I think the problems with idea of Bruce making Jason dye his hair black and why it's so brushed off is because it's stated in the Morrison run and seems comically evil or abusive to people, so people who don't think Bruce abusive are against it and people who DO think Bruce abusive doesn't fit in with the jaybin times, or think its a bit much
This idea is stated in comic in the B&R Morrison run, to quote the panel "When I was Robin, Batman made me dye my hair to look like more Grayson." But I STAND BY the fact it is absolutely a valid interpretation on its own. Someone reading pre-crisis CAN absolutely come to this interpretation no Morrison required
And I am just. Really trying so desperately to fight how it's constantly getting insulted or brushed off as an idea or interpretation. Like god please even my own posts about it before had some using it to prop the fact it's a ridiculous idea with no basis in pre. Please I'm so tired
Let's examine pre-crisis, and get some notes out of the way. YES Jason put on the Robin suit on his own without input from Bruce. YES Jason dyed his hair first without input from Bruce.
I am referring to how, in universe/watsonian- he had to keep it up.
And as I stand, it's VERY easy to make Bruce not comically evil about it. In fact, it's remarkably easy to Bruce do it ENTIRELY accidentally. I believe Bruce would never INTEND for Jason to feel he has to dye his hair to look like Dick- maybe Jason saying Bruce "made" him to do it is wrong if thatll help ypur interpretation. But the matter at hand here is what Bruce, intentionally or not, would make Jason believe
What's in pre-crisis that makes this? While initially Bruce is against seeing Jason in the Robin suit- it's quite a shock as briefly thought Jason was Dick. As SOON as permission is granted from Dick, Bruce is all over it. He is joyous, he smiles the whole time, he doesn't correct anyone who thinks the dynamic duo is back and the original Robin is back in town.
That's actually a major part of pre-crisis and Jason in general to me, the fact Jason doesn't get his own separate identity, he doesn't feel like he's the next to bear a mantle, he feels like.. Robin. Not a new one like he is- but to be SEEN as the original. He brings no changes to the costume (considering his complaints about pants, I certainly see it as him believing he's not allowed to change it- its the same situation as the hair dye) he brings no new weapons, not even his own hair color, nothing unique to Jason is brought into the identity for the world and general population to see. The EXTENT is him having heart bangs during Dick's sidesweep era, but thats.. so small. And even THEN one could try and bring up the argument that it's similar to an established Dick hairstyle anyway
Jason hated being compared to Dick. One of his closest friends in pre-crisis was Harvey Bullock, after Harvey recognized him as a different Robin. His has a whole conversation with Donna about how she's treating him like Dick instead of Jason. Jason, even if doing it himself without orders from Bruce, would not see himself as willingly doing it or wanting to do it- to him, its not an active choice he's making. He'd be doing it to please Bruce
And, one of the first things Batman does when Jason dons the suit for real is like. Immediately as soon as Dick's gone say that Jason would be selfish for having his own identity- that'd itd be ego gratification. As soon as Jason accepts Robin, Batman effectively cuts Jason off from the costume he had before with this conversation. Jason brings up concerns of all his actions being attributed to Robin- and Batman compares it to if HE revealed his identity as Bruce Wayne- which is why it never works with it's intent of being a "dont be a hero for selfish reasons" speech to me.
Batman is wrong for this- he showed a VERY positive to reaction to Jason being Robin compared to Jason's own identity- he said he had no regrets. he makes his joy clear. No matter what he intends or wants or believes, a child will be able to see the preference and act in response. Batman LEARNS from this- as Tim will come around with his own completely distinct costume and style- and none of the others even feel like they have to dye their hair. Sure, maybe Jason had a pretty good run overall with Batdad but that doesn't mean Bruce doesn't fuck it up ever, he fucks it up alot, such is the life of Bruce Wayne
Like- I think it's important to stress that Bruce- especially 80s Bruce- doesn't really.. recognize consequences to his own actions? And that's a bit notable in viewing here.
NOW. If we're saying Jason kept the Robin suit and that's on him. As far as I see it Bruce was way too late in receding that and going like hey,, you don't HAVE to be Robin if you don't want to... Because like. He ALREADY made his position clear AND this is tied to Jason being beaten by the villain- After Quilt Man attacks Jason for being Robin is when Bruce is like hmm i mightve made an error. And like, what are the chances Jason wouldve seen that as Bruce saying Jay isn't good enough to be Robin. He would NEVER take that. Jason needs to prove himself. Also Jason is like. Being kinda mind controlled when this happens anyway. So.
And this all goes down to this. Jason is meant, in some way, to be seen as Dickbin. Jason himself does not like this, but the preference of Bruce is clear, the doors that open for Jason after he accepts Robin are clear (as I recall, it felt he had to stop fighting quite so hard to be allowed to work vigilantism). Bruce puts in Jason that Jason having his own identity is bad and wrong of him to want. Bruce prefers a sidekick he can mistake for Dick still being there having Robin by his side
If Jason can't make Robin is own, yeah, him having to dye his hair is gonna follow. It's also why any interpretations I see where Jason has a different costume from Dick i don't like because Jason being a "copy" of Dick is MAJOR to his story and always will be to me
Just. Stop saying the very IDEA is some ridiculous made up idea for edgy points please. This is how I genuinely interpret pre-crisis, which were the first Jason comics I read, and I am. so tired. I'm so tired
"That's not canon anymore" alot of pre-crisis actually is still canon in some form, canon is a coin flip entirely decided by who's writing at the time, the idea is spoken into canon during a run where Jason IS dying his hair and this conversation is about that + precrisis itself, not all of canon. Also honestly at this point it feels like DC is trying to make none of 80s jaybin canon if they could. And are we not all taking from various canons for our own interpretations? Also figuring out whats current canon and what's not in comics sounds like a genuine nightmare
I'm not even saying that you need to accept and adopt this into your your interpretation just stop being an ass about it. more people than morrison like it. and for more than morrison </3
IM fully blaming Bruce for this. Btw. I'm not even implying it's in any way Jason's fault also I'm attacking Bruce with my mind. He's TWELVE. STOP giving him complexes and identity issues!!! That's unrelated to the post but I need to make my stance clear I think this was very much a failure on Bruce's part and not his isolated lonely 12 yr old
