Batman has existed since 1939. Throughout the almost 86 years of his existence, new villains and sidekicks have repeatedly been introduced to accompany the Dark Knight on his crime-fighting missions. One of them had a tragic fate because many readers did not like him.
Which sidekick of Batman are we talking about? Anyone who knows Batman probably also knows Robin. However, there is not just one Robin. Over time, many characters have emerged, who later became heroes in their own right. They are mostly orphaned teenagers that Batman takes under his wing.
One of the most tragic figures is Jason Todd, the second Robin. After Dick Grayson stops being Robin to go solo as Nightwing, Bruce Wayne takes in Jason. In his original version, he is, like Dick Grayson, a talented acrobat whose parents were murdered.
In a later version, Jason grew up in poor conditions. His father was a criminal who left the family, and his mother died from an overdose.
To survive, Jason stole car parts and sold them. This is how he met Batman, after he tried to steal his tires. He took the orphan under his wing and wanted him to use his anger to fight crime as Robin, so he wouldn’t become a criminal himself.
However, readers at the time did not like the impulsive and energetic Robin, and in a poll, the majority voted for a tragic fate.
In the game Gotham Knights, Jason Todd is one of the playable characters
Jason Todd was a controversial character
What could you vote on? In 1988, DC readers could vote on whether Jason Todd would die or live on. In a tight vote, 5,271 readers voted against his death, while 5,343 voted for it.
He was kidnapped by the Joker, beaten, and ultimately died in an explosion just before Batman could save him. This happened in the iconic story A Death in the Family. Batman sees Jason’s death as his greatest failure.
However, Jason was resurrected and healed and trained by Talia and Ra’s al Ghul. As an adult, he returned to Batman to find out if Batman regretted never having killed the Joker. Batman does not regret it, which causes Jason to explode with rage.
In several stories, he takes on the role of an anti-hero, who also enjoys clashing with Batman. He fights criminals, unlike Batman, but in a much more brutal way. He uses firearms and does not shy away from killing his opponents.
How can I read the story? Since Death in the Family is a quite iconic story, it is available in a collection that can also be easily purchased from various merchants.
In addition, there are also 2 animated films: Batman: Death in the Family and the follow-up story Batman: Under the Red Hood. In the video game Batman: Arkham Knight , you can experience an alternative version of the story in a playful form. In an alternative version of Batman, the Dark Knight is no longer a wealthy heir: New story makes Batman even darker, even taking away his greatest weapon: Money
