Not Coming in 2011: “The Boy Wonder”

Filed Under Blockbusters, Comics, Movies

In the mid-’90s, then-unknown actor Christian Bale auditioned for the role of Robin in “Batman Forever.” He lost out to Chris O’Donnell, a casting decision that’s clearly left him embittered to this very day. Bale’s since gone on to play Batman twice now — once ten years after the release of “Forever” and again in this month’s “The Dark Knight.” With two Bat-films under his utility belt, Bale has stated in recent interviews that he’ll be damned before playing opposite some 12-year-old kid in a green sequined codpiece and wing-tipped boots. Bale’s logged as much time in the Bat-suit as Michael Keaton, another actor who departed from the role before the introduction of Robin in earlier film franchise. It begs the question, What’s so wrong with Robin?

Robin’s been part of the Batman mythos since 1940 with the publication of “Batman” #1, the same issue that introduced the Joker and Catwoman (nee “The Cat); Batty himself had made his debut the previous year in issue #27 of “Detective Comics.” In the late-’60s, Burt Ward played the character opposite Adam West’s Batman on the wrongly vilified TV series. Robin was also on the animated series in the ’90s, the two aforementioned Joel Schumacher Bat-films and currently stars in his own self-titled comic book that’s been running for 15 years now.

Robin’s so prolific a character, more than one precocious kid has donned the Errol Flynn-inspired costume. Three young men (Dick Grayson, Jason Todd and Tim Drake) and even two young women (Carrie Kelley in “The Dark Knight Returns” and Stephanie Brown) have been the Boy/Girl Wonder at one point or another in comics’ continuity. Dick Grayson remains the character who’s most identified as Batman’s sidekick. Though he’s gone on to adopt the mantle of Nightwing in the comics, it’s always Dick Grayson behind the domino mask in the various television shows and films. The ill-fated Jason Todd adopted the Robin persona in the comics for a brief stint in the ’80s before his overwhelming unpopularity led to his death — literally — at the hands of the fanbase; readers were given the choice of determining Robin’s fate by calling a 900-number to vote whether the Boy Wonder lived or died. It wasn’t long before Tim Drake became the third Robin, outfitted in a more ’90s-style Neil Adams-designed suit, for a more sophisticated readership.

I’m sort of over the “darker is better” mentality that’s run funnybooks into the ground for the past 20-odd years. That goes for comic book films, too. Grim and gritty does not guarantee quality. Many people point to “Spider-Man 3″ as the worst film in the series to date. I think it’s a great, subversive send-up of the comic book genre during the post-”Watchmen” era, when everyone was trying to be all black-clad and moody. Peter Parker obviously couldn’t pull that off, but that’s the whole point.

Batman’s obviously an easier character to darken up than Spidey. But hasn’t that been done to death? Absolutely I’m looking forward to “The Dark Knight.” But I’m also convinced that Bats should be none more black. He needs to lighten up a bit. I think the inclusion of Robin in an upcoming Bat-film isn’t just obligatory, but essential. Batman’s going to lose his sanity going it alone for another sequel or two. He needs that bizarre father-son dynamic he shares with the Boy Wonder to ground him. Robin hasn’t endured all these years because he’s just a sales gimmick. He’s an important part of the Batman mythology, whether Christian Bale wants to admit it or not. I mean, he must’ve thought so when he read for the role in ‘94.

-Brad Lohan

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