Ha! I finally finished the Nightwing and Robin books. Okay, yes, there is a large chunk of issues from around the 2000 to 2004 time period that I haven't read, but besides that I've read most of it and I read the final issues tonight.
I liked both of them. There were things about the final issues of Robin that I disagreed with, but overall I liked it. Perhaps not the greatest of send offs, but I'm pretty sure if I looked at Robin in these issues and compared to the Robin from the first ones the change would be enormous not only in tone and feel of the comic itself but just Tim's character development.
He's a different person now. Some changes were for the better, some perhaps not. I think all the loss he experienced could have been written differently, but at the same time, this is perhaps how he deals with it.
Anyway, I still related to him. For the most part. There are always going to be things that I don't relate to. But he's the character I latched onto and identified the most with. Strangely enough. I love Dick Grayson, he's always going to be my favorite. So, naturally I relate to Tim and how he is a total fanboy for Dick Grayson. ;p Tim is my Robin, not just because I have only read stuff with him as Robin, but because he's Tim and I can't really describe why. I love him for all his strengths and I've learned to live with and accept his flaws, and I can see some of his flaws in me.
He's always going to be my Robin, even when he's being a butthead, or when he's written badly. He went through so much change and so much happened to him. He started out as this dorky little kid and then people started dying like flies around him. He ended up trying desperately keeping it all together, even though it was quite clear he wasn't handling it very well.
I'm not really looking all that much forward to reading the rest. Yes, I am really looking forward to Marcus To drawing Tim. But I'm not looking forward to the stories. I don't know. Some of it sounds good, but some of it doesn't. And he's my Robin. I get to be a little bit irrationally protective don't I? I don't want him to be replaced by an annoying little brat.
While I am feeling a little bit melancholy about the end of Robin. My Robin. I was mostly happy about the final three issues I had left of Nightwing, one of which I probably shouldn't have saved for now but have read earlier since it was an epilogue of sorts to the story line I'd already read before, but never mind. Overall I really enjoyed Dick's time staying in New York. In particular I enjoyed the stories written by Marv Wolfman and later Peter Tomasi. They both write the kind of Dick Grayson I absolutely love and adore.
Also, once again remembering that Dick and Wally are bffs and Wally once again showing up after all the actual moving has been finished. Hm... ;p
I was perhaps not super excited about the issue with Ra's but whatever, before Ra's, Dick fought a million ninjas... Okay, I exaggerate, but still. Lots of ninjas. Ra's acted like a five year old having a tantrum because he didn't get to kill Batman. It was... Annoying. You'd think someone that old wouldn't be throwing childish tantrums. Anyway.
The last issue was lovely, it had lots of Dick, Tim and Alfred and I really enjoyed it. Family! <3
And, that's it. No it's not. I skimmed a few Batman and Detective Comics issues as well, tying up all the lose ends so that I can start on the next thing. ... Right. Battle for the Cowl it is. Seen people on tumblr who didn't like it, though not sure why. But I'm also sure I've seen people say they liked it. So idk. I will try and keep an open mind and make up my own opinion. After that I'm not sure. There are pros and cons to carrying on reading the bat titles in particular (I am going to read Red Robin that's not a question).
In favor of reading more is of course Dick Grayson as Batman. But there are these two things that make me hesitant. The first one is of course the fact that I can't fucking stand Damian and I hate that little brat (have I mentioned that Tim is my Robin and that I get super overprotective of characters to the point of irrationality and Damian did actually try and kill Tim and let me hate the brat a bit longer for doing that!).
The second major drawback to carry on reading is the cape. Yes. The cape. Capes hide certain assets... And yes, I chose the word assets specifically because it makes me think of the word ass. I am a mature 25 year old. ... Who, just like every one else, really likes Dick's ass. ;p It's going to be hidden behind a cape. How will I manage without gratuitous ass shots? (I really hope no one reads my posts anymore, or that if anyone accidentally sees this understands that I'm joking... Well... Half joking, half completely serious in my objectification of Dick Grayson)
Can Dick being Batman make it worth it though? Probably. I mean. Dick Grayson is going to be Batman! Dick Grayson! My favorite forever as Batman. I know it's happened before but this time they are all going to be completely convinced that this is going to last forever (well, not Tim though, but Tim tried to clone his dead best friend so no one should really listen to Tim and how he handles loss and grief).
Well, I don't have much choice really because I have to read everything up until Blackest Night starts. But can't be that much to read? Blackest Night started in the fall of 2009 didn't it? Oh, well, I can do it.
Pretty sure the answer to "will I read more Batman?" is "Yes, I'm already damaged may as well carry on."