Batman and Robin #1

I've never really considered Robin a very serious character. He seemed okay on the Batman television show since it was campy and goofy and why shouldn't Batman have a teenage sidekick?

But in the comic book world, Robin just seems outdated. Just the concept of a young sidekick seems dangerous and irresponsible. And how popular can Robin be that when the fate of the Jason Todd version was left up to DC's readership, they voted he should die! How awful and horrible is that?

I was pretty floored by that result back when it happened. But those were the days before the internet and Xbox Live when many of us were still innocent and believed that the majority of people were not assholes. Yes, yes. We now know better.

I don't have any love for Robin myself. Here's a picture of me on Halloween when I was 3 or 4 years old. My sister and I went as Batman and Robin.



Fuck no! Even at three years old I wasn't going to be Robin! We went as Batman and Batman, motherfucker! My cousin Jerry was apparently Sgt. Rock. Heck, this was 1974 when every kid wanted to be a fucked up Vietnam Vet! Good costume choice, cuz!

I knew this guy Chris who had a twin brother. His parents had a picture of him and his brother when they were younger dressed as Batman and Robin. To this day, neither one will admit that he was Robin in that picture.

So is Robin going to suddenly become cool like Aquaman? Is everyone going to jump on the Robin bandwagon and say how much they've always loved Robin? That he's always been their favorite just behind Aquaman?

I want to say hell no. But I keep looking over at the cover for Batman and Robin #2 and I can't help but smile.


I think I'm going to like this Robin.

The comic starts out with some guy in Moscow acting like Russian Batguy and threatening some other guy. And then some invisible guy turns up and turns Batman and Robin #1 into the most violent comic of all the 52s I've read so far!



That's a guy getting his brains blown out! Pretty graphic for a kid's comic book! This is a kid's comic book, right? It has Robin in it! But then, I've always thought Archie was a kid's comic as well and this is the current Archie Mini-Series:


I'd even bang Veronica when she's a zombie!

After this guy gets shot through both eyeballs, the Batcommie has all of his limbs broken by the invisible person claiming to be Nobody.

And then we're back to Batman. And Robin. I don't know anything about this Robin. I don't even know if this Robin is brand new to the 52 Universe. I knew about Dick Grayson and Jason Todd and Tim Drake. But that's it. This Robin is named Damian Wayne. He calls Batman/Bruce Wayne father. So he's either adopted or Bruce Wayne's biological kid. Probably via Selina Kyle.

And once Robin starts talking, I'm redeciding whether to like him or not. He's a little cynical jerk! I don't even know how old he's supposed to be but I'd guess ten. Maybe he's twelve and just small for his age. What are the legal age restrictions on sidekicks? He also might be a robot. Or an alien life form.

Batman brings Robin to visit the site where Robin's grandparents were gunned down. Batman says it will be the last time he'll commemorate the anniversary of their deaths. Robin acts snotty and bored. Like a 10 year old that would rather be out fighting crime!


See?! That's something the son of Catwoman would say!

And Batman responds thusly:



So Robin is ten years old. And it looks like he only recently came into Batman's life. This shines a good light on his attitude. A boy brought up without a father suddenly being reintroduced to him a decade later. This also would make him feel more comfortable to snap back at Batman and make Batman less comfortable with reprimanding him.

What we've got here is Divorced Father Syndrome. But where was Robin prior to all of this? With Catwoman's grandparents?

Anyway, that explains all of that! Now I can get on with the rest of the book knowing a good deal about the dynamic duo's dynamic.

Batman and Robin next rush off to stop some criminals from stealing irradiated fuel rods from Gotham City University's Research Reactor. They get there and they fight and the bad guys are getting away with loads of radioactive fuel. They end up in a Gyro Vehicle thing and Robin goes after them while Batman tells him not too. Batman must stay behind and stop a reactor breach while Robin cuts the stabilizer on the Gyro ball and it goes all wonky. The criminals within are doused in radioactive fuel and the vehicle explodes. So Batman and Robin have this discussion:

Batman: "They had tanks of irradiated fuel on their backs--did you give one second of thought to the repercussions?"
Batman: "We don't have a license to kill. You follow my orders or--"
Robin: "I did not kill them and I can handle myself."
Batman: "It's more than just handling yourself--I want you to control yourself."
Robin: "I'm not like Tim, or Jason, or even Dick. I'm light-years ahead of all the past Robins in skills and training. I'm either your partner in this or I'm not."
Batman: "You're not my partner, you're my son. And if I can't trust you to do what I think is right, then--"
Robin: "Even Dick trusted me--why can't you?"
Batman: "You have to earn it."
Robin: "And how long is that going to take?"
Batman: "I'll let you know."

That was a whole lot of synopsis but I figure this whole Batman and Robin relationship needs to be documented or I'll forget it by the time I read Issue #6!

So there was also a Jason Todd. I guess he's the Red Hood of Red Hood and the Outlaws? I wonder if he died and came back to life in this universe as well! Or maybe he just left Batman's side because Batman is a big dick control freak. Not that I know the size of Batman's dick! I just meant he's a big jerk!

Okay, Batman and Robin. I'm curious as to how this whole thing is going to play out and how it even came together.

It's also made me think I need to reread the 52 Graphic Novels. Maybe there are some clues about how this 52 universe works. I wonder if the stories between these new 1st issues and the 52 storyline are supposed to be canon? Maybe I should do some online research! But I don't want any spoilers! Hey Anonymous! Find out what the hell is going on in the DC Universe! Sheesh! Oracle was easier to contact than you!