What do you think?
Rate this book
Robin: Year One #1-4
Robin: Year One
For years he fought alongside Gotham City's greatest protector, the light to Batman's irrepressible darkness. Against all manner of foe he braved inconceivable odds, ever skirting the line between heroism and death.
His name is Dick Grayson. Before he became Nightwing he was the first to don the mantle of Robin. When his parents fell victim to the machinations of a mobster, millionaire Bruce Wayne, known to a precious few as the Batman, took the young orphan under his wing. For months Grayson trained in the ways of crime fighting, until at last he was ready to patrol the night with his mentor. But the training ground and the threats of the real world are two very different things. For the newly anointed Robin, it would be a baptism of fire.
Batman gave Robin his Direction. The evil of the world would shape his destiny. This is his story.
His name is Dick Grayson. Before he became Nightwing he was the first to don the mantle of Robin. When his parents fell victim to the machinations of a mobster, millionaire Bruce Wayne, known to a precious few as the Batman, took the young orphan under his wing. For months Grayson trained in the ways of crime fighting, until at last he was ready to patrol the night with his mentor. But the training ground and the threats of the real world are two very different things. For the newly anointed Robin, it would be a baptism of fire.
Batman gave Robin his Direction. The evil of the world would shape his destiny. This is his story.
199 pages, Paperback
First published October 1, 2000
About the author
Chuck Dixon
3,200 books844 followersCharles "Chuck" Dixon is an American comic book writer, perhaps best-known for long runs on Batman titles in the 1990s.
His earliest comics work was writing Evangeline first for Comico Comics in 1984 (then later for First Comics, who published the on-going series), on which he worked with his then-wife, the artist Judith Hunt. His big break came one year later, when editor Larry Hama hired him to write back-up stories for Marvel Comics' The Savage Sword of Conan.
In 1986, he began working for Eclipse Comics, writing Airboy with artist Tim Truman. Continuing to write for both Marvel and (mainly) Eclipse on these titles, as well as launching Strike! with artist Tom Lyle in August 1987 and Valkyrie with artist Paul Gulacy in October 1987, he began work on Carl Potts' Alien Legion series for Marvel's Epic Comics imprint, under editor Archie Goodwin. He also produced a three-issue adaptation of J. R. R. Tolkien's The Hobbit for Eclipse with artist David Wenzel between 1989 and 1990, and began writing Marc Spector: Moon Knight in June 1989.
His Punisher OGN Kingdom Gone (August, 1990) led to him working on the monthly The Punisher War Journal (and later, more monthly and occasional Punisher titles), and also brought him to the attention of DC Comics editor Denny O'Neil, who asked him to produce a Robin mini-series. The mini proved popular enough to spawn two sequels - The Joker's Wild (1991) and Cry of the Huntress (1992) - which led to both an ongoing monthly series (which Dixon wrote for 100 issues before leaving to work with CrossGen Comics), and to Dixon working on Detective Comics from #644-738 through the major Batman stories KnightFall & KnightsEnd (for which he helped create the key character of Bane), DC One Million , Contagion , Legacy , Cataclysm and No Man's Land . Much of his run was illustrated by Graham Nolan.
He was DC's most prolific Batman-writer in the mid-1990s (rivalled perhaps in history by Bill Finger and Dennis O'Neil) - in addition to writing Detective Comics he pioneered the individual series for Robin , Nightwing (which he wrote for 70 issues, and returned to briefly with 2005's #101) and Batgirl , as well as creating the team and book Birds of Prey .
While writing multiple Punisher and Batman comics (and October 1994's Punisher/Batman crossover), he also found time to launch Team 7 for Jim Lee's WildStorm/Image and Prophet for Rob Liefeld's Extreme Studios. He also wrote many issues of Catwoman and Green Arrow , regularly having about seven titles out each and every month between the years 1993 and 1998.
In March, 2002, Dixon turned his attention to CrossGen's output, salthough he co-wrote with Scott Beatty the origin of Barbara Gordon's Batgirl in 2003's Batgirl: Year One. For CrossGen he took over some of the comics of the out-going Mark Waid, taking over Sigil from #21, and Crux with #13. He launched Way of the Rat in June 2002, Brath (March '03), The Silken Ghost (June '03) and the pirate comic El Cazador (Oct '03), as well as editing Robert Rodi's non-Sigilverse The Crossovers. He also wrote the Ruse spin-off Archard's Agents one-shots in January and November '03 and April '04, the last released shortly before CrossGen's complete collapse forced the cancellation of all of its comics, before which Dixon wrote a single issue of Sojourn (May '04). Dixon's Way of the Rat #24, Brath #14 and El Cazador #6 were among the last comics released from the then-bankrupt publisher.
On June 10, 2008, Dixon announced on his forum that he was no longer "employed by DC Comics in any capacity."
His earliest comics work was writing Evangeline first for Comico Comics in 1984 (then later for First Comics, who published the on-going series), on which he worked with his then-wife, the artist Judith Hunt. His big break came one year later, when editor Larry Hama hired him to write back-up stories for Marvel Comics' The Savage Sword of Conan.
In 1986, he began working for Eclipse Comics, writing Airboy with artist Tim Truman. Continuing to write for both Marvel and (mainly) Eclipse on these titles, as well as launching Strike! with artist Tom Lyle in August 1987 and Valkyrie with artist Paul Gulacy in October 1987, he began work on Carl Potts' Alien Legion series for Marvel's Epic Comics imprint, under editor Archie Goodwin. He also produced a three-issue adaptation of J. R. R. Tolkien's The Hobbit for Eclipse with artist David Wenzel between 1989 and 1990, and began writing Marc Spector: Moon Knight in June 1989.
His Punisher OGN Kingdom Gone (August, 1990) led to him working on the monthly The Punisher War Journal (and later, more monthly and occasional Punisher titles), and also brought him to the attention of DC Comics editor Denny O'Neil, who asked him to produce a Robin mini-series. The mini proved popular enough to spawn two sequels - The Joker's Wild (1991) and Cry of the Huntress (1992) - which led to both an ongoing monthly series (which Dixon wrote for 100 issues before leaving to work with CrossGen Comics), and to Dixon working on Detective Comics from #644-738 through the major Batman stories KnightFall & KnightsEnd (for which he helped create the key character of Bane), DC One Million , Contagion , Legacy , Cataclysm and No Man's Land . Much of his run was illustrated by Graham Nolan.
He was DC's most prolific Batman-writer in the mid-1990s (rivalled perhaps in history by Bill Finger and Dennis O'Neil) - in addition to writing Detective Comics he pioneered the individual series for Robin , Nightwing (which he wrote for 70 issues, and returned to briefly with 2005's #101) and Batgirl , as well as creating the team and book Birds of Prey .
While writing multiple Punisher and Batman comics (and October 1994's Punisher/Batman crossover), he also found time to launch Team 7 for Jim Lee's WildStorm/Image and Prophet for Rob Liefeld's Extreme Studios. He also wrote many issues of Catwoman and Green Arrow , regularly having about seven titles out each and every month between the years 1993 and 1998.
In March, 2002, Dixon turned his attention to CrossGen's output, salthough he co-wrote with Scott Beatty the origin of Barbara Gordon's Batgirl in 2003's Batgirl: Year One. For CrossGen he took over some of the comics of the out-going Mark Waid, taking over Sigil from #21, and Crux with #13. He launched Way of the Rat in June 2002, Brath (March '03), The Silken Ghost (June '03) and the pirate comic El Cazador (Oct '03), as well as editing Robert Rodi's non-Sigilverse The Crossovers. He also wrote the Ruse spin-off Archard's Agents one-shots in January and November '03 and April '04, the last released shortly before CrossGen's complete collapse forced the cancellation of all of its comics, before which Dixon wrote a single issue of Sojourn (May '04). Dixon's Way of the Rat #24, Brath #14 and El Cazador #6 were among the last comics released from the then-bankrupt publisher.
On June 10, 2008, Dixon announced on his forum that he was no longer "employed by DC Comics in any capacity."
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 286 reviews
July 9, 2024
Second time is a charm.
Upon rereading this, I did like it much better than I did the first time.
Robin? Which Robin? <--you might be (reasonably) asking.
This is the 1st Robin, Dick Grayson. Love him.
Dixon captures a bit of charm here and takes us back to the beginning of what made Bruce and Dick such a dynamic duo.
The one thing that still annoyed me was all of the teeny-tiny slightly illegible cursive writing. I had quite the time trying to figure out what the hell Alfred was saying when every 5th word looked like gibberish. I get it. Alfred was narrating the story with diary entries. Cute. But perhaps next time he could just mumble to himself or something because his handwriting sucks.
Recommended for fans of Dick.
Upon rereading this, I did like it much better than I did the first time.
Robin? Which Robin? <--you might be (reasonably) asking.
This is the 1st Robin, Dick Grayson. Love him.
Dixon captures a bit of charm here and takes us back to the beginning of what made Bruce and Dick such a dynamic duo.
The one thing that still annoyed me was all of the teeny-tiny slightly illegible cursive writing. I had quite the time trying to figure out what the hell Alfred was saying when every 5th word looked like gibberish. I get it. Alfred was narrating the story with diary entries. Cute. But perhaps next time he could just mumble to himself or something because his handwriting sucks.
Recommended for fans of Dick.
January 14, 2021
"You could very well walk away from this crusade and spend your life in happier pursuits." -- butler Alfred Pennyworth
"Or I could do some good. Somebody's gotta help him . . . might as well be me." -- Dick 'Robin' Grayson
Although not quite as good as the excellent Batgirl: Year One - which likewise featured the trio of talents known as the Dixon / Beatty / Martin crew - Robin: Year One is still a worthwhile volume. It focuses (as the title suggests) on the inaugural 12 months of the arguably most famous sidekick from any fictional comic book universe. What it lacks in humor (which was both a notable and surprising aspect of Batgirl: Year One) it makes up for with pleasingly incessant action-heroics and crime drama so that a reader doesn't even have enough time to get bored with it. Another effective detail was the stylized illustrations / color scheme - although suggesting a 'family-friendly'-ish appearance, it oddly works well with the sometimes very dark nature of the criminal activities by the assorted villains (Mad Hatter, Mister Freeze, Harvey 'Two-Face' Dent, etc.) terrorizing Gotham City. Lastly, it featured some uncommonly serious but welcome scenes - not always addressed in other Batman titles; Alfred the butler 'voices' his concern here in narration that is meant to suggest diary entries - about the hazards of a teenager being involved in well-meaning but dangerous activities.
"Or I could do some good. Somebody's gotta help him . . . might as well be me." -- Dick 'Robin' Grayson
Although not quite as good as the excellent Batgirl: Year One - which likewise featured the trio of talents known as the Dixon / Beatty / Martin crew - Robin: Year One is still a worthwhile volume. It focuses (as the title suggests) on the inaugural 12 months of the arguably most famous sidekick from any fictional comic book universe. What it lacks in humor (which was both a notable and surprising aspect of Batgirl: Year One) it makes up for with pleasingly incessant action-heroics and crime drama so that a reader doesn't even have enough time to get bored with it. Another effective detail was the stylized illustrations / color scheme - although suggesting a 'family-friendly'-ish appearance, it oddly works well with the sometimes very dark nature of the criminal activities by the assorted villains (Mad Hatter, Mister Freeze, Harvey 'Two-Face' Dent, etc.) terrorizing Gotham City. Lastly, it featured some uncommonly serious but welcome scenes - not always addressed in other Batman titles; Alfred the butler 'voices' his concern here in narration that is meant to suggest diary entries - about the hazards of a teenager being involved in well-meaning but dangerous activities.
May 7, 2018
A great read for fans of Dick Grayson and the Batman Universe, it combines gritty modern age storytelling and Silver Age-inspired minimalistic artwork—think Bruce Timm meets Jeph Loeb.
While Robin's tragic circus origin is skipped, a middle school-aged Dick Grayson is just beginning, taking on the surprisingly devilish Mad Hatter and classic psychotic Two-Face, by his lonesome! Dick's dialog is spot on, smart and witty. He's always been one of my favorite Robins, and this is no exception. His relationships with Alfred and Bruce are honest and well-written, lending depth to his character. Although I enjoy seeing Dick as an adult Robin, Nightwing, and even Batman himself, Chuck Dixon writes a solid young Robin story overall.
A Short Note on the Deluxe Edition...
Rating: B+
This edition is great. The oversized format shows off the impeccable artwork and thicker-than-normal pages. Although glued binding, it’s moderate and solid, causing very little gutter loss for the relatively short book. DC is thankfully stepping away from black paper-over-board hardcovers and this follows suit, a great wraparound glossy cover to match the bold red dust jacket. For $34.99 retail this is worth picking up.
August 23, 2015
This is the very boring story of Dick Grayson’s first year as Robin. He meets/fights Jervis Tetch the Mad Hatter, Two-Face and Mr Freeze. He also briefly becomes the student of the ninja Fagin, Shrike, and his band of teen ninjas. Then the book ends.
I know Batman: Year One is a major seller for DC, and rightly so, it’s one of the best Batman books ever written. But a big component of its success is that it really does show us Bruce Wayne learning to be Batman. That’s the point of Year One stories – the character is roughly defined, they’re not nearly as polished as they become, they make mistakes, they struggle and so on. It gives us a different perspective on the character and that’s good.
Robin: Year One shows Robin fully formed. His parents have died in Haly’s Circus, Bruce has adopted him, he’s learned how to fight, become Robin, has his costume (it’s the classic green scaly underpants and pixie boots); so… it’s not really a Year One book, it’s just a collection of unimpressive, straightforward classic Batman & Robin stories with a heavier focus on Robin.
And how unimpressive are these stories! Mad Hatter’s, yup, once more trying to brainwash little girls to be his Alices, Two-Face is trying to kill the judge who presided over the case when Maroni threw acid on his face and turned him into a supervillain, and Mr Freeze robs the blood bank for money. If you’ve read plenty of Batman comics, you’ll find this dreary, predictable, and simplistic stuff that’s been done a thousand times before.
There’s a notable scene where Two-Face nearly beats Robin to death with a baseball bat that I think is supposed to echo Joker’s attack on Jason Todd in Death in the Family. Such is the miserable fate of each Batman sidekick, apparently! Batman realises it’s probably not a good idea to have a kid sidekick but then just as abruptly decides that it is. Eh. Javier Pulido and Marcos Martin’s artwork is great, I love these artists’ work. But that’s about all that stood out to me in this one.
Robin: Year One is a collection of unremarkable Robin-centric stories. Maybe they’re unchallenging because DC were aiming for a younger audience with this book, I don’t know. Perhaps younger readers will like this more than a grown-up reader like me? Anyways, I found this one not especially well-written, interesting or insightful into how Dick Grayson came to be Robin. Unlike Batman: Year One, this book is definitely worth skipping.
I know Batman: Year One is a major seller for DC, and rightly so, it’s one of the best Batman books ever written. But a big component of its success is that it really does show us Bruce Wayne learning to be Batman. That’s the point of Year One stories – the character is roughly defined, they’re not nearly as polished as they become, they make mistakes, they struggle and so on. It gives us a different perspective on the character and that’s good.
Robin: Year One shows Robin fully formed. His parents have died in Haly’s Circus, Bruce has adopted him, he’s learned how to fight, become Robin, has his costume (it’s the classic green scaly underpants and pixie boots); so… it’s not really a Year One book, it’s just a collection of unimpressive, straightforward classic Batman & Robin stories with a heavier focus on Robin.
And how unimpressive are these stories! Mad Hatter’s, yup, once more trying to brainwash little girls to be his Alices, Two-Face is trying to kill the judge who presided over the case when Maroni threw acid on his face and turned him into a supervillain, and Mr Freeze robs the blood bank for money. If you’ve read plenty of Batman comics, you’ll find this dreary, predictable, and simplistic stuff that’s been done a thousand times before.
There’s a notable scene where Two-Face nearly beats Robin to death with a baseball bat that I think is supposed to echo Joker’s attack on Jason Todd in Death in the Family. Such is the miserable fate of each Batman sidekick, apparently! Batman realises it’s probably not a good idea to have a kid sidekick but then just as abruptly decides that it is. Eh. Javier Pulido and Marcos Martin’s artwork is great, I love these artists’ work. But that’s about all that stood out to me in this one.
Robin: Year One is a collection of unremarkable Robin-centric stories. Maybe they’re unchallenging because DC were aiming for a younger audience with this book, I don’t know. Perhaps younger readers will like this more than a grown-up reader like me? Anyways, I found this one not especially well-written, interesting or insightful into how Dick Grayson came to be Robin. Unlike Batman: Year One, this book is definitely worth skipping.
May 7, 2024
Reread: 06/05/2024
It was a fun reread and I love the pacing here and how we see the growth of Dick as a character and how he is making Batman a better person plus the challenges of being Robin after a violent incident and Gordon's convictions for the safety of the kid and yeah fun villain cameos like Mad hatter, Two-face especially and Dr Freeze too and a cool villain in Shrike who sort of shows up later in the main Dixon Nightwing run too, albeit someone else and I read both one after another so it was fun! So yeah fun story like I said before and a great retcon to Dick's early years as Robin and the art was just gorgeous! I highly recommend it!!
________________________________________________________________
This was really good!
We see the origins of Dick as he teams up with Batman to take down the Mad hatter and rescue a bunch of girls and their encounter with Two-face and the extreme thing that happens to him and injury and Bruce forcing him out and the eventual recovery but falling out and Batman going after other criminals but what happens when Dick meets the guy Shrike and his villain vigilante academy and the extreme collision of all of this that is Two face, Dick and Shirke and Batman and the end result of it all...
Its an extremely good volume and I love the whole thing. Its such a great origin as you see the go lucky and happy Dick and the extreme thing that happens and how it impacts hi and the falling out and Gordon and Bruce's relationship and such a great villain in two-face and the real origin of Dick and I love the whole thing and his demeanor and Dixon breaks the character down in such great phases and shows him at his best and also at that "hope even though raised in the dark" angle and its awesome! One of the better origins in DC and the pencils were okay, an acquired taste really but compliment the story well.
It was a fun reread and I love the pacing here and how we see the growth of Dick as a character and how he is making Batman a better person plus the challenges of being Robin after a violent incident and Gordon's convictions for the safety of the kid and yeah fun villain cameos like Mad hatter, Two-face especially and Dr Freeze too and a cool villain in Shrike who sort of shows up later in the main Dixon Nightwing run too, albeit someone else and I read both one after another so it was fun! So yeah fun story like I said before and a great retcon to Dick's early years as Robin and the art was just gorgeous! I highly recommend it!!
________________________________________________________________
This was really good!
We see the origins of Dick as he teams up with Batman to take down the Mad hatter and rescue a bunch of girls and their encounter with Two-face and the extreme thing that happens to him and injury and Bruce forcing him out and the eventual recovery but falling out and Batman going after other criminals but what happens when Dick meets the guy Shrike and his villain vigilante academy and the extreme collision of all of this that is Two face, Dick and Shirke and Batman and the end result of it all...
Its an extremely good volume and I love the whole thing. Its such a great origin as you see the go lucky and happy Dick and the extreme thing that happens and how it impacts hi and the falling out and Gordon and Bruce's relationship and such a great villain in two-face and the real origin of Dick and I love the whole thing and his demeanor and Dixon breaks the character down in such great phases and shows him at his best and also at that "hope even though raised in the dark" angle and its awesome! One of the better origins in DC and the pencils were okay, an acquired taste really but compliment the story well.
August 23, 2017
This is an awesome read for fans of Dick Grayson. It combines classic silver age style with gritty modern age storytelling. The artwork is cartoony and clean, reminiscent of Batman: The Animated Series. And it's fun yet dark, violent yet reflective.
While we don't get to see Robin's tragic circus origins, we do see a middle school-aged Dick Grayson in his beginnings, taking on the surprisingly devilish Mad Hatter and classic psychotic Two-Face, by his lonesome! Dick's dialog is spot on, smart and witty. He's always been one of my favorite Robins, and this is no exception. His relationships with Alfred and Bruce are honest and well-written, lending depth to his character. Although I enjoy seeing Dick as an adult Robin, Nightwing, and even Batman himself, Chuck Dixon writes a solid young Robin story overall.
May 30, 2019
First thing first: the artwork and the coloring is awesome! This Robin the Boy Wonder's origin story has solid plot, an engaging coming-of-age story and entertaining villains such as the Mad Hatter and Two Face.
I think Two Face is completely awesome in this story. What is not to love when a scary villain such as Two Face acts like a boss...LIKE THE FREAKING BADASS CRIME BOSS THAT HE TOTALLY IS?
The relationships among Alfred, Bruce and his young ward, Dick also get a lot of attention in this story...the interaction between Alfred and Dick is heart-warming but.........I mean no disrespect to anyone (both fictional and real people) still honestly...........I can't help noticing how gay the relationship betwen Bruce and Dick is!
I'm *not* saying these two characters are actually gay but the gay subtexts in their interactions are just SO OBVIOUS! There is just no denying it! Plus Bruce is still a lousy mentor, HOW COULD HE!?
PS: on a light-heartening note, we get to see Mr. Freeze in his boxers *a lot*, even Captain Gordon has to comment on the man's boxers. XD
Review: Red Hood: Outlaw vol. 1 https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Review: Batman: Battle For the Cowl: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Review: Batman: Life After Death: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Review: Batman & Robin: Batman Reborn https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Book Review: Batman: The Long Halloween https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Review: The Greatest Batman Stories Ever Told Vol. 1 (https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...)
Review: Batman: A Death in the Family https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
I think Two Face is completely awesome in this story. What is not to love when a scary villain such as Two Face acts like a boss...LIKE THE FREAKING BADASS CRIME BOSS THAT HE TOTALLY IS?
The relationships among Alfred, Bruce and his young ward, Dick also get a lot of attention in this story...the interaction between Alfred and Dick is heart-warming but.........I mean no disrespect to anyone (both fictional and real people) still honestly...........I can't help noticing how gay the relationship betwen Bruce and Dick is!
I'm *not* saying these two characters are actually gay but the gay subtexts in their interactions are just SO OBVIOUS! There is just no denying it! Plus Bruce is still a lousy mentor, HOW COULD HE!?
PS: on a light-heartening note, we get to see Mr. Freeze in his boxers *a lot*, even Captain Gordon has to comment on the man's boxers. XD
Review: Red Hood: Outlaw vol. 1 https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Review: Batman: Battle For the Cowl: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Review: Batman: Life After Death: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Review: Batman & Robin: Batman Reborn https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Book Review: Batman: The Long Halloween https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Review: The Greatest Batman Stories Ever Told Vol. 1 (https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...)
Review: Batman: A Death in the Family https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
August 2, 2018
I greatly enjoyed this book! I loved seeing this nurturing side of Alfred. I loved Dick's relationship with Alfred. Most importantly, I adored seeing Bruce struggle with wanting to be a parent and wanting Dick to feel secure in his role as Robin. He worried for Dick's safety but knew(usually because of Alfred) that his protectiveness made Dick feel like he wasn't good enough.
I love the artwork and Alfred's voice as a narrator. Some bits were hard for me to read because I have a hard time with anything that has violence against children or animals but Two Face and the Mad Hatter are not heroes so, what can I say?
I greatly recommend this to anyone wanting to get into Dick Grayson comics and it's also a great Batman story for people who like or want to start reading about Batman.
5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I love the artwork and Alfred's voice as a narrator. Some bits were hard for me to read because I have a hard time with anything that has violence against children or animals but Two Face and the Mad Hatter are not heroes so, what can I say?
I greatly recommend this to anyone wanting to get into Dick Grayson comics and it's also a great Batman story for people who like or want to start reading about Batman.
5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 11, 2012
A worthy companion to Batman: Year One. The specifics of the plot are secondary compared to the character development of both Bruce and Dick. Dixon did a great job showing a younger Dick, and in hinting at the future tensions between Bruce and Dick. The art has that faux-retro feel that the Year One titles like, and it's nicely done here.
August 17, 2018
This was okayish. Batgirl year one was better.
This is the early years of Robin. Dixon does a good enough job of giving us a fun and easy going sidekick to the Batman. It's dark when needed, it's light when it should be, and it hits all the notes you want for the start of Robin and his time before leaving the Batman and becoming Nightwing. Overall this was a decent fun read, nothing special or different though, a 3 out of 5.
This is the early years of Robin. Dixon does a good enough job of giving us a fun and easy going sidekick to the Batman. It's dark when needed, it's light when it should be, and it hits all the notes you want for the start of Robin and his time before leaving the Batman and becoming Nightwing. Overall this was a decent fun read, nothing special or different though, a 3 out of 5.
July 6, 2015
This turned out to be a pretty good read. It depicts an early outing in the career of Batman and Robin as they try to take down Two-Face. The Pulido art gives it a fun and light hearted feel, but also doesn't take away from a few dark moments in the story.
May 19, 2023
Not the strongest Year One entry, this one focuses on Dick Grayson's early days as Robin, mainly through thoughts and observations by Alfred. It's charming, visually pleasing and has a nice mix of Robin and Dick content, but it just didn't click with me as much as I was hoping. Whilst it doesn't crack my top 100 list, it's still one I'd feel comfortable recommending, especially to those who enjoy the OG Robin.
April 13, 2020
Robin: Year One follows the adventures of Dick Grayson during his first year as Robin. Here, he encounters a number of Batfoes and learns valuable lessons.
The book starts on a very high note, full of optimism, and reminiscent of the silver age comics books. The change that Robin brings to the world of Batman is very much evident in the first issue. The spotlight of the book is Alfred Pennyworth. His dialogues are top-notch. The art reminded me of Darwyn Cooke's; simple yet beautiful.
The problem with the book is that it doesn't hold its high standard forever. There are couple of moments where it feels like the book is dragging.
3.5/5 stars
The book starts on a very high note, full of optimism, and reminiscent of the silver age comics books. The change that Robin brings to the world of Batman is very much evident in the first issue. The spotlight of the book is Alfred Pennyworth. His dialogues are top-notch. The art reminded me of Darwyn Cooke's; simple yet beautiful.
The problem with the book is that it doesn't hold its high standard forever. There are couple of moments where it feels like the book is dragging.
3.5/5 stars
November 1, 2021
I liked this story a lot, it follows Dick Grayson (the first Robin) in his first year as fighting crime as Robin and sees him take on iconic villains mad hatter, mr freeze and two face.
It was good to see the dynamic between Dick as Robin and Bruce, there isn’t many stories that show this to my knowledge surprisingly. I liked the almost retro cartoon art style here it suited the book nice as it’s in Batman’s early years (and obviously Robins).
Overall a nice fun book, I did kind of want more from the story itself but the characters were done well here and makes this a good read.
It was good to see the dynamic between Dick as Robin and Bruce, there isn’t many stories that show this to my knowledge surprisingly. I liked the almost retro cartoon art style here it suited the book nice as it’s in Batman’s early years (and obviously Robins).
Overall a nice fun book, I did kind of want more from the story itself but the characters were done well here and makes this a good read.
March 3, 2017
I enjoyed this a lot more than I expected.
April 11, 2023
4.5⭐️ This comic is close to being perfect in my opinion. It’s so good. But the only thing I didn’t like was the pacing was slow at times. Also this is a personal thing but I have a very hard time reading cursive writing as I have no idea how to write it myself so I found myself struggling to read what Alfred was saying in like his dairies.
August 7, 2022
Entstehung eines Wunderknaben
Fazit: Gelungenes Porträt einer Figur in ihrer Anfangszeit mit vielen Schurken, die eher farblos bleiben. Für Unterhaltung ist gesorgt. Gesamt: 4/5
Inhalt: Mit "Robin: Das Erste Jahr" liefert das Kreativteam rund um Chuck Dixon eine weitere "Herkunftsgeschichte" aus dem Batman-Universum. In diesem Werk widmen sie sich dem Wunderknaben an Batmans Seite. Nachdem Dick Grayson von Bruce Wayne adoptiert worden war begann seine Ausbildung zu Robin, die alles andere als leicht war. In verschiedenen Missionen trifft er auf die unterschiedlichsten Schurken aus Gotham. Egal ob der Mad Hatter Gedankenkontrolltricks auf Unschuldige anwendet, Mister Freeze versucht die Stadt mit Lösegeldforderungen erpresst oder Two-Face versucht dem Dunklen Ritter eins auszuwischen: Auf Richard ist Verlass!
Bewertung: Wie schon "Batgirl: Das Erste Jahr" ist der nahezu gleichnamige Band zum Wunderknaben eine Lesung mehr als wert. Der Leser erfährt Richard Grayson in dessen Teenagerjahren. Zum Einen erlebt man ihn natürlich als Sidekick von Batman. Hier strotzt er mit Elan, Geschicklichkeit und Pflichtbewusstsein. Wenngleich Batman nicht immer mit seinen Entscheidungen einverstanden ist, gelingt es Dick sich durchzusetzen (egal ob gegen den Willen seines Adoptivvaters oder nicht) und der Dunkle Ritter kann sich auf seinen Kompanion verlassen. Nie zeigt er Furcht, sondern stürzt sich mutig in den Kampf um anderen zu helfen. Hier spiegelt sich viel von Bruce Wayne in dem Jungen wieder. Sehr zum Leidwesen von Alfred, der sich um beide hingebungsvoll kümmert. Getrieben von der Furcht, dass noch jemand seine sorgenlose Jugend zugunsten eines Kriegs gegen das Verbrechen aufgibt, tut er alles um Dick das Leben so angenehm wie möglich zu gestalten. Dabei hat er keine Angst seine Meinung offen gegenüber Bruce zu vertreten. Glücklicherweise sind Alfreds Sorgen unbegründet. Richard verlernt das Teenager-Dasein mitnichten. Rumblödeleien, Dösen im Unterricht und Mädels. Alles ist dabei, sodass der Leser auch diese Seite vom Wunderknaben anschaulich erfahren kann. Zwischen den Fronten steht Batman, der weiß, dass er auf seinen Gefährten zählen kann und ihn gerne ausbildet. Gleichzeitig überkommt auch ihn mitunter die Sorge, dass er seinem Sohn zu viel zumutet. Um ihn zu schützen, versucht er Robin immer wieder von gefährlichen Missionen fernzuhalten. Das fasst der Teenager aber ganz anders auf und so entstehen familiäre Konflikte, die die Superheldenfamilie herrlich nahbar erscheinen lassen. Mit dem umfangreichen Schurkenensemble gehen Dixon und Co. neue Wege. In "Batgirl" gab es mit Killer Moth und Firefly derer nur zwei, die dafür umfangreicher ausgearbeitet wurden. Das bleibt im vorliegenden Werk leider auf der Strecke. Alle Schurken machen das, was man von ihnen erwartet. Am spannendsten ist hier sicherlich Two-Face, der ein makabres Gerichtsschauspiel abliefert und einen Richter der Erschaffung seiner selbst anklagt. Eine gelungene Hommage an die Wandlung Harvey Dents. Abschließend sei noch der Zeichenstil bewertet: Wie schon im anderen Band des gleichen Autorenteams sind die Darstellungen recht einfach gehalten. Gering strukturierte, dafür große farbige Flächen dominieren. Für jemanden, der realitätsnahe Comics wie von Dini und Ross sehr genießt, war das gewöhnungsbedürftig. Gleichzeitig fand ich es jedoch passend zu Robin, der ebenso wie Batgirl noch sehr jung ist, dessen Strukturen sich bildlich gesprochen noch ausbilden. Auch zum Mad Hatter und seiner Wunderland-Leidenschaft passt der bunte Stil. Insofern hatte ich mich bald damit abgefunden und viel Spaß beim Lesen.
Fazit: Gelungenes Porträt einer Figur in ihrer Anfangszeit mit vielen Schurken, die eher farblos bleiben. Für Unterhaltung ist gesorgt. Gesamt: 4/5
September 14, 2021
Pretty straightforward read- The trials and tribulations of boy wonder as he battles a plethora of interesting villains. A lot of fun.
May 25, 2022
The addition of Dick Grayson into the Master's crusade has made a difference in him.
I do believe I saw him smile."
- Alfred Pennyworth
I've said this in many other reviews but I used to really hate the idea of Robin, I thought it made Batman seem lame to have a brightly coloured, chirping, wise-cracking, boy sidekick. It was really Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale's "Dark Victory" that turned me around and "Robin: Year One" that solidified me as a Robin (more specifically Dick Grayson) fanboy.
Here the narrator is Alfred, which is a wise decision as it allows a third party to view the Batman and Robin team-up. He expresses his mixed feelings, of fear and hope, of pride and shame. He understands why Bruce and Dick have teamed up, but he fears for the boy's safety, for his very future.
He acknowledges that Dick has avoided the overly dour persona of his partner, but worries that he's going to miss out on a normal adolescence. Dick is clearly torn between the two worlds but feels that fighting crime is the best use of his time.
There's a nice balancing act of the adults fearing for Robin's safety while acknowledging the good work he does such as the exchange between Robin and Commissioner Gordon where Robin comments "I know you don't like me, but.. blah blah blah" and Gordon's response along the lines of "I like you just fine, I just don't want you to get hurt."
Of course that's before Dick catches sight of Babs. "Not on your life, Boy Wonder."
Dick comes across as a very likable protagonist, in part because it's told from Alfred's point of view and partly just because Dick has always been the emotional core of the Batman mythos, and writers Chuck Dixon and Scott Beatty get that.
This is a very fine introduction to the character, and I'd recommend to anyone who wants to see why Robin works so well as the Dark Knight's partner.
I do believe I saw him smile."
- Alfred Pennyworth
I've said this in many other reviews but I used to really hate the idea of Robin, I thought it made Batman seem lame to have a brightly coloured, chirping, wise-cracking, boy sidekick. It was really Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale's "Dark Victory" that turned me around and "Robin: Year One" that solidified me as a Robin (more specifically Dick Grayson) fanboy.
Here the narrator is Alfred, which is a wise decision as it allows a third party to view the Batman and Robin team-up. He expresses his mixed feelings, of fear and hope, of pride and shame. He understands why Bruce and Dick have teamed up, but he fears for the boy's safety, for his very future.
He acknowledges that Dick has avoided the overly dour persona of his partner, but worries that he's going to miss out on a normal adolescence. Dick is clearly torn between the two worlds but feels that fighting crime is the best use of his time.
There's a nice balancing act of the adults fearing for Robin's safety while acknowledging the good work he does such as the exchange between Robin and Commissioner Gordon where Robin comments "I know you don't like me, but.. blah blah blah" and Gordon's response along the lines of "I like you just fine, I just don't want you to get hurt."
Of course that's before Dick catches sight of Babs. "Not on your life, Boy Wonder."
Dick comes across as a very likable protagonist, in part because it's told from Alfred's point of view and partly just because Dick has always been the emotional core of the Batman mythos, and writers Chuck Dixon and Scott Beatty get that.
This is a very fine introduction to the character, and I'd recommend to anyone who wants to see why Robin works so well as the Dark Knight's partner.
May 10, 2017
girls wouldn't notice me if i danced around in tights.
I LOVE ROBIN SOOO SO MUCH!!! THE CUTEST BOY IN GOTHAM. I HAD THE BIGGEST CRUSH ON HIM WHEN I WAS FIFTEEN OH MY GOSH!! (i still do and it's pretty freaking embarrassing.)
my fav quotes
"this boy wonder." they kept saying boy wonder!! stop it!!
"aren't you the little heartbreaker?"
'-thanks, bruce. but you took out three of them.'
'-but not with your... finesse.'
also don't make me think about this pls dick grayson carries so much on his young shoulders, the normal troubles associated with adolescence in addition to sharing bruce wayne's crusade. i only wonder if he knows how casually he is throwing away the years of his youth. and if, in the end, he will feel it was worth it.
and
what can i say? i was born in a circus. GOD
'the bat and the brat' a much catchier title that just batman and robin
bouncing baby boy CRINGE again stop... it... with the nicknames
dear bruce, i'm not sure what i'm supposed to do if i'm not allowed to help you anymore. i won't forget everything you've given me. *screams* thanks for teaching me how to be strong. Love Letters To Batman, Issue #532
the other boys simply pale in comparison ik
i am in the service of lost boys struggling to be good men.
!!!!!!!
June 21, 2016
This is actually a re-read for me as I read this as part of Batgirl/Robin: Year One but I still enjoyed it just as much. The story line with the Hatter was really good and I really enjoyed revisiting it. Overall a brilliant read and I loved hearing Alfred's perspective throughout, that was a really nice touch. Definitely a good place to start if you want to check out some books on Robin.
April 7, 2014
This was remarkably good--I'm glad I gave it a try, even if Dick isn't the Robin Of My Heart. And, wow, this book is worth owning for the coloring alone, though the art and writing are nothing to sneeze at, either. So good!
June 15, 2020
Primero debo aclarar que esta no es la edición que leí, la de ECC no aparece en la página.
Esta historia narra el primer año de Dick como Robin y hace un muy buen trabajo. Nos demuestra tanto su valía como compañero de Batman en la lucha contra el crimen como la alegría que trajo a la vida de Bruce Wayne, es que Dick es y a sido siempre esa persona alegre que ilumina la oscuridad de Bruce y este comic muestra esa faceta muy bien. Otro acierto es elegir como narrador de los hechos a Alfred lo que nos deja entender a la perfección las personalidades de los 3 personajes.
Un lector de larga data como yo agradece también la reinterpretación de momentos que marcaron al pesonaje y que de cierta forma me gizo sentir que este era el mismo Robin que conocí siendo un adolescente.
El dibujo de los españoles Martín y Pulido funciona con el tono alegre (pero nunca soso) de lo que se cuenta.
No llega a las 5 estrellas por pequeños detalles que lo alejan un poquito de la perfección, pero es sin dudas una lectura muy recomendable.
Esta historia narra el primer año de Dick como Robin y hace un muy buen trabajo. Nos demuestra tanto su valía como compañero de Batman en la lucha contra el crimen como la alegría que trajo a la vida de Bruce Wayne, es que Dick es y a sido siempre esa persona alegre que ilumina la oscuridad de Bruce y este comic muestra esa faceta muy bien. Otro acierto es elegir como narrador de los hechos a Alfred lo que nos deja entender a la perfección las personalidades de los 3 personajes.
Un lector de larga data como yo agradece también la reinterpretación de momentos que marcaron al pesonaje y que de cierta forma me gizo sentir que este era el mismo Robin que conocí siendo un adolescente.
El dibujo de los españoles Martín y Pulido funciona con el tono alegre (pero nunca soso) de lo que se cuenta.
No llega a las 5 estrellas por pequeños detalles que lo alejan un poquito de la perfección, pero es sin dudas una lectura muy recomendable.
March 21, 2023
"I am in the service of lost boys struggling to be good men."
March 26, 2022
3.5/5. Maybe Robin isn’t as big if a loser as I thought.
July 27, 2022
I really enjoyed the fun and silliness of Batgirl: Year One, which was written by the same team three years after they'd given Robin the 'year one' treatment with this book. That said, I didn't love this as much.
Although the plot balances well, the introduction of some darker elements had me a little confused at the tone and atmosphere here. It had me feeling like it just wasn't confident with what it wanted to be, seemingly stuck between an Adam West Batman vibe and the darker, more grittier portrayal of an 80s Batman book. Sure, that makes it interesting, but it does seem like it fails to fully commit to either and it feels slightly odd.
The character of Robin is great here though and is absolutely likeable from the get go. The contrast of Robin's laid back demeanor next to Batman's consistent neurosis is well played out and fun to see. Likewise, Alfred Pennyworth is wonderful here and embodies everything we've come to respect about the character.
The art is joyful and fun. It's possibly a bit too cartoonish in appearance for some, but the simplicity absolutely fits for an early Robin adventure.
Overall, the characterisation definitely carries this one. The story isn't that memorable for me personally, and the mixed tone definitely didn't land as well as I think it probably should have. That said, it was a fun read and definitely worth looking at if you're a fan of Robin.
_________________
My Score: 7/10
My Goodreads: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
_________________
Although the plot balances well, the introduction of some darker elements had me a little confused at the tone and atmosphere here. It had me feeling like it just wasn't confident with what it wanted to be, seemingly stuck between an Adam West Batman vibe and the darker, more grittier portrayal of an 80s Batman book. Sure, that makes it interesting, but it does seem like it fails to fully commit to either and it feels slightly odd.
The character of Robin is great here though and is absolutely likeable from the get go. The contrast of Robin's laid back demeanor next to Batman's consistent neurosis is well played out and fun to see. Likewise, Alfred Pennyworth is wonderful here and embodies everything we've come to respect about the character.
The art is joyful and fun. It's possibly a bit too cartoonish in appearance for some, but the simplicity absolutely fits for an early Robin adventure.
Overall, the characterisation definitely carries this one. The story isn't that memorable for me personally, and the mixed tone definitely didn't land as well as I think it probably should have. That said, it was a fun read and definitely worth looking at if you're a fan of Robin.
_________________
My Score: 7/10
My Goodreads: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
_________________
August 19, 2023
Mixed feelings.
Great art and the first half is absolutely brilliant... second half, it just vanishes.
Great art and the first half is absolutely brilliant... second half, it just vanishes.
December 17, 2016
Never in my life did i think Robin could be badass in his goofy short pants costume, but he somehow managed to be just that.
This is NOT a Robin origins story, it doesn't go over the murder of Dicks's parents or how Batman recruited him, it focuses more on their relationship in Robin's first year.
- The Art is on point.
Really liked the art style, and how it reminded me of the animated series. It just sets the tone nicely.
- Dick Grayson is super likeable.
He's almost too perfect, the story doesn't focus exclusively on him though, and we get plenty of scenes and dialogue from Bruce and Alfred too.
Would recommend to most Batman fans, the story isn't Hush or The Court of the owls, and you probably won't find any mind bending plot twists here, but it manages to be both serious and light hearted while still being entertaining.
This is NOT a Robin origins story, it doesn't go over the murder of Dicks's parents or how Batman recruited him, it focuses more on their relationship in Robin's first year.
- The Art is on point.
Really liked the art style, and how it reminded me of the animated series. It just sets the tone nicely.
- Dick Grayson is super likeable.
He's almost too perfect, the story doesn't focus exclusively on him though, and we get plenty of scenes and dialogue from Bruce and Alfred too.
Would recommend to most Batman fans, the story isn't Hush or The Court of the owls, and you probably won't find any mind bending plot twists here, but it manages to be both serious and light hearted while still being entertaining.
March 22, 2022
Luego de leer esta novela gráfica me dieron ganas de leer los "Year One" de los demas personajes de Batman como Nightwing, Batgirl y Huntress. La historia es interesante y muestra la relación Batman-Robin cuando el joven Dick Grayson decide ser el ayudante de Batman.
Me gustaría decir más pero siento que estaría dando Spoiler, solo digo que es una historia totalmente recomendada, sin duda una edición que merece estar en una biblioteca de colección.
Me gustaría decir más pero siento que estaría dando Spoiler, solo digo que es una historia totalmente recomendada, sin duda una edición que merece estar en una biblioteca de colección.
April 1, 2024
i liked the idea this book had but something abt the execution was off... i feel like it was missing the humor and overall fun-ness that is central to robins character? not terrible though but just a lil boring
Displaying 1 - 30 of 286 reviews