80 years of Robin: the forgotten history of the most iconic sidekick
Eighty years ago, Robin – perhaps the most iconic sidekick of all time, the “boy wonder”, the cheery presence at Batman’s brooding side – literally burst onto the scene on the cover of Detective Comics #38.
The first character to become Robin, Dick Grayson, defined the sidekick as we know him now, in his 44 years in the role: the endless puns and exclamations of “Holy … !”; the red, green and yellow tunic with a scaly speedo and pixie boots; the dependable pluckiness. His successor, Jason Todd, brought an edge to Robin when he took over in 1983: openly rebellious against Batman, he became the first Robin to die on the job. The third, Tim Drake, brought the character into the modern age in the 90s, with a new and bold “R” on his chest, hacking skills, and, at long last, some trousers; Drake was popular enough to land a solo series. In 2006, the fourth and current Robin, Damian Wayne, flipped the Dynamic Duo’s dynamic: after his father Bruce died (sort of), Damian became a dark and angry sidekick to a lighter, jokey Batman as
Dick Grayson – the original Robin – wore the cowl. Damian would also later die – but, like Jason, his father and so many superheroes, he was resurrected.
But there are two more Robins, whose lives and legacies have been largely forgotten or ignored: the girl wonders Carrie Kelley and Stephanie Brown.
Carrie appeared as Robin in one comic, 1986’s The Dark Knight Returns, which is regarded as the most influential Batman comic in history.
If you’ve encountered any version of the caped crusader since 1986, you’ve likely seen its legacy: a brutal and hardened Batman who fights Superman in a bulky exoskeleton and drives a tanklike Batmobile. But one element of the comic had very little impact: the first female Robin.
Carrie was similar to the other Robins in some ways: she wore the same suit, the pixieish boots, and, at 13 years old, was as sharp as she was witty. And in others, she was utterly different: a ginger girl – not a black-haired, blue-eyed boy – who was often absolutely terrified. Where the boy wonders were defined by their confidence (“Holy cocky teenage boy, Batman!”), Kelley’s fear powered her story. She was bold and badass, like the other Robins, but, unlike them, she could be afraid. In one scene in the Batcave, Carrie stares at the memorial casket for Jason, the dead Robin; when she learns that her predecessor died in the role, she is scared – but not discouraged.
These days, Carrie only exists in its sequels (which sit outside of DC’s main continuity), and in brief cameos across various Batman media. While The Dark Knight Returns will always be remembered, she is forgotten all the time.
Nearly 20 years later, in 2004, the second female Robin appeared. Stephanie Brown was a supporting character and love interest in the Robin series, which featured Tim Drake in the role. When Tim quits, Stephanie offers to take his place and Batman accepts. Stephanie was fired just two issues later for disobeying Batman’s orders, which, as anyone familiar with Robin will know, is one of the defining traits of the character. In the following story arc,
War Games, while trying to prove herself to Batman, Stephanie is captured and brutally tortured in a highly sexualised manner by the villain Black Mask. She dies shortly after.
Stephanie was not the first Robin to die, nor the last. But unlike Jason Todd, she got no memorial. In 2008,