Summary
- Damian Wayne’s Robin acknowledges that Batman needs a Robin to help protect Gotham City in
The Boy Wonder #1
by Juni Ba. - Damian and Tim Drake both recognize the importance of the Batman-Robin dynamic despite their personal differences, making them more alike than they think.
-
The Boy Wonder #1
delves into the relationship between Batman, Robin, and Nightwing, emphasizing their shared mission for justice, while showing how much Damian wants to prove himself as a hero.
Warning: Spoilers for The Boy Wonder #1!In DC Comics, Damian Wayne’s version of Robin dislikes Tim Drake’s iteration of the character so much that their dueling roles as The Dark Knight’s crime-fighting partner have been a point of contention for the pair since Damian first made his debut in 2006. Yet for as much as the pair don’t get along, Damian Wayne and Time Drake do agree on one particular fact about Batman, something that puts them on the same wavelength for once.
A truth agreed upon in the first issue of the DC Black Label limited series titled The Boy Wonder, written and illustrated by Juni Ba, this story focuses on a younger Damian Wayne who’s still learning the ways of his father and his extended Bat-Family.
Wanting to prove himself worthy of Batman’s legacy by taking down a “demon” that’s plaguing Gotham, Damian sets off on his own, only to be tailed by the original Robin-turned-Nightwing, Dick Grayson. And before the issue is over, Damian admits, “Batman needs a Robin,” finally giving him and Tim common ground to stand on.
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Damian Wayne Admits That Batman Needs A Robin To Protect Gotham
The Boy Wonder #1 – 2024 (Juni Ba)
Reluctantly joining forces with Nightwing and Batgirl as they take on this aforementioned “demon” — who turns out to be Clayface in disguise — Damian begins to recall Dick’s origin as Robin and then Nightwing, taking issue with the fact that he abandoned Batman when he should have stuck by his side. Mulling over the idea that “Gotham needs a Batman. And Batman needs a Robin,” Damian echoes a similar sentiment Tim Drake had when he actively sought out the Robin mantle in 1989’s Batman #442, by Marc Wolfman, George Perez, and Jim Aparo.
Saying, “Dick, don’t you understand? Batman needs Robin,” Tim directly addresses something about Batman that has rung true since Robin’s debut in 1940. Lifting this quote almost verbatim, the fact that Damian beat up Tim when they first met says a lot about them coming to the same conclusion. Noticing that Batman changed for the worse after the death of Jason Todd’s Robin, Tim knew that the best medicine was another partner to share Batman’s burden with Damian, likewise realizing this, his biological relation to Batman making this Robin revelation even more important for him to understand.
Damian Wayne Doesn’t Care For Tim Drake, But They Agree Robin Is Necessary
So, while Tim and Damian are currently on better terms compared to how things first started between them, there’s still a noticeable amount of animosity between the pair that may never be fully rectified, regardless of their shared Robin the Boy Wonder status. However, both Damian Wayne and Tim Drake know there is no Batman without a Robin, so as long as they continue to defend Gotham City from the threats that seem to always come its way, these brothers will have to play nice — in the name of justice, of course.
The Boy Wonder #1 is available from DC Comics.
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Batman
One of DC’s most iconic heroes, Batman is the vigilante superhero persona of billionaire Bruce Wayne. Forged by tragedy with the death of his parents, Bruce dedicated his life to becoming the world’s leading martial artist, detective, and tactician. Recruiting an entire family of allies and sidekicks, Bruce wages war on evil as the dark knight of his hometown, Gotham City.
- Created By
- Bob Kane , Bill Finger
- Alias
- Bruce Wayne
- Alliance
- Justice League, Outsiders, Batman Family
- Race
- Human
- FIRST APP
- Detective Comics #27 (1939)
