The Red Robin, an identity held by several characters in the DC universe (including Dick Grayson, Tim Drake, Damian Wayne, and Jason Todd), is as integral to DC comics as Batman himself. The characters who took on the role of Robin each showed loyalty, determination, and trust in Batman (no matter what direction they ultimately turned to) and they have supported Batman in the way that he desperately needs.
Each Robin has had some compelling story arc, and compiling these arcs makes it clear that no matter what each one has offered to the mantle, the character has a lot of value. And that's what makes the Robin arcs so compellingăźespecially since fans know what comes next for all Robins, for better or worse.
10 TIM: Robin Faces His Future Self
Teen Titans #17-19 gives Tim a glimpse into his future. Tim has become Batman and he's got all the power and force, but no compassion. The Teen Titans (including Tim as Red Robin, Cyborg, Raven, Starfire, Kid Flash, Superboy, Aquagirl, Wondergirl, and Beastboy) have come back from a foray to Legion but they're ten years into the future. In this future, The Teen Titans feel the lack of hope in the air and notice the changes to their headquarters, confirming that they are not at home. As they prepare to leave, they're confronted by the adult versions of themselves. The Teen Titans are told that as trespassers they must leave, a fight starts, and the adult Titans quickly realize in attacking the Teen Titans they're hurting themselves and changing history. So they all gather in Titan headquarters and deliberate about what to do about this time-warping dilemma. Eventually, they make it home (and they know they're home because they feel hope in the air).
9 TIM: Robin is Out On His Own
In Robin #1-5, there is a new Batman in town (Jean-Paul Valley) and when he tells Robin that he's not needed, Robin drives out of the Batcave in the Redbird and leaves Valley Batman alone. Tim attempts to live a superhero-free existence, but a need to help compels him (especially with Cluemaster, Electrocutioner, and Czonk escaped from prison), and Robin takes them on alone. While juggling being a solo-hero and his relationship with his girlfriend (Ariana Dzerchenko ) who thinks Tim is secretly seeing someone else, he has some missteps. Tim gets trapped in the back of a truck with Cluemaseter as the truck is in a hole that's being filled with cement) but the other escaped prisoners save them so they can get to the money that's in the truck with them. It's an interesting rollercoaster that ends with him kissing Spoiler and his girlfriend ending things with him.
8 DICK: Robin in The Gauntlet
Batman Chronicles: The Gauntlet details Batman and Robin's past. Prior to Dick Grayson becoming Robin, there is one test he must pass - to be in Gotham for the entire night without Batman finding him. While attempting to allude to Batman he stumbles upon what looks like a mugging attempt, Dick becomes the focus of the mob and a group of thugs. Robin illudes them under the bridge and in the sewers but is caught and taken to a warehouse where the thugs expect him to reveal what he has overheard and seen earlier in the day. But Robin saves his own behind, using his incredible acrobatic skills to knock their weapons away, and Batman is a witness to it. He says to himself that it looks like Robin doesn't need rescuing after all.
7 TIM: Robin in Sophomore Lethal
In Robin: Sophomore Lethal, Tim is dealing with gun violence at school. His schoolmate Karl Ranck has been given a gun by his father to protect him from the violence in the town. Tim tries to reason with him but Karl storms off and Tim asks his dad to speak to Karl's dad about it (and asks Green Arrow to stay in town for a few more days they can do some poking around). Green Arrow and Robin go to the gun runners' local spot and attempt to have them give up their weapons.
They disarm most, but Young El pulls a rifle on them and before Young El can open fire Spoiler disarms him. Later Karl reveals he stole a gun from his father after his dad took his gun away. But when Karl is shot dead, it divides the school and Robin and Spoiler work together to heal this rift before a school war breaks out. Robin and Spoiler go after Karl's killer and are ambushed by the killer's gang, but ultimately saved by Batman himself.
6 TIM: Robin in A Lonely Place of Dying
New Titans #60-61 and Batman #440-442, see Batman spiralling out of control after the loss of Jason Todd, and being plagued by injuries as a result of his recklessness. A teenage Tim Drake wants to help Batman get his Robin back and he follows an adult Dick Grayson trying to get him to take back his original Robin role. Dick takes Tim to Wayne Manor, where Tim explains how he knows about Bruce and Dick's identities. He tries to explain to Dick how integral it is for Batman to have a Robin, but Dick refuses to be Robin again (saying he will help Batman, who is trying to capture Two-Face, as Nightwing). When Batman and Nightwing are trapped by Two-Face, it's Tim who saves them. He finds that Two-Face has detonated a bomb where Batman and Nightwing are and Tim (dressed as Robin) manages to save their lives while Two-Face escapes. Batman is wary about taking on Tim as his Robin, but Alfred Pennyworth (Bruce's butler and trusted confident) and Dick explain it would be a good idea. So Tim Drake's journey as Robin begins here.
5 DICK: Robin as The Indispensible Supporting Star
Batman: Dark Victory is an important story arc that establishes the relationship of Bruce Wayne and Dick Grayson, the training that Bruce gives Dick and the necessary support, loyalty, and trust that Dick Grayson's Robin offers in return. The backdrop of this story is in a Gotham that is run by some of the most unhinged villains in DC canon (including The Joker, Poison Ivy, and Mr. Freeze). On top of that, a serial killer called Holiday is on the loose, and out of that The Dark Knight is fully realized. Batman cannot be Batman alone, and Dick Grayson's Robin really establishes himself as a necessary presence in Bruce's life. Bruce can't contain all the happenings in Gotham alone and he shouldn't have to. Dick Grayson is instrumental in helping make Batman as The Dark Knight solve the case and become the Dark Knight.
4 TIM: Robin Takes On The Clown Prince
In Robin 2: The Joker's Wild #1-4 The Joker has broken out of the Arkham Asylum, and with Batman away it's up to Robin to save the city from The Joker's tricks. This story is also Tim Drake's first brush with The Joker as Robin, his first time defending the city alone, and he feels it. When Tim shows up as Robin, on top of the snowplow The Joker is driving, it shocks The Joker. He becomes unhinged, saying "I killed you" and "you're dead. dead, dead," to Tim, and drives off with his hostage (Dr. Osgood Pellinger - the computer genius whose magazine articles he read while in the Asylum). After multiple twists and turns (including Alfred and Tim pretending that Batman is still in town) The Joker realizes that Robin is "home alone" and plots his attack, but Tim overcomes it with his clever planning.
3 DAMIAN: Robin in Batman and Robin
In the Batman and Robin saga, Dick Grayson is Batman and Bruce Wayne's son Damian Wayne (who he had with Talia Al Ghul) is Robin. It chronicles the action that this dynamic duo undertakes while the original Batman (Bruce Wayne) is trapped in time because of the Darkseid Omega effect in the Final Crisis story. In this saga, readers see the ruthlessness of Damian (raised as an assassin who feels no fear or pain in taking a life) contrasted by Dick Grayson's style (which is to spare lives as Bruce Wayne taught him). There are all kinds of legendary add-ons in this saga (from the Batmobile to new members of Batman's rogue gallery - such as Professor Pyg and Flamingo).
2 JASON: Robin in a Death in the Family
In the Death in the Family story arc, the public got to decide whether Jason Todd would live or die. DC readers were never able to get into Jason Todd as Robin, and when the public was asked whether he should be killed off, it was a resounding yes to kill him off. Fans knew he would endure torture at the hands of The Joker but the DC team used the 900 number voting system to have readers vote as to whether Jason Todd would overcome The Joker's torturing or not. His impulse and trigger-happy nature never sat well with fans and they wanted him gone. And this groundbreaking story set the tone for what would follow. Batman was shaken up by his death it deeply changed him.
1 DICK: Robin in Black Mirror
Batman: The Black Mirror is Dick Grayson's time to shine. It chronicles the exploits of Bruce Wayne's Batman and Dick's fight against numerous villains, including one who is selling supervillains weapons on the black market. This story is an open show of Dick's investigative prowess and his determination to not give up. While Batman is working with Batman Incorporated, Dick is facing all kinds of opposition in his fight against crime, and it shows that Dick Grayson is a crime fighter in his own right.
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