Pop Culture Chronicles

Batman: Robin Origins

Not as famous as Batman: Year One was Batman: Year Three. The story unfolded over Batman # 436-439 (1989), written by Marv Wolfman with pencils by Pat Broderick. The origin of Robin (Dick Grayson) is retold in flashbacks, while the then-current continuity explored Batman's psychological burden since the death of Jason Todd, the second Robin. Batman is pursued by Grayson's current alter ego, Nightwing, as the two solve the mystery of who is slaying the gang bosses of Gotham. This all takes place as Boss Zucco, the murderer of Grayson's parents is being paroled from prison. Alfred refreshingly plays a key role in the story. 

Following this arc was "A Lonely Place of Dying" in Batman # 440-442 (parts 1, 3, & 5) and The New Titans # 60-61 (parts 2 & 4). The pencils in Batman were done by Jim Aparo and in Titans by George Perez. Here is the origin of yet a third Robin, Tim Drake. He actually appeared in the previous Batman arc, "Year Three," but the reader isn't clued in until "A Lonely Place of Dying." Drake doesn't make his first appearance as Robin until the concluding chapter in Batman # 442. 

Wolfman's writing has always been consistently good. I was especially struck by dated references to what was going on in the real world. As Two-Face contemplates his next crime in Batman 441, he considers blowing up the twin towers. This seems a bit eerie now. Although it was the Gotham twin towers, this fictional city was for many years considered the analogue to New York City in the DC Universe. Two-Face then considers stealing a double diamond pendant from Princess Diana which calls to mind yet another eerie tragedy. There is also mention of President Bush in issue # 440. Long as we're noting details, there appears to be a lettering blooper on page 14 of Batman 441 where Dick calls Tim "Jeff."   

This cross-continuity between Batman and the New Titans occured during the era in which Wolfman and Perez had made the Titans one DC's most popular properties. After the New Teen Titans had run successfully for four years (1980-1984) and forty issues, their new adventures were renumbered starting with issue 1 in a deluxe format, higher price, higher paper quality, direct-sale-only publication with the same title. The word "teen" was dropped from the title with issue # 50.

Meanwhile, the numbering of the former New Teen Titans series continued in a series called "Tales of the Teen Titans" (# 41-91) which reprinted the deluxe format editions for the newsstand crowd who couldn't afford the big bucks. Are you confused yet? It turns out that renumbering and relaunching is really nothing new.

Of course the Teen Titans have since been relaunched again for a series from 1996-1998 and again for a series that began in 2003. Drake has been the most recent Robin in the Teen Titans which will again be relaunched in late September. Since Damien Wayne is now the fourth Robin, Tim Drake is now "Red Robin" who will be fighting alongside Wonder Girl and Kid Flash.            

Batman: Year One

I collected a good number of the Batman titles from 1983 through 2003. I stopped reading, however, in about 1987. So now I'm catching up. Here are some of my impressions:

Batman: Year One - (Batman # 404-407, 1987). This story by Frank Miller with art by David Mazzuchelli redefined the Batman mythos. Here is the definitive post-crisis origin tale confirming Batman as the Dark Knight, distancing him further from the campy 1960s TV series and the 1950s sci-fi era. It's fairly consistent with Dennis O'Neil's run as Batman writer in the 70s and O'Neil just happened to be serving as editor during Miller's four-parter.

I can see where this story influenced the movie Batman Begins. We have police lieutenant James Gordon, before he was Commissioner, a good cop fighting corruption in a big city police department. Bruce Wayne has just returned after twelve years abroad preparing himself as the supreme crime-fighter and vigilante of Gotham. Also, like the movie, the police surround Batman in an abandoned building where he uses special technology to summon the bat population.

The gritty realism is what I've always liked about Batman since the O'Neil days. I prefer to see him fighting gangsters as opposed to members of his rogues gallery. In this story a highly trained, yet inexperienced Batman struggles his way through. The human element comes through in Gordon's relationship with his wife and his detective partner.  

This story, since reprinted in hardcover and various trade paperback editions, is one of the best Batman stories ever. I felt as if I was watching a movie while reading this truly suspenseful comic. I love Batman in any incarnation, but the Dark Avenger of the Night is how he was meant to be from the start. 

Now here is some good news. Batman: Year One is going to be a made-for-DVD animated movie released later this year.