Off THEIR Minds: Should Batman be Allowed to Have Another Robin?

@hart7668: But Lois is still there, and after every reboot they come together again. It took some years after Crisis on infinite earths to have Lois and Clark engaged and then married, so the same thing is going to happen now. by the way, I don't care if you like the character or not. Dc always will find a way to bring back Robin!

i want Damian back as Robin, even if it means another pointless death

I disagree with Matt Fraction, kids don't buy comics at all. It's a totally different market these days because they don't cost a nickel and they aren't at the corner store where you go to buy cigarettes for your parents like kids used to in the fricken 40's, they're only at novelty or comic book shops and some book stores.

Kids exposure to superheroes is through movies and cartoons until they're the age of like 13 or 14 (generally speaking). I saw Batman the Animated Series, the Adventures of Batman and Superman, Spiderman, X-men, X-men: Evolution before ever having picked up a single comic.

So cartoons need Robin.

No wonder this guy got along so well with Joe Quesada, they're both choc full of hacky business savvy that isn't really substantiated by anything at all.

Hell no. Kids shouldn't be put in harms way. Bats is crazy.

OH DEAR F£&!ING JUMPING JESUS FRACTION IS A HIPPSTER

Hell no.

I know it wouldn't happen but i would like to see Connor Hawke (as a John Doe run away) become Batman's sidekick. Connor could already have the muscle memory from training with the likes of Lady Shiva and Richard Dragon but not remember any of his actual training or life (Almost doing a Bourne Identity type arc come to think of it)

Kyle higgins comments are probably the most interesting ones cause it sounds like we wont have a new robin soon

also YEAh, Bring back spoiler

@Frozen_Eternal: batman inc. 8. good luck finding an ish. already selling for 20 bucks online.

Yes, and he's name is Tim Drake!

OH HELL NO....look how many kids he's already messed up, including his own son, because he never got over the murder of his parents, he becomes a bitter old man not trusting anyone but himself...IMO Jason Todd should just Kill Batman before he ruins another kid...just IMO

Can someone please tell me the issue that Damian dies in?

@hyperman: Yeah, Superman and Lois Lane was so iconic that The New 52 threw it right out the window :p lol.

Personally, I don't think Batman should have ever had a Robin, but I also don't like the character that much either though, so my 2 cents is completely biased xD

Whoa. James Tynion IV has lost a ton of weight! Like 100+ pounds. Good for him

Also, I didn't think my love for Matt Fraction could go any higher, but this video proved me wrong. Dude's hilarious and seems really nice and sociable (he also happens to be writing my favorite Marvel book right now: HAWKGUY!)

Now I feel really bad for skipping out on ECCC this year. I live in Seattle, but have never been to a convention (except the Pokemon Regional Tournament that was held in the same convention center that ECCC took place.) I was planning on going, but I was low on funds. When I finally did have the cash, it was sold out. Oh well. Maybe next year.

In regards to the topic at hand, yes Batman should have another Robin. Not for a while though, and I'm still not sure about the possibility of Harper Row filling in the role. I would like Damian back later down the road, and maybe Tim could go back to the role that he could never quite let go of until Damian does return.

The only real takeaway from that is that Spoiler needs a comeback.

@judasnixon: IKR he should have done it like the "Power Puff Girls" saving the day before bedtime.

"Robins in Refrigerators"

I think Harper Row might be the next Robin.

I've said this a couple of times on this topic. In a weird way Tim is still Robin. He may be establishing himself as Red Robin, but in my mind he is still Robin. Also I love Nightwing and he's one of my faves, but originally in the older comics he made a decision I disagreed with by making Damian Robin. I have to take Tim's side on that. Reason I say that is because of the name Red Robin it's a name that Tim took over in the mindset he still wanted to be Robin. I don't think he'll go back to Robin, but the name he has taken is definitely inspired from when he was Robin.

I love the Batman, Robin dynamic or the dynamic duo and unfortunately using those words were unplanned and just changed my mind a little, I still think of Tim as Robin, but should there be another? Yes before I thought of the word dynamic I didn't care if there was another Robin, but as hard as it is to deny Batman & Robin are a special relationship dynamic and they go together. Its like pizza and cheese, not very many people have it without cheese. That's like the relationship of Batman & Robin. He needs another one. I couldn't argue with this, even though in a way I tried when those words came out I knew it was meant to be.

yes but only in a year or two

I like this robot idea a few people have circulated around.

Never really thought of it: it would serve the purpose of a Robin (providing Batman with support) without putting anymore children in danger.

@The_Tree said:

He shouldn't, but he will.

This

I love the idea that they keep saying Robins die all the time. Only two have died and one has come back as a mega badass. I agree with Fraction though, that is why I hope Harper becomes the new Robin or maybe she takes up the title Red Bird who knows!

he should make a Robot Robin.

Funny you should pose that question:

http://www.theherobiz.com/2011/01/27/comic/coffee-breaks-done-in-ones/cb08-fowled/

(From Bill Walko's webcomic "The Hero Business".)

Of course he should, it's like Superman and Lois lane, sherlock holmes and dr watson, Cleopatra and marc Anthony, Adam and Eve, Bonnie and Clyde and so forth, It's iconic!!! And I want so badly Dick Grayson to be back as Robin!

I have to say that Josh Fialkov and Matt Fraction's responses were my favorites. Matt is especially hilarious. Anyway, I don't think Batman should have a new Robin right now and probably not for a few years. Maybe when issue #56 of Batman rolls around (i.e. three years from now), they could have another Robin come in and fill Damian's shoes. I think Harper Row would actually make a great Robin. In fact, I think that is what Snyder is building her up to be.

@leokearon: Think with that Power he should've been able to fight off Joker in Death of The Family

>.>

yes batman should have a robin and im hoping for a female one come on stephanie brown or harper row

Robin serves as a buffer,instead of bats dying robin acts as his scapegoat

win freaking win

No way! I don't even like the idea of him having a kid to be honest.

Yes i think he should have a Robin. I say they should give the job to Helena Wayne. She was Robin on Earth 2 and she was Batman's daughter. So we have a Robin with Wayne's blood in her. I would love to see this.

@Trevel8182 said:

@Nightwing4: Does no one remember Stephanie brown

this, and

Jim Mccan totally gave a Spoiler shoutout!!!!!

He should be allowed another Robin but not a kid. Instead he should hire an actual robin to be a Robin. The bird could have telepathy to communicate and maybe ice powers for good measure. If Batman can prove that he's responsible enough to take care of a little telepathic ice bird then he can try training kids again. It doesn't have to be a real bird, maybe a mechanical bird automaton that is networked to the batcomputer. I honestly wouldn't mind seeing Titus or Alfred the cat as Robins.

I think he just shouldn't be allowed to have anymore clones as Robins or clones period. Damian got killed because he was artificial, not meant to be. If Bruce wants a kid he'll do it the old fashioned way and not the creepy love potion number 9 way. Jason's death was an accident if you consider underestimatng the Joker an accident. Love this video! Want more soon!

@Nightwing4: Does no one remember Stephanie brown

I agree with James Tynion IV when he says that Robin is an important part of the Batman mythos, but I don't know if Batman should have another person to wear the mantle, and that's for the simple reason that Damian was not just his Robin, he was his son. To just choose someone else to take his place wouldn't be easy to him. Now, I'm not the greatest fan of characters' resurrections on comic books, but yeah, maybe it would be a good idea to bring him back.

@darkwingdan: Yep.Or we can get Stephanie Brown as his sidekick.

One does not simply "allow" the GD Batman to do things..

Look, @G-Man sir - are you simply trying to be provocative? I'm trying to ascertain what your goal is - to answer whether there is legal maneuver to enlist a minor for crime fighting acting outside any law enforcement agency or if there is metaphysical conceit to justify a fictional character recruiting another fictional character for Quixotic crusades.

I'm assuming broadly that you are asking about the latter. However, you are using the word 'should' which carries some implicit moral weight. Any litany of things can be written into comics without the sticky legalities that encumber us day to day - to include the enlistment of children for extra-legal martial enforcement.

The better question is; Is Batman right to have Robin fight alongside him. Is it right for Bruce to knowingly take in someone, regardless as to circumstance - and expose them to the horrors which face people seeking to protect civil society from serial killers and worse? Do the legalities of socio-norms matter when one is compelled by a calling for Kantian justice - those are some questions.

@TDK_1997: maybe get Tim back?

@Nightwing4: I agree. Although the two have occurred in the last 25 year years. That's still pretty good. Sure, in the video Tony makes the point "2 in 5 years," but the comic book world is not the real world. There are leaps in logic and crazy stuff happening all the time. There's an entire universe where "mutants" face persecution, while other superpowered beings are not. We had Superboy-Prime punch reality to resurrect Jason Todd (sidebar: I love the reality punch because it is the type of crazy, insane stuff we only get in comics). Maybe in our world, it wouldn't make sense for Batman to get another Robin, but not in the world of comics.

2 Robin deaths in over 70 years of comics. "They die a lot." "They're dropping like flies."

@TheCheeseStabber said:

Whens Alfred gonna become Robin...

Why would he be Robin when he's The Eagle!

HE probably shouldn't, he's 2/5 now in terms of Robin survivability.

Matt behind was Sam was so scary ahaaaaaa ;D

Right now no but in the future I want another Robin.It may even be one of the old ones.

I just never could by into the caped crusader having a kid for a sidekick. Lets get the original duo back together. Batman and Nightwing!

Good ol' Fraction

What if the next Robin is not human, what if Batman built a robotic child to be the next Robin