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During a brief encounter and conversation in Robin #5, Dick Grayson reminds Damian Wayne why they were the best Batman and Robin.
WARNING: The following contains spoilers for Robin #5, on sale now from DC Comics.
Batman and Robin has always been one of the most important partnerships in comics. The dynamic duo has been a constant in the DC Universe for almost the entire history of the Caped Crusader, with multiple different heroes taking up the mantle of Robin (and even Batman) as the partnership continues to exist across the decades. One of the best iterations of the iconic partnership doesn’t even feature Bruce Wayne, and just got another chance to shine.
In Robin #5 (by Joshua Williamson, Gleb Melnikov, Luis Guerrero, and ALW’s Troy Peteri), Dick Grayson and Damian Wayne reaffirm the connection they forged when they served together as Batman and Robin, confirming that they still might be the best version of the duo that has ever existed.
Damian Wayne had a troubled relationship with the larger Bat-Family since he was introduced in Batman #655 by Grant Morrison and Andy Kubert. He developed a bloody rivalry with Tim Drake, and frequently enraged both his father and Alfred Pennyworth. The quickest member of the Bat-Family to accept him was Dick Grayson. The original Robin before he graduated to the role of Nightwing, Dick took on Damian as his Robin when he took up the mantle of Batman after the apparent death of Bruce Wayne at the conclusion of Final Crisis. The two proved to be a strong duo, bouncing off each other well. Dick became a great mentor and friend to Damian, often offering a shoulder to lean on and friendly advice whenever it was needed.
Since then, Damian has expressed a deep affection for Dick, celebrating gleefully when he was revealed to have survived Forever Evil and admitting how important he was to him when Dick chose to sit by his side during the build-up to Batman and Catwoman’s aborted wedding. Even now, with Damian more or less removed from the Bat-Family and choosing to find his own path, the bond is still strong. Hearing that he may be in danger at the Lazarus Tournament, Dick leads the other former Robins — Jason Todd, Tim Drake, and Stephanie Brown — to bring Damian home to safety. The young Wayne only agrees to come with them if they can capture him, which none of the other heroes are able to do.
However, it’s Dick who actually gets through to Damian. He presents him with a present: the same baton that Alfred had created for him years earlier, passed down to Damian as a sign of trust and affection. Damian actually opens up about how Alfred’s death during “City of Bane” has been specifically affecting him, and Dick openly apologizes for not being there for Damian (as he was at the time amnesiac from a head-wound caused by KGBeast). As he explains to Damian, he understands where the young Wayne is coming from more than anyone else because not only has he been in Damian’s shoes but he still sees Damian as his Robin — a bond that can’t easily be broken between the two.
It’s for these reasons that Dick allows Damian to escape, with the knowledge that he still has a place with his family and has earned Nightwing’s trust. There’s a connection between these two that’s never quite been matched by any specific Batman/Robin partnership over the years. Dick and Damian were able to rely on each other during a very difficult time in the DC Universe, and came out the other side stronger as a result. It’s great to see that even if Damian no longer wants to work alongside his father, his bond still exists with Nightwing as they continue to be the best dynamic duo of the Bat-Family.
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