by Joe Iconic, Reporter
Spinning out of the pages of BATMAN! The teenagers of Gotham City have adopted the ‘R’ and made it their own. A new Robin? No, HUNDREDS of new Robins!
Writer: Lee Bermejo (Joker, Suiciders)
Artists: Jorge Corona (Feathers, Teen Titans Go, Goners), Rob Haynes and Khary Randolph
We are Robin #1 is the new star of the DCYou! This new series echoes the grassroots youth activists of Gail Simone’s The Movement, but grounded in Gotham. The decision to set stories deeper in the Gotham mythology has been a winning formula with Gotham Academy, and (before-its-time) Gotham Central.
We are Robin #1 offers a fresh, new perspective on the well-worn theme of Gotham without Batman, within the fine art of legacy. Jim Gordon as Batman (known as JimBat on certain forums) is a part of the system, while the We are Robin movement are teen vigilantes. Although rooted in the same Bat-tradition, these different approaches are destined for conflict.
Duke Thomas as the lead character resonates as a relatable, fresh voice, with history with Batman. Duke was seen first in Batman: Zero Year, and we’ve seen him in Future’s End as a potential Robin in the future. A fun element of his character is that he does not like heights, a striking contrast from the trapeze artist Dick Grayson, the first Robin. Duke is driven single-mindedly to find his parents, and this quest brings us to other known characters from Gotham.
Doctor Leslie Thompkins is only one well-known supporting character we expect to see in We are Robin #1. The leader of homeless zombies that may or may not be Otis Flannegan, aka Ratcatcher, who was recently seen in Batman: Eternal, and has a history with the homeless. Text messages guiding the group comes from “The Nest,” which is also the name of Tim Drake’s lair. Sadly, I would wager Tim Drake will not be a major part of this series. Between Teen Titans and Batman Beyond, the fan-favorite character has been given his corners of the DC Universe, which some long-time fans fear is dangerously close to being marginalized.
For the mysterious benefactor of the movement, my money is on Alfred as the obvious choice. To be fair, there are not many leads so far, so I reserve the right to change my guess, or be misled often! Till then, stay tuned to We are Robin!
The most fascinating part of this series is the relevance of using social media for a social movement. Like real world groups like Anonymous, the actions and information gathering of the Robins are not controlled by a center figure, but by the individuals in the movement. The Nest is only a guiding force. We are Robin artist Jorge Corona, at HeroesCon last weekend in an interview with ComicsOnline, mentioned that he lived through this in Venezuela. In Venezuela, student protestors are coordinating efforts through social media. For instance, take this recent quote from a Venezuelan student activist: “We want Venezuelans to understand there are young people ready to give their lives for liberty, democracy and sovereignty,” as reported here. Sound familiar?
And speaking of Jorge Corona, the art in We are Robin #1 is phenomenal. Corona remains one of the must-follow artists, and the characterization of Duke Thomas, the other Robins, and the action proves this fact over and over again. The coloring of the issue is also outstanding; following the red and scarlet motifs as well as the different Robin logo variations make the issue worth buying and re-reading.
Rating: 
ComicsOnline gives We are Robin #1 5 texting activist vigilantes out of 5 texting activist vigilantes.
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