Batman 10 Unknown Facts About The First Robin

Batman: 10 Unknown Facts About The First Robin

Contents

Dick Grayson, the beating heart of DC comics, is beloved by all; but there are some facts about the creator of the Robin legacy, fans might not know.

You Are Reading :[thien_display_title]

Batman 10 Unknown Facts About The First Robin

Dick Grayson, known nowadays as the hero Nightwing, began his vigilante roots as a sidekick. The first of a long line of Robins fighting alongside Batman, Dick started a legacy when he donned that flashy little uniform. As Jason Todd, the second Robin, once stated: the point of Robin is to not be Batman. Robin’s job is to be an eye-catching distraction, so the bad guys don’t notice Batman sneaking up behind them. The third Robin, Tim Drake, was the first to realize how much Batman needed his sidekick to keep from succumbing to his own inner demons.

All of this started with Dick Grayson, who unknowingly saved Batman from himself. Beyond that, he is a beloved DC hero in his own right. Despite his popularity, there are some facts in his past that some fans might not know.

10 He Was The First Official DC Sidekick

Batman 10 Unknown Facts About The First Robin

Appearing a mere eleven months after Batman’s debut, Robin was the first sidekick introduced by DC. His character was created to be a lighter counterpoint to the grim and gritty dark knight. First joining Batman in Detective Comics #38, Robin was a great way to make the comics feel more relatable to kids. Including the child, acrobat-turned-vigilante helped to double comic book sales.

From the 1940s to the 1950s, the two were dramatically labeled the “Dynamic Duo.” While they aren’t called that anymore, the name has definitely stuck around. Dick Grayson stayed Robin until the 1980s when he was given his very own superhero persona.

9 He’s From Romani Heritage

Batman 10 Unknown Facts About The First Robin

In the early 2000s, the comic Gotham Knights gave Dick a Romani background. Although the idea wasn’t explored much beyond other characters using the knowledge to be cruel, it was clearly stated that his father was Romani, and it was part of his heritage.

Romani are a historically nomadic people group in Europe that don’t exclusively identify with any specific country. Instead of this making them homeless, a core expression of their culture is the freedom allowed by having no ties to a specific country. Unfortunately, this same freedom has made them vulnerable to persecution from other people groups. Instead of focussing on the negativity surrounding Romani history, DC has an opportunity to explore the rich and beautiful culture of such a unique people. Fans can only hope the writers take advantage of that opportunity in the future.

8 Origin of the Name Robin

Batman 10 Unknown Facts About The First Robin

Originally, the writers based Robin’s name and suit colors on Errol Flynn’s Robin Hood. At the time, the swashbuckling film was wildly popular, and the creators were looking to give a subtle nod to the merry gentleman thief. As time went on and Flynn’s performance passed from public memory, the suit was changed to fit new Robins. Though fans can all agree that they could have at least given the poor kid pants.

See also  Tom Holland Promises To Help The Next SpiderMan Actor

In the stories, the name and appearance are credited to Dick’s mother, Mary Grayson. The Flying Grayson’s colors are the same as his suit and Mary used to call Dick her little Robin. Depending on which comic it is, the nickname is either because Dick was endlessly energetic like the red-breasted bird, or because he was born in spring when the Robins first come out.

7 He Spent Time in a Detention Center

Batman 10 Unknown Facts About The First Robin

In the original telling of Dick’s story, Bruce took the boy as his ward immediately after the Graysons died. The New Earth DC universe changed the boy wonder’s story just a little, making the dancing through the legal system a bit more believable.

Social services claimed all orphanages were too full to take Dick and instead placed him in the juvenile detention center. He was just a kid grieving the loss of his parents. Instead of having the time and peace to mourn, Dick was subject to brutal beatings by the other inmates where were serving time for violent crimes. Eventually, the system shuffled him to a Catholic orphanage, where Bruce was finally able to apply to be Dick’s guardian.

6 Trained Deathstroke’s Daughter

Batman 10 Unknown Facts About The First Robin

Deathstroke may be one of Nightwing’s most powerful villains, but that hasn’t stopped him from teaming up with the sword-wielding assassin on occasion. In an attempt to infiltrate Lex Luther’s Secret Society of Super-Villains, Dick takes on a new alter ego called Renegade.

Deathstroke was not fully convinced that Dick had left behind his heroic ways. To keep a better eye on the boy, the assassin asked him to train his daughter, Ravager. Dick took her on several missions, secretly training her to be a hero. Eventually, Deathstroke and Ravager set up a run in between Dick and Superman to see how committed he was to being Renegade. Superman saves Ravager despite having kryptonite on her person and the act almost convinces her to change sides. Deathstroke strikes a deal with Dick, saying he will leave Bludhaven alone if the vigilante will stop trying to teach Ravager to be a hero.

5 He’s A Mathlete

Batman 10 Unknown Facts About The First Robin

While he might not be quite the same genius-level smart as other Bat-Family members, like Tim Drake, Dick Grayson is extremely intelligent. He is an instinctual leader, gaining and giving trust in ways Batman never will. Dick is well versed in science and technology, though Tim Drake outstrips them all when it comes to those categories.

Young Justice established that Dick was smart enough to skip a grade at Gotham Academy and actually won several mathlete competitions. He was the resident hacker for the team, making him an extremely quick thinker and a brilliant tactician. On top of that, Dick is fluent in many languages. He once hacked a spaceship using Tamaranien and has no trouble solving the Riddler’s riddles, sometimes even before Batman.

See also  The Batman Trailer Has A Big Animated Series Call Back

4 Worked a Collection of Random Jobs

Batman 10 Unknown Facts About The First Robin

In his very early days on his own, Dick worked a strange collection of jobs. He was a dance teacher for a while and even had a short stint as a model. With his natural grace, fluid motion, and looks, these jobs are well suited to a man like Dick Grayson.

The job that had the most impact on Dick’s life was being a bartender. He took a job at a cop bar, using anything he overheard, to supplement the information he gathered as Nightwing. Listening to the officers speak and discovering how many of them were corrupt, inspired him to join the force to fight corruption inside the system and out.

3 He Train Surfs

Batman 10 Unknown Facts About The First Robin

Nightwing #25 features a scene where Dick takes Tim, the new Robin, train surfing. Train surfing entails both of them trying to stay on top of a moving train while blindfolded. The exercise is supposed to strengthen reflexes and sensory observation but Dick Grayson is a reckless thrill junkie, who does it just because he can.

At one point, Dick catches Tim right as the train’s momentum is about to fling him off. After recovering, Tim asks if that happened to Dick ever. Dick confirms that yes, he did almost fall off, and Batman only just caught him by the ankle. If that didn’t scare the Boy Wonder out of death-defying stunts, nothing ever will. It certainly makes for a memorable Robin initiation.

2 His Best Friend Is Kid Flash

Batman 10 Unknown Facts About The First Robin

Dick Grayson’s friendship with Wally West goes way back. They have been friends since they were kids, and were founding members of the Teen Titans together. Wally was the first friend Dick took down into the Batcave and introduced to Batman, and he knew Dick’s secret identity before their other friends. A Flash one-shot series called Flash Plus, even mentioned that they took yearly getaways together, taking turns deciding where they get to go each year.

In a couple of different DC continuities, Wally West is dead, though the comics have a habit of ignoring that. Luckily, in 2017, fans were treated by a Flash and Nightwing team up in Nightwing #21. A little bit of nostalgia goes a long way to soothe the ache in a fan’s heart over characters separated by death.

1 The Joker Loathes Him

The Joker is a cruel man whose main goal is to send Batman tumbling into the darkness alongside him. When Robin first arrived, he came between the Joker and his quarry and he was also very effective at helping Bruce resist the shadows. The Joker’s obsessive focus on Batman couldn’t stand Robin getting in the way of his plans.

Dick is also one of the only Robins the Joker has been unable to leave traumatized. He carries the light of hope inside him, and the Joker has never been able to extinguish it. The clown of Gotham hates Dick Grayson more than any of the other Robins because he has never been able to break him.

Link Source : https://screenrant.com/batman-dc-comic-book-facts-first-robin-dick-grayson/

Movies -