A recent discussion in runespoor7's thread on Batman and Jason as Robin , and particularly sistermagpie's Really, I think what mostly happened was that the role/character of Robin and Robin-types have just changed. In the early years he and Batman were together and it was fun. Nowadays it's not like there aren't teen superheroes. Robin and Nightwing had their own books etc. They're just not so much sidekicks as apprentices. They're all connected but they don't have to be working together. Which in a weird way totally works in this universe. If Batman is this crazy Dark Knight fighting crime I can totally believe other young people being drawn to him to the banner of the bat and training. The Knight and Squire were sort of attempts to introduce goofy English characters but maybe those titles aren't that far off.
Made me think about Bat sidekicks and apprentices, and especially the way Batman and Cass are written below. I love the idea, and especially love how it applies to Cass.
dr_hermes also recently posted about sidekicks (Bucky:) here.
Also, I was feeling a bit negative about some current goings-on with the women of the Batverse, and it made me want to post something positive, some of Batgirl #27, because it's got really well-written characters who happen to be women of the Batverse. And gorgeous art. And a fun story.More about that in a minute.*
First though, also from #27, is Cass's characterization and the place we find Batman here, somewhere between intense loner Batman and mentor Batman. I really love the way both he and Cass are written in this story.
That's all we see of him in this issue. I love how he looks like hell and how Cass responds. Also the way he treats her. As a peer, more than anything else. He's neither particularly nice nor particularly rude. He could easily be talking to an adult male superhero. And neither of them say very much at all, but their characters shine through perfectly.
EDITED TO ADD: (because I don't think I was clear about this, and it's the main reason I like this scene:) I love that she used the word 'different'. Versus something much more unflattering, which most of the Bats would have said. The way it implies a lack of value judgment about grooming (because Cass doesn't care about things like that anyway, all that much, she's a total one-of-a-kind character and I love that she gets to be a female character who's the way she is-not girly** at all, and very much an individual) but total judgment on Cass's part about the psyche of the person she's observing. I love the way that's handled for her character, just with that one word choice.
(*More pages of this story can be found here, where nevermore999 did a Super-Steph post about Cass and Steph's friendship. From Batgirl 27: Kelley Puckett, Writer; Phil Noto, Penciller; Robert Campanella, Inker.)
**Not that there's anything wrong with that, but I LOVE seeing female characters who get to be themselves, and written on an individual basis versus a stereotype. Men too.
Interestingly, though, at least to me, is the fact that regardless of what we personally feel about Batman, sidekicks and apprentices, we're about to get traditional Batman and Robin sidekick pairing. Even though Michael Marts assures us to Trust us, this isn’t your parents’ Dynamic Duo–expect the unexpected (including the surprising return of several characters)! Over on the DCU blog, here. Along with preview pages and other Batstuff.)
I certainly do believe Batman/Dick and Robin/Damian won't be Batman/Bruce and Robin/Dick, Tim or Jason, but it looks like it's back to the old model Batman with a sidekick-whose-name-is-in-the-title-of-the-book-too. At least for a while.
Also, please note the curious way Batgirl is barely mentioned in that blog post.
BATGIRL #1 Written by Bryan Q. Miller Art by Lee Garbett & Trevor Scott Cover by Phil Noto Variant cover by J.G. Jones
In the wake of "Batman R.I.P." and BATTLE FOR THE COWL, a new heroine has emerged in Gotham City, and as she begins her nocturnal crusade to take back the night, she will truly learn what it means to wear the mantle of the Bat. But who is this young woman, and why has she donned the cape and cowl?
On sale August 19 - 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US
(Am I the only one who likes to call a female hero a hero?)
Here are some other favorite sentences from the solicits:
Bruce Wayne is dead…long live Bruce Wayne!
Making matters worse, Red Robin's got an unwanted ally – Ra's al Ghul!
(For Batman Goes to Moscow) Find out what happens when the Bat meets the Bear!
He's dazzling, he's dangerous and he's got his sights set on Harley Quinn! Spoiler! It's New!Bruce Wayne.
Also, discover what happened in the days after BATTLE FOR THE COWL?
It's the question mark on the last one that makes me smile the most. I just wish it said, "Also, discover what happened in BATTLE FOR THE COWL?"