Tuesday, July 26, 2016

The neglected members of The Bat Family, in adaptations at least

Stephanie Brown is the only wearer of the Robin mantle to never appear in an Animated DC movie.  And yes I'm willing to count appearing not as Robin.  Most she's had is a cameo on an animated series.

Cassandra Cain has likewise only had a cameo in a DCAU alternate universe.  Even the Arkham Games have ignored these two.

Those happen to be my two favorite Batman characters.  I really want to see them get their moment in the sun, which DC Animation has given to so many others now including characters less then a decade old.  And if Stephanie only appears as Spoiler that's fine.

Tim Drake is probably my favorite male Bat Family member.

Of the Robins that have gotten their moment in the sun in animation, Tim Drake has arguably had it the worst, even if his total screen time is second only to Dick.  He only appeared in the Timmverse where he is this much younger chibi Robin with Jason Todd's backstory and who's fate is the premise of Batman Beyond Return of The Joker.

And he appears as Red Robin in the Batman Unlimited cartoons, but in that universe they make him an idiot.

Dick Grayson has predictably gotten the most attention (being the only one to appear in Live Action so far, but Jason Todd is scheduled to show up supposedly in the DCEU).  But Dick, Jason Todd, Carrie Kelly and Damien Wayne have all gotten to be in (sort of) direct adaptations of Comics stories featuring them in the direct to DVD animated movies that have been going on for nearly a decade now.

They started basing the movies on more contemporary Comics right when they launched the most hated DC Continuity ever.  So the era where Tim, Cass and Steph had their best stories went almost immediately from being to recent to being to old to be the subject mater of one of these Animated Movies.

And now the thought of Teen Titans Judas Contract being rewritten to star Damien Wayne and not have Donna Troy really fills me with dread.

Now, Tim, Steph (as Batgirl) and Cass have been featured in stories with Damien Wayne, but those are the Damien dynamics being ignored by the current Damien Wayne worshiping animated canon.

Thing is their best stories were frequently in the spin off comics, ones that didn't actually star Batman.  Though you would need a big Batman Crossover event to find all three together.  The only one of those Steph was really prominent in was War Games, which I love but many hate.  I fear a Brace Wayne Murder/Fugitive adaptation would have Steph's scenes be the first to land on the cutting room floor.

If DC asked me for a Batman script.  I'd basically write my own alternate follow up to Under The Red Hood/Infinite Crisis/52.  Where Cass never goes Evil but maybe still becomes The Black Bat.  Tim still graduates from being Robin to take a new mantle and Steph becomes the permanent 4th Robin  And if someone new takes on the Batgirl mantle it'll be a sidekick for Kate Kane as Batwoman.  And no lame Batman RIP or Final Crisis story-line, (or Sinestro Corps/Blackest Night either),  Damien Wayne will not exist.  And StephCass will become Canon.

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