In DC Comics, Batman ’s war against crime, with his flashy yet instantly recognizable outfit being a far cry from the Caped Crusader’s darker-hued and more blatantly scary design. Yet on an alternate Earth featured in the Kingdom Come universe and eventually in DC's main continuity, the role of Robin gave way to a new vigilante named Red Robin, with this character’s costume skewing far more closely to Batman’s iconic batsuit than ever before.

The next step in Dick Grayson’s journey as the most influential member of the Bat-Family, 1996’s Kingdom Come, by Mark Waid and Alex Ross, introduced the Red Robin identity in a near future that saw the old guards of the DC Universe give way to far more violent and morally compromised heroes.

Estranged from Kingdom Come’s Batman — an even more cynical version of the character who uses a mechanical batsuit to assist him in his return to superheroing — Dick becomes Red Robin not as the sidekick he once was but as his own hero à la his Nightwing persona.

Red Robin’s Superhero Costume Design Is Batman’s Batsuit Without the Ears

Red Robin’s Cape and Cowl Are Similar

Similar to Batman’s design when it comes to the all-black cape and cowl Dick wears, these wardrobe elements feel as if they could have been reused from a discarded batsuit, with Dick only needing to cut the bat ears off the cowl and fit the cape to his liking, giving Red Robin a very Batman-esque air about him. Also carrying himself in a way that he no doubt learned from his former mentor, Alex Ross’ brilliant painted illustrations make it seem like Dick can’t turn his head properly, mimicking the way Batman struggles to similarly move in the live-action space.

Whether Dick intended to purposely create a new costume that could be construed as an alternate batsuit is up for debate, but considering the tumultuous relationship he and Batman had at the time of Red Robin’s debut, it’s safe to say that any similarities between the two are ing at best. Donning a pair of gloves, boots, pants, and a utility belt that harken back to what Batman wears, Red Robin’s outfit borrows enough from Batman’s that it easily fits within his extended Bat-Family, but not so much that it can’t stand on its own as something exclusive to Dick.

Red Robin's Costume Is Unique But Still Shares Much With Batman's Design

Red Robin Also Has a Different Color Scheme

Yet as similar as this costume is to Batman’s nearly perfect vigilante design, there are a fair amount of differences that make Dick’s Red Robin suit unique to the character while simultaneously paying tribute to his original Boy Wonder outfit with reverence. Wearing a silhouetted logo of a robin on his chest rather than a simple “R” emblem, Dick brings in more red and yellow tones along with a pair of crossing bandolier-esque straps that meet at the center of his chest, effectively marrying Batman and Robin’s iconic comic looks in a way that hasn’t been properly replicated since.

Still able to utilize all the fighting, stealth, acrobatic, and gadgetry skills that he’s used to deploying in the field while wearing this suit, it’s interesting that Dick chose to add a cape to his Red Robin outfit, as he’s mentioned multiple times that wearing one is often cumbersome and limiting for the way he prefers to fight, something that clearly wasn’t a concern when he inadvertently paid homage to Batman’s fan-favorite design. Regardless of the differences or similarities Dick happened to have when premiering his Red Robin costume, it’s still a badass look that’s stood the test of time.

Red Robin’s Superhero Costume Is Now a Legacy Look in DC Comics

The Red Robin Mantle Has Been Held by Multiple People

Though Dick Grayson created Red Robin in response to new evils threatening the Kingdom Come universe, others have taken up the mantle of this Bat Family-d character as well. Holding onto the title for only a fleeting moment, the second Robin and current Red Hood, Jason Todd, briefly wore the costume during the Countdown to Final Crisis event while on Earth-51, with the throwaway villain of Ulysses Armstrong, aka The General, donning the suit for a short time next. Embodied by another ex-Robin, Tim Drake, it’s here where the Red Robin identity found a true hero to call its own.

Later on in Tim’s tenure as Red Robin during DC’s New 52 era, he controversially decided to revamp his outfit, choosing to lean more into the avian aspect of his moniker, complete with more realistic bird wings and limited flight capabilities — a look that wasn’t exactly well received by fans and shared almost no similarities to Batman’s design. Unfortunately, Red Robin’s original Batman-esque costume has recently fallen by the wayside, with Tim now favoring a slightly tweaked version of his initial Robin look, dropping the “Red” portion of the name and making this design a footnote in DC Comics history.