How Many Robins Are There & Which One Is Batman's Best Sidekick?

He might be the world's greatest detective, but as much as he refuses to admit it, sometimes Batman needs a hand keeping the streets of Gotham City clean. Admittedly, using a child to help in his battle against crime might be something to frown upon (especially given that some have literally died while on duty), but a nest full of Robins have made their mark as one-half of the Dynamic Duo, even going it alone outside the shadow of the Bat — to be specific, there have been five so far.

But while many have donned the red-and-yellow combo that still seems nowhere near as effective compared to a partner dressed all in black, every Robin has brought something drastically different to the table. Carelessness, daring bravado, or perhaps wielding a level of aggression that even the Dark Knight himself doesn't have, both Boy and Girl Wonders over the years have lived very different lives and applied drastically opposing tactics in their time as short-caped sidekicks.

With that said, only one can spread their wings as the best of the bunch and stand tall as the undeniably top Robin. To decide that, we'll have to go back to Batman's early days when he first brought a kid into the Batcave and let him play around with gadgets that required adult supervision. 

Bursting onto the scene in 1940, Dick Grayson was the very first daring youngster to take up the title of Robin. Part of a family of acrobats named "The Flying Graysons," Dick sadly endured a traumatic childhood similar to Bruce Wayne's after witnessing his parents' death. From there, Dick was taken under the Dark Knight's wing and joined him in his fight for justice. It was a partnership that lasted an impressive 44 years, before the then Boy Wonder bailed on Batman following an argument and returned with an all-new identity of Nightwing.

Nightwing has since gone on to become a hero in his own right, leading the Teen Titans and even protecting Bludhaven, the neighboring city of Gotham while still popping over to help his former partner in crime-fighting. Besides wielding a butt that DC fans became obsessed with, Dick even donned the Batman cowl during Bruce's absence, taking the title of Batman himself and forming an alliance with Bruce's biological son, Damian. Prior to that, plenty of other young and daring heroes wore the domino mask and the iconic 'R.' Sadly, it was a gig that still led to almost compulsory tragedy, with the collateral damage of being a Batman sidekick sometimes falling on them directly and rocking the Caped Crusader to his core.

Considering the main DC continuity, five brave youngsters have stepped into the shoes of Robin to give crime a beating alongside the Caped Crusader. After Dick chose to pop a more flamboyant collar as Nightwing, Jason Todd, a street orphan caught trying to pinch the wheels of the Batmobile, became his successor. Bruce took Jason in and he fought the good fight until 1988, when he was killed by The Joker in "Death in the Family" only to return for vengeance years later in "Batman: Under the Red Hood." Since then, Jason has become a more aggressive enforcer of justice under the Red Hood persona.

After Jason came Tim Drake, who provided not just backup on Gotham's street but emotional support for Batman, who was struggling with the "death" of Jason. Unfortunately, Tim fell victim to the curse that came with crime fighting, losing both his parents before and during his time as Robin. Struggling with the grief, his then-girlfriend Stephanie Brown stepped in as the first female Robin but also had the shortest time with the gig after disobeying Batman and being forced to step down. After that, Batman teamed up with the most stern and potentially cold-minded kid to don the domino mask -– Bruce's own son, Damian, who still remains the current Robin. But the blood of Bruce Wayne doesn't make him the best. In the end, the third time really is the charm when it comes to the best Boy Wonder to descend on Gotham.

When it comes to picking the best of the bunch of Robins that have run across rooftops with the Caped Crusader, the easiest way is by highlighting the faults of the others. Damian Wayne, for example, is the most terrifying Robin, wielding a dark view of justice that Bruce had to soften since his debut in 2002. In the case of Jason Todd, Batman's second protege had a vengeful streak and a trauma that could never truly fade following his dance with death and a Joker with a crowbar. Even in the case of Dick Grayson, the OG Robin, while setting the bar that all others would try and reach, became a better lone hero than he ever was at Batman's side. Also, his occasional spats with Bats got incredibly heated; he even became one of the few heroes who destroyed Batman in a fight.

The best Robin is Tim Drake, a hero who, while still suffering tragedy for his occupation, always had the initial aim to do good with the duty given to him. Even in "Catwoman: Lonely City #3," the Dark Knight admits that the Robin who Drake became was of his own doing and not born out of vengeance. "I did nothing," Bruce admits. "Tim's not an orphan, like me or Dick. He has a home. People who love him." In the end, you're only as strong as the family that surrounds you, and because of that, Tim Drake is a Robin to be reckoned with.