After years of turbulence, DC Studios co-CEOs, James Gunn and Peter Safran, unveiled the first portion of the forthcoming The Brave and the Bold, looking to borrow from the best Batman and Robin comics. The movie will aim to reintroduce the wider Bat family, and properly, for the first time since the maligned Batman & Robin in the '90s.
DC Universe Infinite serves as the publisher's premier app for digital comics, and there's plenty of Batman and Robin content to wade through in preparation. Dark Victory was the praised sequel to The Long Halloween that showed the Dynamic Duo's beginnings, while the likes of A Death in the Family depicted a vitally tragic moment in their history. The DCU will, of course, shed light on many other DC characters who deserve the spotlight as well, but it will be exciting to see what source material The Brave and the Bold will pull from as inspiration.
Dark Victory
Dark Victory is a landmark in the Dynamic Duo's history. Placed after the events of The Long Halloween, it includes the early tragedy and origins of Dick Grayson. This early portrayal is a superb showcase of Robin's vibrant character within the realm of a gritty crime-noir tale alongside the Dark Knight himself. It's somber, but also a sense of kindred spirits between the two.
More importantly, it effectively captures an air of triumph once the two formally team up as the Dynamic Duo which, in turn, proves to be positive character development for Bruce in and out of the cape and cowl. Dark Victory isn't quite as ed as others since its direct predecessor is regarded as one of the best comics in DC's catalog, but it's still an important read.
Batman And Son
When he was created, Damian Wayne was as controversial as Jason Todd, but Grant Morrison's Batman and Son was well-received as a turning point in the Caped Crusader's mythos. It was the first time Bruce Wayne was revealed to have a biological son, which made for a tumultuous meeting.
That latter element is what makes Batman and Son an even more worthwhile read in the long run. This early and revelatory meeting is marked by volatility and chaos, with the young soon-to-be Robin closer to being a villain than a hero. But this makes his character growth that much more rewarding, including with the relationships he develops outside of his father. Since The Brave and the Bold will specifically introduce Damian's rendition of the Boy Wonder, it's hard not to see this as essential reading and it paved the way for some of the most wholesome Bat-family moments in the comics.
Batman & Robin (Grant Morrison)
Grant Morrison has long since been regarded as a DC Comics legend, as they're responsible for lending their talents to the likes of Batman, Superman, Doom Patrol, Animal Man, and more. These storylines featured Dick Grayson in the mantle of Batman, with Damian as his Boy Wonder. And while it's likely that The Brave and the Bold will feature a more conventional pairing of Bruce Wayne with Damian, the celebrated run is more than worthwhile reference material for how these two iconic heroes work in the field.
This is especially so if the DCU introduces Grayson's Nightwing along the way, but what makes Batman and Robin so memorable is how both characters go through their respective growing pains. Grayson carries the weight of the world as Gotham's new Batman, and Damian struggles to come to with maturity. Their seven-year-long Batman odyssey alone makes for some of the most grandiose Batman reading on DC Universe Infinite, but Morrison and artist Frank Quitely's time on Batman and Robin will surely be most relevant.
Year Three
The aforementioned likes of Dark Victory aptly re-explored Dick Grayson's origins and the growing father/son dynamic between him and Bruce. However, the first "proper" origin came at the hands of writer Marv Wolfman and iconic artist Jim Aparo. Titled Year Three, this four-issue story arc chronicles Grayson's tragic beginnings and the revelations behind his parents' deaths during his days as a circus acrobat.
It's also a great insight into Batman's troubled state of mind, as the arc occasionally pivots further up the timeline in the wake of Jason's murder and how he's coping with the loss. Just as well, it also features the debut of Tim Drake, who would go on to convince Bruce to let him become Robin after Jason had ed. Year Three is a compelling and must-read Batman comic for fans of the Caped Crusader and how the most emblematic Robin came to be. It's also an important post-Crisis story, as well as an equal parts compelling Dick Grayson story and celebration of the Robin mantle.
Face The Face
In Face the Face, the Dynamic Duo deal with a unique spin on the iconic supervillain Two-Face. Set in the aftermath of the brand-wide reboot event Infinite Crisis, writer James Robinson and a team of artists have Batman return to Gotham with a redeemed Harvey Dent. In addition to being one of the most exciting street-level superheroes across comic book publishers, it's clear here that Batman's stood up against an excellent collection of villains.
One year after the event story, the Dynamic Duo returns to active duty in Gotham City to a Harvey Dent who's overcome dissociative identity disorder, and it functions as a classic tragedy tale. But something that makes Face the Face such worthwhile, if a lesser-known story is its focus on Tim Drake as Robin. He's underused but has often showcased incredible prowess as a detective and worthy field partner to the World's Greatest Detective.
Batman & Robin (Peter J. Tomasi)
Aside from Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo's prolific run on the main Batman book, Peter J. Tomasi and Patrick Gleason's run on Batman and Robin was a close second. The New 52 brought many changes to DC Comics during the 2011 reboot, and while it didn't benefit every character in the publisher's pantheon, it did wonders for Batman and his corner of the DC universe. It takes a lot to follow up Morrison's run, but this one captured the spirit of the pairing.
Perhaps this run might be most relevant by the time The Brave and the Bold hits theaters, as it further explores the dynamic of Bruce and Damian Wayne as the Dark Knight and Boy Wonder. This expansive overarching story was praised for combining fantastical threats with touching, down-to-earth moments of growth as father and son. As such, it was credited for doing wonders to develop Damian's character to be more compelling and sympathetic.
A Lonely Place Of Dying
There are, ittedly, several Bat-family ing characters that need more attention, but Tim Drake needs a bigger overall share of the spotlight in modern comics. He's thankfully been getting that with the recent Chip Zdarsky run, showing a level of care akin to industry legends Marv Wolfman, George Perez, and Jim Aparo's A Lonely Place of Dying.
While Drake almost always shows his sleuthing skills whenever he features in a prominent role, A Lonely Place of Dying is a story beloved for how it made this a cornerstone of the character's early days in DC continuity. And like Year Three, this arc tells an emotionally impactful story about the mental rut Bruce found himself in when grappling with Jason's death. For anyone wondering, this is an iconic showcase of how important Tim Drake is to the Bat family.
The Rise & Fall Of The Batmen
Alfred's unwavering throughout DC Comics' history has cemented his status as the glue that holds Bruce and the rest of the Bat family together. Even so, James Tynion IV's run on Detective Comics served as a great spotlight on the variety of the family's vigilante . And, of course, one of the grander Rise and Fall of the Batmen story arc places a great deal of importance on Robin.
Specifically, it once again makes Tim Drake a cornerstone of the story, and the crux of the Gotham Knights. As the title would suggest, The Rise and Fall of the Batmen is an excellent and dramatic tale of highs and lows. It takes time to flesh out the humanity of each member of the family, all the while pitting them against thrilling stakes and threats. For fans of the underappreciated third son, this is an essential and satisfying modern Tim Drake Robin story.
The Cult
Undoubtedly one of the darkest Batman comics ever written, The Cult is also an impressive outing for Jason Todd as Robin. Jim Starlin returns for this bleak story, this time with artists Bernie Wrightson and Bill Wray to pit the Dynamic Duo against the then-new villain Deacon Blackfire. The charismatic con artist pushes the Dark Knight to his limits, proving to be a conflict he couldn't have survived alone.
The Cult is gripping for those that appreciate when comics delve into the gritty, and it's one that shows Batman in a rare case of vulnerability. It makes the resolution feel all the more satisfying, especially when seeing Robin take the initiative and be a deciding factor in winning the day in the end. His temper might have been what partly did him in against the Joker, but this story also shows that Jason has clear assets as the Boy Wonder.
A Death In The Family
By his own ission, Jason's fate is among Batman's worst mistakes in DC Comics. Bruce has always had a penchant for being extremely self-deprecating, but the Joker deserves a great deal of the blame, making A Death in the Family a milestone story. It's a dark turn of events, but Jim Starlin and Jim Aparo's series had reverberating effects on Batman mythos.
It's a dark point in both characters' histories, but an engrossing one nonetheless. Jason Todd was divisive for his attitude, as the young man had a clear untamable rage about him, and it culminated in this grim run-in with the Joker. A Death in the Family is a consequential story, and one that makes Jason's resurrected appearances carry more weight, specifically for his and Bruce's strained relationship.
