This isn’t going to be well written, this also isn’t
edited.. at all. Just a warning.
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| From top to bottom. Nightwing, Red Hood, Red Robin, Robin. Or Dick Grayson, Jason Todd, Tim Drake, Damian Wayne |
I’ve been a fan of the Robin characters in comics since day
one. Literally, my first ever comic was Robin #1. I only knew a little of the
pulp culture of Batman, but soon I would know much more. I started with that
issue of Robin number one, only to learn that it wasn’t the first robin comic.
Eventually to learn he wasn’t even the first Robin… or even the second. Tim Drake
was my first comic book character I read. As I read them and as cross overs
happened I learn that the first Robin was Dick Grayson, who eventually became Nightwing.
Soon I immersed myself in all things Robin. I wanted the history the stories
the backgrounds. I collected things like the story called “A Death in the
Family.” It was the story of Jason Todd, the second robin, who was brutally
killed by the Joker. It plays a huge part in the history and psychology of
Batman and all of the Robins. When I came in it was during the knightfall story
where batman had his back broke and Jean Paul Valley had taken over as Batman
and basically went nuts. It took a returning batman, Robin, Nightwing and a
slew of other people to tell this giant story arc. To me the story was that
Nightwing (dick Grayson/Robin 1) should have taken over, when Bruce Wayne couldn’t
be Batman.
Within the aftermath he did for a while. I had a much more
fond liking for Nightwing. He soon became my favorite comic book character. I
collected and read everything that I could. Well sans the millions of Teen
Titans stuff that really didn’t matter too much. I did collected key specific Teen
Titans stuff when I thought crucial. Including the introduction of Deathstroke,
who is now one of the most well known villains in the DC Universe.
Eventually I fell on harder times and couldn’t afford the
monthly piles of comics. For a number of years I just watched what happened in
the background and picked up what I could from the internet and the obscure
discussions and comics I would read here and there. I eventually picked it back
up a few years later and tried to catch up. I found the stories I missed and
eventually had to stop again.
I still made sure to know the main story arcs. I had people
who would keep me informed and it became less of the collecting as it was about
the stories. Then something happened. I heard that they brought back the once
dead Jason Todd. I tried to figure out where. It was a story I wanted to…
needed to read. I was told that it was in a story called Hush. A phenomenal
story. I started grabbing everything I could, all the trade paperbacks everything.
I didn’t want to read anything Jason Todd related unless I thought it was from
the beginning…. Or had Nightwing. Eventually I had to read it online. (Still don’t
have the original return) Part of me was sad. It was a story about Jason being
the bad guy and wanting to just kill the Joker in revenge and make Batman pay
for not avenging his death. Then they did the animated series which told a
different story. Basically the same, also very good. It was hard as a fan of
the robins, but it made sense, and I still found myself liking the character. Good
guy or bad.
The New 52 came in and I decided about a year or two after
that I wanted to read comics again. They had everything in Trade paperback so I
could read the stories in bulk. I started with Nightwing and wanted to catch up
with the stuff in the past before the new 52. (new 52 Is a story where pretty
much time and space got reset as well as some small stories here and there
being altered) I read where Batman “died” and a story called battle for the
Cowl where no one would take over for Batman after he died and all the “Bat-Family”
(Nightwing, Red Robin(Tim Drake/Robin#3), Batgirl, and Robin (Damien
Wayne/Batmans Real Son/Robin #5 after the story) along with a host of side
characters tried to control Gotham without batman, when A batman who kills
starts taking the town. Turns out to be Jason Todd (Robin #2/Dead sad Tale) It’s
a long rough tale, but in the end the good guys win and Nightwing (Dick
Grayson/Original Robin) takes over as Batman (again) and he takes Damien on as
Robin Officially, and Tim Drake becomes Red Robin and goes out on a search for
Bruce Wayne… thinking he is still alive.
I then had to follow up with the Dick Grayson Batman and
Damien Robin Trade paperbacks which leads us on some great tales including more
Jason Todd issues, including them kind of eventually working together. And the
return of Bruce Wayne.
During this time I have also read some New 52 Nightwing
stuff. Then decided to pick up “Red Hood and the Outlaws” Volume 1. Red Hood
being Jason Todd (Robin #2/Dead Robin/Back From the Dead as a bad Guy/ Not
Really, but has issues.)
This is where we start the meaning of my post and my return
to my Blog. His tale is very tragic, the New 52 retold his tale and his rebirth
slightly. After he died he was brought back, he was angry and stuff happened he
was trained and all the bad stuff he did, still happens when he returns to Gotham.
He does go to Arkham Asylum, eventually transfers to prison, breaks out and
tries to start taking out international bad guys his way and keeps their money.
(Whereby making him rich) In the Trade Paper Backs (TPB/Graphic Novels) He even
states that robbing international crimelords and super villains is a Lucrative
Business. But back to the story at hand.
Jason hates batman and wanted him gone and dead and take over or whatever
ulterior bad guy motive all bad guys have go down. However this first volume is
titled “Redemption” in part of it he finds an al powerful being who only allows
him and his friends to escape if he can take their most precious memories as
collateral. They agree and we see Red Hoods cohorts have some messed up
cherished memories.. and we expect him saved for last because it’s probably the
most messed up one. Ready for some
spoilers? I got to the story of his most cherished memory and it was him with
the Flu and Batman wouldn’t let him go out as Robin. He was pissed off and went
into the mansion disappointed as Batman left to work. When Jason went to sit
down on the couch Bruce walked in with just the shirt and leggings of the
batsuit and decided that fighting crime could wait. They watched a movie and
ate popcorn and Jason and his flu fell asleep against Bruce during the move. I
will never forget the image and how in all my Robin history could never have
calculated such an image. Then to relate
it to Jasons History and the things he has done, and the things he has said
only to find out deep down this, is his most cherished memory.
Nearly immediately Red hood had climbed my ladder of favorite
characters. For all the same reasons I liked Nightwing so much Redhood became
my Equally favorite new Robin. They all are individuals and all different and
they don’t all get along and have even tried to kill each other. (mostly/kindof)
Today I read Volume three. It is part of a series of stories
cross through all the bat-Books. Called “Death OF the Family.” Volume two ended
with the Joker. You get the background, you understand Jason’s history you find
out stuff that makes the story go even deeper. Secrets and Joker makes them all
believe Batman has ulterior motives and ends up painting Batman as the villain.
IN the end after Joker is gone there is a small aftermath with all the
characters. The finale was the Joker putting acid into
Jason’s helmet much earlier, nearly killing him. Luckily he was at Wayne manor
as he was the only one to return and talk to Bruce Wayne in the aftermath of the
event. He went into a deep sleep and Bruce sat for Days at Jason’s Bedside.
Jason had a sort of Spiritual experience where he realized he had to forget the
past and accept the friends and family of his future. Or live and dwell on his
past and watch them all die because he couldn’t let go. I cannot tell you
exactly what happened along the last ten pages of Volume three. But I can tell
you, that for the first time in my history of reading comics. I had tears. For
me as a fan I was emotional. The issue was a roller coaster and I can’t tell
everyone. But I can write a crappy blog about it to make me feel better. DC
Comics has given me another reason to love comics again.
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