Detective Comics Confirms Which Robin is the Most Important

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Detective Comics #1000 Confirms Dick Grayson Is the Most Important Robin

By Sergio Pereira

Published Mar 28, 2019

Detective Comics #1000 might be a celebration of Batman, but it also proves that Dick Grayson is the best Robin.

Detective Comics #1000 is not only a celebration of Batman, but also the entire Bat-Family. While there are a few stories featuring several of the Dark Knight's aides in this iconic issue, there's one particular tale that tackles his and Dick Grayson's relationship.

In "The Precedent" by James Tynion IV, Alvaro Martinez-Bueno, Raul Fernandez, Brad Anderson and Sal Cipriano, Alfred Pennyworth and Bruce Wayne engage in a frank heart-to-heart about bringing Dick into Batman's crime-fighting world.

Combining flash-forward imagery with their conversation at the time, Alfred accurately calls out everything that the young ward will encounter and become. At one point, Alfred says to Bruce, "but he could make you better. He could be better. A hero forged in the light."

Interestingly, Bruce acknowledges that, while Dick could be his first sidekick, he knows there will be others. He believes that this will be the precedent, and it worries him. It's in this moment that Dick somersaults into the room and tells Bruce: "Then we help them find a better path. Together."

Showing a wisdom beyond his years, he informs Bruce that he's the real precedent, as he's showing everyone how to fight back, and they can show the others the right way of doing it. After Dick's rousing speech, Bruce finally agrees to let him be Robin.

It might only be a five-page story, but it superbly captures the reason Dick is key to the Robin lineage and the overall formation of the Bat-Family. For a young boy to have the humility and foresight to know that it's about more than him speaks volume about his character. He recognizes that Batman started it all, but it's up to everyone else to contribute towards his vision. Maybe Alfred was right after all, and he is better than Bruce.

Unlike Damian Wayne and Jason Todd, who have shown disdain for others in the red, green and yellow, Dick has never rejected the Robins who've replaced him. He embraced the big brother role and continues to shine as a beacon of hope for everyone around him.

While it could've been all too easy for him to fall into the trap of jealousy or judgment, Dick understood that Robin is a symbol that'll live on after him -- sort of like the theme of Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight Trilogy.

Of course, Dick has had his issues with Bruce over the years, but he seems to be the one sidekick whom Bruce can always rely on when the going gets tough (after all, he's assumed the Batman mantle several times now).

They might not see eye to eye on everything and have their odd tiff now and again, but it doesn't mean there's a lack of respect or love for each other. Deep down inside, Bruce knows that Dick is his greatest accomplishment.

While it's been a long time since Dick was last seen as Robin in the comic books, Detective Comics #1000's "The Precedent" is a good reminder of how the original remains the best there was and the best there ever will be.