DC has announced the winner of the Round Robin Fan Tournament. Robins is the official winner, though the announcement has come earlier than expected. Previously, DC had revealed plans to announce the winner at this year's DC FanDome.
The Round Robin Fan Tournament was a fan-vote that ran from March 31st to June 1st to select a new DC miniseries. There were four total rounds and the final match-up came down to Robins and Suicide Squad Seven - a book featuring Harley Quinn and a strange new Suicide Squad. Robins was a noticeable front-runner from Round 1 and now it is clear why.
Officially, DC Comics has revealed Robins as the winner of the Round Robin Fan Tournament. This book will be written by Tim Seeley with art by Baldemar Rivas. It is a six-issue series that will bring together all of Batman's former wards that wore - or are currently wearing - the mantle of Robin. The first issue will release digitally on DC Universe Infinite on October 26th, and be available physically in stores on November 16th. Fans will be able to see a sneak-peek of artist Baldemar Rivas' work on the series in DC Connect #16, available digitally on August 13th. Babs Tarr will be doing one of the variant covers for the series.
ROBINS #1...peels back the domino mask on the realities and costs of being a Robin. Dick Grayson, Jason Todd, Tim Drake, Stephanie Brown, and Damian Wayne come together in the world's most specific support group to finally talk about whether being a Robin was a good idea...but they can't even do that without being ambushed. As an unknown assailant claims to have been the first Robin, the flock of Robins must figure out who she is, and what it means to be a Robin.
It doesn't come as a surprise that Robins was the series that won the tournament. After all, it was a frontrunner early on. Additionally, DC is known for simultaneously publishing a wide variety of comics that involve Batman, characters that have been close associates of Batman, or that involve Gotham and Gotham residents or villains. While it does seem like it is an oversaturated market, this title is clearly what DC's fans in the United States wanted. After all, it was the country with the most access to the voting process throughout the tournament due to DC Universe Infinite’s current availability. Although there are numerous comics that involve the different Robins, they aren't always seen together - particularly without Batman being involved somehow. Hopefully this title predominantly sticks to the core Robin group and spotlights what makes each one unique.
DC has been exploring the impact of being Robin in some of its current series. In The Other History of the DC Universe #5, the effects that came of being a sidekick are discussed involving Nightwing. Dick Grayson has also been in the spotlight and paving his way independently once more in the ongoing Nightwing series. Additionally, Robin features Damian Wayne breaking off on his own to participate in the Lazarus Tournament, exploring his own desires and the influences of the paternal figures he's had in his life. However, this will bring all of the Robins together in a different way, in a sort of sidekick therapy session that is likely needed. These heroes will have their hands full as they come back together as a family when DC releases Robins on October 26, 2021 and November 16, 2021.
Source: DC Comics