Character Profiles - Heroes - Modern Age Robin I
Alter Ego: Richard (Dick) John Grayson
Occupation: Crime Fighter
Marital Status: Single
Known Relatives: John Grayson (father, deceased), Mary Loyd Grayson (mother, deceased); Bruce Wayne (adoptive father), Jason Todd (adoptive brother)
Group Affiliations: Batman Family, Titans
Base of Operations: Gotham City
Height: 5ft 10in"
Weight: 175 lbs.
Eyes: Blue
Hair: Black
First Appearance: DETECTIVE COMICS #29 (July, 1939)
Created By: Bob Kane, Bill Finger, Jerry Robinson
For many years, Dick was Batman's sidekick Robin. He was introduced in Detective Comics #38 (1940) by Batman creators Bill Finger and Bob Kane as Robin. The sidekick debuted only a year after Batman and was part of an effort to soften the character of his mentor, originally a dubious, nightstalking vigilante. DC Comics also thought a teenaged superhero would appeal to young readers, being an effective audience surrogate.
The name "Robin, the Boy Wonder" and the medieval look of the original costume were inspired by the legendary hero Robin Hood, as well as the red-breasted American Robin, which continued the "flying animal" motif of Batman.
Young Dick Grayson was born on the first day of spring. His mother nicknamed him "little Robin". Little did she know how prophetic this term of endearment would be in her son's life.
He was an eight year-old half-romany circus acrobat, the youngest of a family act called the "Flying Graysons" of the Haly's Circus. Dick joined the act at a very young age, having been trained in acrobatics from birth. Before one appearance in Gotham City, in which the Flying Graysons were the main attraction, they were asked to pose for a photo opportunity with the Drake Family, including their young son Tim Drake. From that time on, Tim's one and only hero in the world was Dick.
While on tour in Gotham, he overheard "boss" Tony Zucco, a well-known and feared crime-lord, threaten the performers unless the circus's owner paid extortion money. The owner refused, and that night Dick watched in horror as his parents' high wire snapped, sending them hurtling to their deaths, all while many of Gotham's elite watched on. Young Grayson felt responsible, because he didn't warn his parents in time.
Shortly after the tragedy, the millionaire philanthropist Bruce Wayne rescued Dick from an uncaring juvenile services system. Frustrated by the lack of attention from his new guardian and the mystery still surrounding his parents' death, Grayson sneaked out of Wayne Manor one evening to solve the crime on his own - only to stumble into Batman, who was also investigating the murder. They succeed in revealing Zucco´s complicity, but he died of a heart attack before his arrest.
Seeing a reflection of himself in Dick; first as a prodigious athlete with keen detective skills, and most importantly, that young Grayson could temper compassion with a thirst for justice, Batman not only revealed his identity as Bruce Wayne to the boy, but also made the young orphan the offer of a lifetime: the chance to become his crime-fighting partner. Dick chose the name Robin, and his training began.
Robin's origin had a typological connection to Batman's in that both witnessed the crime-related deaths of their parents, creating an urge to battle the criminal underworld. This provided an inseparable bond and understanding between the two.
Bruce taught Dick fighting techniques and detective skills for a grueling six months. Finally, he had to pass a final test: "The Gauntlet". Dick had to elude the Dark Knight on the streets of Gotham for one night (from sundown to sunrise) without any outside help. He succeeded, simultaneously bringing Gotham gangster Joe Minette to justice. Grayson took to the streets as Batman's full-fledged partner in crime-fighting: Robin, the Boy Wonder.
Dick enjoyed his first year as Robin, regarding the job as an adventure until a confrontation with Harvey "Two-Face" Dent served as a rude awakening for the young hero. The villain had captured the new District Attorney and Batman, and had each suspended from a hangman's noose in a "double gallows death-trap". Robin, in trying to save the D.A., used a batarang to cut the rope of the noose. It worked, but he didn't account for Dent's obsession with the number two: it was a two-fold trap, and the floor gave way, dropping the D.A. into the water, where the man drowned. Robin was unable to prevent his death, and received a beating at the hands of Two-Face; a beating witnessed by Batman, still tied up on the platform trying to free himself. Eventually, Batman was able to free himself and apprehend the villain. This event, however, scarred the young crime-fighter, and haunts him even today. Rather than see Dick be further endangered, Batman "fires" his partner, sidelining the Boy Wonder for a time.
The Brave and the Bold #54 introduced a junior version of the Justice League of America; an all-star superhero team of which Batman was a part. This team was lead by Robin and included other teenaged sidekicks, such as Aqualad (sidekick of Aquaman) and Kid Flash (sidekick of The Flash). Together, they stopped the menace of Mr. Twister.
Later, the three sidekicks joined forces with Speedy and Wonder Girl in order to free their mentors in the JLA from mind-controlled thrall. They decided to become a real team: the Teen Titans. By virtue of the tactical skills gleaned from Batman, Robin is swiftly recognized as leader before the Titans disbanded some years later.
In 1969, writer Dennis O'Neil and artist Neal Adams returned Batman to his darker roots. One part of this effort was writing Robin out of the series by sending Dick Grayson to the Hudson University and into a separate strip in the back of Detective Comics. The Boy Wonder appeared only sporadically in Batman stories of the 1970s.
In 1980, Grayson once again took up the mantle of Robin as the leader of the Teen Titans.
Dick continued his adventures with Batman, and began attending college at Hudson University. Robin started to take on solo missions as well, and found himself to be a capable crime-fighter. Shortly afterward, the mysterious Raven summoned Dick Grayson, and several other young heroes, to form a new group of Titans. Robin resumed leadership, and moved out of the shadow of the Batman.
Dick realized at that point that he had grown up: he no longer relied on Batman, and he and the Dark Knight disagreed on crime-fighting methodology. Robin's newfound independence and Titans' duties in New York left less time for his former commitments in Gotham. He also dropped out of Hudson after only one semester.
Dick also rediscovered his self-worth among the Titans. Batman, however, was less than pleased, when out on a case with Batman, Dick was shot through the shoulder by the Joker and fell from the roof of a building. He was badly hurt and although Batman caught the Joker, he was very shaken by what had happened. He decided that it was too dangerous to have a teenage sidekick, He informed Dick that if he no longer wanted to be his partner, He would have to retire as Robin. Furious, hurt, resigned, and confused, 18-year-old Dick Grayson left Wayne Manor. Helping him through this difficult time were his fellow Titans, including Starfire, a beautiful alien Dick had fallen in love with. He handed over leadership of The Titans to Wonder Girl, and took a brief leave of absence from the team.
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Part Of This Bio Came From Wikipedia
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