Preferred duration of Dick Grayson's Robin career?

[Dataweaver]

I'm okay I'm principle with the idea that it took a few years between Zucco killing the Graysons and Dick becoming Robin. I'd even be okay if it took a few years for Batman to piece together all of the evidence needed to bring Zucco to justice, with Dick's debut as Robin coming at the climax of Zucco's takedown.

Mind you, that affects Dick's overall time as Robin if we want to keep consistency with the other Robins' stories: again, Tim and Damian place the most restrictions on this. Tim had to be at the circus when the Flying Graysons fell, and had to be old enough to remember it; and Damian's conception couldn't have been too early in Batman's career, while his introduction to Bruce had to take place at least a decade later. But some amount of time did pass between the tragedy at the circus and Robin's debut; and I could easily see that taking at least a year, maybe two.

[Restingvoice]

Well, it currently stands at 10, as of the New 52. I'm actually okay with 12 as well, but that should be the upper limit. Any older than that, and it spoils the iconic image of a child standing over his murdered parents' bodies. Not to mention, the idea of Batman's war on crime being a manifestation of a child's promise..

New 52 Bruce was 10? When was that? Zero Year?

[Aahz]

''Robin's Reckoning'', the BTAS two-parter that deals with the origin in flashbacks, does lean towards the idea of Dick being younger than 12. He mentions at one point in the present-day story that he's wanted revenge against Zucco for ''half his life'', and Dick in the present-day is likely around 18-19...maybe 20 at most. So it would seem he's around 9-10 in the flashbacks (and he looks around that age). Then again, the flashbacks show the aftermath of the Grayson's murders and Bruce taking in Dick and revealing his identity to him...its possible that it was a year or two later that he actually became Robin.

BTAS continuity is anyway a little wired, at the start Bruce must have been Batman allready for about 10 years, but most members of his rogues gallery didn't had their debut until than.

[bat39]

New 52 Bruce was 10? When was that? Zero Year?

Its mentioned a few times in various New 52 comics. And in Zero Year, Bruce is 25, and its explicitly stated that the murders were 15 years ago.

BTAS continuity is anyway a little wired, at the start Bruce must have been Batman allready for about 10 years, but most members of his rogues gallery didn't had their debut until than.

Yeah it is. It was basically set during the 70's/early 80's ''Dick Grayson in college'' era, from which they adapted quiet a few stories. At the same time, they did villain origins too. It gives the impression that Batman and Robin spent the better part of a decade fighting mobsters and ordinary criminals (along with the Joker and Penguin of course!)

[PurpleGlovez]

New 52 Bruce was 10? When was that? Zero Year?

It was in Geoff Johns' Justice League when he took his mask off and revealed his identity to Green Lantern. Also confirmed in Batman Incorporated #13 (and way earlier in Morrison's run, Bruce was "not that much older" than Damian when it happened.) In Tomasi's Darkseid War Batman special it says he was eight but I think they did change it back since then; can't remember where.

[TheRay]

I like the idea of having Nightwing do a year of training with Batman before he even comes close to a rogue

[Tzigone]

I like the idea of having Nightwing do a year of training with Batman before he even comes close to a rogue

I like that Dick has been a hero longer than Diana or Ollie and was around before all the rogues. I like him being there so early. I like that being younger than others doesn't make him a rookie compared to him. But then, I admit to being fond of the idea that him being a kid and kicking grown bad-guy butt is what Robin is all about. Don't care if it's unrealistic.

[MajorHoy]

REMINDER: This thread was originally started back in late May of 2016.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
With 192 votes,

* 6 years = 77 votes
* 8 years = 59 votes
* 4 years = 27 votes
* 10+ years = 23 votes
* 1 to 2 years = 6 votes

[MajorHoy]

It would seem silly if Dick had only been Robin to Bruce's Batman for a year or two before becoming Nightwing, and then later turning around and becoming such an effective replacement for Bruce as Batman.

It would seem Dick should have been partnered with Bruce for at least 5-6 years so that his being able to replace Bruce would seem almost seamless to many (thought not necessarily to those who really knew Bruce's Batman so well, like Jim Gordon and Selina).