princess koriand'r of tamaran really one of the characters of all time. reinvented cognitive behavioral therapy from first principles simply through the act of being one of the only emotionally regulated characters in dc comics. like she's been sold as a political prisoner twice. married for political reasons twice, both which ended in tragedy. komand'r. her parents are dead. the population of her planet is always in fucking peril. she is absolutely motivated by what's happened to her, but she is also very much like, the things that happened to me cannot be changed, and dwelling on them for the sake of it is an act of futility and does me no good in the long run. every day is a chance for me to do good, and that means that tomorrow i can do good, too :)
and everyone around her is like kory you are out of your fucking mind. that's not how we DO things on EARTH. on EARTH, we are ALWAYS traumatized and we NEVER heal. and she's like hey, have you considered that's not a good thing? and nobody ever listens. she's literally keeping the prince of dwelling on it in her purse because she is so fucking kind
Love the bits of Damian's early Robin tenure where he's shown to be impatient and uncaring for the clue finding aspect of the job. He wants to go-go-go, jump into the action, drop from the rafters, throw a punch, get into a fight; this sleuthing around, staying still, watching people through binoculars thing is boooorrriiinngggg. Can't wait to tweet about Dick's #BirdFacts. Dick's a freak (affectionate) and a show-off (derogatory). Steph stuffs her bra. Wanted to meet Cass, she seems wonderful. Is Katana single?
That's literally a ten year old. Not the anti-christ.
"Discowing" was unironically Nightwing's best costume. I'm sorry but it's true. It was the only one that has a completely distinct identity of its own based solely in Dick's character and wasn't just trying to be Batman Lite. Dick was an aerialist, so he dresses like an aerialist. He's a performer and a showman, so he dresses like one. Is it silly looking? Yes, because it's a superhero costume. I don't know if you noticed but Batman has pointy ears and wears his underwear on the outside and he looks completely fucking ridiculous. Get onboard or get the hell outta comics.
thats why in superman (2025) clarks dumb ass red underwear was a huge debate while trying to figure out the costume bc it looks stupid!! it looks stupid!! and they were worried it would take away from his coolness!! but the actor demanded they keep it! why? bc it adds to his character, clark wouldnt care about looking cool hed just be cool from his actions and you can see that from the movie!
superheros are camp! they have personalities!
trying to make them look cool doesnt work because coolness factor doesnt come from the outfit and dark and grittiness it comes from their fights and you can see that bc discowing is so cool in the comics!!!!
batman i can understand character wise turning to more black, bat like, colors. but do not LIE and say circus boy, traffic light colored his entire teenaged years, would not immediately go and be camp af
"Discowing" was unironically Nightwing's best costume. I'm sorry but it's true. It was the only one that has a completely distinct identity of its own based solely in Dick's character and wasn't just trying to be Batman Lite. Dick was an aerialist, so he dresses like an aerialist. He's a performer and a showman, so he dresses like one. Is it silly looking? Yes, because it's a superhero costume. I don't know if you noticed but Batman has pointy ears and wears his underwear on the outside and he looks completely fucking ridiculous. Get onboard or get the hell outta comics.
Since the highly publicized deaths of the Waynes, and the disappearance of their son, young Bruce Wayne, the family manor has been buried beneath uncertainty.
Alfred, alone within the mansion, knows the truth.
Young Bruce Wayne did not vanish into thin air, nor was he abducted by some second unseen criminal; little Bruce died that night alongside his parents, and now his small, tormented soul had returned to haunt his home.
As Alfred walked the vast halls of the manor, he could feel the heavy stare of the child spirit following him through the shadows, allowing itself to be glimpsed only as a vaguely humanoid stain at the edge of his vision.
The days pass, and the police —incompetent save for a select few— offer no answers regarding the disappearance of the Wayne heir.
And Alfred, trapped in the uncertainty of what will become of him, of the manor, of the little boy, begins to doubt.
They search for a living child.
A child theorized to have wandered into abandoned alleyways and empty streets, aimless and shocked after witnessing the deaths of his parents.
And perhaps he did.
Perhaps Bruce's body truly lies somewhere within those alleys, being slowly consumed by rats; and perhaps one day they will find him, forcing Alfred to surrender the manor to some distant relative, unaware that the rightful heir still remains there.
Watching.
But for now, the little stain follows him everywhere.
While he cleans, cooks, and tidies the manor, young Bruce always watches him. And Alfred knows it is him because he wants to believe it is him —small and harmless.
The only time Alfred manages to separate himself from the thing is at night, when he makes a brief stop at the boy's bedroom, pretending to dust away nonexistent dirt until, from the corner of his eye, he sees the child climb into bed as he used to while alive, beneath soft sheets and half a dozen pillows.
Alfred leaves him there, as though he were merely sleeping, and does not see him again until morning, when he resumes his duties while waiting for the phone call from the police that might finally break the routine with news of a body.
Or something close to one.
And still, the call never comes.
And every day, Alfred realizes the stain looks less like a stain, and more like a person.
Little by little, it begins to resemble the Bruce from before the tragedy; less blurred, more visible. Its face slowly forms from shadow, and color gradually returns to its skin.
Alfred sees him more often now; no longer only at the edges of his vision, but directly before him as well, in fleeting moments when entering a room or turning a corner.
And it is only once the child's face becomes a perfect reflection of the living Bruce Wayne that Alfred finally begins to speak to him.
He feels insane, talking to a presence that only watches and never answers.
He talks about what he is cooking, about which rooms he plans to clean, about the groceries he needs to buy. He speaks without expecting a response from the child who becomes more perfect with every passing day.
Still, it is difficult.
And Alfred begins to doubt again.
Is he losing his mind?
Has the death of the family he served for so many years broken him so thoroughly that he now hallucinates their missing son?
And what does that say about him?
And while the police, the media, and all of Gotham search for Bruce Wayne, Alfred no longer only sees him.
Now, he hears him too.
He hears the boy's footsteps behind him, the indecipherable whispers that announce his arrival, and the sound of dead clothes brushing softly as the child walks.
Sometimes Alfred hears him behind him. Sometimes beside him. Other times above him, within the walls, or across the ceiling.
Haunting by right the house that belongs to him. The very house now fought over by distant relatives eager for the death of a child who, to the public eye, remains merely missing.
Days become weeks.
Even criminals join the search now. The entire city grows desperate to know what happened to the boy who, by then, is presumed dead. And for his part, there are moments when Alfred almost convinces himself that Bruce is alive.
Until the child remains perfectly still for entire minutes, staring at him without blinking.
And then Alfred sees him fully.
The center of Gotham's media spectacle, standing in the middle of the great hall; a copy of the boy who waved goodbye to him that fateful night and left the manor holding his parents' hands, laughing with excitement.
But his skin is pale.
His gaze dull.
His suit wrinkled and soaking wet.
Mud stains the imported carpet beneath his shoes as he walks toward Alfred.
Bruce gently tugs at Alfred's sleeve, as though announcing that he is physically present now as well.
The boy looks up at him with those large, unnatural blue eyes, and Alfred, rigid with terror, can only kneel before the child who is now undeniably alive.
“Tell them I am here,” he says in a small, fearful voice.
And of course, the city rejoices at the miraculous return of the boy, who, according to his butler's testimony, appeared at the manor doors during the heavy rain at midnight.
And so Bruce Wayne grows up secluded within his manor, hidden away from those who might notice his inhumanity, raised by his butler until he learns to imitate humanity well enough to stand before the public with a bright smile and effortless charm.
Only the two of them know that beneath designer suits and human skin, the stain still remains there, seeking justice through Gotham's dark nights, forcing itself upon criminals in its grotesque true form.
The Bat, they call him.
Though for Alfred, ‘demon’ might be the more accurate name.
I am finally allowed to post my pieces for the @jaytheredbird zine! We were given a little free rein, so I wanted to explore an alternate reality where Jason may have stayed with Ra’s following his death/resurrection. Hope you like Part 2!
idk if i’m thinking about u or someone else but bpd jason, yes? also do you think prime would have bpd. maybe im projecting. Idk. i love primehood 😁
Yes, BPD Jason. Would Prime have it? Yes, because Prime has every disorder ever. He's the hero of mentally ill fans all around the globe. Yup. You heard it here, folks.
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