the real person was the one who was in the Batcave, with the costume on, but with the cowl off.

That's it for me. I like that idea best.

Oh, that's great.

See, I don't really see any difference between Batman, cowl on, fighting crime with his underaged ward, versus Batman in the cave, cowl off.

I *get* that in the comics, it's supposed to be significant when he takes his cowl off (like when he finally got around to telling Tim that Steph had died [and that's a weird phrase to type!]). I get that it's shorthand for Bruce Is Trying To Actually Connect With [Character].

However, *I* still don't really see much difference when it comes right down to it. I mean, he's scary creepy Dark Knight with the baddies, but even with the cowl on, he seems the same to me with his Batcrew as he does in the cave.

YScaryBatGodMV.

t edit My pull list today:

TT #21
Manhunter #7 (damn you SA!)
Astounishing #8

I may flip through Robin, but then again, I may not. Feh.

I'm mostly with Steph. The act of being able to be cowl-less with a given person is meaningful in defining the relationship between them, but he's still the same guy.

The act of being able to be cowl-less with a given person is meaningful in defining the relationship between them

I think it's meaningful to Bruce, and I think that the Batcrew gets that it's meaningful to Bruce, but I think the Batcrew still sees no difference (or very very very little) between cowl on and cowl off.

Well, defining in the sense of "you know who I am, REALLY know." But that's about it. It's an acknowledgment of a degree of trust.

I have no recent comics canon under my belt. If I have any, it's been forgotten over the ~25 years since I read a comic, so pardon my talking out of what is most assuredly my arse.

That said, wouldn't that be the moment when he's at his most fully integrated? I've always taken him to be a headcase, and in a Dustin Hoffman-all-method-all-the-time way. Civilian Bruce has a secret, and so adopts a metaphorical mask. Batman has a secret, and wears a literal mask. BruceMan in suit without cowl--that's when he can be fully himself, and not pretend he's not Bruce, and not pretend he's not Batman.

I don't think being fully integrated is a defining characteristic of this guy.

When he's Batman, he's not pretending anything.

I don't think being fully integrated is a defining characteristic of this guy.

Two-face seems to have it together a lot better than Batman does, some times.

I think it's meaningful to Bruce, and I think that the Batcrew gets that it's meaningful to Bruce, but I think the Batcrew still sees no difference (or very very very little) between cowl on and cowl off.

Oh, I think the Batcrew see a difference with the cowl off, if only because if they already know his ID, that almost always means, "Shit, Bruce wants to talk about his EMOTIONS."

The big goon. (Of course, now I'm picturing the Batcrew's eyes getting a little bit wide and darting back and forth in search of an escape route when Bruce reaches for the cowl, and the thought is making me giggle.)

I think that the Batcrew gets that it's meaningful to Bruce, but I think the Batcrew still sees no difference (or very very very little) between cowl on and cowl off.

Oh, I think the Batcrew see a difference with the cowl off, if only because if they already know his ID, that almost always means, "Shit, Bruce wants to talk about his EMOTIONS."

We're saying the same thing here, I think.

(Of course, now I'm picturing the Batcrew's eyes getting a little bit wide and darting back and forth in search of an escape route when Bruce reaches for the cowl, and the thought is making me giggle.)

Didn't they do this when Bruce actually *apologized* in Fugitive?

All the Batbooks I've read haven't explicitly shown Bruce and Selina either getting into bed or out of bed, but I'm assuming they have had Teh Sex, yes?