Re: In which I describe my one false note in detail... Damian didn't have loving parents (I thought Talia was loving?)
Was Talia loving? She displayed love and affection for him during the 'Resurrection' storyline, but before that she seemed willing to put him in grave danger and, according to Damian himself, was rarely there for him when he was growing up. It seems to me she was quite happy to use him as a tool, and Damian probably picked up on that. She later seemed to be blindsided by her own affection for the little creature, but that may have been too little, too late. Alfred is echoing statements made earlier by Bruce, so if the butler is daft so is his master.
What's wrong with Dick finding him aristocratic? In this context it sounds like Dick is using it as a synonym for 'snob.'
I'm still about 75% sure that Damian isn't Bruce's kid, so I'm with you on that. I think it would ultimately be a much stronger story if he wasn't.