Batman and Robin haven’t always had the healthiest relationship, but one universe took their partnership to the absolute darkest possible extreme. While Batman usually lifts Robin out of a traumatic and tragic situation, giving him the tools he needs to heal, this universe saw Batman dragging Robin down into the very depths of darkness.
In the main DC Universe, it seems like no matter what tragedy one of his Robins comes from, Batman is always there to support them and help lift them out of whatever darkness they’re steeped in. Tragically, that was definitely not the case in Countdown Presents: The Search for Ray Palmer – Red Rain #1 by Peter Johnson and Kelley Jones, where Dick Grayson falls prey not only to darkness, but a dark version of Batman.
Usually, a Robin suffers a great tragedy or is in a tragic circumstance. Dick Grayson witnessed the murder of his parents. Jason Todd was homeless and had to fend for himself, and Damian Wayne came from a literal death cult. Only in this universe does Batman actually cause the tragedy that leads to his famous partnership with Robin.
In One Sick Universe, Dick Grayson Devotes His Life to Killing a Vampiric Batman
Countdown Presents: The Search for Ray Palmer: Red Rain by Peter Johnson, Kelley Jones, Eric Battle, Angel Unzueta, Derek Fridolfs, Vicente Cifuentes, Jonathan Glapion, Art Lyons, and Steve Wands
There are so many twisted universes in the DC Multiverse, places where Batman is a Nazi or the world has been overrun by brutal anti-life-infected zombies. But one of the most tragic universes was always the Batman & Dracula trilogy by Doug Moench and Kelley Jones. In this universe, Batman is infected by a vampire and has to battle Dracula for the fate of Gotham. While Batman initially tried to resist his unnatural bloodlust, he eventually gave in and began killing the criminals of Gotham, including the Joker.
After slaughtering his way through the criminal element of Gotham, Batman fully gave in to his bloodlust…
After slaughtering his way through the criminal element of Gotham, Batman fully gave in to his bloodlust, as best exemplified when he killed the parents of a young boy in a dark alleyway, draining them of their blood right in front of him. This child turns out to be Dick Grayson, and he ultimately grows up to be a vampire hunter who attempts to hunt Batman and end his life once and for all. Unfortunately, that’s not how things played out for him.
Dick Grayson Can’t Escape His Destiny of Becoming Batman’s Robin
An Eternal Servant to a Bloodthirsty Dark Knight
Dick Grayson does succeed in hunting down Batman, but he is ultimately unable to kill the Dark Knight. Seeing Dick’s hesitation, Batman immediately bites the young man’s neck before carrying him off into the night. This horrific encounter results in Dick Grayson transforming into a vampire servant of Batman. Dressed up in his new Robin outfit, this vampiric Dick Grayson serves Batman and hunts for victims in Gotham City for the rest of eternity.
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There have been a lot of versions of Batman and Robin who don’t have the best relationship. Some might even argue that the main universe version doesn’t have the best relationship. There is even one universe where Batman has transformed Robin into a horrific goblin creature, believe it or not. But the darkest version of Batman and Robin by far is this dynamic duo from the world of Red Rain, where Batman twists a young, traumatized man into his very own eternal servant, Robin.
Countdown Presents: The Search for Ray Palmer – Red Rain #1 is available now from DC Comics!
One of DC’s most iconic heroes, Batman is the vigilante superhero persona of billionaire Bruce Wayne. Forged by tragedy with the death of his parents, Bruce dedicated his life to becoming the world’s leading martial artist, detective, and tactician. Recruiting an entire family of allies and sidekicks, Bruce wages war on evil as the dark knight of his hometown, Gotham City.
- Created By
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Bob Kane, Bill Finger
- Alias
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Bruce Wayne
- Alliance
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Justice League, Outsiders, Batman Family
- Race
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Human
- Franchise
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D.C.
- FIRST APP
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Detective Comics #27 (1939)
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