THE COMPLETE ROBIN TOUR

Batman & Robin.  These characters are bound together in the public conscience just the same as Tom & Jerry, Laurel & Hardy, or Starsky & Hutch.  They just go together. 

Most casual comic book readers or television watchers are aware of Dick (Robin) Grayson.  But how many would know there have actually been over a dozen characters who have assumed the Robin mantle?  On this tour, we'll take a look at the many Robins to appear in the pages of DC Comics since Dick Grayson's debut in 1940.

Robin was the very first superhero sidekick, debuting in 1940.  Robin was created with the notion that a juvenile sidekick might give the youngsters reading comic books a character they could more closely relate to.  Another benefit to having a sidekick is that it allows writers to present more dialogue and less narration-boxes.

1)  DICK GRAYSON
First Appearance:  Detective Comics #38 (April 1940)
Created by:  Bill Finger, Bob Kane, and Jerry Robinson

Haly's Circus featured a headlining act called "The Flying Graysons".  John Grayson, his wife Mary, and their son Richard (Dick) were renowned aerialists.  That is until John and Mary were murdered by a mobster who put acid on their aerial ropes, sending them plummeting to their death mid-performance.  Bruce Wayne was in attendance and recognized that young Dick Grayson was experiencing a similar experience to his own when his parents were gunned down in front of him.   

Dick knows that his parents were murdered because the circus owner, Mr. Haly, wouldn't pay the mobster for protection money.  Before Dick can take this information to the police, he is confronted by Batman who convinces Dick to join him.  It seems Boss Zucco was embedded in the Gotham City PD and vigilantism was required to bring him down for good.

Wayne takes the boy in, trains him in hand-to-hand combat, and provides him with the tutelage to become a master detective.  Batman then provides him with a superhero costume and begins taking him out to fight crime in the mean streets of Gotham City.  In today's society, the notion of putting the life of a 12 or 13-year-old child in harm's way to battle evil-doers seems... well... a little nuts!  But it was a different era. 

As Robin, Dick would be Batman's partner for many decades (in real time... not comic book time!).  He was a founder of the Teen Titans and led that team through several incarnations.  In 1969, Dick left Wayne Manor to attend Hudson University.  This occurred during a period when the DC writers were trying to distance Batman in the comics from the campy Batman seen on the television show that aired from 1966 through 1969.  Robin continued to have solo adventures, but he didn't serve as a sidekick much.

In 1984 Dick abandoned his identity as Robin and assumed his new hero persona of Nightwing.  As Nightwing, he headlined several volumes of his own eponymous titles. He also temporarily assumed the role of Batman during occasions when Bruce Wayne was missing or incapacitated. 

In the short-lived New 52 DC reboot (2014), Dick went undercover for Batman as Agent 37 in a spy organization known as Spyral.  That storyline came to an end with the DC Rebirth (2016) which returned Dick to his Nightwing persona. 

In addition to his work with the Teen Titans and Titans, Dick has also served at various times as a member of the Justice League, The Outsiders, Batman Incorporated, and the Justice League Task Force.

2)  BRUCE WAYNE
First Appearance:  Detective Comics #27 (May 1939)
Created by:  Bob Kane and Bill Finger

In Detective Comics #226 (December 1955) it is revealed that the first person to don the Robin costume was not Dick Grayson.  It was in fact, Bruce Wayne.  "When Batman was Robin", written by Edmond Hamilton, informs readers that Bruce wore the familiar orange and yellow outfit when he was a child.  He created the costume and the name of Robin, and used this persona to secretly train with renowned detective Harvey Harris.  During a temporary apprenticeship, Bruce began learning and honing his detection skills.

3)  BRUCE WAYNE JR.
First Appearance:  Batman #131 (April 1960)

"The Second Batman and Robin Team" was a tale written by Robin co-creator Bill Finger.  In this story, Bruce (Batman) Wayne decides it's time for him and his wife to retire from crime fighting. Their son, Bruce Wayne Jr., becomes the new Robin, while Dick Grayson assumes the mantle of Batman. This new team both sported "II" on their chest emblems lest the public be confused! Of course, this story of Batman II and Robin II was nothing more than a fictional tale written by Bruce Wayne's butler, Alfred Pennyworth. Alfred had a new typewriter and he was taking it out for a spin. In his "Future Tale", Bruce Wayne married Kathy (Batwoman) Kane and they had a red-headed tyke who naturally wanted to join the family business!!

Two more of Alfred's tales of Batman II and Robin II appeared in Batman #135 and #145.

4) EARTH-TWO ROBIN Original First Appearance: Detective Comics #38 (April 1940)

Created by:  Bill Finger, Bob Kane, and Jerry Robinson

Revised First Appearance:  Justice League of America #55 (August 1967)
Revised Creation by: Gardner Fox and Mike Sekowski

A little history is required for this entry!  DC Comics began publishing their superhero comics in 1938.  Following a moral panic that spread through the country in the early 1950s (thanks in large part to a book titled Seduction of the Innocent, written by a less-than-ethical psychiatrist named Fredric Wertham), the comic book industry fell into decline. 

In 1956 DC attempted to update its cadre of characters beginning with a new Flash (Barry Allen).  Soon there was a new Green Lantern, a new Atom, and a new Hawkman.  The popularity of these "new" characters rides on a wave of public interest in science fiction fueled by America's race to get to the moon.

In 1961 Gardner Fox wrote the now classic tale, "The Flash of Two Worlds" (The Flash #123).  This introduced the concept of the multi-verse.  All the Golden Age heroes were said to exist on a parallel Earth, which was given the name Earth-Two.  The new Silver Age heroes resided on Earth-One.  This story was immensely popular and led to yearly team-ups between the older heroes from the Justice Society of America (Earth-Two) and the newer heroes from the Justice League of America (Earth-One).  In Justice League of America #55 it is revealed that Batman of Earth-Two has retired and Robin has taken his place in the Justice Society, complete with a new costume more closely resembling Batman's than his own.

The Earth-Two Robin was a fan favorite and appeared often in the annual JLA/JSA team-up adventures.  When All-Star Comics was revived in the 1970s, this Robin was still a member of the Justice Society, but he began wearing a costume that was much better suited to him continuing to operate as an adult Robin rather than taking over the mantle of Batman.  

5) JASON TODD
First Appearance:  Batman #357 (March 1983)
Created by: Gerry Conway and Don Newton

In 1984 Dick Grayson retired his career as Robin to become a new hero known as Nightwing.  The management at DC felt that Batman needed a Robin to keep him from becoming too dark and lost in the madness of the many unstable foes he battled.  (We can also admit that marketing merchandise for DC Comics was greatly enhanced by having a Robin in their stable!)  Enter Jason Todd.

When originally introduced, Jason is the red-headed son of circus acrobats who are killed (oh the coincidence!) by a villain known as Killer Croc.  He's then adopted by Bruce (Batman) Wayne, dyes his hair, and is given a Robin costume.  

Shortly after his debut, DC published the maxi-series called Crisis on Infinite Earths.  This series attempted to eliminate the multiverse and clean up DC's long history.  As a result of this series, the origins of many heroes were updated, including Jason Todd's.  Following the events in COIE, Jason no longer needed to dye his hair because it was now brunette.  He also had no connection to a circus.  Instead, he's an orphan on the streets of Gotham City who Batman first encountered when Jason was attempting to steal the tires off the Batmobile.  Jason's mother was dead from a drug overdose, and his father was muscle for Two-Face who suddenly went missing after a botched assignment.  Believing that Jason was primed to become part of the "criminal element" of Gotham City, he reluctantly takes the boy in.

Unlike Dick Grayson, Jason was a hothead who dislikes authority, is filled with rage, and he smokes and swears.  He was everything Grayson wasn't.  Fans hated him.  In 1988, a storyline called "A Death in the Family" played out in the Batman titles.  Fans were encouraged to call one of two different telephone numbers.  One number confirmed that the reader wanted Jason to die, and the other confirmed the reader wanted Jason to live.  In the end, this telephone poll received 10,614 votes, and with a slim majority of just 72 votes, it was determined that Jason would die.  He is brutally beaten and killed by the Joker in Batman #428.

Two decades later, following yet another DC reboot event where Superboy-Prime alters hypertime and reality, Jason Todd did not die.  Instead, he was found by Talia al Ghul, immersed in the Lazarus Pit to restore his memories, and trained by the League of Assassins.  He takes on the persona of the Red Hood.  As Red Hood, he's more of an anti-hero who does not subscribe to the morals and ethics employed by most other DC heroes.   

6)  CARRIE KELLEY

First Appearance: The Dark Knight Returns (1986)

Created by:  Frank Miller

The Dark Knight Returns was a critically acclaimed four-issue mini-series that focused on 55-year-old Bruce Wayne who retired his career as Batman over 10 years earlier, following the murder of Jason Todd.  It is set in a dystopian version of 1986.  Crime is running rampant and Bruce decides he's had enough, so he decides to become Batman again.  But he is met with opposition from the Gotham City Police Department, the U.S. Government, and his former allies Superman and Green Arrow.

In this tale, a thirteen-year-old girl named Carrie Kelley who is saved by Batman and seeks to assist him by becoming his new Robin.  When Batman is injured in a fight, Carrie is able to create a distraction allowing Batman to retreat to the Batcave.  Impressed by Carrie's courage and ingenuity he agrees to take her on as his new protégée.  

This mini-series inspired numerous sequels and spin-offs.  Carrie remains a mainstay in many of them, though not always as Robin.  She has been shown as Cat Girl, Batgirl, and Batwoman.

There was an attempt to integrate Carrie into the mainstream DC continuity following The New 52 reboot, but, much like The New 52 itself, her arrival was met with fizzled enthusiasm.

7)  TIM DRAKE

First Appearance:  Batman #436 (August 1989) Created by: Marv Wolfman and Pat Broderick When he was a young boy, Tim was in attendance at the Haley Circus on the evening when Dick Grayson's parents were murdered. Later, he was able to recognize a specific acrobatic maneuver that Robin was filmed doing with that of a routine Dick Grayson performed with the Flying Graysons. This led Tim on a quest to confirm the identities of Batman and the original Robin, which he did. He also learned of Bruce Wayne adopting Jason Todd and suddenly there was a new Robin. Following Jason's death, Tim began to notice that Batman's stability was waning. He concludes that Batman needs a Robin to keep him from going over the edge into madness. Tim hunts down Dick Grayson to share his observations and pleads for Dick to return to being Robin for the sake of Batman's well-being. In Batman #442, it ends up being Tim Drake who becomes the new stabilizing Robin for Batman. After undergoing training, he officially takes up the role of Robin, complete with an updated costume, in Batman #457 (December 1990). While not as athletic as Dick Grayson, he is a quick study in forms of martial arts and hand-to-hand combat. Tim is also a whiz kid when it comes to computer technology and navigating the internet. Unlike Jason Todd, readers were generally positive about Tim Drake. Tim's Robin would be the first to have his own eponymous title, and the first volume was published for an impressive 15 years. Like other Robins before him, he would relinquish the Robin role to another young hero. In 2009 Tim took the codename Red Robin and updated his costume once again.

8) TOM WAYNE First Appearance: Robin 3000 #1 (November 1992)

Created by: P. Craig Russell In the 31st century, a descendant of Bruce Wayne, also named Bruce Wayne, began to operate as a crime fighter. Batman (3000). He calls upon his nephew, Tom Wayne, to serve as Robin. The two attempt to defeat an alien race known as the Skulp. The Skulp are attempting to take over the Earth and rule humankind.

After Batman 3000 is killed, Robin 3000 organizes a rebellion against the Skulp. Robin 3000 is a trained acrobat and fighter. He's an inventive genius and has a cybernetic hand that was given to him to replace his original hand which was amputated. The cybernetic hand has several abilities, including the firing of lasers, and interfacing with computers. Though originally created in an Elseworlds tale, outside of mainstream DC continuity, Robin 3000 was later seen in a possible future in Superman/Batman #80 (March 2011) where he is fighting alongside Legion of Super-Heroes member Kent Shakespeare.

9) TRIS PLOVER

First Appearance: Robin Annual #4 (June 1996) Created by: Chuck Dixon and Phil Jimenez In an Elseworlds tale of the future, the Earth has run out of resources, and humans are forced to board large spaceships designed to take them to other inhabitable worlds. One ship strays off course and the resources begin to run low. In a plotline similar to Logan's Run or Soylent Green, the people on the ship are forced to forfeit their lives in a ritual known as "the giving" when they reach a certain age. Their bodies are then converted to nutrients to keep crops alive. One individual escapes the giving and based on the legends of the past, he assumes the identity of Batman, and attempts to get the ship back on course. Tris Plover is a young woman rescued by this new Batman. She joins him in his goal of getting to the ship's sentient computers to get the ship free from the rule of the council who refuses to believe the ship is off course. Batman is killed, but Robin is able to get to the sentient computers and reroute the ship before being captured and forced to kill herself in the giving. 300 years later the ship finally reaches a lush and inhabitable planet, and the Batman and Robin responsible for getting the ship to that world are honored for their sacrifice.

10) ROBIN 1000000 First Appearance: Young Justice #1,000,000 November 1998 In 1998 DC Comics printed their One Million series. Set in the 853rd century, the stories told tales of future versions of popular characters of the time. Robin 1000000, also known as the Toy Wonder, is the robotic sidekick of a future Batman. He is programmed with the personality of Batman in his teens. One of this Robin's primary purposes is to prevent Batman from losing his way in his quest for justice.

11) JUST IMAGINE ROBIN

First Appearance: Just Imagine Robin #1 (March 2002) Created by: Stan Lee and John Byrne

Just Imagine was a temporary line of comics published by DC Comics. This line was created to provide Marvel Comics' creative legend Stan Lee an opportunity to re-imagine many of DC's popular characters. This included Robin. Shortly after being born, a baby boy is left at the doorstep of an orphanage. It is there he is raised and given the name Robin because of the robin that continually perched itself on his cradle. While other children are adopted, Robin is not. He becomes a loaner and ends up being recruited by Reverend Darrk of the Church of Eternal Empowerment after he leaves the orphanage. Darrk provides Robin with enhanced strength and agility. Robin also trains in hand-to-hand combat techniques and in various forms of martial arts. Unbeknownst to Robin, Reverend Darrk also placed a mind-control on Robin and used him to commit crimes. It wasn't until after Robin met Batman that he learned of this mind-control. Batman extends an offer to Robin to be his partner, but Robin rejects the offer and sets out to find out who his parents are.

12) STEPHANIE BROWN

First Appearance: Detective Comics #647 Created by: Chuck Dixon and Tom Lyle Stephanie Brown is the daughter of Arthur Brown, the supervillain known as Cluemaster. She decided to become a costumed hero to foil her father's efforts and to try and amend his past bad deeds. Her original heroic identity was that of Spoiler. She came on the scene shortly after Tim Drake took over the role of Robin. The two of them would have an on-again-off-again romantic relationship. Stephanie honed her skills for a while under the tutelage of Black Canary and Wildcat. In 2004, Tim Drake's father discovered that Tim was working as Robin alongside Batman. He was furious that Batman would put his son in danger on the nighttime streets of Gotham City. Jack Drake demanded that Tim give up the role of Robin, and Tim acquiesced. Batman decided that he would take Stephanie under his wing as his new Robin. After years of being told that she wasn't qualified to be a costumed hero, she was thrilled to have Batman's approval. Batman's one rule was that she had to follow his instructions. Always. However, after just a few months as Robin, Stephanie disobeyed Batman by inserting herself into a battle that Batman specifically told her to stay out of. Stephanie thought she was helping, but in the end, her interference led to the villain getting away. Batman informs her that he gave her a fair shot and she didn't measure up. Not only did he deny her the opportunity to continue being Robin, he told her he didn't want to see her operating as Spoiler either. After a long absence, she did eventually reappear as Spoiler, and shortly thereafter assumed the role of Batgirl (she was the third person to take on this role, following Barbara Gordon and Cassandra Cain) in 2009. In 2011, DC rolled out their New 52 reboot, basically discontinuing all their titles and restarting the entire DC universe with a more modern timeline. In this new continuity, she once again operates as Spoiler. Her time as Batgirl was erased from existence. Following yet another reboot (The DC Rebirth) in 2016, Stephanie is once again the Spoiler, and she is recruited by Batwoman to be part of a Batman emergency response squad.

13) DAMIAN WAYNE First Appearance (non-canon): Batman: Son of the Demon - graphic novel (1987) First Appearance (canon): Batman #655 (September 2006) Created by: Grant Morrison and Andy Kubert Damian Wayne is the biological son of Bruce (Batman) Wayne and Talia al Ghul, which also makes Damian the grandson of one of Batman's primary villains, Ra's al Ghul. The concept of a son between Bruce and Talia was presented in a graphic novel in 1987, though the baby was nameless. The concept was eventually incorporated into the mainstream DC continuity when Bruce discovered that Talia had had their son and kept him a secret. Damian is already a preadolescent boy by the time Bruce finds out about him. Damian had been raised by the League of Assassins, learning to kill at an early age. He was a violent, ill-tempered, and narcissistic child. Damian's mother leaves him with Bruce to be raised in a less violent atmosphere. Bruce and Damian butt heads for quite some time before Damian eventually learns to temper his anger and accept a non-killing code of ethics. At the age of 10, he assumed the mantle of Robin, first working alongside Dick Grayson, then eventually his father. In 2013 he was killed battling the Heretic. He was resurrected in 2014.

14) TALON (HONORABLE MENTION) First Appearance: Teen Titans (vol. 3) #32 (March 2006) Created by: Geoff Johns and Tony Daniel Talon was the second teen sidekick of the Earth-Three's Owlman. Earth-Three is a parallel Earth where characters generally known as heroes on other Earths are villains, and vice versa. Owlman is an evil doppelganger of Batman.

Talon eventually falls in love with former Teen Titan Duela (Joker's Daughter) Dent. The two of them renounced their evil ways and departed for New Earth where they both joined the Teen Titans during the DC Universe's "Lost Year".

Though Talon's identity is secret, it is generally assumed that he is the Earth-Three counterpart of Richard "Dick" Grayson.

15) HELENA WAYNE First Appearance: DC Super Stars #17 (Nov/Dec 1977) Created by: Paul Levitz, Joe Staton, Joe Orlando, and Bob Layton Helena is the daughter of the Earth-Two Batman and the Earth-Two Catwoman. Learning skills from both of them, she decides to embark on her own journey as a costumed vigilante. She originally employed the moniker of Huntress. She was a member of the Justice Society of America and Infinity Inc. When DC published their epic Crisis on Infinite Earths maxi-series in 1985/86, the multi-verse was consolidated into one Earth. Because of this, there could be no adult daughter of Batman and Catwoman. A different character with a different origin filled the void left by Helena as a new Huntress. Through various reboots and DC's attempts to re-establish a multiverse, Helena (Huntress) Wayne eventually returns. Following the 2011 "New 52" reboot, it is revealed that on Earth-Two (now referred to as Earth-2), Helena was originally the only Robin, fighting crime alongside her father, Batman, before eventually breaking out on her own as Huntress. The New 52 continuity has since been erased from continuity.

16) DRAKE (HONORABLE MENTION) First Appearance: Young Justice (vol. 2) #8 Created by: Marv Wolfman and Pat Broderick Drake is the evil version of Tim Drake from Earth-Three. He encountered Owlman as a child and was thought to have been killed. He later teamed up with Amaxon Thunder (the Earth-Three version of Cassie (Wonder Girl) Sandsmark), another super-villain from this parallel Earth, and the two became romantically involved.

And there you have it, the many characters who have inhabited the role of Robin in one way or another over the last 84 years! Thanks for coming along on this journey. Look for another informative comic book tour coming your way soon!

Robin and all related characters, names, and elements and the distinctive likenesses thereof are trademarks of DC Comics, Inc.