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This is a pretty familiar panel to most of us by this point, coming from the beginning of Morrison’s run on Batman and Robin, which features Dick Grayson and Damian Wayne as the Dynamic Duo.
It always strikes me, though, and stirs my sympathy for Dick. He’s trying valiantly to rise to the challenge placed upon him, and it’s steadily crushing him: his slumped shoulders and bowed head are evidence of how heavy his burdens are. It’s not only the monumental task of filling Batman’s shoes. He’s also trying to cope with Bruce’s death, with mentoring the younger heroes, with being a fairly young man suddenly flung into a parental role over a boy who treats him with open defiance and disdain.
Dick is put through hell after Bruce’s alleged death, and we see so little complaint from him. Just a few moments of self-doubt such as this one, where he bows under the immense pressure put upon him for only a second. He has on the suit, but not the cowl. He accepts the role of Batman out of filial piety, out of his desire to see Bruce’s good work carried on in Gotham City. But he wants to still be Dick Grayson, to not lose the optimist he is at heart, even though the dark mantle of Batman is so often all-consuming.
Thankfully Alfred is there to assure him that Dick Grayson makes a fine Batman indeed, and that the only person he needs to be is himself.
