Ummm. Who was going to tell me the in The Batman (2022) Gotham City is in New York state? What happened to Gotham being in New Jersey?
This means that Metropolis isn't across the Delaware bay. No twin cities. No Metropolis in Delaware.
Most of all we miss out on the magic of Bruce struggling to get gas when out as Batman in NJ. (Like the Batmobile is low and he has to stop to get an attendant to pump his gas.) Now that has to be the real reason why this man allowed a nine year old sunshine child to come fight crime with him at night.
Battinson would rely on Dick to do a lot of 'translating' for him. Imagine all of the questions that would be able to be asked at crime scenes with a Robin who could figure out what he wanted to ask by a look or a small hum. Magic right there. 10/10. This version of Batman has so much potential to be serious and awkwardly funny at the same time.
So...
You know how if you're (American) in another country, and find another American and all the sudden it's like 'Hey! Friend! Friend! That's my bestie!' That person could be from an entirely different state but all the sudden you're similar around the unfamiliar so you're buddies!
Does that happen with monsters?
Better yet-
Say you're a human, the only human being hired onto a large cargo ship that travels planet to planet through space. Most of the others you work with are so different in appearance and species you sometimes don't know even if some of them have eyes, or just use a form of echolocation.
Still! It's a nice job, you're given respect due to your status as (a deathworlder) a human, and you're settling in nicely the first few days.
There's a pack of aliens you haven't met yet though, The Aslai.
Huge creatures with a semi-humanoid appearance paired with patches of striped fur across varying parts of them. A maw that unhinges in three distinct separation points, fur tipped tails that vary with color, and slightly elongated limbs.
Of course, the Aslai are the engineers. They work in the sub-floor deck where the machinery and engines are stationed. Heavy creatures with prehensile tails that can lift just as much as their long, burly arms. Creatures made to be strong, and with vast intelligence, the Aslai are perfect for such jobs. Most times they flock to them, truthfully.
Like how winged and levitating aliens prefer jobs that involve them leaving the ship where they can move freely through open space with the right gear.
The first time you see one of the Aslai, they're walking with heavy boot steps to the mess hall. You both freeze in the hall though.
For you? It's got a human-ish face and you're experiencing one hell of a level of the uncanny valley effect in real time.
For Hesh, you look like a softer, mini version of the Aslai. Their tail flicks in excitement and with heavy steps they draw closer. A brighter fur pattern than their fellow Aslai, they're noticeable by anyone. They croon in a low gruff tone, reaching out and prodding at your arms, legs, cheeks, happily babbling in some method of communication you can't exactly understand.
It's when the other three Aslai suddenly appear with different fur patterns and facial structures, mimicking the first one that you seem to realize they're 'cooing' over you. Like if you saw a stray cat on the way home...
You're about to say anything when one of the botanist -a Threxacord by the looks of its mandibles- speaks sharply, "Don't you have somewhere to be, human??"
Technically it's right... You're not at your post, but you were told by your immediate boss you could go on lunch. You don't have a chance to explain that though, not when the second largest Aslai lifts you up and sets you on its shoulders.
"Don't talk to our human that way." The rough, crackley voice is a shock to anyone who hears it, but the pack of Aslai seem comfortable. You can only hand onto the horns atop it's head to keep in place as a different one continues, each on the same thought process.
"Drunum, shouldn't you be tending to your artificial soils?" It's more of a throaty growl than words, but the irritation is clear.
It's only when Drunum hisses as it retreat when the Aslai you're semi-surrounded by relax, looking over at you with bright, fanged grins. They seem to each be muttering variations of the same phrases.
"Oooh, little Aslai! Honorary Aslai!"
"Are you a meat eater too? I bet you're a meat eater-"
"You're warm blooded, that's great! So am I!"
"Look, you've got five fingers too! No claws, but that's okay!"
The pack easily brings you to the mess hall, deciding then and there you're one of them. Just a tiny version. Practically cousin species!
I was going somewhere with this
Psst! Maybe doodle a Bruce and young Dick spotted by paparazzi!
Heartwarming! Bruce Wayne spotted walking with young ward Dick Grayson!
Furry Sherlock Holmes tend to be the best Sherlock Holmes.
you're so right
I see alot of posts about Tim's missing spleen and the batfams reaction to it but has anyone considered the much funnier options of Bruce, being an invasive psycho dad, doing some scan of his children finding out about his missing spleen and getting it back/replicating a new one. Like
Tim *bored and wanting to get a rise out of bruce*: the only thing I've ever truly lost is my spleen
Bruce *sipping coffee and reading a case*: batcave freezer underneath the popsicles but above the ice packs
Tim: wha-!
Bruce: if you hit the chunk of Jason from the explosion you've gone too far
Quote from Scrubs
Royal Whumpee has always been and always will be one of my favorites. Everyone hates them because why should they get to stay up in the bright palace? They're on the brink of war and yet the Royal is off at parties, laughing with the enemy. Embargos are starving the people and the Royal is having a feast. Most people can't afford to clothe themselves in anything other than rags and the Royal has servants upon servants to dress him in the morning. They wouldn't last a day out here in the real world.
Of course, only their closest servant knows that they haven't slept or eaten in days and if you entered their room, you would find them at their desk, surrounded by crumbled paper and letters, bargaining away their soul just for a few years of peace for their subjects, willing to do anything just to lift the embargo, greeting every request for them to rest or eat with a simple, "do not disturb my circles."
Objectively speaking; I LOVE thinking abt the body types of the Robins and how it would've come to be. Like Dick??? He'd have the BROADEST shoulders and PROB tits to go with them! Ya know?? Cause of his more excessive acrobatics and his fighting style. He'd be the PERFECT example of the triangle; the broad shoulders to the tits to the tiny waist with the ass.
And Jason??? Jason's just ALL muscle but like that type of muscle that really only makes him look BIG and like only looks muscular when he's flexing. And this would be both a good and a bad thing for him. Essentially he gained all his muscle mass and newfound height while with the league/in the Pit so there's that but also, I'm sure he’s the exact type of person Little Jason thought he'd grow to be so that he could protect all those he loved that he was too small, at the time, to protect. I'm sure he also must have some mixed emotions abt the connections one could draw between him and Bruce without him also growing to look so much like him.
And Tim??? He's just all wiry muscle, a sleeper build, if you will. He's def got the shoulders and defined pecs but because of his overall slender build, you wouldn't notice. He's obvi MUCH stronger than he looks and it THROWS everyone off. And his legs??? Women are JEALOUS! He'd look GREAT in heels. ;) I'm sure that he suspected this would how he'd always be; smaller. But it must be so difficult to accept because of everyone around him (the batfam) and I can only imagine that he tries to draw inspiration from his mother who was in his same shoes but inspired respect and fear wherever she went.
But Damian??? I'm hesitant to go one way or another with him but I LOVE the idea of him, in the end, leaning towards his mother's physical features. He has the traits of his father but features of his mother and he'd feel so put out because of this. He's The Blood Son of The Batman and he can't have features leaning on the lean, fast, and slender side. On the other hand, he could be the carbon copy of his father which has its own emotional turmoil within it. And for personal reasons, I hope he does grow to be more like his mother because I think that while in his fathers care, this will indirectly force Damian to actually discover himself and not just accept to be his fathers perfect shadow until he becomes that shadow.
rb to tell ur mutuals ur fond of them
I really love what this says about Dick and his relationship with both Bruce and Selina--he knows Bruce better than almost anyone, so when he says that Bruce wants to see her, he's telling the truth. But Dick also knows that he can only push either of them so far, he can only leave the door open for these complicated assholes, but also this is why they all love him so much in return. He respects Selina enough to understand she's going to do what she's going to do, he can only show that he cares very much about her and that they all want to help her, but he won't force the issue, and that's why she can open up with him, even if just a little. This is why Dick Grayson is so important to the family, because he shows he cares, but also knows when to walk away, he respects them, he'll read them the riot act when they deserve it, he'll give them a hug when they need it, and then he has his own life to live. He takes the time to go out of his way to show that he still genuinely cares but still respects boundaries (because he's a weird asshole about his own boundaries and understands that, too).