mostly random late night thoughts on Nightwing and Superman

[ratcreature]

While I was supposed to fall asleep, yet didn't (normally not something I have a problem with, I'm definitely not an insomniac person) I thought about Nightwing and how he moves in three dimensions most of the time, even outside of fight scenes and such, and how at least some of the comics (as everything in comic canon it varies a bit) suggest that his mood is reflected in his movements, sort of a three dimensional and very agile sort of pacing. Like in Gotham Knights #26 (a part of Bruce Wayne: Murderer?) we see him walking on the top edges of Barbara's furniture, and later Tim (in the conversation they have while fighting some random bad guys when Dick has asked him to come for a walk) says something like "Don't you ever walk on the ground?" to which Dick replies "Not if I can help it."

Right now I don't remember any other specific examples where Dick's movements reflect his mood so directly, though that he has fun doing acrobatics, and uses every opportunity to move in interesting and non-standard ways is established more or less constantly. It's something I like a lot about the character.

Nightwing's moves (Dick's too, he also does this outside his superhero persona) are cool to look at, compared to example Superman's who, though he can fly (and thus potentially move easier in three dimensions), just mostly either floats or flies in a more or less straight line, precisely because he doesn't have to jump, somersault, or leap to get anywhere, so he doesn't have to move in this interesting, eye-candy way. And of course if you go with the Smallville version Clark was afraid of heights (I have no idea if this appears in the comics), so while he obviously got over this enough to fly around regularly as Superman, it's not surprising that he's not really comfortable above ground and doesn't take advantage of three dimensional movement except in an "elevator" kind of way. And okay, obviously Superman can always just super-speed, also he doesn't even need to dodge enemies, bullets or anything else, so he can afford to remain rather static, where the non-invulnerable superheroes can't.

Anyway, I think their different attitudes could also show up in interesting ways in Nightwing/Superman slash, especially if you go with the remnants of acrophobia for Clark, who in that case might show the same kind of exasperation with Dick as Tim in that regard. I mean, Tim clearly can move above ground quite well too (though not as proficient as Nightwing), he just seems to prefer to do such acrobatics only when necessary, and doesn't have Dick's preference for heights and precarious balance, either.

Comments

[cereta.livejournal.com]

Please, please, please nag me to come back to this early next week when my brain is functioning? Because man, so my pairing and such neat things I need to consider.

[ratcreature]

Sure, I'll nag you then. Maybe your ideas will mutate into persistent, demanding plot bunnies, and you'll write some more Nightwing/Superman stories... *hopeful look*

[cereta.livejournal.com]

See, this is why I love hearing your thoughts on comics: you see things I don't.

There's certainly an interesting contrast there. Almost any time you see Nightwing, he's, well, contorted somehow. As Sanj says, he's very bendy ;). The few occasions that I recall seeing him simply standing have been notable in some way - either as a sort of "last man standing" or some sort of dramatic conversation. Superman, as you point out, seems almost static in comparison. It's true, as you say, that he doesn't need the contortions to move the way Nightwing does, but it's also true that his body and movements often seem not to take advantage of his ability to move in three dimensions.

And actually, I like the idea of tying to to a more Smallville-ian interpretation of his life. I know that some of the various tellings of his childhood have had him flying at a very young age, but I like the idea that it was something that came later. (This would seem to be supported by his comment in A Darker Shade of Justice that "it took some time getting used to.")

Part of the reason this appeals to me is I'm intrigued by the generational differences in the heroes. Most of the "original" heroes came to the life in adulthood - early adulthood, but adulthood. Their sidekicks, OTOH, were mostly children when they began, and that has to have shaped their attitudes a great deal. Not to mention that Dick was an acrobat pretty much from birth - if flying was something Superman had to get used to, acrobatics is something Dick's been doing from the cradle.

Which is another reason I like dragging the Samllville scenario into this. The way he moves is part of Dick's identity, not just as Nightwing-formerly-Robin, but as Dick Grayson. Flying, OTOH, is something that sets Clark apart from humanity. It's part of his identity, yes, but a part I could seem him really struggling to accept. It's the ultimate sign of his difference, and there had to have been a point in his life where that was very hard to deal with.

(Watch, tonight's episode will blow everything I've said out of the water.)

And you're right, there is some fiction to be had there. If nothing else, I could see it being an object of some contention: Dick would almost certainly be intrigued by the possibilities Clark's abilities presented. At the same time, I have a sense of Clark using relationships as part of an attempt to assert his normalcy, and could see him being resistant to the idea. Possibilities do present themselves ;).

[ratcreature]

I like the point of identity you're making.

I think of the way superheroes move as an integral part of the characterization, maybe because I see comics as a visual medium first, and I think most great superheroes have "signature movements and postures" to represent their identities as much as they have costumes.

I mean, typical for Superman are those very static iconographic poses, both when he stands as well as when he flies, he's always as visible and imposing as possible. The prototypical pose for Batman when he surveys his city however is this crouching posture on top of a gargoyle somewhere in the shadows, and when he jumps into action he does this typical thing with grabbing his cape so that he looks even more like a bat. Nightwing does these elaborate jumps and somersaults, and where Batman uses his cape to confuse his enemies and hides his exact location, Nightwing just moves a lot more. Or -- in a short excursion to the Marvel side -- Spider-man, he also has very typical poses, when I imagine him, I see him either hanging upside downs from some of his webbing or clinging to a wall with these crawling movements...

I think to be really memorable in a comic medium a superhero needs a typical way of moving to reflect his identity. And in a way it also shows the degree to which the superhero and the "normal" personas are split. Superman's movements are very distinct from Clark Kent's, and in a way (together with the garish colors) designed to make people only notice the "icon" not the face, Batman doesn't move like Bruce, however Dick doesn't move all that differently from Nightwing, there it's more a matter of degree and equipment.