The Batfam creation stories are so interesting and the timelines are mindboggling
Bruce Wayne (25 yrs old): February 1939 by artist Bob Kane and Bill Finger
Batman was created as an antithesis to Superman. After Superman’s smashing success with the audience DC wanted to create a darker “villain” hero. He got a little side kick in his 2-3rd year of being Batman
Dick Grayson (8 yrs old): April 1940 by artist Bob Kane and Bill Finger
Here’s the cool thing. Dick was created by the two because Batman had no one to talk to during his cases so it led to pages of him talking to himself. So Finger wanted a character that would ask the same questions as the reader so Robin was created to embody the younger readers’ views. Interesting fact: people took to Dick Grayson instantly despite being new because they loved the humorous, intelligent, young and charming character type. He was a massive success because he was the ideal of how a young man should be in the 1940s
Jason Todd (13 yrs old): March 1983 by Gerry Conway and Don Newton
By the time Len Wein took over as DC editor in 1982, Dick had been the starring as the leader in Team Titans comics. Because Robin no longer appeared in Batman comics, there was no character that would ask questions to make Batman make sense so Jason Todd was created. Interesting fact: In 1988 Dennis O’Neil held a telephone poll asking if Jason Todd should be killed and the majority responded yes. So that’s his death story
Tim Drake (13 yrs old): 1989 by Marv Wolfman and Pat Broderick
Although Tim Drake was created to quickly replace Jason Todd, his creation story is the most unique because it has the most forethought. At the time the contrast in Dick and Jason’s personality led to the death of Jason Todd by the audience. Jason's rebellious attitude was the reason why readers didn't really warm up to him. According to Marv Wolfman, Batman writer and Tim's co-creator, this may have been because fans in that time period didn't appreciate a "snotty, possibly criminal Robin" tagging along with Batman. Tim Drake had neither Dick’s acrobatic prowess nor Jason’s rough demeanor which cemented his success and made him so popular with the fans. Arguably, he is a creator’s greatest revival story.
Stephanie Brown (18yrs old): June 1992 by Chuck Dixon and Tom Lyle
She was originally created as a plot device to “spoil” her father Cluemaster’s plans. She was well-loved by the audience. Horrifically, Stephanie became Robin because she was set to die. After Tim Drake quit, Batman gave the position to his former robin’s girlfriend - Stephanie. Interesting fact: Leslie Thompkins intentionally let Stephanie die from her wounds to teach Batman a lesson about recruiting children, but it was later retconned that Thompkins instead faked Stephanie's death to get her away from Batman
Damian Wayne (10 yrs old): Created by Grant Morrison and Andy Kubert
Like Stephanie, Damian was created to die. Morrison had planned out his death at the creation of the character. Damian Wayne is important because he was meant to show a character that can age and evolve beyond the usual accepted status quo of superhero comics. Interesting fact: In a interview, when the interviewer said Damian is a character that takes people a little time to warm up to, Morris replied, “Well, people didn’t like him. And obviously, he was created to be kind of unlikable, although I always liked the character…It’s an obvious story to tell of this little bad, aristocratic, stuck-up, arrogant, snot of a kid suddenly realize that, “Wait a minute, part of my genetic heritage is Batman!” and then living up to that.”
