Golden Age Dick Grayson (pre-CoIE Earth-2 / became adult Robin with JSA)
Dick Grayson (later Nightwing / Silver Age +)
young Bruce Wayne (Detective Comics #226, December 1955)
Bruce Wayne, Jr. (Batman #131 and others, 1960-1964)
Jason Todd (later Red Hood / 1983 +)
Carrie Kelley (Frank Miller's future Robin, 1986 +)
Tim Drake (later Red Robin / 1989 +)
robotic "Toy Wonder" (from DC One Million / 1998)
Stephanie Brown (originally Spoiler, also Batgirl / became Robin in 2004)
Damian Wayne (2006 +)
Helena Wayne (New52 Earth 2 version, later Huntress / 2012 +)
Duke Thomas (Robin from Futures End / 2014)
Matt McGinnis (younger brother of Terry McGinnis in Batman Beyond / 2018 +)
We Are Robin gang (Duke Thomas, Riko, Dre, Isabella, Daxton, Troy, etc. / 2015-2016)
Dick Grayson, I've got to go with the original.
"So you've come to the end now alive but dead inside."
Gotta vote for Tim. Hands down. It seems almost unfair to compare his time as Robin (solo title, lots of involvement in team books, character development) to Dick or Jason, who both came from earlier ages where the writing quality wasn't always on the same level and the role of Robin was firmly established as "sidekick" material.
A lot of the "one-off's" like the Toy Wonder or even Steph also seems vaguely cruel, as you're forced to compare a brief stint to a full career.
Only Damian can *really* compare, and even then he's had far less solo development and hasn't had the time in the mask that Tim did. But come back in another ten years, and I'm betting my opinion will have changed. Hell, I almost like Damian as Robin more than Tim as it is.
Of course, Tim hasn't been all that interesting for a while and has fallen far from his glory days. But as far as their time as "Robin" goes? I like them all but Tim paved the way for Robin to be more than just a sidekick in short shorts.
"We all know the truth: more connects us than separates us. But in times of crisis the wise build bridges, while the foolish build barriers. We must find a way to look after one another, as if we were one single tribe."
~ Black Panther.
I don't know the difference between Golden and Silver Age Robin Dick. I don't think I know the difference between them and modern depiction of Robin Dick.
Golden Age Dick was never a Titan or chose to be Nightwing, the biggest Identity he used other than Robin was Mr. Mystery, mostly worked as a community superhero, biggest achievement was discovering two Islands. In the Earth Two Future became a lawyer & ambassador although I consider Earth Two a Hypothetical Future for Earth Prime as Pre Comics Code Authority had futures up to the Year 3000.
Sorry, I meant his personality.
The most difference I saw was when he's somewhat of a bratty teenager in New 52, but I don't have comparison reference for, say... Silver to Bronze Age Teen Titans since I haven't read that.
There Is One Dick To Rule Them All.
Morrison's Batman and Robin Reborn was about the Batman story coming to a full circle. The future and the success of Bruce's work. How Batman's greatest success Dick Grayson. The 1st Robin saving his son [like Bruce did with Dick] and going on to continue the legacy.
Bruce would not have been able to save Damian because he doesn't have the skill set however he raised a well adjusted kid who grew up to be just the right Batman to save Damian. Dick's personality, social skills and management style was the key to turning the kid around
It's about the legacy getting stronger and carrying on. Batman and Robin will never die.
On a podcast he said Damian was temporary because he never expected DC would give Batman a biological kid. They hadn't all this while in main continuity. By the time he found out they asked him to extended his stay he still felt it was necessary to complete his story as planned but left the story open for them to return him.
I always felt that the Damian story had to end with him sacrificing. himself so he can be truly redeemed not sure if that was Morrison's take as well.
He has said that the Batman Inc saga was a divorce story and how that kids are the real casualties of divorce.
Steph was okay as Robin but she really didn't get the time to show her worth. I too prefer her as Spoiler or Batgirl.
Carrie I liked her the most when Tomasi used her. I don't like how Frank used her in most of his work.
The Family side of Batman is probably my favourite thing about his story. I like Bruce being a father/care giver or at least attempting to be.. Building a family to replace the one he and some of the kids he took in/fathered lost.
I felt like Steph was just used as cannon fodder (canon fodder?) in "War Games." She didn't deserve to be treated like she was. But I agree with one in that I love Bruce as a patriarch, that he feels compassion for kids who were victimized by crime and wants them to grow up BETTER, even to the point of taking them into his own home. I HATE Bat-God mode.
Suprising NO ONE, I am the third person to vote for Steph. I just love her design and attitude a lot.
Glad to see one person voted for the We Are Robin gang. I miss Riko, Dre, and Dax a lot.
"We're the same thing, you and I. We're both lies that eventually became the truth." Lara Notsil, Star Wars: X-Wing: Solo Command, Aaron Allston
"All that is not eternal is eternally out of date." C. S. Lewis, The Four Loves
"There's room in our line of work for hope, too." Stephanie Brown
Stephanie Brown Wiki, My Batman Universe Reviews, Stephanie Brown Discord
Yeah, I miss the We Are Robin crew (as well as those from Gotham Academy.)
And might as well tally-up the leading vote getters so far:* Dick Grayson (Nightwing/Silver Age +) = 18 votesAll other choices have less than five votes at the moment.
* Damian Wayne (2006 +) = 18 votes
* Tim Drake (later Red Robin / 1989 +) = 17 votes
* Jason Todd (later Red Hood / 1983 +) =11 votes
"We're the same thing, you and I. We're both lies that eventually became the truth." Lara Notsil, Star Wars: X-Wing: Solo Command, Aaron Allston
"All that is not eternal is eternally out of date." C. S. Lewis, The Four Loves
"There's room in our line of work for hope, too." Stephanie Brown
Stephanie Brown Wiki, My Batman Universe Reviews, Stephanie Brown Discord
I find it hard to chose between Earth 2 and Earth 1 Dick Graysons.
You should read those.
I think Dick's character depends on Bruce's personality. Golden Age, as well as Bronse Age Batman was a nice competent and sensible badass with no angst and he got a nice competent and sensible badass with no angst no rebel son. Silver Age was Dick being a teen so they got a few bumps with weird characterisation but overall it's nice. Everything nice went to hell when the modern times when every bullshit Bruce is thrown onto Dick (being 10x richer with every enemies and tons of alive relatives and friends - who all came AFTER Golden Age Dick so frankly doesn't need a kid sidekick anymore, depressions, no friends with Clark) while Dick is STILL the nice lower class acrobat kid of the 40s. It's of course Dick bears the brunt of time and universe. I think what's sad is while Modern Bruce treated him like shit (and yeah he has no reason to treat him as well as old times) Modern Dick still cares about him because he remembers the old times that weren't even his. Pre Crisis Dick basically raised Bruce and co-created the Batman mythos. I want to yell when Rebirth Dick said "You were not there Hush" , because HE wasn't there either, with 1 year being a bratty Robin.