Why Batman Always Needs A Robin

8. An 'In' For Younger Readers

On a fundamental level, having a young sidekick alongside Batman works as an 'in' for younger readers new to the world of comic books.

Rather than the grumpy, grizzled Bat, having a Robin present under the Caped Crusader's wing often brings an element of youthful fun and energy to proceedings. Historically, younger readers have been seen to gravitate towards characters with whom they can relate to in at least a small way.

Can all youngsters relate to being a crimefighting kid, swinging through the Gotham skyline, battling Two-Face, being best pals with the legendary Batman? No, of course they can't. But so many children wish that they were in Robin's shoes. And by that small fact, the character - whichever incarnation of the Boy Wonder or Girl Wonder we're talking about - is so important to the Batman mythos.

When looking to introduce youngsters to the world of comics, a character such as Robin can be absolutely vital in drawing in their initial interest, then retaining that interest as Robin becomes the 'in' that gets them to then explore the various other characters, titles, and publishers who are out there.

Authored by Andrew Pollard

Senior Writer

Once described as the Swiss Army Knife of WhatCulture, Andrew can usually be found writing, editing, or presenting on a wide range of topics. As a lifelong wrestling fan, horror obsessive, and comic book nerd, he's been covering those topics professionally as far back as 2010. In addition to his current WhatCulture role of Senior Content Producer, Andrew previously spent nearly a decade as Online Editor and Lead Writer for the world's longest-running genre publication, Starburst Magazine, and his work has also been featured on BBC, TechRadar, Tom's Guide, WhatToWatch, Sportkskeeda, and various other outlets, in addition to being a Rotten Tomatoes-approved film critic. Between his main day job, his role as the lead panel host of Wales Comic Con, and his gig as a pre-match host for Wrexham AFC games, Andrew has also carried out a hugely varied amount of interviews, from the likes of Robert Englund, Kane Hodder, Adrienne Barbeau, Rob Zombie, Katharine Isabelle, Leigh Whannell, Bruce Campbell, and Tony Todd, to Kevin Smith, Ron Perlman, Elijah Wood, Giancarlo Esposito, Simon Pegg, Charlie Cox, the Russo Brothers, and Brian Blessed, to Kevin Conroy, Paul Dini, Tara Strong, Will Friedle, Burt Ward, Andrea Romano, Frank Miller, and Rob Liefeld, to Bret Hart, Sting, Mick Foley, Ricky Starks/Saints, Jamie Hayter, Britt Baker, Eric Bischoff, and William Regal, to Mickey Thomas, Joey Jones, Phil Parkinson, Brian Flynn, Denis Smith, Gary Bennett, Karl Connolly, and Bryan Robson - and that's just the tip of an ever-expanding iceberg. Where his beloved Wrexham AFC is concerned, Andrew is co-host of the Fearless in Devotion podcast, which won the Club Podcast of the Year gong at the 2024 FSA Awards.

First Posted On: 23rd Jun 2020

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