Robin through the years

Post Staff Report

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Feb 25, 2013

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1940: The year after his mentor debuts, Robin – aka Dick Grayson, orphaned son of circus aerialists — is introduced as “The Sensational Character Find of 1940,” in Detective Comics No. 38. DC COMICS

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1947: The Boy Wonder gets his own solo feature in Star Spangled Comics No. 65. The book ends its run in 1952. DC COMICS

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1963: Robin dies! No he doesn’t! The goofy classic “Robin Dies At Dawn!” in Batman No. 156 has Batman grieving the loss of his loyal sidekick. But wait – it’s just a hallucination! DC COMICS

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1966: “Holy Prime Time!” Burt Ward puts on the cape and pixie boots and brings Robin to the small screen for the first time in the camp classic ABC-TV show “Batman.” His hilariously excitable portrayal, replete with dozens of “Holy —–!” shout-outs, effectively ends his acting career but endears him to millions of fans. 20th Century Fox Licensing/Merch

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1969: DC Comics decides it’s time for Dick Grayson to grow up. So it’s off to Hudson University! Robin moves upstate in Batman No. 217 and meets up with Batman only occasionally thereafter. DC COMICS

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1984: Finally outgrowing the short pants, Dick Grayson decides it’s time for a more grown-up persona, Nightwing, in Tales of the Teen Titans No. 44. Another orphan, Jason Todd, takes over the red tunic and moves into Wayne Manor. DC COMICS

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1986: In Frank Miller’s epic, out-of-continuity miniseries, The Dark Knight Returns, which reimagines Bruce Wayne as an aged Batman forced out of retirement in near-future, dystopian Gotham, a girl named Carrie Kelly buys a Robin suit and ingratiates herself to the crimefighter, becoming the first Girl Wonder. DC COMICS

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1987: Hubba hubba! With the comics industry having outgrown much of its original target audience, Bruce Wayne beds Talia, daughter of one of his greatest enemies, Ra’s al Ghul, in the hardcover graphic novel, “Batman: Son of the Demon.” The ending reveals that the union brought them a son – but Bruce doesn’t know. DC COMICS

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1988: In perhaps the ugliest promotional stunt in comics history, DC Comics sets up two, pay-per-call telephone lines so fans can vote on whether to kill off Jason Todd, the second Robin. Fans vote thumbs down and Todd dies at the hands of the Joker in the “A Death in the Family” storyline. DC COMICS

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1989: You can’t keep a Boy Wonder down. The year after the controversial poll, DC introduces Tim Drake, who becomes the third Robin. In 1991, he gets a miniseries and in 1993, Drake becomes the first Robin to get his very own, eponymous comic. Drake would wear the guise for the next 20 years, except for a short stint by his girlfriend, Stephanie Brown. And look! Pants! DC COMICS

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1997: Chris O’Donnell follows up his performance as Robin in 1995’s big-screen “Batman Forever” with the universally loathed “Batman & Robin.” starring George Clooney in the ears. And look! Batnipples!

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2009: After Talia introduces Bruce Wayne to his son in 2006, Damian Wayne becomes the newest Robin in Batman and Robin No. 1, rapidly becoming a fan favorite. The Batman next to him? That’s Dick Grayson. (It’s complicated. Bruce Wayne comes back later.) DC COMICS

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2012: Joseph Gordon-Levitt co-stars in the blockbuster “The Dark Knight Rises” as a salt-of-the-earth cop named John Blake who works as Batman’s aide de camp. Spoiler alert! At the end of the movie, we learn his given name is actually … wait for it … Robin! ©Warner Bros/courtesy Everett Co

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2013: Robin dies at the hands of his genetic clone brother (it’s comics!) in Batman Incorporated No. 8. DC COMICS

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