Category Archives: Batman
I Support Harper Row as the New Robin
The body of the previous Robin isn’t even cold yet, but already I’m throwing my considerable blogging weight behind Harper Row for the new Robin! I know some of my readers, and probably a lot of comic book readers in general, would rather Batman not get a new Robin, at least not right away. And that’s a perfectly fine idea. DC should go ahead and tell some stories of Batman dealing with the death of his son and being a lone vigilante for awhile.
But Batman needs a Robin. He will get a new one. It’s inevitable. Robin makes the comics richer, he makes Batman richer, he makes the stories richer; Robin is just a good character to have around.
And Harper Row should be the new Robin.
She’s hip and knows the Internets
I also think DC should replace Damian sooner rather than later, for a number of reasons. Mostly because the reboot needs a Robin to call its own. Damian was created before anyone even had the idea of a reboot, and while a lot of characters were tweaked and altered, Damian was untouched when the whole universe was remade. And it’s clear now that he was only on loan to DC from Grant Morrison.
DC needs their own Robin, one who can stand the test of time and exist as his or her own character, not just at the whim of a single writer. Tim Drake was such a character.He wasn’t created to become Robin just for a single story, he became Robin and was allowed to grow and expand over years of stories. If DC plans to make this DCnU continuity a lasting thing, then being able to tell the story of a new Robin from the ground up is a great idea.
And Harper Row is the obvious choice. I mean, c’mon, surely she was created for just this purpose!
Batman Does Not Understand Why He Needs a Robin
Batman needs a Robin. I already went over that earlier in the week. And it’s also my theory that Bruce Wayne doesn’t really understand why he needs a Robin. He just doesn’t get it. Oh sure, he can recognize the strategic benefits of having a partner. And maybe he even enjoys being a teacher and mentor. But Batman doesn’t really understand the crucial motivations that go into becoming a successful sidekick to the Dark Knight.
The key issue is whether or not the new sidekick wants to be Robin or whether they want to be Batman’s partner. And the difference will determine whether they are a success or a failure as the Boy Wonder.
One big happy family
There have been five different Robins in standard DC continuity. And it is my claim that when you look at the origins and outcomes of each of those Robins, you will see that their success or failure can be predicted based on what role Batman played in how they became Robin, and whether they were in it for the glory of the being Robin or whether they just wanted to help Batman. There’s a big difference between the two, even if it doesn’t sound like it at first.
When Batman picks the Robin, it ell ends in disaster. But when the Robin picks Batman, it works out great!
Join me after the jump as I explain why Batman doesn’t understand his own sidekick. Also, there will be SPOILERS after the jump! So be warned.
Damian’s Finest Hour
Something absolutely huge happens to Damian Wayne in today’s issue of Batman Incorporated! And I know people throw around terms like ‘finest hour’ all the time, but this issue really is Damian Wayne’s finest hour! And not just because he punches children.
Take that, children!
I’m not going to spoil the big surprise here in the opening, even if it’s been spoiled everywhere else. You can click the jump to find out what happens. But for now, I just want to say that Batman Incorporated #8 is a fantastic issue! I’ll review it like normal in my Hench-Sized Reviews, but since this is Robin Week, I wanted to do something special so that everybody could share in the awesomeness that is Damian Wayne’s Finest Hour.
Join me after the jump. There are full spoilers for Batman Incorporated #8!
