DC Comics Relaunch: Batman #1 & The Robins Problem With Nightwing, Red Hood, Red Robin & Damian

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Before I start, I have to give a shout out to hayleyquinnn for the amazing new Batman family picture I found on her site. Wow. Great stuff. Click on the left for a bigger image.

So, we’re in the thick of the DC Comics Relaunch and in 5 years since the dawn of the modern age of super-heroes, although Batman may have operated for one year or so in secret before that, there have been at 4 Robins.

The first Robin, Dick Grayson, eventually left the nest became Nightwing and was part of the New Teen Titans (mentioned in Red Hood & the Outlaws #1 too). He was also Batman for the last year a (per Nightwing #1 reference). Yet, if you look at the scene to the below right from Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo’s Batman #1, Dick is a head shorter than Bruce. Did Dick wear platform shoes as Batman? Did Commissioner Gordon and no one notice the diminutive Batman? And, why is the Dick Grayson in Batman #1 more boy-like than the one featured in Nightwing #1?

The second Robin, Jason Todd, died and came back to become Red Hood. And, he per in Red Hood & The Outlaws #1 he is leading DC Comics’ and perhaps the comic book industry’s first friends-with-benefits super-team. It would also appear that Jason Todd (not in the picture to the right) would height-wise be somewhere between Dick and Tim’s height. ;) So, that’s what, a head and a half shorter than Bruce? However, if he was aged in the Lazarus Pit like pre-Flashpoint, is he now older than Dick and around the same height as Bruce… head… hearts. :)

The third Robin, Tim Drake, is now the Red Robin and on the Teen Titans (a team forming for the first time). Beyond the Batman #1 appearance and the one in Superboy #1, we don’t know a lot about him yet. We will next week. Although, for someone who is in the thick of the Battle for the Cowl (see group shot at the bottom of this article), and donned a Batman costume, he also would have been a very short Batman during that time. And no one noticed these “boys” playing “man” during that time?

It doesn’t appear that Stephanie Brown was a Robin in the new DCU. However, she appears to be back as Spoiler in December.

The current Robin, Damian Wayne, is Bruce Wayne/Batman’s son. They bicker a lot per Batman and Robin #1 and the fact that this son exists makes Batman the oldest Justice League member in my humble opinion.

So, as I mentioned a while back, this Batman-Robin“s” logic bomb does require a major suspension of disbelief. Luckily, the Bat-stories have been decent so far, but sometimes the art just bursts the bubble, e.g. the heights of the Robins.

It looks like Batman has nesting dolls for sidekicks. Or am I being comic book picky?

John is a long-time pop culture fan, comics historian, and blogger. He is currently the Editor-in-Chief at Comics Nexus. Prior to being EIC he has produced several column series including DEMYTHIFY, NEAR MINT MEMORIES and the ONE FAN'S TRIALS at the Nexus plus a stint at Bleeding Cool producing the COMICS REALISM column. As BabosScribe, John is active on his twitter account, his facebook page, his instagram feed and welcomes any and all feedback. Bring it on!