So lately i’ve been thinking about dick grayson a lot, as i always do.
There have been things that have been bothering me, for a few years now, mainly concerning his ‘Rick Grayson’ era. I don’t particularly mean what has happened during this, i will be honest, it has been a while since i’ve read the comics and while i don’t remember exactly what was the character doing, i do remember what i was doing. The thing that is bothering me is the reaction the fandom had, with this comics.
there is a huge hatred towards rick, people do not speak of his name, don’t mention him and act as if this narrative had never existed, which truthfully, annoys me because I thoughts it was a nice story.
I remember that the plot wasn’t exactly ‘good’, the whole ‘i don’t want to be a hero’, becomes one anyway, forms a group of other nightwing, being mind controlled by the court of owls, then the joker, getting the memories back and moving on as if nothing happened wasn’t good, but if i’ll be honest, i think there’s been worse.
But Dick, during his rick era, manages (tries to, really) get away from his family, and while i think most of the kids leave him alone, i do remember the constant harassment he was suffering from barbara, bruce and alfred ? But especially the first, which, did annoy me too.
his family basically couldn’t accept that he one day woke up and wasn’t the dick grayson they knew, who loved them unconditionally, who cared, who was funny and joyful. The were upset that he woke up with amnesia, with the only memories of his parents dying.
I think the fandom was upset too, about this. While i do think most people agree that a story where dick grayson is amnesiac, is a far from family and trying to find himself is interesting and compelling, i understand many didn’t like the way it was done in the comics. And i agree, i think that, while the batfam was nice to be involved in the beginning to try and help him, they shouldve been completely removed from the story the moment they see that their help is not welcome. If i were to wake up, amnesiac, grieving my parenths deaths, missing 20 years of my life, with no one from my previous life arounf me, i wouldn’t be inclined to believe the stranger who is telling me a story that sounds nothing like the life i am currently living, especially when said strangers shows me a video of me getting shot in the head, or keeps following me wherever i go to tell me that this is not me , that i am not like that i have to remember, every week.
I get why dick is annoyed, and why he is acting like a dick. I wouldn’t be kind like that, especially when i am building a new life. He is a taxi driver (to be expected, he can’t have a higher job, he never went to college, and he doesn’t remember that he can teach gymnastics, which, for all the things barbara had to say about his job, i don’t think she ever mentioned any kind of job dick ever did to earn money and not related to his night job), he fights in bars (again, he is grieving his parents death, his first coping mechanism were to put on a green leotard and fights psychos at 3 am, now he fights in bars, shirtless, knowing that if he takes one hit to the head, he is cooked).
Sure, none of this jobs sound like dick grayson. But this is not dick grayson. The dick grayson you are referring to, is one who is over his parents, has a team, family, responsibilies, a legacy. The one we are seeing is one who doesn’t remember that. He forgot dick grayson, therefore, how to be dick grayson. Sure these jobs don’t sound anything like him, but nothing else does either.
And sure he is not acting like dick grayson ? He doesn’t really control his emotions, he’s impulsive, rude, moody, lost, alone, raw, annoyed at everything. Even if he wasn’t shot in the head, i’d think he has a right to be a dick. But he was shot, He doesn’t remember, he has headaches, difficulties thinking, concentrating, making decisions, he’s more agressve, prone to mood swings, impulsive. Those are all the consequences you have when you are shot. He is also incredibly lucky he wasn’t permanently disabled.
Idk. I liked how dick was in this run. He felt more human, more vulnerable, less like an ideal ??? I liked his personality there, i liked that he was isolating himself from his family when he realized they were hurting him, i’m so mad he immediately forgave them after but ig thats so dick grayson of him, and thats what the batfam wanted and the fandom too. Pains me but i’ll live. Rest in peace rick, i liked you
