Robin. This somber nature has become an integral part of the superhero's being, and it doesn't help that he's lost allies along the way - including more than one Robin, and including a Robin most fans have never even heard of.

While many children in Gotham endure trauma comparable to Bruce Wayne, Dick Grayson, and Jason Todd, Batman cannot make them all his Robin. However, as one of Gotham's wealthiest citizens, he possesses the means and inclination to assist them in other ways. One such child is Lance Bruner, introduced in The Brave and the Bold #83 by Bob Haney and Neal Adams.

Lance was the son of Professor Bruner, a close friend of Bruce Wayne's father. Like more than one Robin after Lance's time, the new character met a tragic fate that Batman will never forget.

Who Is Lance Brunson, Batman's Forgotten Son?

First Appearance: 1969's The Brave and the Bold #83 by Bob Haney, Neal Adams, and Ben Oda

As Bruce recalls, Lance's father was "the finest man I've ever known, besides my own dad." Although Lance's parents didn't die at the hands of crime, they perished in a horrific accident that the young boy witnessed. This traumatic event made Lance the quintessential "boy in trouble," influencing Bruce's original decision to take DIck Grayson under his wing. Bruce's father had promised Lance's family that they would care for him if anything happened to his parents. Thus, Bruce Wayne takes Lance Bruner as his ward, intending to treat him like Dick Grayson, with one exception: he wouldn't introduce him to his alter ego, Batman.

For someone as grim as Batman, it isn’t immediately obvious why he would need a Robin.

From witnessing the cold-blooded murder of his parents to recovering Jason Todd's remains after the Joker killed him to watching his close friend Harvey Dent’s spiral into madness, Batman's life is marred by a series of tragedies that could darken even the brightest outlook. Yet, his short time with Lance is an emotionally charged moment in Batman’s history that, though rarely discussed or ed, stands out as one of the most painful experiences at that point in his life — second only to the death of his parents. This moment undoubtedly plays a significant role in shaping his mission, his relationships, and his profound sense of responsibility.

For someone as grim as Batman, it isn’t immediately obvious why he would need a Robin. However, Robin was never just a sidekick. On the one hand, Robin serves as a protégé - a crime-fighting assistant who s Batman but, under his mentorship, usually grows into an independent hero and partner. On the other hand, Batman saw in the first two Robins a reflection of himself: boys who had lost their parents to crime. By guiding them through their trauma, he not only helped them come to with their pain but also found a way to confront and heal his own.

This Forgotten Troublemaker Ward Managed to Fool Both Batman and Bruce Wayne

Dick Grayson's Short-Lived Brother, Lance Bruner

More akin to a contemporary take on Jason Todd's Robin than Dick Grayson's, the forgotten Robin Lance Bruner was a rebellious troublemaker who delighted in exploiting his position as Wayne’s ward to live life to the fullest, disregarding the consequences of his actions. Dick, still living at Wayne Manor at the time and aware of how much Bruce wanted to guide Lance onto the right path, often covered up for the new ward's misbehavior, hoping he would eventually mature into a responsible individual.

This issue of The Brave and the Bold also co-stars the original version of the iconic Teen Titans team, including Dick Grayson's Robin, Wonder Girl, Kid Flash, and Speedy.

However, Lance's habit of boasting about being Bruce's ward ultimately led to his kidnapping by criminals seeking ransom. This left Bruce angry - both at himself and at Dick - for not being more proactive and careful in molding Lance into an outstanding young man. Batman was right. Like Jason Todd after him, Lace's defiance, disobedience, and recklessness undeniably required stronger and stricter guidance than what he had experienced before. However, Batman struggles to this day to move past his own childhood trauma, which includes the pain of growing up without the tender loving care of a parent.

Bruce Wayne firmly believes that every kid, no matter how lost they are, can be rehabilitated. This mindset was reinforced by his first ward, Dick Grayson, who had been so willing to embrace Bruce’s ideals and discipline. As a result, despite his better judgment, instead of disciplining Lance, Batman trusted his promise that he would voluntarily change for the better.

Lance Bruner Becomes Robin, Only to Die Saving Batman's Life

The First of Batman's Wards to Die in Action

Once again, following a pattern that would later resurface with Jason Todd, Batman’s failure to truly understand and evaluate his ward led to tragedy. In the case of Lance, after discovering that Bruce and Dick were Batman and Robin - and fueled by anger at their refusal to let him act without consequences - he betrayed them. Lance revealed their locations to a local crime boss they were actively investigating. However, after witnessing Robin risk his own life to save Batman, Lance has a change of heart.

Changing into Dick's Robin costume, Lance distracts the crime boss to spare Batman's life and is shot in the process. Though Lance may have been Robin for only a few minutes, he used those precious moments to make the ultimate sacrifice, momentarily proving Batman’s belief that every child can be saved. While the death of Jason Todd and the resulting pain for Batman are well-known, it's important to that Jason wasn't the first Robin to die, nor the first "death in the family."

Lance Bruner, given the close relationship between the Wayne and Bruner families, was arguably Bruce's closest connection to his biological family outside of Alfred. Furthermore, he represented a vital link to Bruce's father, a connection that Bruce was determined to protect. Even so, Lance died under Batman's watch, and while serving as Robin. As Bruce himself stated, Lance would never be forgotten. Given the parallels between Lance Bruner and Jason Todd, it’s clear that this loss was a significant factor in why Jason Todd’s death impacted Batman so profoundly.

The Brave and the Bold #83 is available now from DC Comics.