Robin: Year One (Comics) | Review

How does an orphaned circus acrobat become Batman's partner? This four-issue miniseries from 2000 answers that question with brutal honesty, exploring Dick Grayson's baptism by fire as Robin. Narrated by Alfred Pennyworth, Robin: Year One captures the highs and lows of Dick's first year fighting crime alongside the Dark Knight.

Written by Chuck Dixon (Bane: Conquest, Batgirl: Death Wish) and Scott Beatty (Batman: Bane of the Demon, Joker: Last Laugh) with art by Javier Pulido (Catwoman: Relentless, Hawkeye: L.A. Woman), this limited series explores what happens when a child enters the war on crime.

It's not just about training montages or first victories against Gotham's street-level criminals. It's about a boy learning that heroism demands sacrifice and sometimes the people you're trying to save can become the reason you lose everything you've fought for.

The story begins with Batman and Robin investigating kidnappings across Gotham. Mad Hatter has been abducting teenage girls to sell into trafficking for Generalissimo Singh Manh Lee. When Dick recognizes one victim from his school, he decides to infiltrate the operation solo while Bruce attends a function aboard Lee's yacht.

Robin rescues the girls and exposes Mad Hatter's scheme but Batman reprimands him for acting without permission. Alfred intervenes. This establishes a pattern– Dick proves capable but Batman struggles balancing mentorship with allowing a child to face danger.

Dick continues building his reputation by defeating villains like Killer Moth, Blockbuster, Cluemaster and Firefly. Each victory increases his confidence but Batman warns that Gotham's elite criminals won't be easily beaten. Alfred worries Dick can't balance teenage life with vigilantism, fearing the boy is growing up too fast.

Two-Face emerges as the central threat, believing Batman caused his disfigurement. His twisted logic concludes destroying Batman's sidekick represents perfect revenge. Two-Face kidnaps Judge Watkins, who gave mobster Vincent Moroni the opportunity to scar Harvey Dent.

When Gordon informs Batman about the kidnapping, he expresses concerns about Robin's age and the danger involved. Batman orders Dick to sit out the mission. Dick disobeys and secretly follows, arriving just as Two-Face traps both heroes. What follows is a mock trial where Two-Face forces Robin to choose between saving them.

Robin attempts saving both but fails– Watkins dies and Two-Face savagely beats Dick with a baseball bat while Batman watches helplessly, restrained. An enraged Batman breaks free, defeats Two-Face's men, rushes the injured Robin to Dr. Leslie Thompkins and fires him.

Dick runs away from Wayne Manor, heartbroken and lost. While wandering Gotham's streets, he stops Mr. Freeze from ransoming Gotham General Hospital's blood reserves. This catches Shrike's attention, a League of Assassins operative running a "Vengeance Academy." Shrike recruits Dick, who adopts the alias "Freddy Loyd."

Shrike accepts a contract to assassinate Two-Face, who recently escaped from Arkham. Dick trains alongside other young killers, including Boone. Dick secretly sends Batman letters detailing the League's activities and Two-Face's movements, acting as an unofficial spy.

Shrike grows suspicious of "Freddy" and orders the other students not to trust him. When the junior League of Assassins attacks Two-Face's hideout, Dick nearly kills Harvey for all the pain he's caused but ultimately retreats with the others. His moral line remains intact despite anger.

Two-Face discovers Shrike's assassination plot and hunts him down. Batman tracks Dick to the Vengeance Academy hideout. All three parties converge in a chaotic battle. Batman and Dick work together to take down Shrike but Two-Face escapes. Batman allows Dick to resume as Robin on one condition: absolute obedience.

The arc concludes with Batman and Robin finally capturing Two-Face. On the GCPD rooftop, Captain Gordon introduces Robin to his daughter Barbara, who just moved to Gotham. This first meeting plants seeds for their future partnership and romance, bridging into Batgirl: Year One.

Javier Pulido and Marcos Martin deliver artwork that balances lighthearted adventure with sudden darkness. The bright, slightly cartoonish style during Dick's early victories creates stark contrast when Two-Face's brutality shatters optimism. This tonal shift visualizes Dick's loss of innocence– the boy learns crime-fighting can be fatal.

The artistic team's character expressions capture emotional nuance. Dick's excitement, Bruce's concern, Alfred's worry and Two-Face's rage read clearly. Action sequences flow smoothly, showcasing Robin's acrobatic fighting style while emphasizing his youth and vulnerability.

Dixon and Beatty's writing excels in exploring the ethical complexity of a child sidekick. Alfred serves as the story's moral compass, narrating with concern about whether Bruce is protecting Dick or exploiting him. Batman's motivations remain ambiguous– is he training Dick to channel grief productively, or using a child as bait?

Two-Face emerges as a legitimately terrifying villain precisely because he targets a child. The baseball bat beating scene is difficult to read, rendered with restraint but undeniable impact. Dixon and Beatty don't shy from consequences–Dick's injuries are severe, his trauma real.

Robin: Year One stands as a definitive exploration of Dick Grayson's early partnership with Batman, examining the ethical questions most Robin origin stories ignore. This series asks difficult questions about child endangerment, trauma and whether Bruce Wayne's methods serve Dick's best interests or Batman's mission.

The creative team balances fun superhero adventure with mature themes, never talking down to readers while acknowledging that putting a child in harm's way carries serious consequences. Dick's journey from enthusiastic sidekick to broken runaway to disciplined hero feels authentic.

This arc precedes Nightwing: Year One, showing why Dick outgrows the Robin identity. It follows Batman: Dark Victory and connects to the "Year One" anthology including Batman, Batgirl and Teen Titans. For readers tracking Dick Grayson's evolution, this represents a crucial chapter between becoming Robin and Nightwing.

Robin: Year One is available in trade paperback and hardcover from all major comic-book shops and retailers. It stays easy to grab in collected form through DC's reprints. Digital readers can pick it up on Amazon Kindle, ComiXology and DC Universe Infinite.