Damian Wayne | Starter Pack
Intro: I was first introduced to Damian Wayne when I started watching as many DC animated films as I could find. I came across the animated film Son of Batman and, while he was rather difficult towards his family in that film, I found Damian’s story sympathetic and compelling. Shortly after, I read Robin: Son of Batman and I decided to adopt him as my own (amongst the 50 or so other fictional characters I’ve adopted over the years). Damian adores animals (just like I do), isn’t quick to trust and, once someone finds their way into his circle of trust, he is fiercely, sometimes violently, protective over them. Damian can be a prickly one but, at his core, he’s very passionate, determined and good. Although, it took quite some time for him to find his way.
Beginning: Damian Wayne’s first real appearance was in Batman #655. He was a small boy, around 9 years old, that had spent his life being trained as an assassin. Destined to one day lead the League of Assassins. He spent years asking after his father, but would never get the answers he wanted. Talia al Ghul, his mother, was either there throughout his training and observing, or not there at all until he was introduced to her on his 8th birthday (there are conflicting stories, both written by Morrison, strangely enough). At the start, Ra’s al Ghul intended to take over Damian’s body, as his own was disentegrating after years of using the Lazarus Pit to prolong his life.
Batfamily: Damian had a rather tumultuous start with his father’s other children. Upon meeting Tim Drake, Damian attacked him. Upon meeting Alfred, Damian tells him to fuck off. Upon discovering Ra’s al Ghul’s plan to take over his body, Damian flees to the Manor. Tim and Damian are kidnapped by Ra’s men. In an attempt to stop this, Dick Grayson meets Damian for the first time. Their interaction isn’t quite violent (at least, not towards each other), but they certainly aren’t friendly. Upon meeting Jason Todd, Jason tries to kill Damian in an attempt to wrest the Batman title for himself. Upon meeting Stephanie Brown, she accidentally freezes Damian. As I understand it, Damian would not meet Cassandra until Rebirth when she was no longer one of Bruce’s wards. Damian’s meeting with Duke is one of the only that was not really an altercation.
After the initial animosity, Damian would later form close relationships with Dick Grayson
And Alfred Pennyworth.
Bruce: Damian’s relationship is strained from the start. Partially because Morrison wrote that Damian’s conception was non-consensual. In an encounter in which Talia drugged Bruce for the sole purposes of creating an heir. Bruce was unaware of the child until he encountered them and Talia sent Damian to live with his father. From the start, Damian’s lessons conflicted with Bruce’s beliefs: no killing, no unnecessary violence, use your talents to protect and serve Gotham’s citizens - not for glory. Damian soon decided that he would rather be a part of the Batfamily than continue down the path set out for him by his mother and grandfather. Around the time this decision was made, Bruce was taken away from him.
Becoming Robin: After Bruce’s death, Dick Grayson, reluctantly, took over the cowl. Immediately taken responsibility for Damian, Dick saw fit to try to keep Damian out of trouble and reverting back to his old teachings. One of his methods for doing that was to give a title he’d previously held, Robin, to Damian. This did not go over well with Tim Drake.
Brief interlude to talk about Tim and Damian - This is one of the Damian’s most turbulent and volatile relationships in Damian’s life. With their first meeting resulting in a violent fight and subsequently finding out that Dick had replaced him with Damian, Tim did not warm to Damian at the start. Even going so far as including him on a database of potential threats. When Damian discovered this, he was incredibly angry.
Their relationship continues to be rocky in the pre New 52 era. By Tim’s understanding, Damian never really tried to get along with anyone. By Damian’s account, others don’t seem to notice when he tries. This is outlined in this scene after Damian’s short tenure with the Teen Titans (pre Rebirth).
While they don’t get along all that well, they don’t come to blows again... until Rebirth.
Batman & Robin - Morrison returned to write a Batman & Robin series starring Dick as Batman and Damian as Robin. This is one of my all time favorite runs. Through consistently trusting Damian, protecting him and teaching him his own unique way of crimefighting (a Batman more prone to smiling, acrobatics and joking), Dick worked his way into Damian’s small circle of trust. Damian would later come to look back on that time with the fondest of memories.
Damian’s Death - Dick and Damian would come to see Talia again after some time being Batman and Robin. During this encounter, Talia would tell Damian that he was now an enemy of the al Ghul family.
After Bruce returns, he continues working with Damian as his Robin.
Talia and the League had been working to create several clones of Damian to be “worthy” heirs. In attempt to fight hordes of Leviathan, Damian escapes being “grounded” in the Batcave. He suits up as Robin and goes to join the fight. One of the clones, Heretic, kills Damian in the fight. He is laid to rest and the Batfamily grieves.
Damian is later brought back to life in a story involving Lazarus Pits, Boom Tubes and stolen sarcophagi. All was well! My boy was back! Damian briefly had superpowers afterwards.
Super Sons: With Rebirth came a new title: Super Sons. Damian Wayne, concerned that Jon Kent’s abilities were out of control (and after finding out Jonathan accidentally killed the family cat), kidnaps Jon and interrogates him. Upon finding them, Clark and Bruce force Jon and Damian to complete a scavenger hunt/quest of sorts and learn how to work as a team. Of course, they both hate this (or at least they claim to). But, eventually, Jon and Damian become the best of friends. So close that Damian actually refers to Jon as his friend and goes to extreme lengths to protect Jon when a deranged Tim Drake from the future comes back and tries to kill Jon.
So, where to start? Here are a few titles to check out if you want an easy jumping off point:
- Robin: Son of Batman by Peter J. Tomasi. when Damian was around 8 years old, he went on a year long quest called the Year of Blood. During which, he was made to steal several cherished items from nations around the world, kill several people and creatures, and returned the trophies to a vault. After his resurrection, Damian went of a quest of atonement. This was the series that made me truly love Damian the most.
- Batman & Robin - by Grant Morrison. While I’m not a fan of Quitely’s art, this run is amazing! It’s Dick Grayson’s Batman and his first days with Damian by his side. You see Dick struggling with taking over Bruce’s mantle and managing Damian who’s a bit of a handful. It’s truly wonderful!
- Super Sons - I truly adore this series! It was so much fun and the relationship between Damian and Jon is quite possibly my favorite to explore in all of the DC comics I’ve read as of late. Tomasi did a lot to make their differences clear, those boy’s have very distinct voices and they complement each other just as well as Bruce and Clark did. The art is is truly wonderful and I’ve read through this run about three times now - it never gets old!
Honorable mentions - Batman: Streets of Gotham, Red Robin: the Hit List, Teen Titans (2003) vol. 14 and, of course, New 52 Batman & Robin. Of course, if you want a truly comprehensive list of every single one of Damian’s appearances, you can find that here. So, hope this helps! I adore this character and believe me, this was me trying to keep it short. I could talk about Damian forever! 💚
I leave you with one of my all time favorite moments from Robin: Son of Batman: Damian Wayne still has baby teeth.
