Dick Grayson debuted in April of 1940 in the pages of Detective Comics. I know I’ve been out of the loop lately thanks to everything going on but I wouldn’t have missed a tribute to the first Robin turned Nightwing. And yet I only barely heard about the anniversary just as the month was ending. So I wanted to make the next Free Comic Inside about Robin, which means it’s back to the Kenner Super Powers Collection. Robin had his own action figure and I’m sure they did a good job showing off how cool Robin is.
No, actually, I’m wrong.
Guess which one doesn’t poop on the Penguin’s ride. The answer may shock you.
Super Powers Collection: Robin
DC Comics/Kenner (1983)
PACKAGED WITH: Robin action figure
no credits given
During an aeronautics exhibition in Gotham City, a lunar landing vehicle called “Moonbird” is being shown off. Suddenly the exhibition hall turns freezing cold signifying the arrive of…the Penguin? Wait, why is Penguin using Mr. Freeze’s routine? He’s there to steal the Moonbird so he doesn’t have to be a flightless bird anymore. Seriously, the thing’s designed to land on and leave the moon. I doubt it’s designed for a decent escape vehicle or robbery vehicle considering the various flying craft Batman has at his disposal, not to mention members of the Justice League that can fly.
But who should arrive but Robin, the Boy Wonder (or Teen Wonder according to the cover and possibly the backing card for the toy) who…is immediately captured in the Moonbird’s rock-collecting pincers. He can’t get out on his own and Penguin takes off in the vehicle but he is able to press his belt radio and summon other superheroes. Hawkman and Green Lantern (not Superman, as seen on the cover that wouldn’t be visible in the package) answer his call. Penguin drops Robin, but Hal catches him with a giant catcher’s mitt while Hawkman uses his ability to call on birds (which I guess he had at the time although I don’t remember him using it) to block Penguin’s view. Robin knocks Penguin out of a canopy that can’t decide if it has glass or not or where as Robin waves to the others from the controls while Hawkman and Green Lantern take him to jail.
Look, I don’t have a problem with other heroes from the line assisting. Wonder Woman helped Batman and Flash saved everyone else. Here, though, Robin is just there to call in the other heroes and drive the lander back to the exhibition hall. He doesn’t really save the day, while Batman actually came up with a plan to stop the Joker zombies. I don’t mind the assist but this is Robin’s comic to show off his action figure to the kids who bought it. And I don’t think it delivers on that goal.
In next month’s installment I think I’m going to go back to Marvel and look at the other Drakes mini-comic mini-series. Sadly this means more Wolverine. At least he isn’t a jerk in that story. Most of the time.
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