First appearance: July 1939, Detective Comics #29
Dick is more similar in the comics, movies and cartoons than I first thought. Or rather, he can be pieced together with most of the accounts. (When Robin isn't in a BTAS episode, he's off doing something with the Teen Titans.) However, there's enough of a difference to make an issue of it.
Dick grew up as part of the trapeeze act "The Flying Graysons." Then, when he was nine, Anthony Zucco (a gang lord in the comics and an insurance salesman in TNBA) cut the ropes in his parents' act and Dick watched as they fell to their deaths. Another set of eyes, belonging to Bruce Wayne, also saw the event and took Dick in, eventually getting legal guardianship over him.
Dick left Wayne Manor late one night in search of his parents' murderer. He found him, and was saved only by Batman, who'd also been searching for Zucco. In BTAS, Zucco returned in a later episode to create tension between the Dynamic Duo, but in one version of the Batman comics, he died in an ambulance. (In another version, Year Three, he was shot to death by personal enemies as he was walking out of prison a free man.)
Because of Dick's fire, detective skills, and reminder of Bruce's childhood, he later became Batman's partner, taking the childhood nickname "Robin". He trained for six months, passed his final test, and became the newest addition to the superhero universe.
A year into Robin's career as a crime fighter, he received a rude awakening from the notorious Two Face. (I don't believe this is expounded upon in BTAS, but it doesn't conflict with it either so it's one of those behind-the-scenes, could've happened things.) Two Face had captured Batman and the District Attorney and had them in a warehouse with a hangman's noose around their necks. Robin's impulsive actions to cut the D.A.'s rope with a Batarang landed the man in the vat of water underneath the half rotted boards he had been just above. The boards gave way and the D.A. drowned in the water below. Batman, still tied but working on his escape, was then forced to witness Dick's brutal beating at the hands of Two Face. Batman eventually did break free and rescued his young partner from a fate much like his sucessor's (Jason Todd). However, the event scarred the Boy Wonder for life.
Dick Grayson, as Robin, joined forces with a few other superheroes-in-training and formed the original five Teen Titons. (Again, not in BTAS, but not impossible.) Dick continued to work for Batman, though. Then, in the comic book series, he was shot by Joker. Bruce immediatly fired him and made him promise never to don the Robin suit again. Dick agreed, undoubtably shocked at the punishment. This is not the case in BTAS, where Robin remained even after he left for college.
At 18, Grayson left for Hudson University and (in the comic book series) eventually resumed his secret identity. He did not, however return to Batman's side. On the other hand, in BTAS, College is in part what changed Robin. He eventually grew tired of living "in the shadow of the Bat" and after a bitter arguement which ended in a fistfight, left Batman to become Nightwing.
Grayson's personal/love life is one big confusing puzzle nearly impossible to piece together. But, if you can follow it, this is what happened in all of the versions to the best of my knowledge (feel free to prove me wrong with any information you may find):
He dated Barbara Gordon throughout high school (animated movie, Sub-Zero) and again in college (Batman Beyond, Touch of Curaré). However, he seemed to have quite an attitude with her a lot of the time. (BTAS, You Scratch My Back)
He had a "thing" for Catwoman for a while (BTAS, You Scratch My Back), but it never really led to anything serious.
He dated Barbara Wilson (She's known as "Batwoman" but I have NO idea who she is. Couldn't find much of anything on her.)
During his leadership in the Teen Titans, he met and dated Koryand'r, an alien princess. They actually became engaged, but never married.
There are rumors that he did eventually marry and have a daughter that will inevitably show up in Batman Beyond, but I haven't really found any supporting evidence of this.
JASON PETER TODD
1st appearance- March 1983, Batman #368
Last appearance (died)- 1988, Batman #428
Parents:
WILLIS TODD- Killed by ex-boss Harvey dent (AKA Two Face) because he screwed up a job. Jason had thought he was in jail until the Batcomputer revealed otherwise.
SHEILA HAYWOOD- Lived in Ethiopia. She was being blackmailed by Joker for "some stuff she did in Gotham. I'm thinkin' embezzlement, but not entirely sure. Jason told her his secret identity in an attempt to help her out of the situation and she returned the favor by reporting this information to the Joker.
CATHERINE ANN TODD- Was very sick and died. Not sure what she was sick with. Jason thought she was his mother until after she died. She lived with Jason in an abandoned flat.
BRUCE WAYNE- Adoptive father and "employer".
Personality:
Jason is described as irrational, unmanageable, cocky, impulsive, and full of anger. At one point, Batman was near to forbidding him to continue his work as Robin because of the unnecessary risks he was taking. But there were actually five different personalities and backrounds for Jason Todd.
The first was Doug Moench's version, a "boring little whimp" who later changed into a "boring little obnoxious brat." Max Allan Collins changed his origin and made him into a street punk from Crime Alley who was really okay after he got into a better situation and straightened out. Mike Barr presented a "naive, wide-eyed, eager kid who inherited Dick Grayson's habit for making bad puns and getting into trouble" in Detective Comics. Then in the New Teen Titans comics, Marv Wolfman turned Jason into a "nice kid with a good head on his shoulders." This Jason was not at all overeager and he understood that he did not have the training and abilities of other members of the Teen Titans. Finally, Jim Starlin gave us Jason Todd V. This Jason was a tormented child with a temper, an unhealthy desire for violence, and a rebellious streak.
***Okay, I read this the other day and it really jumped off the page at me. I read it fully agreeing with the author, so for those of you who feel the same way I do about Jason Todd (he was a whiny, immature, rebellious brat), read this.
"Dear Len and Bob (editor and production manager of BATMAN #399),
When, oh when, is Jason going to stop acting so damn stupid? It seems to me every little while he goes through these phases. I'm sick of it." -Delmo Walters, Jr.
And the reply:
"Let's not forget that Jason is going through a lot of tough times for a kid who's about 12. He lost his parents not that long ago, he recently lost his surrogate mother, and he feels he's losing Batman, his surrogate father, to Catwoman. That's quite a load to deal with plus hitting adolescence. Give the kid a break!"
Okay, okay, Jason was the way he was because of all the crap going on in his life. But I still don't care much for him.
Death:
Jason was beat half to death by Joker (after having been betrayed by his mother) and locked in a warehouse with Sheila. Joker set a bomb there and it killed them both when it went off. (My apolgies to anyone I might have confused in the past. This information was not easy to come by and my previous source left the impression that Joker beat him to death.)
There is rumor that Shelia survived, as Jason gave one final attempt to save her by shielding her with his own body when the bomb went off. However, I personally doubt this. Regardless, Batman later found Robin dead.
Other Interesting Facts:
Jason met Batman in Crime Alley (where Bruce's parents were killed) while trying to steal the wheels (hubcaps?) off the Batmobile.
He was a reserve member of the New Titans. TIM DRAKE
Tim changes a lot. He is COMPLETELY different in the comics than in BTAS. Perhaps this is because in BTAS, he was both Jason and Tim at the same time.
IN THE COMICS:
Tim figured out Batman's secret identity by deductive reasoning. He had watched Dick Grayson perform a triple somersault in the circus and later witnessed, in a newscast, the same stunt performed by Robin. Since Dick was known as one of the few people who could do it (not to mention it had been a trademark of the Flying Graysons), he concluded that Dick was Robin. If that was true, Bruce Wayne, Dick's guardian, was most likely Batman.
With this in mind, Tim watched the news carefully and kept his ear to the ground. Each new event in Bruce Wayne's life seemed to prove the theory. When Dick went to college, Robin dissappeared; Robin reappeared when Jason was adopted; and then there was no Robin again (when Jason was killed).
Tim sought Dick Grayson out and begged him to return to Gotham as Robin. (Apparently, he was unaware of the former Boy Wonder and Bruce after Dick was shot and Robin was fired.) But rather than re-appointing Dick, Tim became Robin III. Needless to say, this announcement caused just a little bit of controversy!
"I may not be like everybody else, but the truth is, I miss Robin- any Robin, for that matter... Please give us a new Robin, but don't make him a carbon-copy of Dick Grayson or as unstable and rebellous as Jason Todd. Make him smart, agile, strong, and very level-headed! I am waiting for a new hero!" -Jim Broadhurst (Jan. 1990)
"It seems that when America voted in favor of the demise of Robin, we should also have phone in to vote for a promise that he wll never return. I honestly can't believe the writers of BATMAN are even considering the return of Robin. I don't know about the rest of the 5,343 votes that were wth me to have Jason die, but I voted not only for the death of Jason Todd, but of Robin. Hs presence completely destroys the new presence Batman has been acquirng the past few years. Having Nightwing work with Batman is fine, bt the corny little kid in the yellow and green just doesn't have a place in the world of Batman anymore." -Erik Wesselak (Jan. 1990)
"I personally would like to see Robin's return. I don't mind Batman's doing solo work- it's just that without someone to give him a more youthful (and... more hopeful, I guess) perspective on his work, he gets kind of relentless." -Kele Lampe (Jan. 1990)
And my favorite (even if I don't agree), in a shortened and edited form. (To copy it word for word would take an hour!)
"Let me get right to the point. I've seen the press release for 'A Lonely Place of Dying'. I've read about the 'mysterious youngster', the 'major new character in the Batman mythos', and the 'major turning point' that this storyline will feature. get the sinking feeling that this youngster, whoever it is, wll soon be wearing a red and green costume with a bright yellow cape. If this is the case, then all I can say is: BAD MOVE. And I'll explain why.
First of all, you already stretched credibility enough wth the second Jason Todd orgin in BATMAN #408-409. The Batman ended his partnership with Dick Grayson because he couldn't risk the life of a 19-year-old anymore, and then he makes a 12-year-old kid the new Robin? Now, with Jason Todd's death less than a year in the past, there's even a hint that the Batman will take on yet another kid as his partner?
Also, a new Robin will totally dminish the mpact and power of 'A Death in the Family' (when Jason died). What will the Batman have learned from that storyline f he just makes another young kid his partner?
When you stick Jason Todd, or Carrie Kelley, or this 'mysterious youngster' in the Robin sit, you make Robin as replaceable to Batman as the cartridges in his utility belt. If this 'mysterious youngster' puts on the costume, I think you'll find yourself setting up another 900 number before too long, and telling the Joker to polish his crowbar." -Glenn L. Greenberg (Jan. 1990)
"Ain't life weird? A couple of years back, Robin was voted to death. It seemed that every other letter you read was calling for a lone Dark Knight, saying the time of the Boy Wonder was past... and really thought that maybe the kid had had his time in the sun.
Fast forward. Suddenly, there's a new 'hip' Robn with a cool haircut and a 90s attitude. He gets hs own himited series whch outsells everything else on the market... and with BATMAN #467, he even managed to nudge the pointy-eared guy off the cover. So how long will it be before they start callng for the end of the bat-guy in order to give Tim Drake more exposure?" -Rol Hirst (Apr. 1992)
During his training, Tim managed to not only impress Batman, but also earn his respect, a nearly impossible feat. But while he managed to gain acceptance from his mentor, he did not necessarily win the support of Bat-fans. In* fact, he was even described as "a ripoff of Kid Flash with a touch of 1950's Dick Grayson." Hmm... Don't know as I agree but...
Tim's Robin suit was different from that of his predecessors. It was armor plated, had compartments for all sorts of nifty gagets, and was of a darker color (probably to make him less of a moving target. It also had long tights (finally!) rather than the green shorts that had previously been worn. Other changes to the character of Robin included the addition of an extendable staff as a weapon and a comatose father rather than a dead one.
IN BTAS:
Tim's father Steven "Shifty" Drake had skipped town, leaving Tim on his own to fight off Two Face. He had stolen something from his former boss, but Tim didn't know what. So when Two Face's men showed up at the apartment that Tim lived in, his first instinct was to run. However, he didn't get far before he ran into "Puke Face" (as he calls him) himself. He was rescued by Batman and taken back to the Batcave. There, he wandered upstairs and found out Batman's secret identity.
Tim's father showed up in Metropolis River, dead, and Tim found out by overhearing a conversation between Batgirl and Batman. From that point on, he had a certain amout of vengeful anger, which eventually led him to deliberately disobey Bruce, put on the Robin suit, and show up during a fight. Batman's reaction? The classic "Oh, no."
I don't know if I would go so far as to say that Bruce was impressed with Tim's abilities. But he did allow him to continue as Robin. Like the comics, Tim's suit was different; just not as drastically. The only real change was the color of his tights, which was now red instead of Dick's green.
Tim Drake of BTAS seems to be a mix of both Jason and Tim in the comics. And in keeping with this idea, he also has some of Jason's carelessness. He's very different from Dick Grayson, mainly in that he doesn't really have the nerve to stare Batman down as his predecessor did. Dick has been known to start fistfights with his "boss" but far be it from Tim to raise his hand to Bruce! Just my personal observation.
OTHER ROBINS
Carrie Kelly-
The female Robin from Miller's "The Dark Knight Returns", Carrie had blonde hair (even though I KNOW it doesn't LOOK blonde!) and a knack for computers. I don't know much about her, but if someone would like to contribute, I'd really appreciate it.
*Guess who-*
This was taken out of a strange (but definately INTERESTING) origins story called "The Untold Legend of the Batman". And yes, it is a young Bruce Wayne. I think it's suffice to say that this comic was (or at least SHOULD BE) an Elseworlds book.
*Who's this guy*?-
Anybody know? The picture was on a 1960(ish) gameboard. Is it supposed to be Dick?
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