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scans_dailyI've been posting a series of variations on how Dick transitioned from Robin to Nightwing.
The original: -Titans Part and Bruce and Jason part
The post-Crisis revamp (With added dickishness)
The modified post-Crisi revamp (With unbelievable quantities of added dickishness)
And now... the DCAU variation...
Those who have seen the episode "Old Wounds", by Hilary Bader, Bo Hampton and Terry Beatty, where Dick recounts to Tim how he quit being Robin, may think they knew the whole story, but there was a lot more to it than that, and the "Batman Adventures - The Lost Years" five-issue miniseries, set you to fill in the gaps.
The first issue sets the tension up, and involves things like Dick (and Babs) graduating from college (Bruce misses the ceremony because of a Joker problem), Bruce finding that Dick is becoming more rebellious in his manner (asking questions when on a mission, daring to have a life outside of crimefighting, that sort of seditious behaviour) and Batgirl becoming more of a part of Gotham crimefighting life (and unlike Dick she follows orders).
At this point Babs doesn't know the Dynamic Duo's identities nor they hers. Dick and Babs have also been getting closer (as seen in the Batman: Sub Zero movie, which contrasts with their fairly intense dislike seen in earlier episodes and comics).
It also includes the scene from "Old Wounds" where Batman menaces a suspect in front of his terrified wife and kid, which Robin thinks is going MUCH too far and he storms out.
It ends with Bruce revealing to Babs that he's worked out she's Batgirl, and does so by revealing that he's Batman (and by association that Dick is Robin)
Issue 2 is the focus for us though...
A lot of the issue is Batman and Batgirl having to deal with the Joker's latest scheme. Dick isn't answering his communicator because he's stil pissed off with Batman, and is now back in civvies, wandering the streets of Gotham, which takes him to the docks... (Get your mind out of that gutter... I was there FIRST!) where, this being Gotham trouble lurks... But our hero (listening in on a bunch of thugs threatening a mousy accountant type) is a master of stealth... kinda.
Selina would be awed by your impersonation there Dickie-boy.
Love that his pose in this next panel is half Batman, half Superman...
And just for fun he shreds his clothing as he fights... this is an approach I can gte behind... (I'd always want to get behind him, the view would be better for one thing)
Dick then feels a hand on his shoulder and spins round to tattck, only to find out that it's the accountant type he's just saved. He stops himself before actually hitting him, and the victim reassures him that it's all right, that he was just acting on the adrenaline rush.
That's one of the few times that we've ever heard Dick say that, he's torn between wanting to be himself, with a wife and family of his own, and the all but impossible to emulate example that Bruce sets, sacrificing every chance for his own happiness to make the world a safer place.
Dick returns to the Batcave to talke to Bruce, only to find out about the Joker attack, and also realises that, what with Babs car parked out front, and neither Bruce nor Babs being here, but Batman and Batgirl out on a case, that she's Batgirl.
He arrives just in time to save Batgirl from a rather fatal plummet (again, as seen in "Old Wounds") and is secretly observed by one other person
Awww, who better to be the witness to the last flight of the old Robin than mini-Timmy Drake?
After the Joker is, inevitably, foiled, the confrontation comes. Dick is furious that Bruce has revealed their identities to Babs without consulting HIM, especially since he's had to conceal his identity from her for all this time on Bruce's orders. Batgirl tries to pacify matters between them, but that ship has LONG since sailed....
I confess that this next page is one of the reasons I started posting this series, it's a beautiful moment as, even when he's furious and angry and storming out of his life, Dick can't mistreat the Robin costume... and looks at it, perhaps for the first time, as a grown-up.
(Oh, and you can click on the above to get taken to my latest acquisition, the original inked art from that page, which, as it turns out, I unknowingly bought from someone already familiar to scans_daily, the creator of Batman and Sons, The Black Cat)
And so Dick sets off on his mission of self discovery, and Batman sadly acknowledges that the bird had flown the nest, and it's up to Dick Grayson, not Robin, to decide what his own future will be. Note that he doesn't hope that Dick will come back (though I'm sure he does) but is instead being a better father by hoping that Dick finds what HE needs, not what Bruce wants him to find.
The rest of the series follows Dick as he discovers what he needs to know, and what happens in Gotham before Tim shows up. I might post some more from this is there's interest as there's some fun moments in it.
The original: -Titans Part and Bruce and Jason part
The post-Crisis revamp (With added dickishness)
The modified post-Crisi revamp (With unbelievable quantities of added dickishness)
And now... the DCAU variation...
Those who have seen the episode "Old Wounds", by Hilary Bader, Bo Hampton and Terry Beatty, where Dick recounts to Tim how he quit being Robin, may think they knew the whole story, but there was a lot more to it than that, and the "Batman Adventures - The Lost Years" five-issue miniseries, set you to fill in the gaps.
The first issue sets the tension up, and involves things like Dick (and Babs) graduating from college (Bruce misses the ceremony because of a Joker problem), Bruce finding that Dick is becoming more rebellious in his manner (asking questions when on a mission, daring to have a life outside of crimefighting, that sort of seditious behaviour) and Batgirl becoming more of a part of Gotham crimefighting life (and unlike Dick she follows orders).
At this point Babs doesn't know the Dynamic Duo's identities nor they hers. Dick and Babs have also been getting closer (as seen in the Batman: Sub Zero movie, which contrasts with their fairly intense dislike seen in earlier episodes and comics).
It also includes the scene from "Old Wounds" where Batman menaces a suspect in front of his terrified wife and kid, which Robin thinks is going MUCH too far and he storms out.
It ends with Bruce revealing to Babs that he's worked out she's Batgirl, and does so by revealing that he's Batman (and by association that Dick is Robin)
Issue 2 is the focus for us though...
A lot of the issue is Batman and Batgirl having to deal with the Joker's latest scheme. Dick isn't answering his communicator because he's stil pissed off with Batman, and is now back in civvies, wandering the streets of Gotham, which takes him to the docks... (Get your mind out of that gutter... I was there FIRST!) where, this being Gotham trouble lurks... But our hero (listening in on a bunch of thugs threatening a mousy accountant type) is a master of stealth... kinda.
Selina would be awed by your impersonation there Dickie-boy.
Love that his pose in this next panel is half Batman, half Superman...
And just for fun he shreds his clothing as he fights... this is an approach I can gte behind... (I'd always want to get behind him, the view would be better for one thing)
Dick then feels a hand on his shoulder and spins round to tattck, only to find out that it's the accountant type he's just saved. He stops himself before actually hitting him, and the victim reassures him that it's all right, that he was just acting on the adrenaline rush.
That's one of the few times that we've ever heard Dick say that, he's torn between wanting to be himself, with a wife and family of his own, and the all but impossible to emulate example that Bruce sets, sacrificing every chance for his own happiness to make the world a safer place.
Dick returns to the Batcave to talke to Bruce, only to find out about the Joker attack, and also realises that, what with Babs car parked out front, and neither Bruce nor Babs being here, but Batman and Batgirl out on a case, that she's Batgirl.
He arrives just in time to save Batgirl from a rather fatal plummet (again, as seen in "Old Wounds") and is secretly observed by one other person
Awww, who better to be the witness to the last flight of the old Robin than mini-Timmy Drake?
After the Joker is, inevitably, foiled, the confrontation comes. Dick is furious that Bruce has revealed their identities to Babs without consulting HIM, especially since he's had to conceal his identity from her for all this time on Bruce's orders. Batgirl tries to pacify matters between them, but that ship has LONG since sailed....
I confess that this next page is one of the reasons I started posting this series, it's a beautiful moment as, even when he's furious and angry and storming out of his life, Dick can't mistreat the Robin costume... and looks at it, perhaps for the first time, as a grown-up.
(Oh, and you can click on the above to get taken to my latest acquisition, the original inked art from that page, which, as it turns out, I unknowingly bought from someone already familiar to scans_daily, the creator of Batman and Sons, The Black Cat)
And so Dick sets off on his mission of self discovery, and Batman sadly acknowledges that the bird had flown the nest, and it's up to Dick Grayson, not Robin, to decide what his own future will be. Note that he doesn't hope that Dick will come back (though I'm sure he does) but is instead being a better father by hoping that Dick finds what HE needs, not what Bruce wants him to find.
The rest of the series follows Dick as he discovers what he needs to know, and what happens in Gotham before Tim shows up. I might post some more from this is there's interest as there's some fun moments in it.
no subject
Date: 2013-06-23 02:54 pm (UTC)It might be better to just take isolated scenes from the thing - reading it all in one setting just gave me a migraine.
On a lighter... okay, not really... note, I'd interested in hearing your opinions on DCAU Internet authority Alex Weitzman's take on the Bruce-Dick-Barbara conflict, here:
http://worldsfinestonline.com/WF/sections/fanworks/edits/weitzman/01.php
no subject
Date: 2013-06-23 05:30 pm (UTC)As regards the comments in the link, interesting viewpoint and one I share to a certain extent.
It's true that the NBSA Batman was a somewhat different figure from the "classic" BTAS Batman, he was... colder, less balanced between Bruce Wayne and Batman IMHO,and part of that might be because of Dick's exit still hurting him.
Generally I think that Batman IS to blame for much of the breakup, and that the episode didn't do a good job of showing that, because it's Batman's show he HAS to be in the right, or you spend the rest of the season thinking "Geez, he's an asshole" which doesn't sit well with your target demographic, better to pass the blame on to the angry adolescent.
Dick's anger should have been built up more otherwise he just sounds like he's moody, whiny and throwing a strop, instead of someone who is wanting to be treated as an equal because he's earned that right.
As for Babs, I confess I've never been a fan of her as a character much, her origin as Batgirl WAS about seeking thrills, rather than the motivation of tragedy that is the norm, and whilst there should be room for variety of motivation of the Batfamily, without that tragedy she seemed to be... a slighter character. "Seeking justice for justice sake" is a noble motivation in and of itself and many of my favourite characters embody it, but for the third most prominent Gotham hero like Babs was when she deubted it seemed.. not quite as impressive. (Oracle on the other hand was all about overcoming tragedy)
When it comes to Bruce, if he intended to have the "telling Babs the truth" bit be something which was to make Dick's life easier he should have told him about it first.
And the Babs/Bruce relationship will never work for me, not because of the age thing, but because of the power relationships involved. Bruce is the defacto leader of the Gotham hero set, she is his partner/colleague, a personal, sexual relationship (unlike a familial one as in father and son Bruce and Dick) will never feel right to me.
no subject
Date: 2013-06-23 04:55 pm (UTC)This seems very reminiscent of when Batman revealed Tim's identity to Steph, though. At least, in those initial confrontation panels.
I can never decide which version of Dick giving up the Robin identity I like the most, to be honest. The Year One version is the one I'm the most familiar with, though.
no subject
Date: 2013-06-23 05:35 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2013-06-23 08:07 pm (UTC)Though it's a bit tainted by the fact that he starts knocking boots with Babs later on down the DCAU timeline. That always struck me as VERY weird.
no subject
Date: 2013-06-23 09:25 pm (UTC)That sums up DCAU Bruce pretty well, IMHO.
no subject
Date: 2013-06-23 08:17 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2013-06-23 08:58 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2013-06-24 12:37 am (UTC)It seemed like for years they were trying to figure out what to do with Dick Grayson's life when he wasn't being Nightwing. And it continues on, despite him being 4-8 years younger currently. I mean they should have wiped out his college career so that's something they could do for him
They're supposed to be younger but they don't feel it.
no subject
Date: 2013-06-24 09:24 am (UTC)In some ways it's even worse since DC's obsession that Dick is the one who "keeps on moving" means that he knows from the outset that the Robin gig is going to be short term and that just feels all sorts of wrong.
And I could also never see why excising his time as a college student was seen as a good idea by anyone. It would have been fun to see them address that and a college campus would be rife with story possibilities.
no subject
Date: 2013-06-24 03:03 am (UTC)At least in the pre-Flashpoint universe. The DCAU Bruce might be different.
no subject
Date: 2013-06-24 09:01 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2013-06-24 05:43 am (UTC)Really, the best kind of family conflicts are when it's nobodies fault. Dick has grown up, and that's completely altered the dynamic of their partnership to the point that friction is inevitable. That's why it's always so neat when Dick comes back as Nightwing, because then they can work together as equals and be friends, not mentor-student. It's the best way for that kind of relationship to mature. :)