ProfessorUber

First, Damian not trusting little Jon doesn’t mean that Jonnyboy is a fake. We have confirmation from both Lois Lane and the older Jonathan Kent, who know Jon more than even Damian. Not only could Lois tell this was her boy (the lady changed his dippers. You’d think she wouldn’t memorize birth marks and all?), but the older Jon himself could FEEL his heartbeat. You don’t think the guy doesn’t know his own heartbeat?

It’s also worth noting Damian doesn’t have all the facts yet, such as that Tomorrow Man is his Jon that’s been missing for several days. Imagine yourself in Damian’s shoes. Your best friend has been missing for several days, then suddenly some futuristic stranger pops in with a younger version of said best friend he says is your best friend like “trust me bro.” Would you believe right away that was your best friend? No, you wouldn’t.

Damian hardly believed Jon when he came back seven years older. Damian’s not gonna accept that as truth, especially since he’s already played this same dance before and was forced to mourn the loss of years he missed growing up with his best friend. And, not only is he forced to accept his younger best friend is back, but now the older version of his best friend is STILL missing. Even if little Jonnyboy was the real deal, the older Jon wouldn’t just disappear like in Back to the Future. He’d still exist as a paradox until he’s killed off or disappears off of continuity.

So yes, Damian not trusting Jonnyboy is in character for him just as it is he doesn’t trust Tomorrow Man and Jonnyboy isn’t going to hug Damian right after almost killing a bunch of people two times and hugging his mom. Between his mom and Damian, Jonnyboy will choose his mom.

This isn’t to say that Jonnyboy isn’t an evil variant or fake, but it’s too early to tell and there’s more evidence to suggest otherwise. Lois and older Jon are the biggest ones. They’d be the first to pick up that Jonnyboy was a fake before the Bats could interrogate.

Keep in mind Lois is the only person so far that seems to suspect T-Man is older Jon. As I’ve said, Damian being suspicious of Jonnyboy doesn’t mean Jonnyboy is evil. He doesn’t have all the facts yet. He doesn’t know T-Man is Jon yet and likely doesnt trust T-Man either.

No, Krypto doesn’t know either. He’s smelling two Jon’s, of course he’s gonna growl. He barked earlier when T-Man first plopped in with Jonnyboy. He clearly looks confused by the way he’s sniffing Jonnyboy. Any good dog would know something is off if two of the same owner showed up and didn’t know which was the real one.

I didn't trust that fucker from the start. TADC is NOT a show that hands out information; we only know the word CnA from looking at backgrounds ffs. We don't get flashbacks in TADC. We don't get storybook aesthetic backstory. We get gorgeously lit bar scenes where they talk genuinely and honestly about their lives in very real ways, or muddled memories in the dark. TADC says a lot about important conversations constantly.

I've been rewatching the episode and Abel is actually VERY suspicious when you give him a second thought. Lemme lay it down because it took me a bit to put my finger on why:

-Abel is constantly trying to push the agenda that Caine is suffering and a prisoner and it's Tragedy that they will be leaving him behind. Like I get the vibe on reflection that he's trying to guilt trip them with what *Caine* sees this decision as, "a tragedy"

-Gives little credence to the abstractions at all. "I don't know what will happen to all these people I've supposedly been watching parasocial-y for years live and love and then abstract but let's forget about that"

-I'm equally so fascinated by the choice that Caine seems to have made to throw Kinger into suspicion in this plotline of his. I understand that if Kinger was listened to he could tell everyone that 'Abel' is spewing bullshit but it feels oddly vindictive. I wonder if Caine is jealous of how Kinger is so respected in the group?

While Pomni and Ragatha are the only ones close to him, Zooble and Gangle treat him like any older man with mental issues, they listen actively to him and try to keep him safe and keep him happy. That's more attention than Caine gets from literally anyone ever. Maybe he was trying to chew on their bonds a bit to try and create distance?

-I don't think Abel is completely lying. Abel is trying to make Caine as endearing as possible to the others, playing up how deeply he cares about his adventures, the fact that he reboots himself twice when he was happy when we've never seen that happen, it's always been distress, etc. He mentions Kinger twice despite somehow having 'beef' but mentions Caine like three or four times. Caine committing to a bit is probably true too.

-The fact that they all landed perfectly into the tube- you'd think that part would be out of bounds, it'd be brittle and easy to break. But it's supposedly super easy to do?

Abel also mentioning how Caine can't escape (multiple times) in particular does seem like a pretty massive hint Abel wasn't on the level. (I admittedly forgot that detail somehow after finishing the episode, although in my defence summer weather hit hard last night and so I'm semi sleep deprived).

I am thinking though, especially after seeing you lay it all out like this, that Abel does seem like Caine's attempt to communicate with the players "on their level". So to speak.

Abel was perhaps sorta like a "how do you do, fellow kids players" thing who could talk up Caine to the players (trying to make him endearing, as you said); speaking about Caine's commitment to the bit, about how he wants people to be interested in his hobbies, about how he would be stuck in their without them.

I gets to refine/re-frame my initial thoughts; I am thinking perhaps that there was some truth to Abel's story even if Abel himself wasn't legit. Kinger being an developer for example. Plus I wouldn't be surprised if Caine drew from whatever limited info he had of the "marco-verse" to add "authenticity" to the entire thing.

WHAAAAAATTTTSSSS THIS?? A SALE????

Hello, everyone! I have been accepted into college! I need to make the $200 pre-payment for dorms, so DRABBLE AND ONESHOT COMMISSIONS ARE GOING DOWN BY HALF!!!

the brain worms got to me and I’m never recovering from this one

(individual drawings and sketches under the cut)

Gotham Academy (2014-2016) #13

Was reading Robin War and was reminded of how it crossed over with Gotham Academy, and how Olive just straight up snitched on Riko to the cops.

To be honest, I kinda feel like (not counting the stuff under the influence of Calamity) that this was probably one of the most sucky things Olive ever did. Even when I first read this issue, I do recall thinking it was a bit of an asshole move from Olive.

My one criticism of Gotham Academy (a series i really love) is that I feel Maps should've maybe been a bit more upset about this and taken longer to get over it. Just saying. Since it seems resolved by #14.

I've honestly hated Olive long before this moment; right from the start I thought she was a wangsty self-centred bitch who'd rather blames others than accept that her mother is a criminal... >_>

(Yeah, yeah, "BUT MAGICAL GHOST POSSESSION!11!!!" I don't care. And before any Batman-antis start their spiel about how he should've immediately believed her because magic, ghosts and possession exists...Really? You think a detective-type character, one who regularly deals with a man who claims to be Zeus in human form AND is best friends with a woman empowered by the Greek gods by the way, should take a claim like that at face value? Please go and touch grass 🙄)

(And before those antis chime in with "well he should have at least had his supernatural friends verify her claims instead of just tossing her in Arkham!"...there's nothing to suggest that he didn't? We only have Olive's word for it that Batman didn't try to help her mother, and of course, her word is biased. Okay, yeah there's that conversation between Batman and MacPherson that Olive overhears in Second Semester, but that whole comic has her perceptions and recall not worth a grain of salt)

(Also the courts, not Batman, are responsible for who goes to Blackgate and who goes to Arkham, but y'all aren't ready for that yet)

While I do think Olive acted pretty badly in regards to turning in Riko, I don't agree with the assertion that Olive is a fake friend or anything.

I confess I am perhaps a bit biased since Gotham Academy helped get me into DC Comics, but still. It has also be a bit since my last re-read.

It is worth remember that Olive Silverlock is a teenager going through a very troubled time - her father is dead and her mother is locked away in an asylum.

Her hatred of Batman might not be fair or strictly rational, but it does make sense. Its a lot easier for Olive to blame a masked stranger than to accept her mother became a supervillain.

And I do think it was pretty well-established there was indeed a supernatural element to Calamity, and so it is fair to assume that Sybil was a decent mother. And regardless of how good of a mother (or person in general) Sybil might have been, it makes sense Olive would have a strong emotional connection.

Ultimately she's a 15-year-old whose world got turned upside down and is lashing out at the only one vaguely-responsible who is not someone she loves.

Like I said, it's easier for her to consider Batman a villain than for her to accept the mother she knew was genuinely dangerous. It's not rational, and Gotham Academy comics aren't trying to present it as such.

I heavily disagree with this take as well. I think Gotham Academy showed that the friendship between Maps and Olive was quite strong.

Don't forget either that Maps was the one who turned on Olive at one point (for admittedly also understandable reasons).

As I understand it...

Black smoke coming out the chimney = no new Pope (yet)

White smoke coming out the chimney = new pope

Catholic Church has plenty of problems, but they've got style at least. Not many election results are announced by a ceremonial burning of the ballots.

Also here's a kinda relevant video if you're interested.

There has been a new pope elected.

Robert Francis Prevost, now known as Pope Leo XIV.

From a quick look at him...

He appears conservative in areas such as gender, LGBT+ and abortion.

However he also seems progressive in other areas, such as advocating for stronger church action against climate change, supporting refugees and sympathising with George Floyd.

He has also been openly critical of the Trump Administration.

Pope Leo XIV is also the first Pope from North America, having been born in Chicago. He has also spent much of his life in Peru (even serving as a bishop there before being appointed Prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops and President of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America in 2023 by Pope Francis.

For the record; XIV is indeed 14.

As I understand it...

Black smoke coming out the chimney = no new Pope (yet)

White smoke coming out the chimney = new pope

Catholic Church has plenty of problems, but they've got style at least. Not many election results are announced by a ceremonial burning of the ballots.

Also here's a kinda relevant video if you're interested.

There has been a new pope elected.

Robert Francis Prevost, now known as Pope Leo XIV.

From a quick look at him...

He appears conservative in areas such as gender, LGBT+ and abortion.

However he also seems progressive in other areas, such as advocating for stronger church action against climate change, supporting refugees and sympathising with George Floyd.

He has also been openly critical of the Trump Administration.

Pope Leo XIV is also the first Pope from North America, having been born in Chicago. He has also spent much of his life in Peru (even serving as a bishop there before being appointed Prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops and President of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America in 2023 by Pope Francis.

Katherine "Kathy" Webb-Kane: The original Batwoman, introduced as a love interest for Batman in the 50s. Married into the Kane Family.

Mary Elizabeth "Bette" Kane (originally Betty Kane): Kathy's niece and the original "Bat-Girl" (actually pre-dating Barbara in introduction). Introduced as a love interest for Robin. She eventually became Flamebird (her past as Bat-Girl being dubiously canon at times depending on the universe).

Those are the originals, but with 52 with got...

The Kane family are established as being related to Martha (a lot of unrelated characters had the Kane surname due to Bob Kane). So Bette is now Bruce's cousin (her father is unnamed brother of Martha).

Katherine "Kate" Kane: Bruce's cousin. The second Batwoman

Elizabeth "Beth" Kane: Kate's sister.

Jacob Kane: Father of Kate and Beth. Uncle to Bruce and Bette.

Gabrielle Kane: Mother of Kate and Beth. Aunt to Bruce and Bette

Catherine Hamilton Kane: Stepmother of Kate and Beth.

My guess is that there's a Kane ancestor named Elizabeth whom Beth and Bette are named after.

As I understand it...

Black smoke coming out the chimney = no new Pope (yet)

White smoke coming out the chimney = new pope

Catholic Church has plenty of problems, but they've got style at least. Not many election results are announced by a ceremonial burning of the ballots.

Also here's a kinda relevant video if you're interested.

Mel: dad, what do we do?

Ken: follow my lead (yelling) MELANCHOLY BUTCHER, HOW COULD YA DO THIS TO THESE POOR PEOPLE?

Mel: What?

Ken: YA FOOLED US ALL! AND NOW WHAT? WE GOT A BABY ANGEL ON OUR HANDS! YA RUINED THE FAMILY NAME! APOLOGIZE TO THESE POOR SUCKAS, NOW!

Mel stutters out a halfhearted, baffled apology.

Ken:... Anyway. Come visit my butcher shop! Sixty percent of! Drinks on the house!

Ken: Those damn angels/virutes/whatever! They must have switched the egg! Curse them!

Rottlings: ...

Ken: And allow me to announce discounts up to sixty percent and free drinks for anyone who curses Paradise Lost for this.