Robin the Boy Wonder is the eager, youthful sidekick of Batman, the Caped Crusader, the vigilante crime-fighting alias of millionaire playboy Bruce Wayne. Introduced in 1940 as orphaned acrobat Dick Grayson in the DC comic book series Batman, Robin was played by Burt Ward in the 1966 television series on ABC. As played by Burt Ward, Robin has a cute, boyish face, clean-cut, brown hair, and a compact, athletic physique which fits perfectly with his character's acrobatic background. His colorful outfit, with his dark green mask, gloves, and booties, his bright, red shirt, his shiny, yellow cape, his tight, green panties, and his form-fitting, flesh-color leggings, certainly catches the audience's attention.
Due to his youth, inexperience, and smaller size, the Boy Wonder is clearly the weak link in the Dynamic Duo, which their opponents often seek to exploit. Robin is also cocky, enthusiastic, and overly eager to prove his independent crime-fighting abilities, especially to Batman. He is often in trouble and in need of rescue.
This week's villain is Shame.
Favorite scenes:
During a fight with Shame, one of his henchmen catches the Boy Wonder by surprise from behind.
Later, Robin is in Commissioner Gordon's office where Batman accepts a challenge from Shame to a fair one-on-one fight.
Finally, teaming with Batgirl, Robin discovers that the supposedly fair one-on-one fight was only a lure for an ambush, with four hidden guns aimed at the Caped Crusader. Robin and Batgirl use their ropes to lasso the ambushers (2 women and 2 men) and follow up with their fists.
Unfortunately, the show focuses in on only Batman's fight with Shame and neglects Robin and Batgirl's fight with his gang. While it is probably that Batgirl would have been able to handle both women, it would have been unlikely that the Boy Wonder would have been able to subdue both men. Robin would have probably needed help from Batgirl and possible from Batman too.
This blog is intended to promote the appreciation of Burt Ward's portrayal of Robin in the 1966 television series "Batman". You may purchase both episodes at the following link:
