Poll: Does Batman really need Robin?

[AMX58]

To be in all serious and being a hardcore Batman fan I have say Robin does not fit in right now with this series of movies becauses its just right after he got into character and Robin is just there to help out but no sir no sir. Robin is very cool but just not now maybe if they made a dark robin like in the comics like an older Tim Drake because he would be the best but if they wanna go in order start with Grayson and just foreget about Jason Todd cause he was not worth mentioning at all even though he died by the Joker. So hey its hollywood they do what they want

 

[Grand_Marquis]

"Does Batman really need Robin?"

Better question: does Robin really need Batman?
I liked the recent movie's "The Dark Knight Returns"-style take on the vigilante copycatism that might generate someone like Robin. People are more likely to emulate Batman by dressing up AS Batman. And Batman is more likely to hand those people over to the authorities than to take them under his wing. Why, they're vigilantes after all. That's against the law! ;D

So in reality, if Robin really was the truly intelligent contender for the Batman throne, a cut above the rest in both skill and creativity...then why on Earth would he think tagging along with Batman himself is a good idea?? Seems like a poor career decision to me.

 

[Nifarious]

I like how high tacos is.
Frankly, kinda akin to Yahtzee's criticism of the character, I'm more interested in the bad guys than the good ones, there.
But does Batman need Robin?
Yes, for all those cold Gotham nights ;-).

 

[Zeromaeus]

"Does Batman really need Robin?"

Better question: does Robin really need Batman?
I liked the recent movie's "The Dark Knight Returns"-style take on the vigilante copycatism that might generate someone like Robin. People are more likely to emulate Batman by dressing up AS Batman. And Batman is more likely to hand those people over to the authorities than to take them under his wing. Why, they're vigilantes after all. That's against the law! ;D

So in reality, if Robin really was the truly intelligent contender for the Batman throne, a cut above the rest in both skill and creativity...then why on Earth would he think tagging along with Batman himself is a good idea?? Seems like a poor career decision to me.

But what if he was good enough that he can contend with crime and Batman on a level that impresses the bat. I dunno. Just thinking along that line...

 

[RelexCryo]

Movie Bob said something during his review of The Losers that made me cringe: he actually proposed that the current Batman movie series should have Robin. I don't think that Batman needs Robin. Robin makes him less dark and brooding. Robin makes Batman family friendly. Batman is crazy, determined, and kinda sadistic. Robin waters him down, makes him less awesome. Do you want Batman to have Robin? Would you still watch the current Batman movies if they introduced Robin? No flaming, no trolling, just polite debate. Go.

There is a site that catelogues several of the many, many double entendre's implying homosexuality between Batman and Robin, but I cannot in good conscience post a link to it, as several of the ads on the site give viruses and other problems these days.

 

[Zeromaeus]

Movie Bob said something during his review of The Losers that made me cringe: he actually proposed that the current Batman movie series should have Robin. I don't think that Batman needs Robin. Robin makes him less dark and brooding. Robin makes Batman family friendly. Batman is crazy, determined, and kinda sadistic. Robin waters him down, makes him less awesome. Do you want Batman to have Robin? Would you still watch the current Batman movies if they introduced Robin? No flaming, no trolling, just polite debate. Go.

There is a site that catelogues several of the many, many double entendre's implying homosexuality between Batman and Robin, but I cannot in good conscience post a link to it, as several of the ads on the site give viruses and other problems these days.

Superdickery?

 

[ottenni]

Judging by the path and tone the movies have taken so far, i would only expect Robin to be brought into it as a non superhero character. Most likely to control batman due to the likely death of Alfred, because honestly im putting my money on him being killed in the next movie. Which will probably be due to Batman for some reason or something causing him to relive the death of his parents sending him over the edge blah blah blah. You can probably tell what im getting at.

 

[chaos order]

see the problem with robin is that they always make him a child. Yes i know he is one but thats dont mean he should act like one if you know what i mean. Robin is added so the kids have something to relate to unless ur a brooding man with obsession with bats. I dont think robin should be in the next movie unless. However, they cant make him too dark or hell be just batman but smaller, pretty much making him pointless. If they were to put robin in the next movie they should make him dark but not so dark that there isnt a contrast between him and batman. at the same time they cant make him to light and happy cause it simply muddies batman and the whole dark and edgy thing hes got going.

 

[DragonChi]

Though I am perfectly content with Batman going solo. I think it is more than possible to write Robin in, and make him every bit as dark as Batman. It has to be done properly, but i think it could work. Heaven for-fend if we ever get another "Batman and Robin" movie that was a total joke. I can even watch the first 5 minutes of that ...thing.

 

[Zeromaeus]

Though I am perfectly content with Batman going solo. I think it is more than possible to write Robin in, and make him every bit as dark as Batman. It has to be done properly, but i think it could work. Heaven for-fend if we ever get another "Batman and Robin" movie that was a total joke. I can even watch the first 5 minutes of that ...thing.

What were they even thinking in that movie?
Then again. They messed up everything about those movies, almost...

 

[DragonChi]

Though I am perfectly content with Batman going solo. I think it is more than possible to write Robin in, and make him every bit as dark as Batman. It has to be done properly, but i think it could work. Heaven for-fend if we ever get another "Batman and Robin" movie that was a total joke. I can even watch the first 5 minutes of that ...thing.

What were they even thinking in that movie?
Then again. They messed up everything about those movies, almost...

i doubt very much ANY "thinking" was taking place in the development of that waste of space. It went down hill after Batman Returns.I still love the first one that Tim Burton made.

 

[Samurai Goomba]

Fixed and agreed with, for the most part.

In Bludhaven they have prisons. Those don't work any better than Arkham. Just sayin' it isn't always an asylum. Only 99.9% of the time.

Which reminds me, why does Bats think it's a good idea to keep sending The Joker to the same insane asylum he keeps escaping from over and over? Batman could drive across the state line and get Joker thrown in an actual prison. Or tie him up and ditch him in a bad part of Tijuana. Or just kill the freaking idiot, like he should be doing with ANY villain who has proven he/she is capable of committing premeditated murder. This is the whole reason why people (like me) think Bats is a sociopathic kook, and why I welcome the injection of some humanity and pathos into the storyline.

 

[heyheysg]

1) Robin fulfills Batman's moral need to take care of people in a different way than beating the shit out of them. He also realises that the first Robin (Dick Grayson) is similar to him and thus doesn't want him to turn out the same.

2) Robin grounds Batman, makes sure he doesn't become evil or psycho. Basically makes him happy.

3) Batgirl is just cheesecake, but I want her too.

 

[Grand_Marquis]

But what if he was good enough that he can contend with crime and Batman on a level that impresses the bat. I dunno. Just thinking along that line...

That would definitely be a solid argument for how the two might end up partnering. I'm just thinking from the origin point here. The way the story has always been told tended to strike me as unlikely. Moreso for the Nolan version of Batman. But then, Nolan's universe doesn't disallow the existence of Robin. It just suggests that Robin would probably end up autonomous - even if he idolized Batman. At least for a long while. It's a relationship that has no chance of grow prior to Robin proving himself behind a mask.

 

[Zeromaeus]

But what if he was good enough that he can contend with crime and Batman on a level that impresses the bat. I dunno. Just thinking along that line...

That would definitely be a solid argument for how the two might end up partnering. I'm just thinking from the origin point here. The way the story has always been told tended to strike me as unlikely. Moreso for the Nolan version of Batman. But then, Nolan's universe doesn't disallow the existence of Robin. It just suggests that Robin would probably end up autonomous - even if he idolized Batman. At least for a long while. It's a relationship that has no chance of grow prior to Robin proving himself behind a mask.

The movies aren't exactly by the book. Why start now? Make it fit to the story being told, not the story that has been told.

 

[RelexCryo]

Movie Bob said something during his review of The Losers that made me cringe: he actually proposed that the current Batman movie series should have Robin. I don't think that Batman needs Robin. Robin makes him less dark and brooding. Robin makes Batman family friendly. Batman is crazy, determined, and kinda sadistic. Robin waters him down, makes him less awesome. Do you want Batman to have Robin? Would you still watch the current Batman movies if they introduced Robin? No flaming, no trolling, just polite debate. Go.

There is a site that catelogues several of the many, many double entendre's implying homosexuality between Batman and Robin, but I cannot in good conscience post a link to it, as several of the ads on the site give viruses and other problems these days.

Superdickery?

Yep, that is the one.

 

[Citrus]

Sometimes I lie awake at night wondering why anybody thought Robin was a good idea in the first place. He ruins every Batman story he's in for me.

 

[chozo_hybrid]

If Robin is done right, then hell yes!

Question to OP, have you ever read the comics much? Because he's certainly not there to make things family friendly.

Plus Dick became one of my favorite DC heroes, Nightwing. So if it led to eventual movie potential for Nightwing, then HELl to the YEAH!

I have a feeling you and I could become good friends (nice avatar, by the way)

if they were to continue in the direction they are going, they'd use Jason Todd Robin if they were to have a Robin...

but I still think they could pull off Dick Grayson (maybe skipping his short-short days and going right into Nightwing)

Thanks, figured you might like this avatar even more

This makes me want to see a Nightwing film!

 

[SextusMaximus]

I think Robin should be added, but he's turned Emo, so batman has to impale him with a screwdriver...

*BOOS*

...Maybe not then?

 

[MinishArcticFox]

I think Batman needs Robin because without Robin Batman is basically heading straight for psychosville. Yes, Robin does have a calming effect on him, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. Also, in terms of narrative thread, the existence of a Robin allows for Batman to be a father, but a better father than his own (remember the speech Ra's Al Ghul gave him in the first movie about his father being weak and pathetic. Batman wouldn't be weak and pathetic with Robin around.)

Also, I think if you love a hero who is crazy and kinda sadistic, you might have a problem with the sort of people you're worshipping. It's like Rorsarch's fanbase. Alan Moore created him as the worst superhero ever, and was appalled when people said he might have the right idea. To idealise the traits which make the heroes closer to the enemies they fight is missing the point of the hero itself.

Robin does not make Batman family friendly either, if you want evidence of that just read 'Dark Victory' wherein Robin's inclusion actually serves to make the story darker, because now the ethics of Batman taking in a young boy are called in question, and Robin's backstory (or at least, Dick Grayson's backstory) is just as tragic and pointless as Batman's own. It's one of the reasons Dick Grayson was portrayed the way he was, because he needed that symmetry with his mentor.

Furthermore, Given that the first two movies have basically collected and reinterpreted Batman: Year One and Batman: The Long Halloween, if they wanted to remain true to this continuity, the next comic book is Batman: Dark Victory, and the introduction of Robin. Also from this movie's continuity, don't you think the choice of introducing a child character right after the love interest would have a great significance? My one love is dead, my parents are dead, basically, if Batman didn't latch on to any family figures, I would discount him as no longer being a hero worthy of my respect, rather than losing respect if he were to acquire a ward.

Besides, I think Tim Drake is the cooler Robin, but that would just be silly.

I agree with you Robin does make him more human but I think they have done a good job of making him look human without Robin (ie his affection for Rachael Alfred and Gordon). I personally don't like Robin just because of the early 2000's cartoons Robin left a bad taste in my mouth. But if they could pass it off as a master apprentice kind of thing (similar to Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon Jinn in Phantom Menace) and Robin maybe eventually replaces Batman (since Alfred was telling him to ease up) and then maybe end the film in tradgedy.

Overall I agree with you if handled well he could add a lot to Batman but I'm not sure that it couldn't be done in other ways and I dislike Robin to begin with (with the exception of the Teen Titans Robin).