Welcome back to Robin Watch, my ongoing coverage of DC Comics’ efforts to pick a new Robin. As many of you know, Robin is one of my all-time favorite superheroes, and for the first time since the 80s, we are without a Robin. The latest hero to wear the mantle, Damian Wayne, died heroically several months ago, and now several candidates have stepped up to replace him. There will be a new Robin. It’s only a matter of time, and I’m quite excited to see what happens.

The leading contender for the new Robin – and my personal favorite – is Harper Row, a street-wise orphan with a knack for electrical engineering and getting herself into trouble. Harper is the subject of today’s Robin Watch due to her appearance in this week’s issue of Detective Comics, which I believe marks the first time she has appeared outside of the Batman series, which is written by her creator, Scott Snyder. I think it’s a pretty telling sign that other Batman writers and comics are now allowed to use Harper Row in their stories, meaning DC is working to make her a more viable, important character.

The story involves Harper tracking an assassin at Wayne Tower and getting rescued by Batman. Even though he had told her to stay out of trouble and took away her crime-fighting gear, Harper still took it upon herself to help protect the Prime Minister of Bhutan from an assassin. Afterwards, Batman and Harper had a few words.

Batman can’t seem to stay mad at the lovable ragamuffin, and so he gives Harper back her crime-fighting gear. He tells her that if she’s going to insist on getting involved then she needs to be prepared, and she should refrain from doing anything stupid. It’s an OK appearance from Harper in a relatively OK series. At least I reminded myself why I haven’t bothered with Detective Comics. But again, the sheer mediocrity of the issue is further proof that Harper’s appearance is part of a larger push to involve her in Batman comics. This isn’t a Harper Row story. This is a Batman story, and the writer was allowed to bring Harper along for added fun.

But that alone is not evidence that Harper is going to become the new Robin. That comes later in the issue, when Bruce Wayne chats with Alfred about the young, resourceful Harper.

That right there is the equivalent of a smoking gun.

Bruce Wayne and Alfred all but come out and say that Harper Row is perfect to be the next Robin. Obviously, at this point, DC is still being coy about their plans for Harper Row, as they should be. DC should milk the selection of the next Robin for all it’s worth. I think there’s an extra layer behind this little scene. I think Harper’s creator, Scott Snyder, is doing his best not to make Harper the obvious choice for Robin. And until this issue, Snyder was the only one who ever wrote Harper in a comic. But now she’s been handed off to Detective Comics writer John Layman, who is probably somewhat aware of DC’s future plans for Harper, but is not privy to Snyder’s thoughts on the character.

So I think Layman is trying, but failing, to be subtle in hinting towards Harper becoming the next Robin. It’s like Snyder let another kid play with his toys, and the other kid messed them all up!

An alternate theory has been recently proposed by Friend-of-the-Site The Salty Runback, where it’s possible that Harper is just a red herring, and her younger brother Cullen is the real candidate. It’s an interesting idea, and one I’d be willing to be DC might try. And if that’s the case, then perhaps DC is playing a game where they make Harper the obvious choice, so that Cullen’s eventual selection will come as a big twist. Perhaps Harper gets killed somehow. Or she becomes the Joker’s Daughter, an upcoming villain with colorful hair and a connection to the Gotham Underground. Personally, I much prefer Harper as the next Robin instead of Cullen. But he is definitely now in the running.

Tune in next time for another exciting segment of Robin Watch!