Morrison really needs to do his own independent properties or something and stay the hell away from DC. (Can't speak for his Marvel stuff due to lack of experience, but what little I saw of it, I didn't like.) The only good ideas he's had in the entire span of time since his run on JLA ended were some of the minor characters introduced in 52. Just about everything else has been complete shit.

So what's the consensus, boys and girls? Is Morrison's collapse into utter failure and hackery a delayed effect from all the hallucinogens he took in his youth (assuming he ever stopped taking them), or is it just his fame for past efforts going to his head and making him lazy?

[suzene.insanejournal.com]

Hearing a writer outright state that he's only doing the fun parts of the job and has passed off the scuttwork to someone else has me leaning toward "lazy". Not that this is anything new for Morrison -- the guy's great as an idea-man, but his follow through tends to leave a lot to be desired.

[runespoor7.insanejournal.com]

You know, as long as Damian is retconned revealed not to be blood-related to anyone in the Batfamily, I'll be happy to try. It'd be nice to see him fail before that, too. I'd be interested in Damian's growth as a character.

I also want a pony.

Anyway, at least it'll be interesting to see Dick teaching him.

[oddpuppets.insanejournal.com]

I am so conflicted.

On one hand, from what I am reading here, Morrison *gets* Dick. He's not the moody replacement but the prodigal son coming into his own and taking up his father's mantle with his own wonderful charm. And that's really reassuring, since I can count on one hand authors who I think just GOT Dick in the past few years (Casey and Tomasi are the only ones on the tip of my tongue).
And this is the guy who did We3, All-Star Superman, JLA.

On the other hand, he managed to make an absolute hash of Batman during his run, with only a few redemptive issues.

I'm just hoping that he's got over his 'Bat-God' fetish and 'Batman is like James Bond!' and really tries to do something interesting and true to the mythos and characters.

[liarashadowsong.insanejournal.com]

Hm... so if Dick is going to be Batman, and Damien will be Robin, does that mean that Tim is going to take up the mantle of Nightwing? (Or maybe he'll take the codename Flamebird instead.) And Damien better shape up; I seem to recall him being a poorly-written little brat with Mary-Sue powers, and that better change in a realistic manner for something better. In the meantime, I'm sure Dick will fill the role of Batman well (assuming Dixon writes him properly), and Tim will make a marvelous Nightwing (assuming I'm right in this supposition, which I'd better be, because being Nightwing - or Flamebird, or something like that - is the only way I can see him not getting neglected as a character under the circumstances).

[icon_uk.insanejournal.com]

No, Tim will be Red Robin by most accounts. The identity of Nightwing is currently being used by Chris Kent over in Superman's titles.

[(Anonymous)]

Like we didn't already know this. They're not the best with secrecy. xD

Also, there's a rumour, not sure of source, (wanna say Lying in the Gutters which is really reliable) that says the current line up of Bat books will last 12 issues.

In the mean time, I'll be reading Green Lantern and ignoring everything coming from Gotham.