Warning: SPOILERS for Batman: Urban Legends #23Even though they've been working together for decades, the first Robin, Dick Grayson, reveals a new reason why he's Batman's perfect partner. Some may see the Robin role a something akin to a soldier, but Dick knows what being Batman's partner really means: being his family.
Robin has been working with Batman from practically the beginning of the Dark Knight's history. Whereas Batman debuted in 1939's Detective Comics #27, Dick Grayson started his decades-long run as Robin only a year later in 1940's Detective Comics #38. Like Bruce Wayne, Dick witnessed his parents' brutal murder—a connection that unites the two characters all these years later. The child of circus aerialists, Dick's parents fell to their deaths after their trapezes were sabotaged. Bruce took Dick in as his ward and, later, as his adopted son. Bruce also promised to train Dick so they could work together to bring the Graysons' murderer to justice; and so the Batman and Robin "Dynamic Duo" was born.
Dick continued to serve as Robin even after his parents' murder was avenged, and he became Batman's permanent partner. One heart-wrenching page from a story by Kenny Porter, Simone Di Meo, and AndWorld Design in Batman: Urban Legends #23 shows just why Dick knows he's Batman's perfect partner. The surrounding story follows Batman and Robin as they're chased by Firefly. Batman keeps trying to get Robin to get to safety, despite Batman himself being injured. He keeps trying to tell Robin that being his partner means following his order. Dick, of course, refuses to leave Batman while he's injured. He tells Batman about being back in the circus with his parents, where they, too were "partners," and so protected each other. "But just like my parents," Robin tells Batman, "we're more than partners... we're family. And I'm never going to let my family fall again."
Robin Knows That Being Family Is More Important Than Being Partners
While the rest of this short (but impactful) story demonstrates just why fans should consider Dick Grayson the most impulsive Robin, it also goes to show why he takes his job as Robin so seriously. Dick became Robin only shortly after he lost his parents; in fact, Robin only exists as a mantle because of Dick's anger and desire for vengeance, much like Batman himself. But that also means Robin takes protecting his new family extremely seriously, and that, of course, includes his adoptive father.
Batman will never fall while Robin is around to catch him, and it's that emotional connection that makes Robin the perfect partner for Batman, even above those older and more super-powered. Dick Grayson may have originated the role, but this trait unites all the Robins that follow him. Batman is Robin's family above everything else, and that's why they'll always keep each other safe.
Check out Batman: Urban Legends #23, available now from DC Comics!