I originally had in mind to be very organized about how I was going to do this; working through the many Batman titles in a methodical manner and posting along the way (which is how I am working on the other series on this blog), but there are so many Batman-related titles and so much material to sort through that I've decided to just make it up as I go. Sorry about that.
Therefore maybe it's apropos that I start with just a completely random issue of Detective Comics (No. 393, November, 1969). This is technically a Silver-Age comic, but I think I mentioned I'll be hitting up all 75 years of Batman history, so even though the focus might be Bronze-Age, you can expect stuff from all over the map.
With specific regard to Robin, his costume did not change significantly for the whole of Dick Grayson's career as the Dark Knight's sidekick from his inception in 1940 until he moved on to the role of Nightwing in 1984 (we'll get to that). But first we have to do his weird green shorts and booties, bright red tunic, and yellow cape. Apparently there were no fashion police in 1940.
If you're wondering why I didn't include "tights", it's because technically, in the comic, he didn't wear any; you're thinking of the 1966 TV series where likely modesty dictated that young Burt Ward cover his bare legs.
Therefore maybe it's apropos that I start with just a completely random issue of Detective Comics (No. 393, November, 1969). This is technically a Silver-Age comic, but I think I mentioned I'll be hitting up all 75 years of Batman history, so even though the focus might be Bronze-Age, you can expect stuff from all over the map.
With specific regard to Robin, his costume did not change significantly for the whole of Dick Grayson's career as the Dark Knight's sidekick from his inception in 1940 until he moved on to the role of Nightwing in 1984 (we'll get to that). But first we have to do his weird green shorts and booties, bright red tunic, and yellow cape. Apparently there were no fashion police in 1940.
If you're wondering why I didn't include "tights", it's because technically, in the comic, he didn't wear any; you're thinking of the 1966 TV series where likely modesty dictated that young Burt Ward cover his bare legs.
Dick Grayson was the young son of murdered acrobats (The Flying Graysons) who became the ward of Bruce Wayne. I'm not going to go into all the lurid details of the controversies of this relationship (the specifics of which have been the fodder of much analysis and study over the years), but I will say it was a running theme in the pages of the Batman books for the two to fight and "break up" an awful lot.
And particularly in the early days there was even plenty of violence (so much hitting!). Even with the sexual innuendos aside, there is no doubt that Bruce Wayne was abusive to his ward and that no parent in their right mind could have approved of their crime-fighting lifestyle (Robin was almost constantly in peril for his life).
Of course those were different times and as the comic book matured, it gradually made attempts to reconcile these very problematic issues with Dick Grayson ~ and especially with the subsequent variations on the boys (and girls) who filled the role of Robin.
That said, the role of Robin is currently vacant today, due the death of the most recent one, Damian Wayne.
And particularly in the early days there was even plenty of violence (so much hitting!). Even with the sexual innuendos aside, there is no doubt that Bruce Wayne was abusive to his ward and that no parent in their right mind could have approved of their crime-fighting lifestyle (Robin was almost constantly in peril for his life).
Of course those were different times and as the comic book matured, it gradually made attempts to reconcile these very problematic issues with Dick Grayson ~ and especially with the subsequent variations on the boys (and girls) who filled the role of Robin.
That said, the role of Robin is currently vacant today, due the death of the most recent one, Damian Wayne.
But enough of that: this first plate above captures the crime-fighting costume as well as something more mundane for young Dick Grayson to wear from our starting comic: beach clothes!
Part of the conflict between the Dynamic Duo was the fact of Robin being a kid and wanting to do things that kids his age should be doing ~ like hanging out on the beach with friends and getting drunk on six-packs of Kool Up.
But the cover above is actually misleading. Batman and Robin aren't breaking up over some disagreement about proper comportment and parental authority, they're breaking up because Dick is finally (after 29 years) shipping off to Hudson University and this weekend beach party is the last case Batman and Robin will be working before he goes. It was the end of the Silver-Age, all right; for this reason and more, Batman would never be the same again.
Part of the conflict between the Dynamic Duo was the fact of Robin being a kid and wanting to do things that kids his age should be doing ~ like hanging out on the beach with friends and getting drunk on six-packs of Kool Up.
But the cover above is actually misleading. Batman and Robin aren't breaking up over some disagreement about proper comportment and parental authority, they're breaking up because Dick is finally (after 29 years) shipping off to Hudson University and this weekend beach party is the last case Batman and Robin will be working before he goes. It was the end of the Silver-Age, all right; for this reason and more, Batman would never be the same again.