I Honestly Believe the Best Part of Batman's New ABSOLUTE Continuity Is Getting to Introduce a New Robin with No Baggage

Summary The new Absolute Universe line by DC Comics offers a chance to revamp Robin, starting with the upcoming Absolute Batman title.

The history of Robin in Batman comics has been marked by trauma and dark backstories, but a fresh start could mean a new dynamic.

The Absolute Universe can learn from past mistakes like the aloof Batman/Robin dynamic and should focus on building a strong, meaningful relationship.

With the recent announcement from DC Comics that the publisher is launching a fresh universe, there's a lot of speculation as to what readers can expect from the Absolute Universe. As a long-term Batman fan, I think the imprint presents the publisher with an opportunity to start fresh with Robin.

Since the very first appearance of Robin back in 1940's Detective Comics #38 by Bob Kane, Bill Finger, and James Robinson, the hero has offered a youthful, energetic contrast to Batman. However, it's hard to deny that, as the years have progressed, the Robin mantle has become a surprisingly grim one, marred by decades of baggage. With each new face in the suit typically comes a darker backstory and a more tenuous relationship with the Dark Knight.

Now that the publisher is launching a brand-new Absolute Universe line, there's an opportunity to do something new with the Boy — or Girl — Wonder in the forthcoming Absolute Batman title by Scott Snyder and Nick Dragotta. Sidekicks aren't for everyone, and there's no denying that many of the best comic book stories are effectively solo tales. For Batman, however, Robin has been present at some of the most crucial points in Dark Knight history and is essential in making his story work.

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New Robins Are Always Measured Against the Last

Dick Grayson Debuted as the Original Robin in Detective Comics #38

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The handling of various Robin characters has been one of the more controversial aspects of DC continuity since the death of Jason Todd. For some readers, the association between Batman's sidekicks and trauma has always been a questionable choice, too, even if it does fit thematically. One of the best parts of the sidekick has historically been the contrast created with the Caped Crusader. Where the older hero is a brooding creature of the night, Robin is supposed to be a sort of wish fulfillment for young readers, allowing them to imagine themselves fighting alongside a legend.

Carrie Kelley made the Robin role fun again.

One of the reasons that Carrie Kelly works so well as Robin in The Dark Knight Returns, for example, is that her reason for joining Batman is passion. Unlike Jason Todd or Tim Drake, she isn't filling in for a dead or departed sidekick in their immediate wake. This room for her to breathe — and for Bruce to adjust — means she makes the role her own.

To put it simply, Carrie Kelley made the Robin role fun again, and honored the classic idea that Robin should be an enthusiastic partner, not someone who feels like they had no choice in the matter. As each post-Grayson Robin has joined the team, it's felt more like trying to fill a vacancy and less like an authentic relationship.

DC's Absolute Universe Needs to Keep the New Robin Simple

What Will the New Bat-Family Look Like?

ABSOLUTE BATMAN #1 (2024) Release Date: October 9th, 2024 Writers: Scott Snyder Artists: Nick Dragotta Cover Artist: Nick Dragotta Variant Covers: Wes Craig, Jim Lee, Mitch Gerads, Ian Bertram Without the mansion... without the money... without the butler... what's left is the Absolute Dark Knight!

One of the more absurd aspects of DC, for me, has been witnessing the Caped Crusader, a hero known for his solitary, brooding nature, accumulate the biggest superhero family in comics. In terms of the themes of the book and its origin, it just doesn't work, and some Bat-Family stories have been too crowded for any hero to really matter. This is especially true in the massive Batman events, which often see the Bat-Family break off into smaller groups, turning what should be one Batman story into three or four team-based subplots. What pulled me into the Batman titles is the idea of a lone detective, and graphic novel sales bear that out.

DC's Absolute Universe line needs to keep it simple. Rather than trying to reinvent the wheel with a new Bat-family, I believe that the new Absolute Batman title should deliver a fresh, original Robin. This revamp would mean an all-new partnership to explain and explore, one that doesn't have to be so distant. After decades of watching various iterations of Robin have a falling out with the Dark Knight, getting to see a healthy, effective partnership would satisfy what I have wanted all along. Some writers have a habit of relying on family drama too much — but it's time to move on and try something new.

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The Absolute Universe Needs to Learn from Past Mistakes

Frank Miller Is Great, But He Made a Key Robin Mistake

While it goes without saying that The Dark Knight Returns is a Batman masterpiece, one of the more controversial changes Frank Miller made was his depiction of the Batman/Robin dynamic. Traditionally, this relationship is like that of a father and child, and it isn't at all uncommon for Bruce to call his ward "son" in times of danger.

In Miller's eyes, however, the relationship more closely mirrored that of a friendly sergeant and the grunts under his command in a time of war. This was hammered home by the hero referring — in the past tense — to Jason Todd as a "good soldier." Here, his feeling towards his old sidekick was one of honor, but not love.

This independent pocket universe allows for something entirely new.

Miller, along with artist Jim Lee, would cement the fractured Batman/Robin dynamic in the infamous All-Star Batman and Robin the Boy Wonder. Since then, the borderline, if not outright, abusive relationship between the pair has become something of a norm. Even stories set within the DCU have portrayed the hero as aloof, cold, and distant from the Bat-Family, something that has become clearer as the team has grown. Now, with a blank slate to start over, the publisher can build up some meaningful emotional investment, both between the heroes and the readers.

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Absolute Batman Offers a Chance at Renewal

It's an Exciting Time to Be a DC Fan

In Absolute Batman, DC should take full advantage of the opportunity to move on from standard continuity. Where even the New 52 had to play into what had been established in prior runs, this independent pocket universe allows for something entirely new. Instead of clinging to simple tweaks and minor alterations to lore, creative teams can put entirely new characters into key mantles, and Robin is a great place to start. It would also be good to build up a unique personality, rather than just reinventing the edgy nature of Jason Todd or the book smarts of Tim Drake.

Whether DC opts for a fun, Golden Age relationship, enthusiastic camaraderie like in Dark Knight Returns, or a familial bond like Bruce's relationship with his biological son Damian, simplicity should remain key. Rather than trying to retroactively explain an entire lineage of Robins, just focus on developing one single sidekick. Readers already have a large team in the core universe. It's time for the creative team for the Absolute Universe versions of the beloved characters to fix the mistakes of the past and build on a strong relationship that turns Batman into the strong leader, mentor, and father figure to Robin that I know he can be.

Absolute Batman #1 is available October 9th, 2024 from DC Comics.