jdrakeh said:
Except Dick Grayson never did. He became Nightwing. In Grayson, he presumably became Nightwing and later retired. That said, the director (wisely) didn't go with the Nightwing option because, outside of comics circles, the character is a virtual unknown whereas Robin is not
Well, in the comics, Superman, Wonder Woman, and Hal Jordan know who Batman really is. So do Hugo Strange, Barbara Gordon, Commisioner Gordon, Selina Kyle, The Riddler (well, he did at one time, but it has since been ret-conned), The New Spectre, and a host of other heroes (fewer villains). The chief of police only refers to Batman as "Batman" in the clip, so we can pretty much assume that he had no clue as to his secret identity.
Batman is buried as "Batman" in an otherwise anonymous grave, so we can assume that the public doesn't know his identity, either. Of course, Grayson's identity as a "crime fighter" is referred to by the chief of police, but this may be a reference to his Nightwing identity, not that of Robin. At any rate, the point is that, amongst heroes and villains, the Batman's secret identity hasn't been very secret for quite some time
Well, I don't know what comics you read, or what writers are doing this to Batman these days, but his secret has, in most stories, been even unknown to the other heroes of the Justice League. In one plot, Flash was taken-aback when he found out that, as he called it "the prety boy of Gothem was really the dark grity Batman." And, in a few of the older stories, even Superman didn't know who Batman was, and since that was so, Batman let Superman's real identity slide. It all depends on who wrote what story, but the norm is that there are very very few people who know who Batman is, and that went for Gordan as well. Since, Gordan was the only member of the police that tried to understand why Batman needed to do what he did, but many others: the Mayor, and other city officals, and members of the polilce, wanted to capture Batman since he was breaking the law, taking it into his own hands. Also, as I've read...no villians knew, and when in certain issues they found out; that was the plot. That someone found out, and Batman had to stop them from telling every bad-guy in Gothem.
Batman didn't trust anyone enough to let so many people know who he was, and the "Tower of Bable" issue was all about that. Where it turned out that batman had plans to take out many superheroes, including those of the Justice League if the need be. And, when the other heroes found out about that, Batman told them that if the need arose, he would take them down
But once again, it depends on what you read.
There was one issue I remember most. It was the one where Batman's idenity was found out. And Wane Mannor was torn apart by Two Face, and another big-wig villian who I can't remember now at the moment. It was either the Riddler, or Bane but I'm not sure.
yes, Grayson evaded the curse, but not fully...he became a crimefighter, but used another Mask instead of the "Batman" but for most of the writers, who've ever thrown in the sidekick plot in an adult manner, usally illuded to the fact that it was a curse, that everyone Batman tried to save really only, in the end, ended up losing all touch with a normal life. Like Bruce, they worried about their loved ones, and always were trying to fill a hole that could never be filled.
The Idea is fine, its been done before; but I just dont like a late thirties, or young fourty yearold man running around in the Robin Suite. I just think it looks funny, and I think that all the villians would laugh at him. That is the reason why, soon after using Robin, the orig-writers did away with him for awhile...because it was funny to have grown men, killers, rapists, and drug dealers afraid of a child in a bright yellow, red, and green uniform. Later, when they brought Robin back, the colors were darker, a more "Batman-isk" Robin. But even that didn't last for long...becasue we all know that they killed Robin off.
Anyways, Game On.