Adam Graham's Blog: Christians and Superheroes - Posts Tagged "robin"

There were some superhero characters that I would have said were cool when growing up.

Robin was not one of them.

There were two version of Robin I was familiar with.

Version #1 was Dick Ward's robin from the 1960s TV series with his slapping his hand into his fist and saying, "Holy roller coaster ride, Batman." Funny? Yes. Cool? No. Particularly useful? Not really. I mean I could hand Batman the shark-repellant Bat Spray.

Then there was the Batman: The Animated Series version. In the first 85 episodes, Robin appeared in only thirty, and some of these were cameos or more of a hostage than a partner. When I saw the Robin episodes, it really felt most of the time that the writers were job to shove Robin in even though Batman could manage quite well on his own.

Of course, without Robin, Batman may have been all but forgotten. Batman enjoyed some success, but he was hardly alone in the "dark and dangerous avenger" category. Batman's whole tableau was dark and very pulpish, and at times disturbing as he seemed barely human as he went about as a bit of a crimefighting machine, skulking in the darkness and talking to himself as the villains did themselves in during their battles. Robin was grim, dark, and like way too many other pulp and comic heroes of the era.

However, in Detective Comics #38, Batman's world changed forever when the introduction of Dick Grayson as Robin, the Boy Wonder. Like Bruce Wayne, Dick's parents were killed by criminals. This gave the two an uncommon bond. It led to Rruce training Dick and to become Robin, the Boy Wonder.

The change in the comic was instantaneous. The Golden Age Robin was the definition of cool. He was wise-cracking, swash-buckling, and an asset to the team. Batman was protective of Robin, but Robin showed he belonged as a crimefighter time and time again.

In Batman #1, having captured four criminals, Batman says they're not so tough without their guns and he challenges them to take on Robin. Robin beats the four grown men single-handed. Batman told the comic reading kids that this proved they shouldn't look up to gangsters who were nothing without their weapons. At the end of Batman #1. Kids were invited to become one of Robin's Regulars with the panel portraying a boy walking an old man across the street. R.O.B.I.N. was said to be an acronym meaning Readiness, Obedience, Brotherhood, Industriousness, and Nationalism.

Whether kids took the code seriously or not, Robin helped firmly establish the Caped Crusader and his books. Robin was so successful, he was quickly mimicked by the National Comics publication More Fun Comics. Green Arrow made his first appearance in More Fun Comics in 1941 with boy sidekick Speedy. Over at Timely Comics, Captain America emerged with a boy sidekick Bucky, and the original Human Torch got a young sidekick named Toro. And it all began with Robin who rightly emerged as a leader of the Teen Titans.

Over the years, the relationship was often misunderstood and twisted by sex-obsessed psychologists and attempts to negate these unfounded concerns probably hurt the book.

In 1970s, it was decided to take the comic in another direction and Robin began to disappear from Batman titles and the character of Robin became darker. The Batman live-action movies of recent years have mostly excluded Robin. Five of the seven Batman films released since the original 1989 Movie have not featured Robin and the two that have are among the less regarded ones.

And largely Robin is thrown in to many Batman productions because well-Robin should be there, but writers have little idea what to do with the character and how he can impact the series. Robin of modern day is definitely never someone who changes the dynamic of Batman's crimefighting action.

That's not to say that this modern interpretation of Robin isn't without some merit. What young man can't identify with a twenty something year old Robin's struggle to redefine himself in the shadow of the Bat? Any man who has struggled to relate to a father figure as an adult will understand this struggle.

Yet, there's something to be said for the old Robin story. Of a boy who needs a father and a man who needs a son, of a deep bond formed by common pain, and the pure fun and joy of adventure. The Golden Age Robin is a cool character who saved Batman from sinking from the public imagination like characters such as the Black Hood. Maybe, it was more idealistic than realistic, particularly as more turbulent times came, but sometimes a little idealism can be a good thing.

Batman Adventures: Lost Years by Hilary J. Bader

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


What happened between the end of Batman and Robin Adventures and the new Batman Adventures television series as well as the Gotham Knight Adventures comic book series? This book has the answer.

Dick Grayson is approaching college graduation and increasingly, he's locking horns with Batman. He's questioning Batman's judgment and decision making processes. Meanwhile, Batman is feeling more frustrated and less confident in Robin's ability to be there. This leads to the eventual break up of the team as Dick Grayson sets out to find his way in the world.

The story can be, at first, hard to wrap your mind around. One simply doesn't question Batman's judgment. Yet, there's a bigger relational context going on here. Batman is still treating Dick Grayson the way he did at the beginning of their partnership when Grayson was a young teenager. Now, he's a man, a man who is an experienced crimefighter thanks to his years with Batman and Batman can't cope with it.

He's uncertain of Robin and takes Batgirl on as a partner because Batgirl respects him and his decisions. (As an aside the book's treatment of the Batman-Batgirl relationship v. the TV show's which seemed to suggest a romantic interest that began while she was dating Dick.)

At the same time, Dick has to find his own way in the world. In Book 2, he lays down the Robin colors and says that the Robin colors are for a boy, not a man. So, he sets off to find himself leaving Bruce Wayne behind without even saying goodbye and using his Grayson trust fund money to finance the trip.

The journey abroad is only somewhat interesting. Dick is shown as a quick learner who travels from one corner of the globe to the other seeking to learn new skills and quickly exhausting the knowledge of one teacher after another who warn him that he needs to learn about himself. The stories abroad are interesting but not amazing.

Issue 4 has a bit of a break as Batman gets a new Robin in Tim Drake who Batman rescues and takes to the Batcave. Drake quickly uncovers Batman's identity and then puts the old Robin suit on to avenge his father's death. The story seemed odd as the other four books in the collection focused on Grayson, but this was necessary.

The book rises to a higher level because of the pathos of the story. This isn't Marvel where characters are very vocal about their emotions. But there are subtle touches. In Book 3, Dick realizes it's been a year since he left and wonders if he's missed. The comic cuts to Bruce Wayne sitting by the fire and when Alfred reminds him it's a been a year, Wayne feigns ignorance, all while staring at a picture of Grayson. He has a decidedly negative reaction when first seeing Drake in the Robin costume.

Grayson also has these reactions. When he finally returns, Alfred interrupts with word that the Batman signal has been flashed. Grayson responds, "That's all right Alfred. Business always comes first, doesn't it?" Wayne answers yes and they're off. Though in that moment is the great tragedy and sadness of Grayson. He wanted and needed more than work, more than a partner in crimefighting. He needed a deeper father-son relationship that Wayne could never provide.



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The Robin Archives, Vol. 2 by Jim Mooney

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


This second archive of Robin solo stories includes adventures from Star Spangled Comics #86-#105.

These are not as good as those in Volume 1. Part of the problem is actually Batman who effectively took over the strip #88-#95 in hopes of saving it from low circulation numbers. In Issue #96, Robin ceased being the cover feature and these went back to being stories featuring just Robin.

Some of the highlights include:

-A story where criminals make a counterfeit of Batman's utility belt (#89)
-A powerful boy inventor who accidentally discovers a way find Robin's Secret Identity (#96)
-Another bout between Robin and the Clock King (Called the Clock in this story) (#97)
-Robin encounters a wanna be second Boy Wonder (#98)
-Robin takes a wild killer dog under his wings and helps his go straight #100)

The lowlights are quite a few. We have some just goofy stories such as Robin running for Batman as a birthday present (#91), the attempted introduction of a wheel based criminal (#99), and the Underworld's attempt to rig school popularity contests (#101).

The worst story was probably #103 where introduces Roberta, the Girl Wonder and Robin lets her fight crime and allows her to over the, "She's a girl!" against fighting crime but then comes up with something even more stupid, and executes a plan to end her career that's one of the most jerky things done in comics.

Still, if you're fan of the Golden Age Boy Wonder, this is a worthwhile read even if the stories have lost a step.



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Super Sons, Volume 1: When I Grow Up by Peter J. Tomasi

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


This book collects the first five issues of Super Sons featuring Robin (Damian Wayne) and Superboy (Jon Kent.) The book remains essentially a very fun adventure, nothing too special in terms of the plot. What ultimately makes this book a winner is the relationship between Damian and Jon. The two make a superb odd couple and their constant clashes are delight. Tomasi has captured the fun of kids with super powers and realized the concept brilliantly.

Overall, just a very nice team up book for the young and young at heart.



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Super Sons Vol. 2: Planet Of The Capes by Peter J. Tomasi

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


This book contains two stories.

First up is the four-issue Planet of the Capes which has Jon and Damian meeting up for some crimefighting as part of Jon's parents approved schedule for him learning to be Superboy. The adventure was supposed to end with Damian heading off on an adventure with the Teen Titans. However, things go horribly wrong and the Titans have to get Jon out of his pajamas and back into action after Damian is turned into a senior citizen.

The book is a lot of fun. Jon gets to interact with the Teen Titans and show his stuff and then they're whisked off to another world. The story is light and fun, and it moves at a really good pace. Being a four-issue story helps. A lot happens in that story but it has to happen to quickly.

"One Fine Day" is a nice little one-shot that focuses on the characters relationship and has fun with that. They also get a change to Damian's status quo. (That's not very good or well-thought out, but I can forgive that.)

Overall, these characters continue to be fun and this book is a delight to read.



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Super Sons of Tomorrow by Peter J. Tomasi

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


This book is a three-way crossover between Super Sons, Superman, and Teen Titans that features alternate possible future Tim Drake returning to murder someone in order to save lives in the future. In this case, he's here to murder a ten-year-old boy as Jonathan Kent's (Superboy) powers are going beserk some time in the future.

What works about this book is the relationship between Superboy and Robin. The book really showcases that. We also get to see some cool potential future alternate heroes that are a call back to the 1990s Young Justice series. Unfortunately, the rest of the book is more meh than anything else. Tim is repeating the same thing he did in Detective Comics. The Teen Titans aren't particularly heroic or likable with many of their decisions bewildering from any logic other than the writers wanting the team to split in certain ways.

It's not as bad as Lazarus Contract, but it's disappointing and unimpressive, though with enough good moments to make it readable.



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Robin/Batgirl: Fresh Blood by Bill Willingham

My rating: 2 of 5 stars


Fresh Blood is a crossover Batgirl, collecting Issue 132 and 133 of Robin and 58 and 59 of Batgirl. tween Tim Drake's Roin and Cassandra Cain's Batgirl. It comes from before the current practice where every comic book series and storyline gets a trade, and having read it, I wonder why anyone thought this was worth collecting, and even better why it was worth doing.

The story opens with the once-cheery optimistic Robin in a very dark place as he's had to bury his father and girlfriend within 24 hours. takes over crimefighting in Bludhaven after Nightwing left and acts in a very brutal way until he attracts the attention until he's overpowered by the assassin Shrike. At that time, Batgirl enters the story. We find that Batman thought she was almost ready for a city of her own and to fill Bludhaven, but that he also saw that she and Tim could help each other and be a well-balanced team. And throughout the second part of the story, we do indeed see how a Cain-Drake team could work and how they would make very strong crimefighting partners.

The next two issues totally blows the potential of that team in a dull and idiotic story that has one of Batman's most famous rogues acting like a total idiot and the team ending for stupid reasons. On top of that, the art is wonky.

This isn't completely horrible but it plays a nasty trick by really making something look promising and then pulling the rug out from under the read by executing in the stupidest way imaginable.



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Super Sons, Volume 3: Parent Trap by Peter J. Tomasi

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


This book collects the final four issues of Super Sons and Annual #1 for a total of three stories:

Animal Planet (Annual #1): The Super Pets team up to investigate a series of pet thefts. Overall, a cute and fun Annual.

The Parent Trap (13 and 14): Damian's mother shows up and like any good mom wants her son to help her kill someone. Damian refuses but realizes he'll have to stop her when he learns who the target is. This story gives some insight into Damian's past and how Jon doesn't fully understand it, but we also get some subtle notes which underscore why they are friends.

End of Innocence (15 and 16); Amazo trashes the Super Sons' headquarters, but that's only a preliminary to Amazo's ultimate goal: taking over the Justice League. A nice story that gives the Super Sons a chance to rise to the occassion and also provides a nice closing story for the series.

Overall, this was a very fun close to one of my favorite DC Rebirth books.



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Adventures of the Super Sons, Vol. 1: Action Detectives by Peter J. Tomasi

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Adventures of the Super Sons is set between the time of the end of the proper Super Sons series and Brian Michael Bendis taking over all the Superfamily titles and reshaping them.

This is really a fun six issue run. It's half of a story and ends on a bit of a cliffhanger as its about an alien boy who is emulating Lex Luthor and claiming the title Lex Luthor, Jr. and he has a plan but things he can grab the Super Sons and does so for fun.

Writer Peter Tomasi has a good time with this. The boys bounce into aliens worlds, they encounter the Space Cabbie, and even the "older" Super Sons. It's just a really fun book in the spirit of Tomasi's original series. If you like that, you'll love this.



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Robin, The Boy Wonder: A Celebration of 75 Years by Bill Finger

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


This book celebrates the 75th Anniversary of Robin in 2015 by dedicating a section to each Robin. My thoughts on each section below:

1) Dick Grayson:

This section leans heavily into using Robin stories that have been repinted over and over again. Including his origin, the time that Bruce Wayne lost costudy of him to scheming relatives, and that type he behaved like a jerk to a girl who wanted to be a crimefighter, and the bicentenial issue where he teamed up with Batgirl to fight a demonically powered Benedict Arnold. These aren't bad, but I've read them all before. There are two exceptions. The Golden Age Robin Solo story, "The Barton Brothers" is a nice little story where he rounds up three criminal brothers with different hooks and gimmicks. Then there's the "Robin" chapter from Nightwing Year One which is actually kind of dreadful.

2) Jason Todd:

Wa get a look at the start of Jason's post-crisis origin and we get the second half of the comic that ended with a 900 number people would call to vote whether he would die. In between, there's a story where Batman and Robin are dealing with a diplomat's son who has a nasty way of treating women and we're left question how far this Robin might go. It's a bit light and incomplete, but Todd's era was short.

3) Tim Drake:
We get the issue where Drake first put on the costume of Robin, a downbeat Robin story by Chuck Dixon, and a team up between Robin and Nighwing that allows the characters to interact.Then there's a Superboy/Robin team up in the pages of Superman/Batman that's high on action, low on character development. These arent bad, but I think you start to see the challenge of putting modern comics with a book like this. The one-shot is rear and comics are written "for the trade." So of the four stories, we have one issue plucked out of multi-part story, and two other one-shots that aren't particularly remarkable and also written by people who didn't write Tim Drake.

4) Damian Wayne:
We get the issue where Damian comes to the Batcave and thinks he's going to claim his inheritance. He's surly and insufferable, but then again, that's Damian Wayne for you, particularly in the early days. We have an issue from Superman/Batman where there's a team-up with Supergirl, which works quite well. And then we have Batman and Robin Annual #1 from 2013 by Peter Tomasi in which Damian gets Batman to take a vacation in Europe and lays out a trail of clues leading him to reconnect with his family heritage while Damian dons the cowl in Bruce's absence and tries to hide it. I actually love this story the most. It does a great job showing how Damian's developed and the complicated relationship between father and son. It's great work anda reminder that I really need to check out Batman and Robin by Peter Tomasi.

5) Other Robins:
This is a big fault I have with this book. To most people, Robin is either Dick Grayson, Tim Drake, or Damian Wayne. Throwing in some alternate Earth versions is kind of silly and I think it would have been better to feature more stories with these characters.

"The Super-Crisis that Struck Earth-Two" barely features the pre-Crisis Earth 2 Robin and is actually the first of a two part story no tincluded in the book.

"The Dark Knight Triumphant" is a classic dark piece of comic writing from Batman: The Dark Knight by Frank Miller, but the alternate Robin barely features amongst people talking on cable news.

"Head Games" is a throwaway story about some future robot "Robin the Toy Wonder" from the DC One Million Event.

"A Life More Ordinary" is the most defensible story for inclusion in the book as its about Stephanie Brown becoming Robin for a brief time. Even here, I think it doesn't make as much sense or carry as much weith without the context.

Overall, if you've not read a whole lot about Robin, this isn't a bad collection to check out, and there are some good stories in here, but there are also a few stories that are thrown in and some of this that just feels like its being too cute by half with its selction critera.




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