Summary
The Brave and the Boldpromises to introduce members of the Bat Family to theDC Universe. Batman is usually known as a lone hero, but the phrase “The Brave and the Bold” has been used to describe a team-up of close friends. Damian Wayne is already confirmed to feature, but there are several crucial companions that the upcoming movie or subsequent DC installments should also use.The Bat Family is important to Bruce Wayne’s legacy, and their inclusion will aid the new direction this rebooted universe is hoping to take.
Damian Wayne is the son of Batman and Talia al Ghul, raised by the League of Assassins.
James Gunn is promising to make the DCU increasingly expansive. Introducing more Bat Family members would aid that endeavor as some have led their own comic book storylines. TheDC Universe’s first chapter, Gods and Monsters, promises more of a focus on characters that blur the line between heroes and villains. As many of these vigilantes come from troubled backgrounds and deal with issues of identity, they would perfectly match the thematic thread Gunn hopes to produce. Moreover, each entry will serve great importance in characterizing this new Batman’s qualities as a hero, a leader and a father.
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11Dick Grayson Should Appear In Nightwing Form
The First of Bruce’s Orphaned Sidekicks Will Provide Positivity To His Legacy
The first Robin is likely to have his sidekick tenure skipped over, which would be beneficial.Grayson’s time as The Boy Wonder has already been told, albeit in the much-criticized Joel Schumacher era. Upon leaving the Bat Cave, Dick adopts a new alias: Nightwing. Despite this development being given the spotlight in the seriesTitans, audiences have not yet seen Dick’s phase as Nightwing adapted to the big screen. This adds to the new direction Gunn plans to take these iconic heroes.
The years of experience Dick has should he appear would allow him to be Damien’s co-mentor, bringing their sibling bond from the comics to the screen. Dick asNightwing would add positive value to Bruce’s leadership, as the first Batman protégé became an accomplished hero in his own right.Furthermore, Dick famously took over the Batman mantle when Bruce was presumed dead. If the movie flourishes into another Batman series, it has the potential to show the Batman cowl donned by someone other than Bruce Wayne and showcase Dick’s above-mentioned maturity.
10Barbara Gordon Finally Becomes Oracle
Skipping Her Batgirl Days Makes Barbara An Important DCU Character
Like Dick, Barbara Gordon is an important figure to include, but with her Batgirl days behind her. Instead,Barabara should commence her journey to Oracle,the all-seeing hero. This will allow her to play an expansive role in other aspects of the DCU. Barbara’s Batgirl tenure ended tragically followingthe events ofThe Killing Joke, after being paralyzed from the waist down. However, upon utilizing her supreme intellect and technological skills, she finds a new crime-fighting existence as Oracle, overseeing Batman’s entire operation from her wheelchair.
This, by contrast to Dick,will show some flaws in Bruce as a teacher. It would also cause his reluctance to take in Damien given what had happened to Barbara. So, whilst Dick is the big brother and pseudo-paternal figure to Damien that encourages him, Barbara may be the pragmatic maternal spirit. Moreover, Barbara being included would ignite the potential of a spin-off with the Birds of Prey, which utilizes her, the team’s founder, instead of excluding her.
9Tim Drake Should Be The Current Robin
Tim’s Presence Would Invoke His And Damian’s Signature Rivalry
Tim Drake was the third Robin and came in before Damian. The upcoming movie beginning with Damian’s Robin draws concern that Tim’s tenure will be left out.Tim is unique among the Robins, known for his intellect and compassion, which rivals Batman’s. He is also among the few Robins who did not encounter Bruce Wayne by chance. He instead actively sought out Batman and became Robin himself after the death of Jason Todd. Batman needed a Robin to prevent himself from going down a dark path.
The Brave and the Boldmust include Tim, based also onhis fearsome rivalry with Damian. Tim Drake was still Robin when the two met and Damian, having been raised by his assassin mother, Talia Al Ghul,even tried to kill Tim, to claim his ‘birthright’ to the Robin mantle. If Tim were the current Robin, the movie would be as much his journey as Damian’s. This new iteration of Batman promotes a core family theme through this unlikely unit. Having more than one Robin promotes more conflict and allows the different Robin personalities to stand out.
8Cassandra Cain Is A Crucial Component
The Inclusion Damian Leaves The Door Open For A More Faithful Attempt At This Batgirl
Should Gunn require a Batgirl, and Barbara Gordon already be in her Oracle days, one of the most beloved members of the Bat Family, Cassandra Cain, would be a perfect fit. This Batgirl was already given a cinematic adaptation inBirds of Prey. However, while actress Ella Jay Basco was charismatic, the consensus deemed ita highly unfaithful iteration. With the DCU rebooting the cinematic continuity entirely, there’s now a chance to give this Batgirl a much more accurate variation.
In the comics, she was trained to be Ras Al Ghul’s bodyguard but, eventually, refused to become what she’d been told she was and sought out what she could be. Her evolution is not unlike Damian’s, and Cassandra Cain should not be excluded with the Boy Wonder already confirmed and likely to involve the League of Assassins. AdaptingCassandra’s friendship with Barbara also would leave hope for another, and far more accurate, adaptation of the Birds of Prey teamin the rebooted universe.
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Stephanie distinguished herself as the sidekick who openly confronts Bruce about his methods.
The Robin mantle is already expanding beyond Batman’s shadow, as Damian Wayne could potentially lead the untitled Teen Titans movie. The Batgirl mantle deserves the same. If Gunn wishes to give his DC Universe colossal world-building,Stephanie Brown’s complicated journey is enough to warrant a Max series. First introduced as the Spoiler, Stephanie was the daughter of the villainous Cluemaster. She then turned against her father and became a vigilante, becoming both a Robin and Batgirl during her time in the Bat Family. Her faked death is the perfect instigator for her solo adventures.
Stephanie’s upbringing and complicated history with the Bat Family will give audiences a fascinating character study that investigates a different side of Batman, one that highlights the darker aspects of him raising youths to become vigilantes. Stephanie distinguished herself as the sidekick who openly confronts Bruce about his methods. She will allow audiences to seea much darker visual of Batman, deviating from the usual Bruce Wayne perspective. The Bat Family adds more to the Bat mythos than just Bruce, and Stephanie’s hefty journey is the best chance to establish that.
5Duke Thomas Signals Something Unique Among The Robins
This Teen Hero Is A Different Case Altogether For The Bat Family
Duke is unique among the Robins because, although he became affiliated with Dick Grayson and Damian Wayne, he never officially became a Robin. Duke accepted to be trained by Batman on the condition that he will not become like the many orphans that have passed under Batman’s tutelage.The Signal, Duke’s alias, is also a metahuman, allowing him to be a distinct member of the Bat Family. His powers to see the past, future, and across different dimensions would be useful to a team of non-superhuman vigilantes.
Duke’s powers also refer to Gunn’s aim to concentrate on his universe’s world-building. Although it is not confirmed if the DCU will use the multiverse concept, Duke’s presence would naturally initiate that route being used in future chapters.Duke’s abilities have also led to a crossover with Hal Jordan, who is set to appear in the seriesLanterns. Perhaps Duke would be the bridge between both sides of the new universe.
4Helena Wayne Should Be Given The Adaptation She Deserves
The Daughter of Batman and Catwoman Expands The Family Beyond The Bat Cave
The alternative dimension concept would lead to this Earth-2 version of Huntress. When fans hear this vigilante’s name, they more than likely turn to Helena Bertinelli, who has been affiliated with the Bat Family and the Birds of Prey.Helena Wayne, however, donned the cape and crossbow beforehandand, for the movies, has a stronger potential to appear than Bertinelli. Born to alternative versions of Batman and Catwoman, she allows the Bat Family to expand across dimensions. However, there should be less emphasis on her lineage and allow her to be her own character.
To achieve this, Gunn would have to take note of Paul Levitz’s writing fromDC Super-Stars #17; there, Helena balanced her life as an attorney as well as a crime fighter. She has also been affiliated with teams crucial to the DC Comic continuity, such as the Justice Society and even the Earth-1 version of the Justice League. This leaves her potential to connect with Bruce and Damian at some point, but she is more than capable of standing by herself.
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3Azrael Will Ensure A Different Tone
This Antihero Invokes A Whole Breed Of DC Lore That No Live-Action Batman Has Embraced Yet
Azrael’s comic book run is rich with gothic and twisted storylines that could expand the Batman lore in the DCU.
No character has a more complex relationship with Bruce Wayne than Jean-Paul Valleyand the DCU’s first chapter, titled Gods and Monsters, perfectly summarizes Azrael’s stance as a character. Introduced as a brainwashed assassin, he tries to walk a heroic path, mentored by Batman. Yet, his manipulative upbringing in the Order of St. Dumas frequently caused him to act more like an anti-hero. Azrael’s comic book run is rich with gothic and twisted storylines that could expand the Batman lore in the DCU, enough to produce solo adventures of his own.
He may not be a big superhero name, but withGunn promising to focus on lesser-known characters, he could bea potential sleeper-hit superhero in this new universe. The inclusion of the Bat Family already proposes that there is more to Batman than simply Bruce Wayne. The Robin mantle is an obvious priority for fans, but Azrael would be a refreshing and bold direction that Batman movies or shows have not yet embraced.
2The DCU Is Laying The Groundwork For Terry McGinnis
The Future Batman Is The Next Step To Batman’s Legacy
The future Batmanwill likely not appear inThe Brave and Boldas his and Bruce’s relationship begins much later in the latter’s life. However, the direction Gunn has promised implies there is more to The Dark Knight mythos than simply Bruce Wayne. The legacy of the Bat lives in different heroes that Bruce gathered and means that there could be more than Batman. This sounds promising for Terry to appear, although at a much later stage in the new DC Universe.
The same can only be expected for Bruce Wayne’s official successor, Terry McGinnis. Although not originally from the comics, Terry McGinnis led the hit show,Batman Beyond, from 1999-2001. With the DCU’s version of Bruce Wayne expected to be older,it will not be long before a successor is required. The core themes are family and sharing the Bat mantle, paving the way for theBatman Beyondstoryline to finally be adopted.
