Scarification (Detective Comics #790)

[zechs80]

It's Batman day, and I've come out from lurking to post this entry that features a special (and long missed) guest star teaming with Bruce on a case.






This tale was posted long ago (links are all dead), but I haven't seen it posted recently so what better time to post this? Short summary is there's a new lethal drug hitting the streets of Gotham and after the sixteenth victim related to taking the drug is put in the morgue, Bruce is on the case and has tracked down one of the drug's dealers:





Thankfully, the dealer has an angel in Cass, who saves and returns back him to Bruce. Cass watches as Bruce gets a little more vicious than usual with the dealer, who finally cracks in telling him the place he picks the drugs up.





Bruce eventually bags the dealer, but still has something obviously chewing him. Instead of going to Dick, Barbara, Alfred, or Tim he chooses Cass:

Comments

[starwolf_oakley]

I like "Bruce knows how screwed up he is" stories. Maybe that's the reason Batman can be such a jerk: other superheroes aren't as screwed up and he doesn't get why. (And it is not because they have powers and he doesn't. Bruce isn't that petty.)

[zapbiffpow]

Jesus, this was heartbreaking. I love how Bruce tells all those little details about Jason as a Robin like the ice cream and the color green and just being all parent-y.

I didn't even know Red Hood liked green.

[lucean]

I loved that issue and how they managed to give so much humanity to Bruce's decision and his relationship with Cass.

At the same time, though, the issue makes me sad for two reasons. First by showing the initial plans and motivations for War Games and how badly they were messed up by the last-minute editorial decisions and how much room it seemed to take from Cass for no good reason. Secondly how much larger and better role Jason had within the Bat-verse as Bruce's failure than as the current bland shooter running around. My opinions, of course.

[zechs80]

There's a third reason too that makes me sad too. This is probably the last time Cass appeared in Detective Comics. :(

[lucean]

I hadn't thought of that until you mentioned, but that's true.

I sometimes wondered in hindsight for that particular crossover how much their plans were altered by the editorial's decision to make Steph Robin a couple of months before killing her off and what dynamics were altered because of that. The reason I mention my that is that before the last minute push for Steph, I kind of felt they were solidifying Cass's role a lot more in the books and in this one story managed to so beautifully capture what she brought dynamic-wise to the Bat-clan by making her someone who could understand Bruce's desire to protect those who were not forced to become who they were. Just based on the initial build up for WG, I somewhat suspected they would have continued to focus on that relationship before they were jerked towards Steph again.

[ablackraptor]

I do like the idea that Bruce's reluctance to accept Steph was motivated out of his regret over Jason's death, and how similar the two are, and its what I liked about the times he actually supported and tried to train her, because it showed actual growth for him to be able to realize he can't control these kids and if he wants them to be safe, the best thing he can do is make sure they hve the training and equipment to survive instead of just telling them to stop after its made clear they won't quit.
The fact that he constantly gave up on Steph over the smallest of mistakes was really the worst part about his dynamic with Steph, especially since, when he was actually not being a jerk, the two had a great dynamic. It probably helps that she's a lot more like Dick than Jason, really, but still.