The Batman Family

The Green Lantern Corps might be able to do company retreats in other universes. The Justice League may be a tight group of Super Friends. The Rogues Gallery may have a cool hideout. But what group of comic book characters can say they are family? The Batman sidekicks!!

This isn’t just a sentimental usage of “family” that most tight knit groups use. And it isn’t the “brother from another mother” kind of family that you might se on a sports team. I mean, these boys are literally family.

 

There have been four Robins in the Batman comics, and each of the three living sidekicks (the second Robin — Jason Todd — was beaten to death and then detonated by the Joker) has a paternal link to Bruce Wayne.

 

Robin number one: Dick Grayson

Dick became Robin when his family was murdered while performing in a circus show that Bruce Wayne happened to be attending. Wayne requested that the boy be made his ward. This makes Bruce the legal guardian of Dick Grayson. This may not be a biological filial link, but in terms of the law, Dick is a member of Bruce Wayne’s household. Too bad he isn’t automatically set up to inherit anything.

 

Robin number three: Tim Drake

Tim took his turn at the sidekick role (and pioneered sidekickery in full pants) when he deduced Batman’s true identity. Wayne was so impressed with the boy’s detective skills that he couldn’t pass up the opportunity at a new sidekick and provided the physical training to do the job.

When Captain Boomerang murdered Tim’s father in the Identity Crisis, Wayne adopted Tim as his own son. Once again, this isn’t a biological link, but in terms of Illinois law, Tim Drake became the legitimate heir to the Wayne Empire.

 

Robin number four: Damien Wayne

The League of Assassins raised Damien to kill his father. In fact, Bruce never even knew that he had conceived a child with Talia Al’ Ghul, daughter of one of Batman’s greatest foes. So, when Damien turned up and decided to become Robin whether he was wanted or not, it created some tension in the Batcave. Something about killing the current Robin to create the job vacancy rubbed Tim and Dick the wrong way. Nevertheless, Damien officially took the mantle of Robin when Dick became Batman. Dick figured that he owed it to Bruce’s memory to make sure the boy turned out alright.

 

Now that Bruce Wayne is restored as Batman, Dick has returned to his role as Nightwing, Tim has become the Red Robin (a foreshadowing of the Robin from the Kingdom Come story), and Damien continues as Robin under his father instead of his surrogate big brother. With each of these boys having a solid claim to both the Wayne and the Batman empire, it should make for quite a few sparks should they ever try to divide if Bruce Wayne ever disappears again and they each try to grab at their inheritance.

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