Reading mainstream comics often means making peace with characters who are written as types instead of actual people. The medium requires enough suspension of disbelief as it is, so is it asking too much to have a character or two who's relatable?
I've always had a soft spot for Robin, who has the unenviable job of working alongside Batman. Batman is a lot of things: hardcore, brilliant, sexy. But he's also zealous nutjob and a horrible boss. It's a wonder none of the three Robins ever cracked and cut one of his grappling cables out of sheer rage. I worry for this boy.
Dick Grayson was the first, and he's done nicely for himself as Nightwing. I like him. We all know Jason Todd was a whiny little snot, though he didn't deserve a crowbar beat-down from the Joker. But the current Robin, Tim Drake, is a kid I would have liked to hang out with in high school. Granted, I'm basing this almost solely on the way Geoff Johns has written him in "Teen Titans" (so don't send me your "what about?" screeds). Still, he is easily the most likable of D.C.'s teen superheroes.
He's not a sullen brat (see: Kent, Conner) and he doesn't seem generic and unworthy of his status (see: Sandmark, Cassie). He's scrappy. Yes, he got his ass handed to him by Deathstroke, but he wasn't afraid to fight him, either. Plus, he had that cute black girlfriend, Zoanne. Like any teenager, he has moments of insecurity and self-doubt — but he gets the job done. Personally, I think a well-executed film about Robin would be just as interesting as the best Batman films. And unlike the permanently stalled Wonder Woman project, I might actually get to see it before I die.
1 comment:
Ooh, I do remember that crowbar beat-down. That was carried out with extreme prejudice. How can I remember that, I don't even read DC comics? But I remember the art was very, very scary because of course the artist didn't show Robin, just the Joker's crazy grinning face and blood splashing up. Or am I crazy and making that up?
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