The Top 10 Best ROBIN's of All Time

[focus]

#5

Jason Todd

Released 1983

Jason Todd is perhaps the most infamous version of the Boy Wonder. Introduced in 1983, the character was almost a carbon copy of Dick Grayson when he debuted, except for his strawberry blond hair. Eventually, Todd would get more fleshed out to become the character that we know today.

Raised in a tougher part of the city (which is really saying something for Gotham), Todd grew up as a street-tough orphan. Famously, he first encounters Batman while attempting to steal the tires off the Batmobile. Batman, seeing a great deal of potential in the boy as well as the possibility of him turning into a criminal, decides to take him on as the second Robin.

Todd's turn as Robin was unique in that he would curse, smoke, and often ignore Batman's direct orders. This Robin had a number of failures and victories during his tenure, but he and Batman were never fully comfortable with one another. Todd would tragically lose his life at the hands of the Joker, in a story that still shocks fans to this day. However, because this is comics after all, his condition would later improve. In the end, while Jason Todd ended up helping Batman on a number of important cases, he would later find his true calling as the Red Hood.

#4

Stephanie Brown

Released 2004

Speaking of Robins with turbulent journeys, Stephanie Brown isn't too far behind in that category. Debuting in 1992, the character was introduced as the daughter of Cluemaster, kindly described as a third rate Gotham villain. Brown began her crime fighting solely to "spoil" the attempted crimes of her father.

After successfully leading Batman and the Tim Drake version of Robin to her father's arrest, she decides to become a full-time hero. She starts running into Robin frequently and, eventually, the young heroes become a couple. During this time, she would begin training under heroes like Batgirl and the Birds of Prey. Even with her new training, Batman still wasn't convinced with her abilities. He would reluctantly take Brown on as the new Robin, but she quickly found herself getting fired from the role and inadvertently igniting a gang war.

Many fans felt that this hero was never given a fair shake as Robin, but Stephanie Brown makes it to this spot on the list for her perseverance, strength of character, and an incredible desire to prove herself as a hero. Though she may not have convinced Batman of her heroic prowess as Robin, she would certainly do so later, after defying death, as the new Batgirl.

#3

Dick Grayson

Released 1940

Wait. Haven't we already covered Dick Grayson? Sure, but this is the version that most fans are probably familiar with. This Grayson grew up very much like his Earth-Two counterpart that we’ve discussed previously. He was the child of circus performers, and as a natural acrobat, mastered the techniques of his early trade. Eventually, fate would toss the young Grayson a tragic curveball that thematically matched the type of loss suffered by a young Bruce Wayne. Seeing these similarities, Wayne would become the young man’s caregiver, and Grayson’s world would be altered forever.

The two orphans would form a bond unlike any other Robin thereafter. Robin would fight the darkness of Gotham City with a joke and a smile, and in the process, he would help fight back the same darkness in Batman. Robin was the light in Batman’s dark world. Robin’s presence would help remind the troubled Wayne of what he was fighting to protect. At the same time, while Wayne could never truly get over the death of his parents, Grayson proved that it was possible to move on after such a tragic event, and live a happy life as a crime fighter.

When he reached his teenaged years, Robin formed the now-famous group of young heroes known as the Teen Titans. Eventually, he would tire of being known as the Boy Wonder, and traded in his identity for that of Nightwing. While Grayson could easily be number one on this list for being the foundation of this heroic legacy, he’s at number three because he only came into his own as Nightwing. Eventually, he would surpass that role as well, to become the new Batman. He proved to be so impressive as Batman that many fans would have preferred that he maintained that role for even longer than he did. Today, Grayson is about to go on a new adventure unlike any he has experienced before, but his legacy will continue to live on.

#2

Tim Drake

Released 1989

Tim Drake is the third character to officially don the red and green tights of Robin, The Boy Wonder. This time though, things would be a bit different. For starters, Tim Drake wasn’t an acrobat, or really much of fighter, instead relying upon his wit and intelligence. At an early age, he deduced the secret identities of Bruce Wayne and Dick Grayson, and sought out the role of Robin because he knew that Batman ultimately needs a Robin.

Though Batman hesitated at first, as he was still dealing with the loss of Jason Todd, Grayson ends up convincing Batman that Drake would make a worthy ally. After training with an impressive array of fighters from around the world, Drake became a new and improved Robin. This version of Robin proved to be so popular that he became the first and currently only Robin to support his own Robin solo series (not counting Stephanie's brief five issues).

For 20 (real time) years, Drake fought alongside Batman in his own unique ways. While he became an accomplished fighter, he always preferred using his keen detective skills before entering the fray. In addition to that, this Robin also had a number of vehicles and gadgets very much akin to the Dark Knight. Drake would eventually become known as Red Robin, and in one of his greatest victories, Ra’s al Ghul would refer to him as “Detective,” a title he had previously bestowed only to Batman himself.

 

[focus]

#1

Damian Wayne

Released 2006

Number one on our list is none other than Damian Wayne. The one true son of Bruce Wayne, this incarnation of Robin is quite possibly the biggest challenge ever faced by the Dark Knight. If Jason Todd was a hot head, then Damian was an active volcano. Really though, what else could you expect from a kid raised by Talia al Ghul and the League of Assassins? Damian assumed the role of Robin soon after his debut, sucker-punching Tim Drake and claiming that the role of Robin was his birthright. What a jerk.

Batman had a tough time dealing with Damian at first, due to his murderous tendencies and superior attitude. In fact, though initially off-putting, his superiority complex became his most endearing quality -- he treated Alfred like the help and he wanted to be the next Batman like nothing else, but really, you couldn't wait to see which dangerous villain he was going to sass next.

However, after some time, Damian would begin to learn a new way of life. Readers were treated to a full hero's journey told in compelling fashion. Damian became a character who, though he would never admit it, grew to care for a great deal of people and even animals like Titus, his pet dog, Alfred, his pet cat, and Bat-Cow, his, well, you know. While that reason alone should be adorable enough to get Damian to the number one spot on this list, he also takes the top spot because of the simple-yet-clever reversal of his grim Robin to Dick Grayson’s jovial Batman. This reinvigorated the relationship of Batman and Robin and proved to be a great deal of fun.

When Bruce Wayne returned to the role of Batman, Damian would continue to be a valuable version of Robin in that he helped to push and evolve Batman’s character to new and unexplored heights. Eventually, Damian would sacrifice his life in order to protect Gotham, his father, and everyone else that he loved, including Bat-Cow! However, we’ve already seen one Robin come back from the grave, so anything is possible, especially for someone as stubborn as Damian.

For being an explosive cocktail of deadly ambition and hilarious quips, tempered by a love of pets, not to mention being Batman's most personal challenge yet, Damian Wayne is the #1 Robin.

 

[dalyricalbandit]

Dick Grayson #3?

 

[Broddie]

Once again IGN gets it all wrong as usual.

Robin the Toy Wonder >>>>>>>>>>> Robin John Blake

 

[jaxn]

exactly. I don't know why IGN even bothers

 

[evoljeanyes]

Dick Grayson has to be one, he is one of the best street level heroes

 

[focus]

It's not like they don't acknowledge that Dick could be #1, and specifically address the reason he is not.

 

[evoljeanyes]

True...after going back to read you're correct^^^^^^^