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The Definitive Robin Costume Ranking
Happy Thanksgiving, comic book lovers! To help make your Turkey Day a bit more palatable, and because most of the Internet is probably shut down today, I’ve decided to have a lot of fun by ranking all of the comic book Robin costumes! I am a huge Robin fan, and his costume is a pretty notorious hallmark of the character.
1940 was a hell of a year
Fortunately, Robin has been through quite a few changes and retcons over the years, producing a whole wardrobe of different outfits, styles and designs. Robin has had almost as many costume changes as Batman! And from hundreds of different highly skilled artists. So I looked up as many as I could find and decided to rank them from my least to most favorite.
This list is as ‘definitive’ as I felt I could get featuring in-canon comic book costumes from throughout DC’s nearly 100-year history. If I’ve forgotten any, let me know in the comments and I’ll find a place for it. But I’ve left out the Elseworlds costumes, the movie, cartoon and video game costumes, and most of the one-off alternate reality costumes. Maybe I’ll throw all of those into a second list somewhere down the line.
For now, join me after the jump for the Definitive Robin Costume Rankings!
Hench-Sized Comic Book Reviews – 12/26/15
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to one and all! This was a pretty big week for comics, but it was also a pretty big week for Christmas. If you’re reading this on Saturday morning, I’m likely still with my family, celebrating. Such are the benefits of having both Christmas and the day after off from work.
So my list of reviews is a bit shorter this week due to the time crunch. Still, I read some really good comics this week, including new issues of Saga and Robin War, as well as the next chapter of Dark Knight III: The Master Race.
Comic Book of the Week goes to the first issue of Patsy Walker, a.k.a. Hellcat! It’s a fun, colorful and very savvy new comic, though it does skew a little too closely to some of Marvel’s other offerings, like Unbeatable Squirrel Girl. Still, Squirrel Girl doesn’t have moments like this.
Take that, bad guy!
No, that’s not how Hellcat is draw throughout the entire comic. That’s just for funnsies!
Comic Reviews: Dark Knight III #2, Patsy Walker, a.k.a. Hellcat #1, Robin: Son of Batman #7 and Saga #32.
6 Musings on Robin in the DC Cinematic Universe
The second full trailer for Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice was released at Comic-Con this past weekend, and my worst fears were realized: Robin is dead. We don’t know how and we don’t know who, but the sight of Robin’s costume covered in graffiti from the Joker confirms the rumors that the Boy Wonder is dead, buried and mourned in the DC Cinematic Universe.
Can we not have nice things?
Must he stand alone?
But I’m not giving up hope, at least not completely. I love Robin too much to give in to sadness and grief. There are going to be a lot of movies in the future. There’s going to be a solo Batman movie directed by Ben Affleck in a few years. There will be sequels and spin-offs, and who knows what else.
So with my Blue Lantern ring clutched firmly in hand, I thought I’d ponder a little about what I’d like for Robin in the DC Cinematic Universe.
I’m Taking the New Robin Rumors With a Massive Pile of Salt
Buzz around the Internet is that actress Jena Malone is going to play Robin in Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice, most likely the Carrie Kelley version from The Dark Knight Returns. Batman v. Superman is already taking a lot of inspiration from that seminal work – including an older Batman and the Bat-armor – but will they go all the way and cast a female Robin?
I hope so…but I don’t believe it, at least not yet.
But I want to believe!
I would love for this to be the case. I have zero problem with a female Robin, and I would give almost anything to have Robin play a solid, entertaining role in Batman v. Superman. Heck, I was even willing to let Justin Bieber play the character if it meant Robin could be in the movie. I also don’t have a problem with the Carrie Kelley version of Robin making the movie. I may not want Carrie to become Robin in the comics, but in this movieverse? Bring it on!
I just don’t believe these rumors.
The story comes from Variety magazine by way of WILX10 in Michigan, so that alone should worry you. Apparently the movie is filming some scenes at a college in Michigan, and the local TV station went and interviewed some of the students filling in as extras. One of those extras dropped the hint that he overheard someone talking about a female Robin.
And that’s it. That’s the scoop.
But is it enough?
Intrepid reporters then linked this tidbit with the fact that Jena Malone has been spotted on set, and that she recently dyed her hair red. But again, this is all anyone has. The Hollywood Reporter has confirmed that Malone has some role in the film, but they can’t say if she’s Robin. She could very well be Barbara Gordon, another redhead from the Bat-verse. Or she could be Jill the Girl at Bruce Wayne’s Favorite Coffee Shop!
Listen, I work in local news. I’m a newspaper reporter, and I know my fair share of local TV reporters. I know how they operate, I know what they consider to be stories; I know how this works. And there is no way I would give 100% credibility to some local TV station out of Michigan. If my local news stations reported something like this, I wouldn’t believe it.
Remember when the rumor was that Adam Driver would play Nightwing in Batman v. Superman? That was an entire year ago, and we still don’t have any confirmation whatsoever that Nightwing or Dick Grayson will appear in the film at all.
Casting rumors, especially on superhero flicks, are part and parcel of the whole process. And as much as I would love for Robin to appear in the film, especially Jena Malone as Robin, I just don’t believe these rumors.
Not yet, at least. Get me some official confirmation and I will be through the roof!
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Robin Watch: Have We Already Seen the New Robin in Action?
It was barely a week and a half ago that I was telling you about Robin Rising: Omega, the start of a new story that will see a Robin return to Batman’s side after more than a year. Well now I’m here to tell you about Robin Rising: Alpha, the issue that DC promises will introduce the world to the new Robin. Announced at the C2E2 comic book convention in Chicago this weekend, Batman will have a new Robin this December!
Meaning Robin will now be the first sign of winter.
Good thing they have those silvery winter variant costumes
Of course, the comic con panel didn’t reveal who that new Robin is going to be. It could even be a resurrected Damian Wayne for all I know.
However, considering writer Peter J. Tomasi will be penning the story, and it will take place mostly in his Batman and Robin series, there’s now a greater than ever chance that the new Robin will be his candidate: Carrie Kelley. I don’t think Carrie has appeared all of that often in Tomasi’s series, but he introduced her in the wake of Damian’s death and has been having her try to support Bruce Wayne as a civilian.
Personally, I don’t like the idea of Carrie Kelley as Robin, but I think she could grow on me.
And I think we’ve already seen her in action!
Follow me after the jump to see my new theory!
Henchman-4-Hire 