Damian Wayne is striking out on his own. DC Comics has announced Robin, a new ongoing series for the character from the creative team of writer Joshua Williamson and artist Gleb Melnikov (unclear if Melnikov will be coloring his own work, and no letterer for the series has been named). The series, which spins out of Williamson & Melnikov’s two-part “Demon or Detective” backup story in March’s issues of Batman and Detective Comics, will feature Damian donning a newly-redesigned Robin costume and striking out to find a place for himself in the DC Universe now that he’s left both Batman and the Teen Titans behind.
Here’s how DC describes the upcoming Robin series:
After learning of the deadly League of Lazarus tournament, Damian Wayne has a new mission: to win the tournament and prove he is the greatest fighter in the DC Universe! But first he must find the secret island where the tournament is being held!
In a statement accompanying the announcement, Williamson expressed his enthusiasm about getting to team with rising star Melnikov on the series:
“Being a big fan of Damian Wayne, I’m really excited about getting him back on a hero’s journey.” said Williamson. “Gleb is the perfect artist to tell this story as we show readers Damian’s growth, in a new adventure that navigates his legacy, his connections to Batman, Talia Al Ghul and kicks off an important story in the DC Universe.”
Created by Grant Morrison and Andy Kubert in 2006, Damian Wayne is the son of Bruce Wayne and Talia Al Ghul. The character has previously headlined his own ongoing series, Robin: Son of Batman, which kicked off in 2015 and ran for thirteen issues before concluding shortly after DC’s Rebirth initiative kicked off. The character also starred alongside Jon “Superboy” Kent in the popular Super Sons series, which ran for sixteen issues in 2017-2018 and has since returned for a series of miniseries and young reader graphic novels. An adult version of Damian has also starred in a solo series, Damian: Son of Batman, a four-issue miniseries by Kubert that was released in 2013.
Melnikov’s design for Damian’s new suit looks sharp, and is a nice departure from the boy wonder’s traditional red-and-green costume. The look will also help visually differentiate Damian from the other, superior Robin, Tim Drake. Check out the wraparound variant cover by Kubert and a 1:25 variant by Riccardo Federici for Robin #1 below. Look for the issue to arrive in stores and digitally on Tuesday, April 27th, 2021.
