Why Batman Always Needs A Robin

5. It Shines A Spotlight On Bruce As A Father Figure

Robin Suit Batcave
DC Comics

Bruce Wayne is one of the great mentors in comics. Well, bar that whole 'dead Robin' thing, but even that tragedy can't take away from how much of a fantastic father figure Bruce can be. And if anything, the death of Jason Todd only served to enhance Master Wayne's protective parental instincts.

If ever there was a believer in tough love, of course, then that's Bruce Wayne. But despite his grizzled edges and his hardened approach, having a Robin at his side - whether that's Dick, Jason, Tim, Stephanie, or Damian - affords the gloomy Dark Knight a moment or two to shine as a father figure.

Famously, that father figure has gone on to become a legal or biological parent in some cases. That being in how Bruce became the legal guardian (or, in some canon, the adoptive parent) of Dick and Tim, and the small fact that Damian is the son of Bruce and Talia al Ghul.

Even for Jason Todd and Stephanie Brown, Bruce took a fatherly approach to these youngsters. Stephanie's initial run as Robin was admittedly one that caused tension between she and Bruce, but that is again something that is part and parcel of a father/child relationship.

Senior Writer
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 dayjob, 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, Jamie Hayer, 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.