Batman Animation Is Doubling Down On Damian Wayne? Here's Why That's A Brilliant Move
One of the most exciting parts about Matt Reeves' take on "The Batman" was that it explicitly showed Bruce Wayne being extra caring around children. He wants to comfort the son of the murdered mayor, he cares about that kid thinking of him as a scary monster, and decides to change his ways from being vengeance personified to more of a symbol for the people of Gotham City. "The Batman" focused on that kid enough times to make the audience theorize heavily that the child was going to turn out to be Robin, the Boy Wonder.
Likewise, when James Gunn and Peter Safran announced their plans for the new DC universe and revealed yet another take on the Caped Crusader, what made it the most exciting announcement was the news that "The Brave and the Bold" would also introduce Damian Wayne to the DC Universe.
It seems the non-comics part of DC is finally catching up on what audiences have known since the 1940s and all throughout the 1960s: Batman always needs a Robin. It's interesting seeing how much DC is doubling down on Damian Wayne, particularly in the animated world. Honestly, this is brilliant move that will get audiences — especially younger ones — used to the character ahead of his live-action debut in "The Brave and the Bold."
Damian Wayne was created by Grant Morrison and Andy Kubert for Morrison's epic, multiyear-long "Batman" run in 2006. Damian is the biological son of Bruce Wayne and Talia al Ghul, who she left in the custody of the Dark Knight as a preteen, hoping he would wreak havoc in his life, since Damian was trained from birth as a violent ninja assassin.
The future of DC
The character's first TV appearance was in an episode of "Batman: The Brave and the Bold" in 2010, before appearing in the DC Animated Universe film "Son of Batman," which adapts Morrison's storyline. Since then, Damian has become a regular fixture of that universe, appearing in several of the animated films.
But things are changing, the future of the DC animated movies is always in motion, and with James Gunn wanting to connect every single piece of DC Universe media, who knows if there will be space for two simultaneous DC interconnected universes. However, the recent news that Prime Video and DC would make not one but two Batman animated projects starring Damian Wayne, a TV series and a movie, seems to indicate Damian is a key figure in the future of Batman and the future of DC, and you know what? That is actually a brilliant move.
For starters, making Damian-centric shows and movies seemingly aimed at younger audiences (judging from the adorable character design of Damian compared to his more serious and violent look in the comics) could hint at "The Brave and the Bold" skewing younger than the past few Batman movies.
More importantly, perhaps, is what Damian means for the long-term future of DC. Gunn seems to be going for something akin to the MCU, thinking in terms of 10-year plans. One of the more popular comics involving Damian is "Super Sons," where the son of Batman goes on adventures with Jon Kent, the son of the Superman. This is a surefire way of ensuring a long, long future for Batman where we could eventually see Bruce Wayne retire or die while still ensuring the Caped Crusader lives on. Even if that doesn't happen, the mere possibility is rather exciting.