DC Names Batman's Worst Robin, And You Won't Believe Who

DC settles the most popular Robin in-universe, with a caveat. The Robin mantle has evolved from a single sidekick into a long legacy of vigilantes. Today, Dick Grayson, Jason Todd, Tim Drake, and Damian Wayne are the four faces of the Robin mantle, from Dick's first appearance as Batman's protégé in 1940 through Jason Todd's death and resurrection, Tim Drake's time as the ultimate Robin, and Damian Wayne's own evolution into Batman's successor after Stephanie Brown's very brief stint as Robin. The DC multiverse has also presented radically different Robins, from Carrie Kelley in The Dark Knight Returns to Helena Wayne's brief identity as Robin in some continuities.

Dick Grayson's popularity comes from the fact that he became much more than Batman's original sidekick. His upgrade into Nightwing allowed him to develop his own mythos even though his history as Robin continues to make him one of the most important members of the Bat-Family. Jason Todd followed a far more unusual path, as readers famously voted for his death in A Death in the Family, only for Red Hood to become a fan-favorite years later. Tim Drake, Stephanie Brown, and Damian Wayne have all had their peak in popularity, but their following is more equally divided than the remarkably popular Dick Grayson and the controversial Jason Todd.

However, not every timeline in the DC Universe follows the same sequence of events, and some characters are negatively affected by it.

Absolute Batman #23; Written By Scott Snyder; Art By Nick Dragotta & Frank Martin

The Robins discuss their popularity with the public in Absolute Batman #23. Dick Grayson shows his excitement over the existence of "Robin pie" and "Robin eggs" products, but his colleagues don't hesitate to rain on his parade. According to polls, "Steph's dark and mysterious, Duke's the strong, silent type, Jason's the bad boy..." and Tim Drake is the most popular, described as "the heart(throb) of the team, smart, sweet, and stylish." Meanwhile, Dick Grayson is in the last place, with no particular adjectives to describe his style or personality.

Dick Grayson's popularity inside the DC Universe is usually as notable as his popularity with readers, since other characters consistently recognize qualities that separate him from Batman. Dick combines his extraordinary athleticism with an unusually charismatic personality for a Gotham and Bludhaven vigilante. His Nightwing persona gives him a sleek and acrobatic image that feels more youthful and approachable than Batman's, and his romantic history with Starfire, Barbara Gordon, Shawn Tsang, Bea Bennett, and others have established Dick as one of DC's most socially confident heroes, not to mention one of the most attractive. Absolute Dick Grayson doesn't seem too different so far, only less widely known.

The Absolute Robins May Undergo A Drastic Transformation

The Absolute Universe gives the Robin legacy an almost inverted starting point. Instead of beginning as Batman's protégés, Dick Grayson, Jason Todd, Tim Drake, Stephanie Brown, and Duke Thomas form a Robin Program created by Jack Grimm and trained by Slade Wilson, with their mission explicitly aimed at protecting Gotham by taking Batman down. This setup gives each Robin enormous room for a future reversal. Dick's established compassion, leadership potential, and connection to medicine make him an especially plausible candidate to recognize that Batman is actually fighting for Gotham and eventually cross the line from hunter to ally.

Absolute Dick Grayson's eventual transformation into an Absolute Nightwing could become one of his universe's best character turns and present a new hero as popular as the muscle-bound Absolute Batman. However, it might also affect his already middling popularity in-universe, as siding with Batman could make him just as controversial as the Dark Knight himself. Meanwhile, Jason Todd could become another Ark M monster, transformed into a powerful creature by Jack Grimm and christened "Red Hood."

Which Robin do you expect to have the biggest transformation in DC's Absolute Universe?

Absolute Batman #23 is available August 12 from DC Comics