Robot 6
By the Numbers | Round Robin … of Death!
Today, ROBOT 6 introduces its new weekly feature “By the Numbers,” which takes a look back at the events of the past five days … in numbers. The biggest, or at least most-discussed, story of the week was undoubtedly Grant Morrison’s decision to kill off Damian Wayne in Batman Incorporated #8, a little something to remember the writer by as he wraps up his six-year run on the Dark Knight.
That development, naturally, stirred memories of 1988, when DC Comics bumped off a far less-popular Robin in an even more controversial manner: by having the readers decide whether Jason Todd lived or died … by calling a 1-900 phone number. The Joker may have wielded the crowbar, but Batman fans handed down the death sentence.
1. 1988 DC Comics house ad, “Robin Will Die Because The Joker Wants Revenge, But You Can Prevent It With a Telephone Call”
2. Batman–The Complete History: The Life and Times of the Dark Knight, by Les Daniels
3. Scott Snyder’s Jan. 13, 2013, interview with Comic Book Resources
4. Batman #428 (December 1988) and Batman #635 (February 2005)
5. eBay.com
11 Comments
P
March 1, 2013 at 1:23 pm
Moral of the story: Don’t be a Robin.
ziza9
March 1, 2013 at 2:34 pm
Unless you’re the greatest Robin, Dick Grayson. Then you’re good to live on. #NightwingFTW
J
March 1, 2013 at 2:35 pm
Once again a discussion on Robins and lol no mention of Stephanie Brown’s turn as Robin and her “death” as Robin It may not have needed to be included in the graphic above but a line in the article would have made it more complete. I know Tim Drake and Dick Grayson weren’t mentioned either but they also haven’t died in the line of duty to my knowledge. Maybe I just miss Stephanie Brown in the Bat family too much lol.
GreyDog
March 1, 2013 at 3:24 pm
Robins seem to have the same trouble staying alive that the security men in red shirts on Star Trek did. Maybe Dick Grayson was on to something when he changed his costume’s colors by becoming Nightwing.
Martin Gray
March 1, 2013 at 3:33 pm
Sharp new feature, nice one.
Bigdaddy
March 1, 2013 at 4:58 pm
Hey J you are wrong because Stephanie Brown never actually died. She faked, I know it was a retcon but it counts…lol
cich
March 1, 2013 at 5:05 pm
Cool feature and some nice design too. I’m looking forward to moar.
J
March 1, 2013 at 5:58 pm
yes lol it was retconned but Jason Todd was brought back and Damian Wayne will be eventually too. There’s no permanent deaths in comics anyway.
penguintruth
March 1, 2013 at 6:13 pm
Hey, Dick and Tim have both survived as Robin. Dick because he went off and did his own thing and there’s affection for him being “the original” Robin. Tim because few writers care enough about him enough either way to kill him off (wouldn’t make any impact).
Paul Garcia
March 1, 2013 at 10:40 pm
Spoilers, just like sex, sell.
Aaron B.
March 5, 2013 at 8:52 am
Red Robin was a nice book.