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Dick Grayson as Robin Reading Order (Pre-Crisis)

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Dick Grayson Robin Reading Order (Pre-Crisis era)

Despite the fact that Batman has a reputation as a solo vigilante, Batman’s readers know the truth is quite different. Just under a year after Batman’s first adventure, Dick Grayson, the first Robin debuted in Detective Comics #38 (April 1940). Created by writer Bill Finger, artist Bob Kane and illustrator Jerry Robinson (who also came up with the character’s name inspired by Robin Hood), Dick was designed to appeal to younger readers. It was a success, as sales doubled and critics were overwhelmingly positives.

Dick Grayson was the son of John and Mary Grayson and part of the “Flying Graysons”, a family of trapeze artists working at Haly’s Circus and famous for always working without a net. As tragedy is never far away, Dick’s parents are killed following the sabotage of their trapeze by Tony Zucco, a mafia leader. Present that day at the circus was billionaire Bruce Wayne who choose to take little under his care and train him as his sidekick. Dick became his crime-fighting partner Robin. Batman and Robin became known as the Dynamic Duo, and there was rarely a Batman published story without the Boy Wonder. From 1947 through 1952, our original Robin appeared in Star-Spangled Comics, in stories devoted to him. Our original Robin also stars alone in Star Spangled Comics for nearly five years (1947-1952), and was a founding member of the Teen Titans team, created in July 1964.

Before becoming Batman’s sidekick, Dick Grayson was already a young talented athlete with amazing acrobatic skills. Batman trained him to become an expert tactician and field commander, as well as a martial artist, hand-to-hand combatant, and a highly skilled detective. Not to mention the use of all Batman’s gadgets.

To know more about Dick Grayson’s time as Robin, the iconic Batman’s sidekick, check out the following reading order!

Dick Grayson as Robin: Modern retellings and other stories

Dick Grayson hold on to the Robin mantle during almost all of the pre-Crisis of DC Comics. If you prefer your modern stories, as the Golden/Silver/Bronze Age is not everyone’s cup of tea, here is a list of retelling and other stories taking place during the time Dick was Robin but written during the Modern era:

  • Batman: Year Three (1989) – by Marv Wolfman and Pat Broderick. This is the first official Post-Crisis origin of Dick Grayson. This follow-up to the Year One and Year Two stories chronicles the third year of Batman’s crime-fighting life. It was the year Dick Grayson came to live with him and became Robin. Originally appeared in Batman #436-439.
  • Batman Dark Victory (1999-2000) – by Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale. A Sequel to Batman: The Long Halloween, this Batman story centers on a series of murders involving Gotham City police officers and doubles as a re-telling of the origins of Batman’s sidekick, Robin.
  • Batman Chronicles The Gauntlet (1997) – By Bruce Canwell and Lee Weeks. This one-shot tells us about Dick Grayson’s final exam before he officially becomes Robin.
  • Robin: Year One (2000) – By Chuck Dixon and Scott Beatty, this is Dick Grayson’s first year as Batman’s sidekick, Robin.
  • Batgirl: Year One (2003) – By Chuck Dixon and Scott Beatty. This is Barbara Gordon’s origin story as Batgirl where Dick Grayson is an important supporting player.
  • Robin & Batman (2021-2022) – By Jeff Lemire and Dustin Nguyen. This three-issue limited series explores the beginning of Dick Grayson’s crime-fighting career.
  • All-Star Batman & Robin, the Boy Wonder (2005-2008) – By Frank Miller and Jim Lee. Taking place in continuity with Miller’s other Batman works. This is yet another retelling of robin’s origins, the bad one you can avoid but I list it, that way you know it exists if you want to look at it.
  • Teen Titans: Year One – By Amy Wolfram and Karl Kerschl. A light miniseries that retraces the early days of the Teen Titans.
  • Nightwing: Year One (2005) – By Chuck Dixon and Scott Beatty. The duo behind Robin/Batgirl Year One retells us the end of Dick’s career as Robin and how he became Nightwing.

Robin Year One - Dick Grayson Robin Reading Order

Dick Grayson as Robin Reading Order (1940-1984)

Dick Grayson was Batman’s sidekick for many, many years. For this reason, this reading order lists mostly Batman comics, as this is where you’ll find our Boy Wonder.

Golden Age Robin, Batman’s Sidekick (1940-1956)

Throughout the 1940s and 1950s, DC Comics portrayed Batman and Robin as a team, deeming them the “Dynamic Duo”, rarely publishing a Batman story without his sidekick; stories entirely devoted to Robin appeared in Star-Spangled Comics from 1947 through 1952.

Also available in (slimmer) paperback editions:

Batman Icon Reading OrderDetective Comics #211-232 and Batman #86-100
are not collected yet in this collection. For now at least.

Robin Archives Vol 1 - Dick Grayson as Robin Reading Order

Star-Spangled Comics was a comics anthology launched in 1941, starring Star-Spangled Kid, Guardian, Newsboy Legion, Robin, and Tomahawk. Robin replaced the Newsboy Legion starting from issue #65 and stayed for the rest of this series, until issue #130. A part of those Robin stories has been collected in the (now out of print) Robin Archives.

Robin Letter Icon Reading Order Damian WayneStar-Spangled Comics #106-130
are not collected anywhere.

Robin Letter Icon Reading Order Damian Wayne

Robin in the Silver Age (1956-1970)

Even if there are discussions about when the Silver Age began for Batman, it is generally considered that the Silver Age began with the publication of DC Comics’ Showcase #4 (October 1956), which introduced the modern version of the Flash. We left historians and more competent people on the subject to explain the subtleties of this period. What matters for us, right now, is that is not a well-collected period for our Dynamic duo but it should change soon as DC announced a Batman Silver Age Omnibus…

Some stories from that period can also be found in different collections:

  • Batman: The Black Casebook
    Collects Batman #65, 86, 112, 113, 134, 156 and 162, Detective Comics #215, 235, 247 and 267, and World’s Finest Comics #89. With an intro by Grant Morrison. This is a sort of companion piece to Morrison’s run on Batman, collecting stories from the 50s and 60s that inspired his run.
  • Batman In The Fifties
    Collects Batman #59, #62, #63, #81, #92, #105, #113, #114, #121, #122, and #128, Detective Comics #156, #168, #185, #187, #215, #216, #233, #235, #236, #241, #244, #252, #267, and #269, and World’s Finest Comics #81 and #89.
  • Batman In The Sixties
    Collects Batman #131, #144, #148, #155, #179,#181, #200, #217; The Catwoman’s Catnapping Caper!; Detective Comics #298, #341,#349, #369, #388-391
  • Batman: The Dynamic Duo Archives Vol. 1
    Collects BATMAN #164-167 and Detective Comics #327-333
  • Batman: The Dynamic Duo Archives Vol. 2
    Collects BATMAN #168-171 and Detective Comics #334-339 (1964-1965)
  • Tales of the Batman: Carmine Infantino
    Collects Batman #166-175 #181, #183, #188-192 #194-199, Detective Comics #327-347, #349 #354-371, #500 and The Brave and The Bold #172, #183, #190, #194

Robin continues to be in nearly every issue of World’s Finest Comics at the beginning of the Silver era, until issue #129. After that, the character appears irregularly throughout #30o.

Teen Titans 1966-1978 Icon Reading OrderDick Grayson/Robin became the leader of the Teen Titans, the junior version of the Justice League of America. This teenager team is introduced in The Brave and the Bold #54 in issue 1964, offering the spotlight to the sidekicks.

  • Teen Titans: The Silver Age Omnibus
    Collects The Brave and the Bold (1955) #54, 60, & 83, The Hawk and the Dove (1968) #1-6, Showcase (1956) #59 & 75, and Teen Titans (1966) #1-24

Robin Letter Icon Reading Order Damian Wayne

Bronze Age (1970-1985)

Starting in 1969, writer Dennis O’Neil, artist Neal Adams and inker Dick Giordano wanted to go back to a darker and grimmer Batman. In order to accomplish this, they decided to write out Robin by sending Dick Grayson to Hudson University and into a separate strip in the back of Detective Comics. During this period, Grayson also guest-starred sometimes in Batman stories and still works with the Teen Titans.

  • Robin The Bronze Age Omnibus - Dick Grayson as Robin Reading OrderRobin: The Bronze Age Omnibus
    Detective Comics #390–391, 394–395, 398–403, 445, 447, 450–451, 481-485; Batman #192, 202–203, 227, 229–231, 234–236, 239–242, 244–245, 248, 250, 252, 254, 259, 333, 337–339, 341–343; World’s Finest Comics #200; Batman Family #1, 3, 4–9, 11–20; DC Comics Presents #31, 5. This omnibus reprints stories from June 1967 to June 1983. Beware! It contains lots of stories in common with the Batgirl omnibus from this era.
  • Teen Titans: The Bronze Age Omnibus
    Collects The Batman Family (1975) #6 & 8-9, The Brave and the Bold (1955) #94, 102, & 149, Teen Titans (1966) #25-53, and World’s Finest Comics (1941) #205.

New Teen Titans 1980-1984 Icon Reading OrderAfter a two-year hiatus, The Teen Titans are relaunched in 1980 and entered their glory days as they became The New Teen Titans under Marv Wolfman and George Perez. The title became one of the most popular selling books in DC. During that period, Dick Grayson has a falling out with Batman, leading to an estrangement that would last for years. It will also grow out of his role as Robin and rename himself Nightwing.

Robin Letter Icon Reading Order Damian Wayne

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