The Batmen?

[Beelze]

Would people be okay with Robin being "just" a "copy" of Batman? I mean, he'd still have the same back story, but he'd have a suit similar to that of Bruce Wayne. Many people complain about Robin being too colorful, and the name Robin just isn't as striking as "Batman." Basically, they wouldn't be Batman & Robin, they'd be The Batmen. One could even expand on this idea and make Bruce/Batman the leader of a ring of vigilantes/heroes.

I know Robin had a reason for choosing the kind of costume he chose (can't remember much of a reasoning for the name "Robin" though, but perhaps he thought he resembled the bird). It seems to me that some choices and decisions made about the Bat-world were only done to be commercially succesfully - like introducing a colorful character to appeal to the young kids, and to make Batman more family friendly, or giving Batman a yellow oval bat logo to better market him (since they couldn't copyright a just bat).

I'm not posting this thread because of the Nolan-Batman franchise, which most likely won't feature a colorful Robin (or a Robin at all) for as long as Nolan is at the helm, but because Robin's visuals and theme has always bugged me a bit, and I was always a fan of the more realistic Batman stories. Also, I've always viewed Batman as a lone wolf, and I generally dislike that he has gotten so many "super-allies."

Well, those are my 2 cents. Keep the change.

 

[SHADOWBAT69]

Robins costume was a kind of tribute to his circus uniform. Its also meant to contrast the darkness of Batman.

The yellow oval was introduced as a target. Meant to draw gunfire.

I like the current Robin uniform of all red and black.

 

[Katsuro]

Robins costume was a kind of tribute to his circus uniform. Its also meant to contrast the darkness of Batman.

The yellow oval was introduced as a target. Meant to draw gunfire.

I like the current Robin uniform of all red and black.

No, that was just a BS excuse brought about later on to explain something that otherwise made no sense.

Beelze is correct. The yellow oval was introduced because DC couldn't just copyright a picture of a bat. They could, however, copyright a picture of a bat in a yellow oval.

 

[Beelze]

Robins costume was a kind of tribute to his circus uniform. Its also meant to contrast the darkness of Batman.

Yes, I know that was his reason for wearing it, but I see no need to contrast the darkness of Batman. Realistically, Robin would go for "the darkness" as well.

The yellow oval was introduced as a target. Meant to draw gunfire.

Why would Batman want to draw gunfire to himself? He is supposed to rely on stealth. It makes little sense to help his enemies find him. And if it for some weird reason was meant to draw the attention of gunmen, why would he put it on his chest? Sure, perhaps the armor is the best there, but if something manages to pierce through it would mean a lot of trouble. And back in the day when the oval was added, I'm not sure the writers really ever thought about body armor, like they are doing more and more, today. Either way, this thread isn't really about that issue.

I like the current Robin uniform of all red and black.

It does look good in some ways, but to me it doesn't give off the right feel, nor is it realistic. Are you saying you're completely against my proposed idea?

 

[SHADOWBAT69]

Are you saying you're completely against my proposed idea?

Yep, pretty much.


And i absolutely hate the term "realistic" or "realism". Its a comic book. Its meant to be a form of entertainment, but that a rant for another topic.

 

[Beelze]

You can accept the darkness when it's Batman, but not when it's Robin, who shares a similar, tragic past, and who embarks on the same quest as Batman.

 

[SHADOWBAT69]

i like the idea that 2 people can have similar or identical tragedy in their lives and not be the same. It shows the individuality of the character.

 

[crazy monkey]

Also, I've always viewed Batman as a lone wolf, and I generally dislike that he has gotten so many "super-allies."

The Lone Wolf had a Cub --



-- so why can't the Batman?

Robin's choice of monniker was also influenced by his affinity for Robin Hood.

i like the idea that 2 people can have similar or identical tragedy in their lives and not be the same. It shows the individuality of the character.

I totally agree. The difference in color schemes is representative of the difference in the two men's view of the same career. Bruce is burdened with guilt, angst, fury, fear -- very dark emotions, and in comicbookdom, people wear their emotions on the outside. Dick was bold, bright, daring, fearless -- like the costume he wore.

I also like that the colors are illogical and dangerous, because they've kind-of come to represent that transitional period during adolesence when you're old enough to want to seize life for yourself and live it, but too young to comprehend how fragile and fleeting it can be. Dick grew up and out of Robin's role, and then chose a more 'logical' form of attire. Carrie left behind the red-and-greens for her darker Catgirl suit. A pre-crisis version of Bruce's early years even had him in the Robin costume first, to hide his identity while he trained with a Gotham detective. (It also nicely explained the original suit's contrasting elements: young Bruce pieced it together from remnants of Halloween costumes he found in the attic.)

I'm sure I'm not alone in desiring to see Tim grow up into his own hero as well. I think if handled correctly, he could be the most compelling spin-off ever from the Batman universe.

-- END!

 

[Beelze]

Batman having Robin as his "cub" is quite alright, but I find it weird that Batman would let him wear such an outfit, putting himself even more in danger. He ought to have talked some sense into Robin at the start of the latter's crime fighting career. I know that a lot people find Robin's suit aesthetically pleasing, but it's not realistically pleasing. Batman's suit is both aesthetically pleasing and (often) realistically pleasing.