Robin Who?

Because I'm writing this blog for a class in my University, I'm assuming that not many of my readers know that there is more than one Robin. It is a standard canon in the comics that almost every comic geek knows, but nobody outside the Batman fandom understands. I once tried to explain to my family and two of my roommates that there were actually multiple Robins, and since I will most likely be referring to them in my blog, I should explain who they are.

The first Robin is the one that everyone is familiar with, Dick Grayson. Usually when people picture the boy wonder, it is the original one.  If you watched the (horrible) movie, Batman and Robin, the one starring George Clooney, you know that Dick's parents were killed while performing in a circus act, leaving him as the only surviving Flying Grayson. However, what you probably don't know is that the Grayson's were killed a relatively unknown criminal called Tony Zucco. Bruce Wayne was in attendance to the Grayson's performance and took pity on the young boy, seeing himself and in the recently orphaned Dick. Bruce became Dick's guardian and while he never formally adopted Dick, the two had father/son relationship. Dick became the first Robin, keeping up with Batman by using his acrobatic skills that he had learned in the circus from his parents. He eventually went his separate way from Batman, tiring of the hero's closed heart. He then became Nightwing, the name he still uses to this day and is one of the most respected heroes in the DC universe. However, he did have a stint as Batman when Bruce was stuck in the past. Dick's story as Batman is regarded as one of the greatest Batman arcs of all time, and he was respected as Batman just as much as Bruce was.

After Dick went on to become Nightwing, the position of Robin was open. Jason Todd became the next boy wonder. He was found slashing the tires of Bruce's limo and admitted that he was an orphan and was living on the streets. Bruce took him in and trained Jason to aim his mischievous nature into a source of good. Jason was  a natural at fighting on the streets, but was always a little too eager for his own good. He was later kidnapped by the Joker who beat him to death, leading Batman to mourn for his loss for a very long time. The death of Jason Todd was actually a fan-voted occurrence but it is believed that one person called in over 90 times in order to have Jason die. Jason later came back to life (due to several circumstances that I will no name here) but did not return to Bruce as Robin but instead became the anti-hero known as the Red Hood. Unlike Robin, the Red Hood used guns and killed any enemies in his way, and often was featured as the villain in several comics. He is still around today, fighting enemies in his own way and trying to forget everything kind Bruce ever did for him, for he still blames Bruce for his death to this day.

The third Robin (and my personal favorite) is Tim Drake. Tim is actually and oddity among the Robins because he was not an orphan, not poor. His parents were very wealthy, and Tim was very smart, a genius of a boy. Using his own detective skills, he discovered the identity of Batman as Bruce Wayne and showed up to confront the man. When Tim's mother ended up in the hospital in a comatose state, Tim asked to become the next Robin. Bruce refused at first, Jason's death too fresh in his mind, but after some persuasion by Alfred, Bruce welcomed Tim into the Batman family. Tim's life is tragic at best, after his mother went comatose, she soon died and the Drake fortune ran out. Tim's father was then later murdered by Captain Boomerang, a Flash villain. Bruce eventually formally adopted Tim and is the only Robin to have this honor. When Batman died several years later, Tim was the only one to believe that he was not actually dead. He was furious when nobody believed him and revoked his title as Robin and took up the mantel of Red Robin and went on the hunt for Bruce Wayne and is mostly responsible for Batman's escape from death. He uses his genius level intellect to lead the current Teen Titans, but is always there when Batman need him.

The next Robin is the Robin that almost nobody knows about, and the only female to ever have the title of Robin. Stephanie Brown was the daughter of a big time crime lord and, knowing that what her father was doing was wrong, decided to become a hero in her own right, known as the Spoiler. In her public life, she went to high school with Tim and they eventually started to date, though neither knew that the other was a super hero. The Spoiler wore a mask that obscured her entire face and it wasn't until much later that Stephanie's identity was revealed. She also confided in Tim that she was actually pregnant from her last boyfriend, and her pregnancy story line is hailed as one of the best Robin stories ever written. She takes up the mantel of Robin when Tim leaves the position in order to be closer to his dad (before Mr. Drake was murdered). Bruce wasn't sure of the decision but allowed it, telling her that the first moment she did not listen to an order, she was fired. This of course happened, but Stephanie decided to go out as Robin on her own, investigating a gang war and subsequently getting herself killed in the process. It is later revealed that her death was a ruse in order to protect her form further harm by the gang, and she had actually traveled to Africa with a friend of Bruce's names Leslie. She has since returned and become the new Batgirl, having taken over for the previous Batgirl, Cassandra Cain.

And last but definitely not least, is the final Robin, Damian Wayne. Yes you read that right, he is the son of Bruce Wayne. His mother? Talia Al'Ghul. If that name means nothing to you it means you need to go back and watch Batman Begins! In the comics, Ras Al'Ghul is perhaps one of the biggest if not THE biggest crime lord in the world. His daughter Talia fell in love with Bruce and while the two could never actually be together they did produce a son, Damian. Bruce was unaware of the boy for Ras had taken him and raised him to be one of the most dangerous killers in the world. It was not until Damian was ten that Talia brought him to America and introduced him to his father that Bruce finally met his own son. At this time, Tim was still Robin, having taken back the title after Stephanie's death. Bruce took Damian home, away from the bad influences of Talia and Ras, and Tim resented this. Damian was a cruel killer who thought nothing like his father, but when Bruce died Damian reveals that he respected his father, and soon became Robin along side Dick as Batman. It was then that Tim became Red Robin and left in search of Bruce. Dick slowly but surely taught Damian that killing was not always the only option and by the time Bruce had returned, Damian had come into his own. Initially a despised character by many fans, he now tends to be a fan favorite for it is recognized that all Damian every really wanted was the respect of his father and to be recognized as the son of the Bat.