A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | |
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1 | The Origin of Dick Grayson | ||||||||||||||||||||
2 | Detective Comics #38 | Batman #32 | Secret Origins 80-page Giant #8 | Batman #213 | Detective Comics #484 | Untold Legend of Batman #2 | Batman #339 | Secret Origins vol. 2 #13 | Batman: Year Three | Secret Origins #50 | B:TAS-- “Robin’s Reckoning” | Batman Forever | Robin Annual #4 | Legends of the Dark Knight #100 | Batman: Dark Victory | All-Star Batman & Robin | The Batman-- “A Matter of Family” | Teen Titans Go #47 | Young Justice #6 (cartoon tie-in) | Nightwing #0 | |
3 | 1940 | 1945/46 | 1965 | 1969 | 1979 | 1980 | 1981 | 1987 | 1989 | 1990 | 1993 | 1995 | 1995 | 1997 | 2000 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2011 | 2012 | |
4 | Bill Finger | Bill Finger | Bill Finger | E. Nelson Bridwell | Jack C. Harris | Len Wein | Gerry Conway | Dan Mishkin | Marv Wolfman | Dennis O'Neil | Randy Rogel | Joel Schumacher | Chuck Dixon | Dennis O’Neil | Jeph Loeb | Frank Miller | Michael Jelenic | J. Torres | Franco & Art Baltazar | Kyle Higgins | |
5 | Bob Kane | Dick Sprang | Sheldon Moldoff | Ross Andru | Kurt Schaffenberger and Frank Chiaramonte | Jim Aparo | Irv Novick | Erik Larsen | Pat Broderick | George Perez | N/A | N/A | Jason Armstrong | Dave Taylor | Tim Sale | Jim Lee | N/A | Michael Chang | Christopher Jones | Eddy Barrows | |
6 | Type of Story | Present | Filling in the blanks in the 1940 story | Flashback after meeting a former circus member | Present | Flashback when Haly's comes to Hudson University | Flashback/musing | Flashback/musing | Flashback/Musing while telling story | Present of Zucco coming up for parole/flashback | Retrospective | Present of Zucco’s return/flashback (Cartoon) | Present (Movie) | Present | Present | Present | Present | Present (Cartoon) | Flashback/musing (from Batman's perspective) | Flashback/musing | Flashback/musing |
7 | Dick’s age | Age 10 | Age 10 | Age 12 | (Age 9) | ||||||||||||||||
8 | Killer | Boss Zucco | Boss Zucco and his mob | "Racketeers" | Boss Zucco | Racketeers | “Boss” Zucco | “Boss” Zucco | “A man named Zucco,” Anthony Zucco | Zucco and another man | Billy Marin/Tony Zucco | Two-Face | Boss Zucco ordered it, Rutledge did it | Boss Zucco | Anthony “Fats” Zucco | Jocko-boy Vanzetti | Tony Zucco and his brothers | “A crime boss by the name of Zucco” | Tony Zucco | ||
9 | Killer’s family | Orphan | Uncle hides him | Batman says no | Brothers | ||||||||||||||||
10 | Manner of the Grayson’s death | Broken ropes-- Acid | Broken ropes | Broken ropes-- Acid | Broken ropes | Broken ropes | Broken ropes | Broken ropes-- Acid | Broken ropes | Broken ropes-- Cut | Broken ropes | Broken ropes-- Cut | Fall to their deaths trying to diffuse bomb after rigging is shot | Broken ropes-- Acid | Broken ropes-- Acid | Broken ropes-- Acid | Shot in the heads | Fall to their deaths due to rigging being sabotaged | Broken ropes | Fall to their deaths due to rigging being sabotaged | Broken ropes-- Frayed |
11 | Other Graysons | A brother dies too | An aunt and cousin die too, an uncle is paralyzed/in a coma | ||||||||||||||||||
12 | Show Graysons before | Quick trapeze scene | Briefly shown laughing while watching Dick play with Sando the Strongman | One image of trapeze practice | Yes, training | Yes, training | Yes, training and preparing for show | Yes, eating breakfast; John tells Dick to do his arithmetic | Yes, training | (No, but extended death sequence as they try to help fight) | (No, but Dick was “mad at them” before death) | Yes, preparing for show | Yes, eating a meal together, and fighting Zucco’s family | (No, but some background in the narration boxes.) | Yes, Dick is grounded for getting in trouble and it's Mary’s birthday | ||||||
13 | Tim Drake cameo | N/A (Pre-Tim) | N/A (Pre-Tim) | N/A (Pre-Tim) | N/A (Pre-Tim) | N/A (Pre-Tim) | N/A (Pre-Tim) | N/A (Pre-Tim) | N/A (Pre-Tim) | First appearance, takes picture with Graysons | Yes, takes picture with Graysons | “Timmy,” Bruce pays for ticket | |||||||||
14 | Dick overhears threats | Yes, before show | Yes, after show | Yes, after show | Yes, after show | Yes, after show | Yes, after show | Yes, before show, tries to warn parents | Yes, before show; asks his parents what "protection money" is. Almost warns them before they enter big top | Yes, before show, tries to warn parents | Yes, after show, tried to warn parents about rumors | Yes, before show, tries to warn parents | Yes, after show, returns for clues | Zucco confronts Graysons before | Yes, before show | ||||||
15 | Bruce in audience | Yes, with date | Yes | Yes, with Dr. Chase Meridian as a date | Yes | Yes, looks up at Dick when the rest of the audience look down at the bodies | Yes, on a date with Vicki Vale | Yes | Presumably | Yes, with date | |||||||||||
16 | Playboy Brucie | Bruce has a reputation and the nuns and court worry about it | Yes, clumsy sponser of event | Yes, largest doner and with a reputation, shmoozes at ball | Yes, dating model when Bruce meets Dick | Yes, clumsy ”wacky zillionaire” | Yes | Vicki monologues about him a bit | |||||||||||||
17 | Circus family | Only Haly | Only Haly | Haly and Sando the Strongman | Only Haly | Only Haly | Only Haly | Only Haly | Only Haly | Yes, several others, plus Elinore the elephant | Yes: Haly, Fattest Lady, animal trainer, roustabout, and fortune teller | Yes, several others, plus Zitka the elephant | Yes, several others, protest being taken, Haly like a Grandpa | Yes, several others, circus gives Batman permission to take Dick for medical care | (No, and Graysons in charge) | There were others at the funeral of the Graysons but it's not clear who | Yes, Haly like Grandpa | Yes, others, parkour with Raymond | |||
18 | Who Dick met first | Batman | Batman | Batman | Batman | Batman | Batman | Batman | Batman | Batman | Batman | Bruce Wayne | Bruce Wayne | Batman | Batman | Bruce Wayne | Batman | Batman | Bruce Wayne | Bruce Wayne | |
19 | Foster system | St. Jude’s orphanage, cared for by kind nuns | Bruce offers him a place to stay during case | Bruce offers him a place to stay to avoid some of that | Circus couldn’t keep him, sent to a boy’s home where he was beat up. Was “lost in a system” | Dick stays temporarily. Alfred says the child care system in gotham will cause greater ordeals in Dick’s future | Bruce kidnaps Dick and keeps him in the Batcave | It’s mentioned but he goes straight to Bruce's care | Wayne Care Center, cared for by social workers, but isolates himself looking for the killer | ||||||||||||
20 | Legal status | "Adopted" | They go to court, can’t adopt because bachelor but “legal guardian” | "He took me in ... adopted me in his identity of Bruce Wayne" | They go to court, can’t adopt because bachelor but “legal guardian” | “Bruce Wayne’s ward,” shown in court | “Ward,” has to justify it in court, not adopted to honor John Grayson | “I take it this means Master Dick’s visit will now be indefinite?” | Foster parent, implied to be temporary at first | “SLEEP TIGHT, MY WARD” | Foster son | “become part of his family” | Under his care, “part time job at Wayne Manor” | ||||||||
21 | Alfred’s opinion | N/A (pre-Alfred) | No Alfred | Alfred is an accomplice, but dissaproves and thinks it wrong | Alfred is an accomplice and mediator | Comforts Dick, “One day Robin will fly again,” Bruce accuses him of encouraging him too much, makes suit for Dick | Doesn’t “like kids much,” drops tray when he sees Bruce has revealed his identity, but tutors and grows fond of him | “Is this wise?” Accomplice with sympathy for Dick | Does not approve of climbling on chandeliers, but comforts Dick. Does not approve of him crime-fighting, but also encourages him | Alfred stands up to Bruce to feed Dick a burger and fries so he doesn’t have to eat rats | Chastises Bruce for not spending time, bonds with Dick, worries | ||||||||||
22 | Bruce neglects | Yes, until Alfred chastizes him | To a degree | Yes, “like a Christmas puppy” | To a degree | Yes, Bruce busy with other Batman things | Yes, leaves him alone in the cave | Yes | To a degree | ||||||||||||
23 | Dick sneaks out to find killer | Hears Zucco might escape and goes out to find him on his own, same in present | Throughout movie, starting from when he arrives at Wayne manor | Sneaks out to find killer when left on own, sees Haly killed, attacks killers | Confronts henchman right after, sneaks out and confronts Zucco at club | Sneaks out to find killer when left on own, overhears Haly threatened | Sneaks out to save Bruce | Sneaks out to find killer while at Wayne Care Center, runs into Batman and helps him fight | |||||||||||||
24 | Dick is rescued | Falls in the river and almost drowns, Batman saves him | Gets beaten up by gang expecting Batman, also during climax | Beaten up by the thugs who killed Haly | Beaten up by the henchman he confronts | Yes, beaten up when he returns to circus and attacks thugs | Cops getting ready to beat and/or kill him | ||||||||||||||
25 | Dick rescues Bruce | Yes, in present | Yes, from being buried | Yes, helps fight during climax, donning the costume for the first time | Yes, sneaks out to help during climax | Yes, goes out to help during climax, donning the costume for the first time | |||||||||||||||
26 | Will you kill him? | Dick asks Batman to kill Zucco for him, but when Bruce asks again, Dick says “no” which convinces Bruce to reveal his identity | Almost drops Zucco off a pier in present, but decides not to | It’s one of the main subplots that Bruce tries to convince him to not kill Two-face and Dick eventually saves him from falling to his death | When asked about it after says he didn’t want Zucco to die, which convinces Bruce to reveal his identity | “Avenger or detective, what’s it going to be?” | Wants to make Zucco pay. Could have let Zucco fall to death but saves him. When Bruce asks why he says he got what he deserved--"justice" | Batman asks, Dick says that they want the “same thing” | |||||||||||||
27 | Who named Robin | Bruce, Dick approves | Bruce, Dick approves | Bruce, Dick approves | Dick | Dick | Bruce | Dick | Dick:”Robin Hood” Bruce:”Robin” | Dick | Dick | ||||||||||
28 | Why Robin | Bird & Robin Hood | Bird & Robin Hood | Bird & Robin Hood | “Like in Robin Hood, not Robbin’ hoods.” | Father’s nickname, saved brother and “flew in like a robin” | Mother’s nickname-Born on the first day of spring | Mother’s nickname- “always bobbin’ along” | Robin Hood | Mother’s nickname- “you make me think of a litte robin” | Mother’s nickname- bird | ||||||||||
29 | Who made suit | Bruce (References Bruce!Robin) | Bruce (References Bruce!Robin) | Bruce | Bruce, based on circus costume | Alfred, based off of circus costume | Dick | Bruce | Dick, based on circus costume | Dick, but told to loose the hood. | Dick, based on circus costume | Dick, pieced together from old batsuits | |||||||||
30 | Told or discovered | Told, brought down to cave where Batman unmasks | Told | Told-- brought down to cave then Batman unmasks | Told-- he was rescued and brought to the cave where Batman unmasked | Discovered-- fell into the Batcave, hijacked Batmobile | Told-- brought up to the manor after being rescued | Told-- Batman unmasks then brought into cave | Told-- after being rescued and brought to cave | Discovers-- finds entrance to Batcave | Discovers-- through body language and research | ||||||||||
31 | Police involvement | Batman says not to go to them because they are corrupt, and takes him away | Batman says not to go to the police yet because proof is needed; getting said proof will be Batman's job | Batman says not to go to them because they are corrupt, and takes him away | No mention of the police | Batman says not to go to them because they are corrupt, and takes him away | Batman says not to go to them because they are corrupt, and takes him away | They came, but Batman beat them to the scene | Gordon talks to Dick, Bruce talks to Gordon who says he needs a place to keep him safe as a “material witness” | Cop dropped him off at Wayne Manor | Shown but no real interaction | Tells circus to call police | Police take Dick, Vicki protests and follows, Batman says not to go to them because they are corrupt, and takes him away | Dick calls police, Batman intercepts | Shown but no real interaction | Bruce talks to Gordon who says he needs a place to keep him safe as a “material witness” | |||||
32 | Just like me! | Yes, as Batman | Yes, as Batman | Yes, as Batman | Yes, as Batman | Yes, as Batman | Yes, as Batman | Yes, as Batman | Yes, as Batman | Yes, Alfred tells him, then as Bruce | Yes, as Batman | Yes, as Bruce | Bruce flashes back, then as Bruce in cave | Yes, as Bruce | Bruce flashes back, then as Bruce in cave | Yes, Alfred tells him, visual parallels | Bruce flashes back | "I've seen in his head." | In Dick’s narration | In Dick’s narration | |
33 | Help Dick move on | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Not addressed; end right after Graysons' deaths | Yes, “it will get better... for you.” | Yes | Yes, “Nothing I’ve found.” | Yes, “...to this day I’ve yet to find my parents’ killer.” | Yes, guilty that he has in fact | ||||||||||
34 | Candlelight oath | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes, at ending | (In the episode "Haunted") | Yes | ||||||||||||
35 | Training montage | Yes, acrobatics, boxing, jiu jitsu | Yes, punching bag, jiu jitsu; after Zucco put away we see science and criminology training | Yes, Judo and crime detection | Yes, acrobatics, boxing, jiu jitsu | Yes, but only one image of generic fighting | Yes, boxing, jiu jitsu, science | Yes, jiu jitsu, boxing, acrobatics | Yes, jiu jitsu, boxing, science, criminology | Yes, running, weightlifting, martial arts, science, criminology, computers | No, story ends before this point | (No, but there’s some bonding fencing) | (In a deleted scene) | Yes, martial arts, batarangs, acrobatics, weightlifting, speed, criminology and forensics | Implied, fighting dummy | Yes, martial arts | Yes, martial arts, science, batarangs | ||||
36 | Learn acrobatics | “As far as swinging ropes go, you could probably teach me a trick or two” | “You could probably teach me a trick or two on the trapeze” | Bruce's training "added to the aerial tricks I already knew" | Bruce has seen the Graysons perform before, “I can see there’s a few moves you could teach me.” | “I could learn a lot from these Graysons.” | “I’ve had my eye on him for a while.” | ||||||||||||||
37 | Newsboy disguise | Yes, undercover | Yes, undercover | Dick dons a cap when he leaves, but not undercover | |||||||||||||||||
38 | Window spying | Yes | Yes | Yes, gets caught | Caught sneaking in the bushes outside the club | ||||||||||||||||
39 | Gambling House | Yes, owned by Zucco | Racketeers shown gambling | Yes, owned by Zucco | Yes, Zucco owns Nebula nightclub and gambling rings | Dice in alley to get information, poker in a safe house | Two-face and the Riddler rob the Casino Excelsior Grand | Oxey’s club | The Ox club, looked after by Zucco | Icepick club | |||||||||||
40 | Construction site | Yes, attempted sabotage | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes, attempted sabotage in present | Yes | ||||||||||||||
41 | Slingshot | Yes, “like David” | Yes, “like David” | Yes | |||||||||||||||||
42 | Bat-note | Yes | Yes | Yes | |||||||||||||||||
43 | Prostitutes | Dick saves a woman who buys him dinner and helps him find Zucco | Yes | *sighs* | |||||||||||||||||
44 | Kill Henchman | Yes, Zucco kills Blade, Robin takes a picture as evidence | Yes, Zucco kills Blade, Robin takes a picture as evidence | Yes, Zucco kills Blade, Robin takes a picture as evidence | Yes, Zucco kills Blade, Robin takes picture as evidence, first solo mission | See below | |||||||||||||||
45 | Killer’s fate | Electric chair | Electric chair | Prison presumably | Electric chair | Not mentioned | Electric chair | Caught killer | Prison | Sent to prison, and shot and killed leaving prison | Story ends before this addressed | Prison presumably | Falls to death reaching for coin | Killed by tigers. No really. | Presumably a heart attack, “full of disease” | Dies of a heart attack when attacked | Thrown in harbor and Bruce taunts him | Dick saves him from falling to his death, prison | “brought to justice” | ||
46 | What now? | Bruce asks if Dick will return to circus- “I think Mother and Dad would like me to go on fighting crime-- and as for me... well...I love adventure!” | Bruce wants Dick to retire as Robin, but Dick begs Bruce for another chance to prove himself. Bruce agrees, gives Dick more training, and then tests him on another case. | "I've got the same reason for wanting to fight crime! Let me join you, Batman-- I could help! You'd have someone to share your fight!" | Bruce asks if Dick will return to circus--“I think Mom and Dad would have wanted me to go on fighting crime!” | "And from that day on the world knew of us both - the Dynamic Duo known as the Batman and Robin!" | Leads into later Robin years | Leads into later Robin years | Leads into later Robin years and Nightwing | In flashback, Dick becomes Bruce’s ward. In present, Dick visits his parents’ graves and talks to them | Makes oblique reference to Dick's crime-fighting future. Dick sees Batman and the "future opened up, then, like the parting of a curtain." | In flashback, Zucco escapes. In present, Zucco is arrested. “Come on partner, it’s been a long night” | Running into light together | “And so I found a new family and a circus that never leaves town” | Dons costume for the first time | Candlelight oath, “I am no longer alone” | N/A (Incomplete) | Bruce Wayne not able to raise Dick properly, “But if not Bruce Wayne, what about the Batman.” Dick names himself Robin | "We were a family act. I used to be closer to him than anyone else. But these days, it looks like he's in better hands..." Starfire/Robin kiss | “...And Robin was born!” Leads into other character’s stories | “Robin would be anything but permanent. And that was fine. After all.. things always change.” |
47 | |||||||||||||||||||||
48 | Other Notes: | The original origin. | This story gives a brief recap of the original origin and then shows how Dick proved himself. During the "test case," a thug threatens to shot Robin and Batman surrenders. The two are separated, and Robin has to use his training and his wits to locate and rescue Batman. According to Bruce, "Sure, you made a mistake, but you made up for it! You used your head - and that's what counts!" | The main plot involves Dick trying to help an old friend from the circus and his son, and clear their names. | This issue is largely an almost frame by frame copy of Detective Comics #38, but expands on some things such as the reasoning behind the name “Robin” and having Bruce and Dick go to court to get Dick established as Bruce’s legal ward. | This story is focused on Robin's visit to Haly's Circus. Consequently, the origin story only takes up two pages. | This issue in turn is largely a copy of Batman #213 but is narrated by Dick who is musing about his life and it drops a few details. | This is a short issue with only the bare bones but it includes much more of John and Mary than I’d seen before and signs of Dick moving towards becoming Nightwing are evident. | This is one of the first post-Nightwing origins, and so there is more exploration of the differences between Bruce and Dick and gets into that history. | This is probably one of the most influential versions of Robin’s origin. While still embracing elements, it takes a step away from the original story and expands on things such as giving Zucco himself more character and the legalities of Bruce becoming Dick’s legal guardian. | This tale is told in standard story form. Pictures are illustrations only. The story ends moments after the Graysons died. Although Dick has heard of the bat-man (in lower-case letters) and asks several circus people about him, Batman only appears in a couple of paragraphs right after the Graysons fall. | This one takes most of its cues from Year Three, but it also has Dick taking more initiative going out to find Zucco. | This version is probably the most different of all of them. Dick is older, Two-Face responsible for the death of the Graysons, even a sibling. | This version of the story takes some cues from Year Three but also has Dick going out to find justice on his own. Also like Year Three, it has Dick in an orphanage, but unlike the kind nuns of that story it is a violent and uncaring place. | This has a lot of influence from early versions of the story, but also has Dick trying to fight Zucco and has Zucco die of a heart attack when Dick comes after him. | This actually takes several cues from LOTDK #100, including Zucco’s death and some other small details. However it also brings back some smaller details from earlier versions such as Robin’s slingshot. | This is another very different version, with Dick’s parents getting shot, and not by Zucco but “Jocko-boy Vanzetti.” It’s also one of the only versions to have any mention or appearances of the Justice League. | Dick’s family actually appears to be the ones running the circus in this version so Zucco threatens them directly. It also has a slightly different death with the rigging being sabotaged rather than the ropes being damaged. Also, shows funeral. | The main plot of the story is the Titans trying to cheer Robin up on the anniversary of his parents' deaths. | Only a few pages but it hits on the big points of the story. One of the biggest differences is that Dick has a larger family-- an aunt and a cousin-- and the uncle survives. The uncle is paralyzed/in a coma so is unable to care for Dick, but it’s still a difference. | The aspect of Dick being a “material witness” is similar to Robin’s Reckoning. However, instead of taking Dick in himself, Bruce sends him to the "Wayne Care Center”, and part of being Robin and going to Wayne manor is under the disguise of a part-time job a la Batman Beyond. |
49 | The whole subplot with Blade here is something that would dissapear in later versions of the story. | Bruce makes Dick prove himself because Bruce thinks Dick might be afraid (to Bruce, it was anger that allowed Dick to vanquish Zucco). Dick begs for a test because "if I stop being Robin I'll never know whether I'm a coward or not!" | Also interesting is the lack of a specific killer or a reference to Zucco, but rather going with general "racketeers." | There’s also a reference to Detective Comics #226, the story of Bruce donning the Robin costume when he was younger. | The ending reveals that Haly knows Dick is Robin, but this is shown in a thought bubble. Haly doesn't tell Robin/Dick that he knows his secret identity. | There are also elements to the present day story which involve Deadman, which are also explored in Nightwing: Year One. | It also get more into Dick’s anger and is one of the few that has Dick sent to an orphanage before Bruce takes him in. It also has the first appearance of Tim Drake. | John and Mary died on Halloween, a week after Dick's tenth birthday. | It also takes some of the aspects such as the going out to find justice on own and Dick’s anger and takes it to more of an extreme. | Also interesting, it has Zucco in a prominant role, but has the actual killer be someone else | This has the most iconic imagery when it comes to Robin’s origin. Tim Sale’s work is fantastic. | The Batman in this version is...vaguely psychotic and actually kidnaps Dick. | Zucco is also depicted with siblings to play up the family themes. | Only appearance of Batman in the Teen Titans cartoon universe. Also, although we don't see his face, he is shown taking off his mask. Also, shows funeral. | It also has the rigging being damaged like in “The Batman” version. | Part of this story is just setting up the next arc of the ongoing, involving a fight with Lady Shiva. | |||||
50 | dynamic-duo-deposit.tumblr.com | thoughtsabout dickgrayson. tumblr.com | |||||||||||||||||||
51 |