Summary
With the recent announcement from DC Comics that the publisher is launching a fresh universe, there’s a lot of speculation as to what readers can expect from theAbsolute Universe. As a long-termBatmanfan, I think the imprint presents the publisher with an opportunity to start fresh withRobin.
Since thevery first appearance of Robinback in 1940’sDetective Comics#38 by Bob Kane, Bill Finger, and James Robinson, the hero has offered a youthful, energetic contrast to Batman. However, it’s hard to deny that, as the years have progressed,the Robin mantle has become a surprisingly grim one, marred by decades of baggage. With each new face in the suit typically comes a darker backstory and a more tenuous relationship with the Dark Knight.
Now that the publisher islaunching a brand-new Absolute Universe line,there’s an opportunity to do something new with the Boy — or Girl — Wonderin the forthcomingAbsolute Batmantitle by Scott Snyder and Nick Dragotta. Sidekicks aren’t for everyone, and there’s no denying that many of the best comic book stories are effectively solo tales. For Batman, however, Robin has been present at some of the most crucial points in Dark Knight history and is essential in making his story work.
Gotham City’s Iconic Villains Can Never Be TRUE Heroes (Redemption Is a Total Myth)
After Man-Bat’s efforts to become a hero are unrewarded, he reverts back to life as a villain in a common arc for many Gotham evildoers.
New Robins Are Always Measured Against the Last
Dick Grayson Debuted as the Original Robin inDetective Comics#38
Thehandling of various Robin charactershas been one of the more controversial aspects of DC continuity since the death of Jason Todd. For some readers, the association between Batman’s sidekicks and trauma has always been a questionable choice, too, even if it does fit thematically. One of the best parts of the sidekick has historically been the contrast created with the Caped Crusader. Where the older hero is a brooding creature of the night,Robin is supposed to be a sort of wish fulfillment for young readers, allowing them to imagine themselves fighting alongside a legend.
Carrie Kelley made the Robin role fun again.
One of the reasons thatCarrie Kelly works so well as Robin inThe Dark Knight Returns, for example, is that her reason for joining Batman is passion. Unlike Jason Todd or Tim Drake, she isn’t filling in for a dead or departed sidekick in their immediate wake. This room for her to breathe — and for Bruce to adjust — means she makes the role her own.
To put it simply, Carrie Kelley made the Robin role fun again, and honored the classic idea thatRobin should be an enthusiastic partner, not someone who feels like they had no choice in the matter. As each post-Grayson Robin has joined the team, it’s felt more like trying to fill a vacancy and less like an authentic relationship.
ABSOLUTE BATMAN #1 (2024)
October 9th, 2024
Variant Covers:
Wes Craig, Jim Lee, Mitch Gerads, Ian Bertram
Without the mansion… without the money… without the butler… what’s left is the Absolute Dark Knight!
One of the more absurd aspects of DC, for me, has been witnessing the Caped Crusader, a hero known for his solitary, brooding nature, accumulate the biggest superhero family in comics. In terms of the themes of the book and its origin, it just doesn’t work, andsome Bat-Family stories have been too crowded for any hero to really matter. This is especially true in the massiveBatmanevents, which often see the Bat-Family break off into smaller groups, turningwhat should be one Batman storyinto three or four team-based subplots. What pulled me into the Batman titles is the idea of a lone detective, and graphic novel sales bear that out.
DC’s Absolute Universe lineneeds to keep it simple. Rather than trying to reinvent the wheel with a new Bat-family, I believe thatthe newAbsolute Batmantitle should deliver a fresh, original Robin.This revamp would mean an all-new partnership to explain and explore, one that doesn’t have to be so distant. After decades of watching various iterations of Robin have a falling out with the Dark Knight, getting to see a healthy, effective partnership would satisfy what I have wanted all along. Some writers have a habit of relying on family drama too much — but it’s time to move on and try something new.
Batman’s New ‘Puppet’ Transformation Is Nightmare Fuel You Might Not Be Ready For
If you are one of the people who can’t stand the creepiness of the horror franchise Saw, then you’re going to HATE Batman’s new puppet form.
The Absolute Universe Needs to Learn from Past Mistakes
Frank Miller Is Great, But He Made a Key Robin Mistake
While it goes without saying thatThe Dark Knight Returnsis a Batman masterpiece, one of the more controversial changes Frank Miller made was his depiction of the Batman/Robin dynamic. Traditionally,this relationship is like that of a father and child, and it isn’t at all uncommon for Bruce to call his ward “son” in times of danger.
In Miller’s eyes, however, the relationship more closely mirrored that of a friendly sergeant and the grunts under his command in a time of war. This was hammered home by the hero referring — in the past tense — to Jason Todd as a “good soldier.” Here,his feeling towards his old sidekick was one of honor, but not love.
This independent pocket universe allows for something entirely new.
Miller, along with artist Jim Lee, would cement the fractured Batman/Robin dynamic in the infamousAll-Star Batman and Robin the Boy Wonder. Since then, the borderline, if not outright, abusive relationship between the pair has become something of a norm. Even stories set within the DCU have portrayed the hero as aloof, cold, anddistant from the Bat-Family, something that has become clearer as the team has grown. Now, with a blank slate to start over,the publisher can build up some meaningful emotional investment, both between the heroes and the readers.
Batman Lives Through a Ghost Story in New DETECTIVE COMICS Arc from Tom Taylor
From Nightwing to Batman: superstar writer Tom Taylor takes on DETECTIVE COMICS to offer a literal and symbolic haunting for the Dark Knight.
Absolute Batman Offers a Chance at Renewal
It’s an Exciting Time to Be a DC Fan
InAbsolute Batman,DC should take full advantage of the opportunity to move on from standard continuity. Where even the New 52 had to play into what had been established in prior runs, this independent pocket universe allows for something entirely new. Instead of clinging to simple tweaks and minor alterations to lore, creative teams can put entirely new characters into key mantles, and Robin is a great place to start. It would also be good to build up a unique personality, rather than just reinventing the edgy nature of Jason Todd or the book smarts of Tim Drake.
Whether DC opts for a fun, Golden Age relationship, enthusiastic camaraderie like inDark Knight Returns,or a familial bond like Bruce’s relationship with his biological son Damian, simplicity should remain key. Rather than trying to retroactively explain an entire lineage of Robins, just focus on developing one single sidekick. Readers already have a large team in the core universe. It’s time for the creative team for theAbsolute Universeversions of the beloved characters to fix the mistakes of the past and build on a strong relationship that turnsBatmaninto the strong leader, mentor, and father figure toRobinthat I know he can be.
Absolute Batman#1is available October 9th, 2024 from DC Comics.
Batman
One of DC’s most iconic heroes, Batman is the vigilante superhero persona of billionaire Bruce Wayne. Forged by tragedy with the death of his parents, Bruce dedicated his life to becoming the world’s leading martial artist, detective, and tactician. Recruiting an entire family of allies and sidekicks, Bruce wages war on evil as the dark knight of his hometown, Gotham City.
