HOME | DD

Description

This is a collage of Robin history with scans of early Robin appearances in Detective Comics #39 (1940) "The Horde of the Green Dragon" written by Bill Finger and art by Bob Kane and Jerry Robinson [reprinted in Batman Archives vol. 1 (1990)] and Robin #1 (1991) by Neal Adams [reprinted in Robin: A Hero Reborn (1991)], Robin art by Neal Adams and Kevin Nowlan from Batman: Odyssey #6 (2012) "Batman: Odyssey Part 12" written by Neal Adams and art by Neal Adams and Kevin Nowlan [reprinted in Batman: Odyssey (2013)], Robin art by Neal Adams and Bill Sienkiewicz from Batman: Odyssey #4 (2012) "Batman: Odyssey Part 10" written by Neal Adams and art by Neal Adams and Bill Sienkiewicz [reprinted in Batman: Odyssey (2013)], Robin art by Neal Adams and Bill Sienkiewicz from Batman: Odyssey #3 (2012) "Batman: Odyssey Part 9" written by Neal Adams and art by Neal Adams and Bill Sienkiewicz [reprinted in Batman: Odyssey (2013)], Robin art by Neal Adams from Batman: Odyssey #2 (2010) "Batman: Odyssey Part 2" written by Neal Adams and art by Neal Adams [reprinted in Batman: Odyssey (2013)] and Robin art by Neal Adams from Batman: Odyssey #4 (2012) "Batman: Odyssey Part 4" written by Neal Adams and art by Neal Adams [reprinted in Batman: Odyssey (2013)] [that I gave the Golden Age 1940 style thin Robin eye-mask below his eyebrows, I gave him two pellet guns, and I recolored a dark pine green shade and blood red shade so Robin could blend into the night with Batman and sneak attack criminals, not be a brightly colored target like the old limited comic book colors made him look], and Robin description quotes from The Encyclopedia of Comic Book Heroes: Batman (1976) by Michael L. Fleisher that I updated the costume description, "In the Haly Circus were the Flying Graysons, a daring trapeze troupe comprised of John and Mary Grayson and their young teen-age son Richard. One night, after circus owner Haly has steadfastly refused to pay the protection money demanded by 'Boss' Zucco and the gangsters retaliate by weakening the Graysons' trapeze ropes with acid, and, soon afterward, young Richard watches in horror as the trapeze rope breaks under his parents' combined weight, sending them hurtling helplessly to their doom on the tanbark below. Afterward, on the circus grounds, Richard Grayson overhears Zucco's henchmen warning Haly that the deadly circus 'accidents' will continue unless Haly agrees to pay the protection money they have demanded. It is only then that Grayson realizes that the accident which claimed the life of his parents was not an accident at all. He is about to run for the police, when suddenly he finds himself face to face with the mysterious vigilante known as Batman, who, in his Bruce Wayne identity, had attended the circus and witnessed the horrifying deaths of John and Mary Grayson. Batman cautions Grayson that he must not seek help from the police. The entire city, he explains, is under the oppressive thumb of the ruthless 'Boss' Zucco, who would order Grayson murdered if he dared to come forward with what he has overheard. 'My parents too where killed by a criminal,' explains Batman grimly. 'That's why I've devoted my life to exterminate them.' 'Then I want to also!' exclaims Grayson. Batman is reluctant, but the troubled face of the boy moves him deeply. 'We were both victims. All right. I'll make you my aide. But I warn you, I lead a perilous life!' notes Batman. 'I'm not afraid-' replies Grayson. Grayson goes through months of training - in acrobatics, boxing, jujitsu and firearms - and he assumes the name Robin, named after the legendary outlaw Robin Hood. . . whose name and spirit he has adopted, as a young, laughing Robin Hood of today, who scoffs at the law... Robin wears a green short-sleeved shirt, gloves, green legging, red bulletproof jerkin - with a yellow 'R' insignia, a thin black eye-mask below his eyebrows, and a black and yellow bulletproof cape, a black utility belt with a gold buckle, and black ninja boots. Robin carries two guns [high-powered pellet guns] which uses steel slingshot pellets as ammunition. Robin grows irritable after periods of quiet inaction. Robin is reckless and loves fights and danger."

Robin's original weapon was a slingshot with a steel pellet in the classic early 1940s comics by Bill Finger and Bob Kane, so I just updated that into more practical modern pellet guns that use steel slingshot pellets as ammunition. I think that's what Tim Burton would have done with Robin if Warners co-chairman Bob Daly and Terry Semel let Burton make his Batman III in 1993, like Batman used guns in those early 1939 and 1940 comics by Bill Finger and Bob Kane [until editorial interference by Whitney Ellsworth forced them to remake Batman into the squeaky clean no-gun/no-kill overgrown boy scout version in the '40s and '50s comics that Adam West made famous on TV in the '60s and '70s], Tim Burton brought the armed mysterious vigilante Batman back in Batman (1989) with guns on the Batmobile and guns on the Batwing [Burton's version of the Batplane].

In the comics panels on the side Robin says "Something mysterious is going on and I'm pretty sure the answer is over at pier three.. And that's where I'm going, right now!" from Detective Comics #39 (1940) "The Horde of the Green Dragon" written by Bill Finger and art by Bob Kane and Jerry Robinson [reprinted in Batman Archives vol. 1 (1990)].

Robin says "An address scratched by Wong [Wong was a good Chinese man, Batman's secret informant in Gotham City's Chinatown] when he was killed! - Pier three..." from Detective Comics #39 (1940) "The Horde of the Green Dragon" written by Bill Finger and art by Bob Kane and Jerry Robinson [reprinted in Batman Archives vol. 1 (1990)].

Robin #1 (1991) Robin suit design devices by Neal Adams, that Tim Burton picked:
"Vest-Section View: Earpiece - Deployed. Neck Armor. Shoulder Relief. Segmented 12-Layer Kevlar Armor. Fire Resistant Nomex & Frabric. Face Sheild-Stoned. Blunt Trama Plates. Washable Liner. Computer-Suit Link.
Robin Suit-Devices General Arrangement: Eyepiece Display. Directional Microphone. Molded 15-Layer Kevlar Bullet Resistant Vest.
sleeves: Sonar Ranger. Multi Band Radio Scanner. Personal Microprocessor. Universal Poison Antidote Syringes. Tracking Device. Power Supply-Computer Memory Back-Up. Food Concentrates.
Gloves: Hardened Fighting Strike Points.
Belt: Headup-Auto Deploy Flotation Device. Inertial Navigation Unit. Computer Network Penetration Equipment. Crime Analysis Equipment. Personal Fire Suppression. Mondfilament/Climbing Assist Tools. Smoke Pellet Dispenser. 3-Minute Air Supply.
Belt-Utility-Plan View: Belt-Open Position. Flotation Pods. Air Supply Mask. Smoke Pellet Dispenser.
Cape: 19-Layer Kevlar Bullet Resistant Material. Segmented Fluid Damped Impact Attenuation Pads. Fire Resistant Nomex & Liner.
Boots: Bullet-Fire Resistant Foot-Split Toe Design. Microprocessor-Foot Motion Sensors."

It's explained in Comics Shop News #179 (1990) that "The new Robin costume was chosen by Batman film director Tim Burton from several possible designs. 'Burton chose this particular costume because he felt it was closest to the darker tone of the movie,' DC said."
www.1989batman.com/2015/09/rob…

In Comics Scene #17 (1991) Denny O'Neil explained, "I don't know if it [the Robin costume design by Neal Adams] was influenced [by the Batman movie's] but that probably played some part in the designer's thinking. We got about 15 different designs, and we, I swear, Scout's honor, liked this one the best. We sent them out to [Batman director] Tim Burton and this was the one he liked best. So, it was a real consensus that this is the one we ought to go with. Some of the others were interesting, but we wanted to preserve the traditional Robin look and yet update it. One of the problems with the old costume was that it wasn't really very practical for a dark; night character. One of Neal's inspirations was the reversible cape so you preserve the [green, red and yellow] Robin motif, and yet, there's a certain logic to being able to cover up." www.1989batman.com/2014/10/rob…
Neal Adam explained, "It was very clear for years that the old Robin costume was silly. DC and Warner Bros were planning to put Robin in Batman feature films, and they needed a costume. There was a discussion back and forth between DC and Warner Bros. as to what they’d put the actor in. They wouldn’t put him that silly [Burt Ward] costume with the bare legs. The problem was, here’s Robin in this yellow cape: A perfect target for anyone who wants to shoot him. So how do you get rid of that target and still give him the iconic yellow cape? My solution was to make the outside of the cape black, and the inside of the cape yellow. At least then, he would have some defense. He could pull the cape over and disappear into the darkness, but still be Robin with the yellow. Then I deepend the red on his chest and torso, and gave him leggings. I also gave him ninja boots. The idea behind the ninja boots was that he was an acrobat, and so he would need something like that. Ninja boots are defined by the pull-in between the first and second toe, so you can grab something with your toes. I thought I took a Robin costume that, as a child, I was charmed by, and altered it into something that made sense. He’s an acrobat who calls himself Robin. We don’t want to make a target out of him, but we still want to keep the costume and take care of the licensing."
comicbook.com/2014/12/17/throw…

In Comics Interview #93 (1991) Tom Lyle explained, "They showed the designs to the director of the first [Michael Keaton] Batman [(1989)] movie, Tim Burton, because [Tim Burton and] Warner Brothers does have some say in the look of the new Robin because not only are they the parent company of DC but they also did the first [Michael Keaton] Batman movie, which made lots of bucks. Tim Burton wants to use the new Robin in the new movie. Robin should be in the second movie, but don't quote me on that. Tim Burton, after looking over the designs, decided on the costume he wanted. The new costume was designed by Neal Adams. The costume is exciting because while it is new, it uses the old elements at the same time. I really had to fight to keep the spiked hair, not that helmet-head look. I wanted it to be real different."
www.1989batman.com/2014/07/rob…

Richard Grayson was originally planned for Batman (1989), in 1988 Tim Burton had cast 12 year old Ricky Addison Reed as Richard Grayson and Robin was in script writer Sam Hamm's first drafts of the script and there are even storyboards made of Robin. The Batman DVD special feature Batman: The Complete Robin Storyboard Sequence show all of the storyboards for the originally planned alternative ending of Batman (1989) with Robin, but there wasn't enough room in Batman '89. Marlon Wayans was really just gonna be a car mechanic in Batman Returns. I think Leonardo DiCaprio would have been Tim Burton's Robin choice in 1993 for the 3rd Batman film but by that point in 1993 Warners co-chairman Bob Daly and Terry Semel thought Tim Burton was "too dark for Batman and too scary for kids," so they decided to replace him with Joel Schumacher, like in 1984 when co-chairman Michael Eisner and Jeffrey Katzenberg thought Tim Burton was "too dark for Disney and too scary for kids."

Description

This is a collage of Robin history with scans of early Robin appearances in Detective Comics #39 (1940) "The Horde of the Green Dragon" written by Bill Finger and art by Bob Kane and Jerry Robinson [reprinted in Batman Archives vol. 1 (1990)] and Robin #1 (1991) by Neal Adams [reprinted in Robin: A Hero Reborn (1991)], Robin art by Neal Adams and Kevin Nowlan from Batman: Odyssey #6 (2012) "Batman: Odyssey Part 12" written by Neal Adams and art by Neal Adams and Kevin Nowlan [reprinted in Batman: Odyssey (2013)], Robin art by Neal Adams and Bill Sienkiewicz from Batman: Odyssey #4 (2012) "Batman: Odyssey Part 10" written by Neal Adams and art by Neal Adams and Bill Sienkiewicz [reprinted in Batman: Odyssey (2013)], Robin art by Neal Adams and Bill Sienkiewicz from Batman: Odyssey #3 (2012) "Batman: Odyssey Part 9" written by Neal Adams and art by Neal Adams and Bill Sienkiewicz [reprinted in Batman: Odyssey (2013)], Robin art by Neal Adams from Batman: Odyssey #2 (2010) "Batman: Odyssey Part 2" written by Neal Adams and art by Neal Adams [reprinted in Batman: Odyssey (2013)] and Robin art by Neal Adams from Batman: Odyssey #4 (2012) "Batman: Odyssey Part 4" written by Neal Adams and art by Neal Adams [reprinted in Batman: Odyssey (2013)] [that I gave the Golden Age 1940 style thin Robin eye-mask below his eyebrows, I gave him two pellet guns, and I recolored a dark pine green shade and blood red shade so Robin could blend into the night with Batman and sneak attack criminals, not be a brightly colored target like the old limited comic book colors made him look], and Robin description quotes from The Encyclopedia of Comic Book Heroes: Batman (1976) by Michael L. Fleisher that I updated the costume description, "In the Haly Circus were the Flying Graysons, a daring trapeze troupe comprised of John and Mary Grayson and their young teen-age son Richard. One night, after circus owner Haly has steadfastly refused to pay the protection money demanded by 'Boss' Zucco and the gangsters retaliate by weakening the Graysons' trapeze ropes with acid, and, soon afterward, young Richard watches in horror as the trapeze rope breaks under his parents' combined weight, sending them hurtling helplessly to their doom on the tanbark below. Afterward, on the circus grounds, Richard Grayson overhears Zucco's henchmen warning Haly that the deadly circus 'accidents' will continue unless Haly agrees to pay the protection money they have demanded. It is only then that Grayson realizes that the accident which claimed the life of his parents was not an accident at all. He is about to run for the police, when suddenly he finds himself face to face with the mysterious vigilante known as Batman, who, in his Bruce Wayne identity, had attended the circus and witnessed the horrifying deaths of John and Mary Grayson. Batman cautions Grayson that he must not seek help from the police. The entire city, he explains, is under the oppressive thumb of the ruthless 'Boss' Zucco, who would order Grayson murdered if he dared to come forward with what he has overheard. 'My parents too where killed by a criminal,' explains Batman grimly. 'That's why I've devoted my life to exterminate them.' 'Then I want to also!' exclaims Grayson. Batman is reluctant, but the troubled face of the boy moves him deeply. 'We were both victims. All right. I'll make you my aide. But I warn you, I lead a perilous life!' notes Batman. 'I'm not afraid-' replies Grayson. Grayson goes through months of training - in acrobatics, boxing, jujitsu and firearms - and he assumes the name Robin, named after the legendary outlaw Robin Hood. . . whose name and spirit he has adopted, as a young, laughing Robin Hood of today, who scoffs at the law... Robin wears a green short-sleeved shirt, gloves, green legging, red bulletproof jerkin - with a yellow 'R' insignia, a thin black eye-mask below his eyebrows, and a black and yellow bulletproof cape, a black utility belt with a gold buckle, and black ninja boots. Robin carries two guns [high-powered pellet guns] which uses steel slingshot pellets as ammunition. Robin grows irritable after periods of quiet inaction. Robin is reckless and loves fights and danger."

Robin's original weapon was a slingshot with a steel pellet in the classic early 1940s comics by Bill Finger and Bob Kane, so I just updated that into more practical modern pellet guns that use steel slingshot pellets as ammunition. I think that's what Tim Burton would have done with Robin if Warners co-chairman Bob Daly and Terry Semel let Burton make his Batman III in 1993, like Batman used guns in those early 1939 and 1940 comics by Bill Finger and Bob Kane [until editorial interference by Whitney Ellsworth forced them to remake Batman into the squeaky clean no-gun/no-kill overgrown boy scout version in the '40s and '50s comics that Adam West made famous on TV in the '60s and '70s], Tim Burton brought the armed mysterious vigilante Batman back in Batman (1989) with guns on the Batmobile and guns on the Batwing [Burton's version of the Batplane].

In the comics panels on the side Robin says "Something mysterious is going on and I'm pretty sure the answer is over at pier three.. And that's where I'm going, right now!" from Detective Comics #39 (1940) "The Horde of the Green Dragon" written by Bill Finger and art by Bob Kane and Jerry Robinson [reprinted in Batman Archives vol. 1 (1990)].

Robin says "An address scratched by Wong [Wong was a good Chinese man, Batman's secret informant in Gotham City's Chinatown] when he was killed! - Pier three..." from Detective Comics #39 (1940) "The Horde of the Green Dragon" written by Bill Finger and art by Bob Kane and Jerry Robinson [reprinted in Batman Archives vol. 1 (1990)].

Robin #1 (1991) Robin suit design devices by Neal Adams, that Tim Burton picked:
"Vest-Section View: Earpiece - Deployed. Neck Armor. Shoulder Relief. Segmented 12-Layer Kevlar Armor. Fire Resistant Nomex & Frabric. Face Sheild-Stoned. Blunt Trama Plates. Washable Liner. Computer-Suit Link.
Robin Suit-Devices General Arrangement: Eyepiece Display. Directional Microphone. Molded 15-Layer Kevlar Bullet Resistant Vest.
sleeves: Sonar Ranger. Multi Band Radio Scanner. Personal Microprocessor. Universal Poison Antidote Syringes. Tracking Device. Power Supply-Computer Memory Back-Up. Food Concentrates.
Gloves: Hardened Fighting Strike Points.
Belt: Headup-Auto Deploy Flotation Device. Inertial Navigation Unit. Computer Network Penetration Equipment. Crime Analysis Equipment. Personal Fire Suppression. Mondfilament/Climbing Assist Tools. Smoke Pellet Dispenser. 3-Minute Air Supply.
Belt-Utility-Plan View: Belt-Open Position. Flotation Pods. Air Supply Mask. Smoke Pellet Dispenser.
Cape: 19-Layer Kevlar Bullet Resistant Material. Segmented Fluid Damped Impact Attenuation Pads. Fire Resistant Nomex & Liner.
Boots: Bullet-Fire Resistant Foot-Split Toe Design. Microprocessor-Foot Motion Sensors."

It's explained in Comics Shop News #179 (1990) that "The new Robin costume was chosen by Batman film director Tim Burton from several possible designs. 'Burton chose this particular costume because he felt it was closest to the darker tone of the movie,' DC said."
www.1989batman.com/2015/09/rob…

In Comics Scene #17 (1991) Denny O'Neil explained, "I don't know if it [the Robin costume design by Neal Adams] was influenced [by the Batman movie's] but that probably played some part in the designer's thinking. We got about 15 different designs, and we, I swear, Scout's honor, liked this one the best. We sent them out to [Batman director] Tim Burton and this was the one he liked best. So, it was a real consensus that this is the one we ought to go with. Some of the others were interesting, but we wanted to preserve the traditional Robin look and yet update it. One of the problems with the old costume was that it wasn't really very practical for a dark; night character. One of Neal's inspirations was the reversible cape so you preserve the [green, red and yellow] Robin motif, and yet, there's a certain logic to being able to cover up." www.1989batman.com/2014/10/rob…
Neal Adam explained, "It was very clear for years that the old Robin costume was silly. DC and Warner Bros were planning to put Robin in Batman feature films, and they needed a costume. There was a discussion back and forth between DC and Warner Bros. as to what they’d put the actor in. They wouldn’t put him that silly [Burt Ward] costume with the bare legs. The problem was, here’s Robin in this yellow cape: A perfect target for anyone who wants to shoot him. So how do you get rid of that target and still give him the iconic yellow cape? My solution was to make the outside of the cape black, and the inside of the cape yellow. At least then, he would have some defense. He could pull the cape over and disappear into the darkness, but still be Robin with the yellow. Then I deepend the red on his chest and torso, and gave him leggings. I also gave him ninja boots. The idea behind the ninja boots was that he was an acrobat, and so he would need something like that. Ninja boots are defined by the pull-in between the first and second toe, so you can grab something with your toes. I thought I took a Robin costume that, as a child, I was charmed by, and altered it into something that made sense. He’s an acrobat who calls himself Robin. We don’t want to make a target out of him, but we still want to keep the costume and take care of the licensing."
comicbook.com/2014/12/17/throw…

In Comics Interview #93 (1991) Tom Lyle explained, "They showed the designs to the director of the first [Michael Keaton] Batman [(1989)] movie, Tim Burton, because [Tim Burton and] Warner Brothers does have some say in the look of the new Robin because not only are they the parent company of DC but they also did the first [Michael Keaton] Batman movie, which made lots of bucks. Tim Burton wants to use the new Robin in the new movie. Robin should be in the second movie, but don't quote me on that. Tim Burton, after looking over the designs, decided on the costume he wanted. The new costume was designed by Neal Adams. The costume is exciting because while it is new, it uses the old elements at the same time. I really had to fight to keep the spiked hair, not that helmet-head look. I wanted it to be real different."
www.1989batman.com/2014/07/rob…

Richard Grayson was originally planned for Batman (1989), in 1988 Tim Burton had cast 12 year old Ricky Addison Reed as Richard Grayson and Robin was in script writer Sam Hamm's first drafts of the script and there are even storyboards made of Robin. The Batman DVD special feature Batman: The Complete Robin Storyboard Sequence show all of the storyboards for the originally planned alternative ending of Batman (1989) with Robin, but there wasn't enough room in Batman '89. Marlon Wayans was really just gonna be a car mechanic in Batman Returns. I think Leonardo DiCaprio would have been Tim Burton's Robin choice in 1993 for the 3rd Batman film but by that point in 1993 Warners co-chairman Bob Daly and Terry Semel thought Tim Burton was "too dark for Batman and too scary for kids," so they decided to replace him with Joel Schumacher, like in 1984 when co-chairman Michael Eisner and Jeffrey Katzenberg thought Tim Burton was "too dark for Disney and too scary for kids."