OK, so I just found out Robin (Batman's) appeared as early as early as 1940, only a year after Batman himself. I thought it was much later.
I find Robin a little puzzling, because he's always been very popular, but if you'd asked me: "so we have a dark, brooding, vindictive vigilante/detective dressed in black who is the scourge of the criminal element at night, trying to make up for the brutal murder of his parents. And the idea we have is to add another character, who is an adolescent, wise-cracking boy in a bright-colored costume, a gymnast prancing and bouncing around making light of everything." ... I think I'd have said "bad idea, dudeskis."
It seems to me it should be what Seth Godin calls a "meatball sundae". An incompatible mix.
I am honestly not sure whether it really works artistically despite all that, or whether it only works because people in general just need a lighter element in the mix.
19 comments:
I'd actually like to see Robin 86ed permanently. I hated that Robin was in The Dark Knight Returns. That was the only fault in it I think. He was introducted as you say a year later, and if you were to look at the issues up to that point Robin's appearance marked a radical shift in the storytelling. His presence made sense because Batman had ceased to be dark, brooding, ultra violent, and a killer. It was a rapid descent into the camp of the TV show you hate.
So how about Robin leaving Batman and becoming Nightwing?
I was most impressed with how Nightwing helped rid us of the evil Batman(Azreal/Jean-Paul Valley) while Robin (the newer one, Tim Drake I believe) mostly sat on the sidelines.
Batman was a killer at first?
Gee, if I didn't know that yet, then I'm not as old as I thought! :-)
It's true that I was only born in the Seventies... That's only far away for today's 18 year-olds.
Perspective...
Nightwing was the original Robin. When he left, it was Drake (the one they killed) who took his place. Wasn't it?
Pascal - yes, Batman killed in the early days. I was not aware of this myself until recently but looking at reprints of the early comics, it's true.
Robin # 1 : Dick Grayson. Later became Nightwing because Batman was too bossy anyway.
Robin # 2 : Jason Todd. Murdered by the Joker. Beat him to death in front of his hostage mother. Batman : "He wasn't ready. It's my fault."
Robin # 3 : Tim Drake. Became Robin after figuring out Batman's secret identity, and then getting properly trained. New costume. Still alive, but at some point I think a temporal alteration made him a blonde girl Robin for a while. I quit following his dedicated title aftre too many issues didn't arrive in Lebanon.
Not to be robbin' you of any illusions...
Robin # 2 : Jason Todd. Murdered by the Joker. Beat him to death in front of his hostage mother. Batman : "He wasn't ready. It's my fault."Ah, Jason Todd. Maybe I just wished they'd killed Drake too. I remember Batman's line from The Dark Knight Returns: "I will never forget Jason. He was a good soldier. He honored me. But the war goes on."
Don't shed a tear or anything, Batman. ;-)
I was positive it was Drake who was the one who died. I'm glad to see that I'm not the only one who disliked him.
I always thought that Robin's bright colors made him the target so that Batman could operate in the shadows more easily. Maybe he should have been named "Decoy." This makes even more sense after reading The Dark Knight when Batman is shot in the chest: "The plate buckles, but it holds. Can't armor my head. Why else would I wear a target on my chest?"
Yes, somebody made a nice parody comic strip out of that. Batman is asked why Robin's costume is all bright colors. He says "I don't *like* being shot at!"
"Don't shed a tear or anything, Batman. ;-)"
"Chuck Norris' tears cure cancer. Too bad he has never cried. Ever."
Daniel always thought...
Maybe he [Robin] should have been named "Decoy."
Naah. That would be giving away this most clever trick! :-)
Still, Robin has the advantage of being a smaller target. So maybe the bright colors... "balance things up"? You know, in the name of good sportsmanship. :oD
BTW, why's that expression, "86ed"?
Is it a gun caliber?
answers.com
Marine Corps Dictionary: 86
TopHome > Library > History, Politics & Society > Marine Corps Dictionary
To throw away or get rid of something. From the number of the form originally used to remove an item from a stock record.
I've used that expression myself many times without knowing its origin. That's the way with a lot of these expressions, we forget where they came from.
i remember reading way back, in the wold newton thing, i think one that was edited by al shroeder, but i can't find it, this will have to do http://www.pjfarmer.com/secret/content/Contents.htm that the postulation that robin is bruce waynes son out of wedlock...adulterous relationship. it either makes their apparent relationship in the comics, more understandable as a family thing, or even creepier seeming than it does. i probably make no sense, but, pfft, i'm bushed.
I think the best way to understand Batman is that 99.9% of his attention is occupied by his Holy War. He has not thought or time for love, family, and all that.
"Holy War of Justice, Batman! I'm you SON?!?"
"Robin... hhhhh... I... am... your... mentor!... hhhh...
- NOOOOOOO!!!!!!! That's IT. I'm leaving the nest, and taking the name of a less silly bird! May the Enforcement be with you. See ya!"
Biological son, adopted son... tomayto, tomahto. A bossy, overbearing father figure is still a bossy, overbearing father figure.
"He has not thought or time for love, family, and all that."
I take it you haven't seen Mask of the Phantasm then...
About that expression, "86ed"... I seem to recall an equivalent, "deep-sixed". Probably from "being put 6 feet under".
On a side note, yesterday I bought the graphic novel adaptation, by Neil Gaiman, of the animation movie Coraline. Seems very promising. As soon as I finish it, I'm ordering the Killing Joke.
I quite liked the humour in the cutscenes of Lego Batman. Very... Lego! :-)
I so hope they adapt Arkham Asylum on PS2. It seems they went wild with the humour, too. Like the Joker motivating his henchmen, throught the speakers, to attack Batman, by promising the victorious one a night with Harley Quinn. And in the bonuses, there are tapes of big J's sessions with his shrink...
"less silly bird"... good one.
I read Coraline, the original novel, when it first came out. Very good book.
"Lego Batman" Whuzzat?
You know Lego, you know Batman. Say hello to their cutest offspring:
Lego Batman: The Video Game
I'm almost tempted to recommend you get it on your PS3, but be warned: it's so entertaining, you're likely to find that game highly time-consuming!
Basically, you could replace "Lego" with "cute kiddie, fit for grown-ups". The cutscenes are like pantomime for children: wordless sounds, very silly, very cute, very funny. You've just GOT to see the Joker electrocuting an opponent with his hand-zapper, making a Lego skeleton flash in their darkened silhouette. (All characters "die" by falling into Lego pieces. Talk about P-G violence! :-) I also can't get enough of Harley pulling out her giant manga mallet to clobber foes on the head. And her voice... too cute!
Looks like Robin is the third one (tim Drake), from his costume, but fun-loving like the classic Dick Grayson (which is featured, with identical abilities, as Nightwing).
It's too amusing how Batgirl is the only woman character who cannot seduce guards to open locked doors. It sucks to NOT be a naughty flirty girl! :-)
It's not the same silliness as the TV show. Batman is funny badass.
I haven't seen the movies made from animation yet [links here], but I expect them to be good, if maybe not as good as the game's cutscenes. I quite loved, on the Holy Grail! DVD's bonuses, that redone scene of the Camelot castle dance/song in Lego animation.
The Lego Indiana Jones and Star Wars games are just as irresistible. Behind the mindless Lego demolition mayhem lies a deceptively immersive choice of action and clever puzzles. Top gaming material.
I've leafed through the Coraline graphic novel. Looks excellent, and NOT in the clay style of the movie, so I'll have to get that one too. Still haven't tested the videogame. I get nearly all the games from new movies, and they're often quite good. Madagascar 2 was hilarious, especially Melman's african bush witch-doctor mini-game that uses an x-ray scope. Lots of creativity in today's licensed games.
As you can probably tell, I love a good videogame. It's very subtle, but sometime it shows...
A-ight, I'll give it a whirl.
Post a Comment