Know your Robins - a bat-briefing from Guest Blogger #1

[Updated for font, art, and some content, which although not inaccurate was nevertheless incomplete in ways that now seem quite consequential to Guest Blogger #1...]

How many Robins have there been? 
5, if you don't count Carrie Kelley, the Robin from The Dark Knight Returns, which describes what happens in the future, possibly in a alternate universe. (There are a lot of those alternate universes in DC...)

Is that all? 

Yes.

Really?  Are you sure there have been no others? 

POSITIVE.

Ok, let’s get a rundown on the Robins...

Robin #1

Nightwing in Nightwing Vol. 4: Second City

Real name: Richard (Dick) John Grayson

Why he left: He needed a future that was not defined by Batman

Current identity: Nightwing

Comments on power or abilities: Well, he’s a better acrobat than Batman was, and probably ever will be, so he’s a force to be reckoned with. Also, he uses escrima sticks, and even though he’s only been using them in his time as Nightwing, he’s mastered using them.

Comments on personality: He followed orders as Robin, and now comes to Batman’s aid as Nightwing if needed. He is really easy to work with and a born leader.

Robin #2

Red Hood in Red Hood and The Outlaws: Vol. 1: REDemption

Real name: Jason Todd

Why he left: He didn’t. He got killed by the Joker. Fortunately, he was put in the restorative waters of a Lazarus pit, and came back, p.o.ed as heck and thirsty for revenge. Ultimately, he got payback on the Joker, made his peace with Batman (kinda), and continued as a ruthless vigilante.

Current identity: Red Hood

Comments on power or abilities: Not as acrobatically talented as Dick, but stronger, and his ruthlessness gives him an edge against his enemies.

Comments on personality: He’s like a time bomb, waiting to go off, and when he does, it’s not pretty. He’s ruthless, which I may have mentioned already, and that is what draws the fine line between him and his mentor.

Robin #3

Red Robin in Teen Titans Vol. 1: It's Our Right to Fight

Real name: Tim Drake

Why he left: Well, he pretty much got edged out by his successor, Damian Wayne. (See below.)

Current identity: Red Robin (Which was once Jason Todd’s role.)

Comments on power or abilities: His current suit has these extremely sharp metal wings, which he uses to fly. He’s not as acrobatically inclined as his predecessors, but he’s a much better detective than either of them. He deduced Bruce Wayne and Dick Grayson’s secret identities quickly. He was also at Haly’s Circus the night the Flying Graysons fell.

Comments on personality: He is a born leader, but sometimes emotional, but he’s a lot better than Jason was.

Robin #4

Stephanie Brown as Robin

Real name: Stephanie Brown

Why she left: Again, she didn’t. She was shot and “killed” by Black Mask, but in reality was recuperating in Africa. It’s hard to believe she could’ve survived the trip from Gotham to Africa, especially since she died on a hospital bed before Batman’s eyes, but hey! It’s DC Comics we’re talking about here. Anything could happen.

Current identity: The Spoiler

Comments on power or abilities: Again, not as acrobatically inclined as her predecessors.

Comments on personality: Reckless, but smart. 

Robin #5

Damian on top of the Teen Titans

Real name: Damian Wayne

Why he left: Yet again, he didn’t leave. Yet again, he died. Yet again, he was resurrected. On the planet Apokolips Batman used a chaos shard to resurrect Damian, who now has superpowers! Super strength, etc, etc. Again, this is DC, folks. Anything could happen.

Current identity: Well, before he was stabbed and killed, he was just Robin, son of Bruce Wayne and Talia Al Ghul, AKA Batman and his arch-nemesis’ daughter. Weird, right?

Comments on power or abilities: He was trained as a ninja, so again, ruthless, fairly merciless, and deadly.

Comments on personality: RECKLESS. The majority of the Robins have this problem, save Nightwing and Red Robin. He did enjoy video games and pizza and soda, since he was only ten at the time of his death.

EXTRA BIT:  *The images of Nightwing, Red Hood, and Red Robin are from the new 52, when DC Comics re-introduced 52 popular titles, even if it meant rewriting the character.*