Robin or no Robin?

[Llama_Shepherd]

1) There's more than 1 Robin.
2) The films weren't good.
3) The same may as well be said for Batman.

 

[OutRiddled]

1) There's more than 1 Robin.
2) The films weren't good.
3) The same may as well be said for Batman.

1) C'mon, no one cares about those other Robins.
2)
3) Almost every angle on Batman has already been done as well.

 

[Llama_Shepherd]

1) You're wrong.
2) Nah, good response.
3) Not even close.

 

[SKSpawn]

I'm pulling for Robin. Robin's been around for pretty much exactly the same time as Batman (debuting a year after Batman did) and is a consistently popular character. The imagery of the Dynamic Duo is as big a cultural icon as Batman, yet every time filmmakers approch Batman they say "no Robin", "Robin doesn't work", and lalala.

People rag on Batman Forever and Batman & Robin, and I agree they're pretty appalling films for all the reasons that've been documented, but at least they feature Robin, and Forever did apretty good job (in my opinion) of translating Robin's origin onscreen (blending Grayson, Todd, and Drake in to one character helped a lot).

I think, to distance the new series from Nolan's, it's time to stop being so narrow-minded and put Batman and Robin onscreen together. The possibilities of including Robin opens a lot of doors for warner bros.: Teen Titans, Nightwing, Red Hood, etc. There's no need to have "a little kid in pixie boots and bright red/green" running aorund alongside Batman; take a page out of Arkham City and Batman Forever and have him be a eighteen-twenty-year-old. He can operate as Robin for a good five years before becoming Nightwing, and can be adopted/trained as a young kid.

People who rag on Robin really bug me, as he's such a big part of Batman's life and history that it's almost like criticising Batman, in a lot of ways.

In short, get over it and give us Robin.

 

[Rorschach2012]

Well said SKSpawn, I really hope the first movie of the reboot features the origin of Dick Grayson. I'll be disappointed if we don't get Robin yet again. Each time Nolan made a sequel to BB i hoped and prayed Robin would be featured but was sorely disappointed.

I got into Batman through Batman the Animated Series when I was 4, and while Batman was awesome, it was Robin that initially made me a such a fan. I love Robin, in my eyes he's just as important to Batman as Alfred or Gordon is, and much more important than Lucius who got 3 movies with a huge role in each. Robin is long overdue and I'm tired of people disrespecting him when all he needs is a filmmaker to give him an updated appearance on film, showing how awesome he can really be. The time has come for Robin to return.

 

[The Techno Bat]

Definitely bring in Robin. It's time, and if they are restarting, then you have to go with Dick Grayson, he's the original. I would love to see a transition into Nightwing at some point as well.

As a fan I want to see all the Robin's brought into the fold, Jason, Tim, and Damian. But with movies it'll never happen, too much story to tell.

But Robin needs to be redeemed. The last image we saw of Robin on the Big Screen was a 20+ Something Chris O'Donnell, in a crappy Nightwing costume with a cape.

 

[FeedOnATreeFrog]

Maybe the reboot will change things up by framing things from Grayson's POV?

As Batman's Robin, as Nightwing, and then as Batman himself?

Turning Batman into this enigma Grayson and the audience don't understand.

 

[Hypestyle]

10-12 years old preferably, start younger so he can grow older.

I hope that there is a Teen Titans movie, preferably. But, we'll see.

 

[Blitzkrieg Bop]

You can argue about the bad acting or whatever, but visually and thematically it's all there. So what's the point of doing it again?

You're funny.

 

[zmystico]

I do wondered if Nolan did try to incorporate Robin, how he would have looked.

 

[Rorschach2012]

If you were around before TDK and TDKR, there were a ton of fan designs for Robin using a Nolan Batsuit as the template. A lot of people gave him practical looking goggles, I wish someone would dig up those old pictures some were awesome

 

[FeedOnATreeFrog]

I think they were to ever have Robin in the Nolanverse, this colour palette might work better; grey and orange

I know that 'Robins' aren't a scary animal. But these colours and this costume actually feels like it's a robin, in a good way. It's animalistic.

 

[Rorschach2012]

Pretty weak design for the cowl and hood. both of those suits are only okay.I like the idea of Robin wearing a hood

 

[Rorschach2012]

This with a hood maybe and a utility belt is my ideal Robin costume. Doesn't even need the "R" to still be iconic. They could add some goggles or something instead of the face paint.

 

[Blitzkrieg Bop]

Robin is in The Dark Knight Rises!

 

[Rorschach2012]

Robin is in The Dark Knight Rises!

a castrated Robin yes. It seriously would've been so easy to call John Blake Dick Grayson. What the hell is wrong with you Nolan....? I'll never know why he did that. And Dick was a cop in the comics it wouldn't have been out of character at all.

 

[Blitzkrieg Bop]

a castrated Robin yes. It seriously would've been so easy to call John Blake Dick Grayson. What the hell is wrong with you Nolan....? I'll never know why he did that. And Dick was a cop in the comics it wouldn't have been out of character at all.

Nolan, just like all the Batman DC Comics writers post-Kane have had the right to create a new Robin in whatever light they see fit. John Blake is just as much Robin in characteristics as the Robins on the printed page. Robin isn't just his christian name, its the mantle he carries in The Dark Knight Rises.

 

[hellblazer103]

This with a hood maybe and a utility belt is my ideal Robin costume. Doesn't even need the "R" to still be iconic. They could add some goggles or something instead of the face paint.

this is really ****ing cool.

 

[Rorschach2012]

Nolan, just like all the Batman DC Comics writers post-Kane have had the right to create a new Robin in whatever light they see fit. John Blake is just as much Robin in characteristics as the Robins on the printed page. Robin isn't just his christian name, its the mantle he carries in The Dark Knight Rises.

John Blake isn't any of the Robins from the comics, therefore he isn't Robin.

If Nolan created a character named Jason Stevens in Batman Begins, without anyone named Bruce Wayne, and he had some of the characteristics of Batman, and at the end of Batman Begins some lady revealed that Jason Steven's real name was Batman, does that make him Batman to you too?



Blake isn't Robin.

 

[BatmanGoesToRio]

Blake isn't Robin.

I agree. It was a very lazy and lame way to incorporate the name "Robin" into this franchise.

 

[Blitzkrieg Bop]

John Blake isn't any of the Robins from the comics, therefore he isn't Robin.

If Nolan created a character named Jason Stevens in Batman Begins, without anyone named Bruce Wayne, and he had some of the characteristics of Batman, and at the end of Batman Begins some lady revealed that Jason Steven's real name was Batman, does that make him Batman to you too?

Batman isn't just one specific man, Batman is an ideal. Bruce Wayne isn't the only guy who's gone by that name; Jean-Paul, Dick Grayson, Terry McGuiness, and Damian Wayne have all been Batman at some point. They all acted as Batman and stood for what Batman stands for. John Blake is a young, orphaned crime fighter who inspires Batman and helps Batman save the day. Batman trusts him as a partner and as someone to take his place if he should ever cease being Batman. That is Robin. His status as a movie character differentiating from the comic book characters is irrelevant. He is an equal member of the Batman Family mythos. John Blake is Robin.

 

[TheHeatKitchen]

John Blake isn't any of the Robins from the comics, therefore he isn't Robin.

If Nolan created a character named Jason Stevens in Batman Begins, without anyone named Bruce Wayne, and he had some of the characteristics of Batman, and at the end of Batman Begins some lady revealed that Jason Steven's real name was Batman, does that make him Batman to you too?



Blake isn't Robin.

Wait, what? Are you implying that if something in the story isn't EXACTLY like it the comics, it CAN'T exist? What you're saying takes away from a director's (as well as screenwriter and producer) creativity.

Batman and Robin had "Barbara Wilson" as Batgirl, not Barbara Gordon. Are you saying she wasn't Batgirl? (Put the fact that the movie as a whole was TERRIBLE aside for a second)

I'm not saying John Blake WAS a personification of Robin. His name was just a nod to the fans and he was just the successor to Bruce Wayne in the mantle of "the Batman." BUT I am defending the blanket subject that a screenwriter or director can create a new version of a character if they decide to. Unless the film is a DIRECT reflection of the "source comic story" (see The Dark Knight Returns films), they are typical considered to be loosely based on, or inspired by different sources.

Bottom line, if Christopher Nolan wanted John Blake to be Robin, or Nightwing, or even Batman, he has the freedom to do that.

 

[TheHeatKitchen]

As for the Robin argument in the next film, I would say have Dick Grayson, around age 15-16, but not as Robin. I wouldn't have him wear the Robin suit or be Batman's actual "sidekick" until he's around age 18-19. I think it would lead to a more believable development for the character, and could push through his maturity complex quickly and lead to a Nightwing spinoff (which would be my plan).

First film is just Bruce. Second film he meets Dick, takes him in and begins his training. Third film he takes the role of Robin and, in the end, leaves to pursue his own legacy, Nightwing.

 

[Llama_Shepherd]

I'm still in the camp of begin right in the middle of Batman's career, Nightwing is already established, Tim is Robin and the film revolves around Jason's return.

This way, Nightwing can have his own spin-off (maybe tell his origin too?) and Tim can go on to spin off into Teen Titans.

 

[FeedOnATreeFrog]

He wasn't the 'superhero' Robin obviously, but he served in the Robin role, an orphan who both inspires Bruce and is inspired by him.