WARNING: Contains Potential Spoilers for Batman and Robin: Year One #2!

While I absolutely love the Dynamic Duo of Robin, I’ve always rolled my eyes whenever the Dark Knight explains his reasoning for allowing children to become soldiers in his war on crime. I’ve always found his core argument—that he had no choice—to be one of the weakest excuses imaginable. However, one Batman and Robin story has finally convinced me that Bruce Wayne truly had no other option but to recruit Dick Grayson.

...there truly was no way Bruce could have contained the menace that was Dick Grayson...

When I first heard about Mark Waid, Chris Samnee, and Giovanna Niro’s Batman and Robin: Year One series, I was beyond ecstatic to be getting a modern-day retelling of the Dynamic Duo’s origin. So far, the series has delivered everything I could have hoped for—and more. What I didn’t expect, however, was for the series—specifically issue #2—to completely change my opinion about Batman recruiting Dick Grayson as Robin.

While I’ve always understood from a narrative perspective that Bruce’s decision was necessary for the story, I’ve long considered his justification—that he had no choice—to be weak. I’ve always believed there’s always a choice. But now, for the first time, I’m convinced that Bruce truly had no other option than to let Dick Grayson don his scaly green shorts.

Why I Never Bought Into Batman's 'Child Soldier' Excuses

Cover B Card Stock Variant by Mikel Janín for Batman and Robin: Year One #1 (2024)

Batman has often been criticized by his fellow heroes for his decision to have a child sidekick, especially during Dick Grayson’s time as Robin. As the first Boy Wonder and a trailblazer for child sidekicks, Dick’s role was unprecedented in the superhero world. Other heroes frequently questioned Batman’s judgment, pointing out the dangers of involving a child in his war on crime. In response, the Dark Knight typically defended his decision with the argument that he had no choice—Dick would have taken to the streets on his own regardless. If that was inevitable, Bruce reasoned, it was better for Dick to be properly trained and by his side.

I’ve always found Bruce’s claim that he couldn’t stop Dick from seeking revenge on his parents’ killer or fighting crime on his own to be a weak excuse. He’s Batman, one of the most skilled and resourceful heroes in the DC Universe—how could he not stop a child? While I accepted this reasoning for the sake of the story, it never sat right with me. But Batman and Robin: Year One #2 has completely changed my perspective. The obstacle course sequence convinced me that Dick was an unstoppable force—a relentless menace that even the Dark Knight couldn’t have contained.

Batman and Robin: Year One Proves What Bruce Wayne Knew the Whole Time – Dick Grayson Is an Unstoppable Force

Cover C Card Stock Variant by Matteo Scalera for Batman and Robin: Year One #1 (2024)

The preview of Batman and Robin: Year One #2 showcases a chaotic and dangerous scene where Robin runs a deadly obstacle course in the Batcave. This isn’t just any training exercise—it’s filled with traps and weapons confiscated from Batman’s rogues over the years, elevating it from dangerous to downright lethal. Among the hazards are flesh-eating Jokerized fish and Riddler-designed booby traps, but the real kicker is Alfred Pennyworth firing a rapid barrage of rubber bullets from a machine gun as Dick navigates the course. Remarkably, instead of focusing on the objective—taking out the machine gun—Dick uses the opportunity to clown around, turning the exercise into a show.

Frustrated with Dick’s lack of focus, Bruce finally shouts, “Dick, stop fooling around! This is serious! Take the gun out!” In response, the Boy Wonder grabs one of the Jokerized fish and throws it into the gun barrel, jamming it and halting the attack. While effective, this unorthodox approach doesn’t sit well with Bruce, and the two launch into an argument. Bruce accuses Dick of not taking his training seriously, but Dick fires back, telling Bruce not to make training so “boring” if he wants him to care. This fiery exchange is what ultimately convinced me that there truly was no way Bruce could have contained the menace that was Dick Grayson.

In this moment, it’s clear that Dick isn’t like any other child. He’s exceptional—not just in his near-Olympian athleticism, but in his unyielding determination to follow his own path. The question, however, was never about Dick’s capability to be Robin but rather whether he should have been. This scene underscores how Dick’s defiance and relentless drive to seek justice made him an unstoppable force—one that even Bruce couldn’t contain. Knowing this, Bruce realized that whether he approved or not, Dick would have found a way to fight crime on his own. While this has always been Batman's reasoning for allowing Robin to fight beside him, I am now convinced of its validity.

Batman AND Robin Both Qualify for Arkham Asylum

Cover B Card Stock Variant by Kevin Nowlan Batman and Robin: Year One #2 (2024)

There’s a running joke in the Batman fandom that the Dark Knight is just as unhinged as the villains he locks away in Arkham Asylum. However, this joke rarely extends to Robin—and the preview for Batman and Robin: Year One #2 makes it clearer than ever that it should. The obstacle course scene highlights that Dick is even more of a menace than Batman himself, as the boy’s reaction to a deadly, Gotham Rogue-themed challenge is to dismiss it as “boring.” To put it in modern-day lingo, Bruce hit Dick with a major vibe check, and the younger hero not only matched his energy but sured it—proving that the formation of the Dynamic Duo was truly unstoppable.

Jason Todd Should NEVER Have Been Robin

Dick Grayson Is The Reason Batman Made the Mistake of Letting Jason Todd Become Robin

While I now acknowledge that Batman’s decision to take Dick Grayson on as Robin was inevitable, Batman and Robin: Year One #2 also makes it glaringly clear why Jason Todd should have never become Robin. The simple truth is that Jason wasn’t Dick Grayson. Dick was the exception, not the rule, when it came to the potential of a child sidekick. Bruce's decision to let Jason follow in Dick's footsteps, based on the success of the original Boy Wonder, was perhaps the biggest mistake he ever made. The two boys were worlds apart, and it was this difference in their needs, backgrounds, and strengths that ultimately led to Jason’s tragic death.

While most would agree that Dick was destined for greatness and that Batman’s decision to make him Robin was a wise one, Jason’s death proves that not every child Batman takes under his wing should be exposed to the dangerous, traumatizing world of crime-fighting. In fact, most children should never be thrust into such a life. Dick’s success as Robin, and later as Nightwing, is an extraordinary and rare exception. It was Batman’s mistake to believe he could replicate Dick's success as Robin with another child, and the consequences were devastating.

Batman and Robin: Year One #2 is available November 20, 2024, from DC Comics!