DC Comics' Wayne Family Adventures finally gets Batman's son, Damian Wayne, right. The latest Robin, Damian is unlike any of his predecessors. Dick Grayson and Jason Todd were Gotham City orphans who were adopted by Bruce Wayne, but Damian is actually his son. He was conceived during Batman's brief fling with Talia al Ghul, but when the affair was over, Bruce had no idea his lover was pregnant. He learned the truth years later, when Damian entered his life, a youth who had been brought up in the League of Assassins. This Robin is deadlier than even Ra's al Ghul.
Now, DC Comics has entered a partnership with Webtoons for a standalone webcomic, Wayne Family Adventures. DC hopes the free comics will introduce a whole new range of readers to their legendary characters, and the first is sure to be a hit - focusing more on the Bat-family dynamics than on their battle against crime. The first three chapters are currently available; the first is an enjoyable story in which a new recruit enters Wayne Manor, the second showcases an entertaining new ritual, and the third focuses on Barbara Gordon's Oracle. But the most interesting aspect of the Webtoons comic as a whole is how it handles Damian Wayne.
Talia al Ghul is typically drawn as an Asian character, but when Damian was first introduced, he was given the same skin color as his father. As the years have passed, comic book artists have continually updated the design, gradually emphasizing Damian's Asian heritage. But the Webtoons series goes even further, giving Damian a more distinctively Asian appearance than ever before. It's a welcome step forward for the character.
DC Comics has often been accused of whitewashing Damian Wayne because, visually, he's looked more like a Bruce Wayne clone than a teenager of mixed heritage. Fan artists online have typically understood and portrayed Damian more realistically, but now DC is choosing to also redefine him visually in the webtoon they hope will introduce a new generation of readers to the Bat-Family. Hopefully, it marks a change in their representation of Damian Wayne, and future Batman comics will follow the webcomic's lead.
That isn't the only thing Wayne Family Adventures gets right about Damian Wayne either; the stories capture his character perfectly, portraying him as an arrogant and cocky teenager who considers himself superior to all other Robins and who can't resist rubbing it in. The only member of the Bat-Family Robin truly believes to be better than him is his father, and that too can be seen in the webcomics. It's thrilling and refreshing to finally see Batman's son rendered so well.