Warning: Spoilers for Absolute Batman #1Damian Wayne’sRobinhas a number of distinguishing qualities that set him apart from the rest ofBatman’ssidekicks, the most notable being his catchphrase.His trademark"tt"is the fastest wayto single him out ina crowd of Robins, and the origin of the new Boy Wonder’s vocal tic has been revealed. Robin’s catchphrase has newfound roots in Batman lore, forever redefining Damian’s place in the Wayne family.
Absolute Batman#1 – written by Scott Snyder, with art by Nick Dragotta – gives Bruce Wayne gets a creative overhaul as his origin story is rewritten for thenew Absolute Universe. In this subversive take on Batman’s continuity, it’s revealed that Martha Wayne is still alive. On top of that, when Bruce meets her in front of their apartment, she makes a sound that’s usually only made by Damian Wayne.
The implication here is thatAbsoluteDamian Wayne’s tic originated from Martha, which means it’s secretly been a trait he inherited from Batman’s family all along.
The Absolute Universe’s Reinvention Of Robin’s Catchphrase Gives Him An Immediate Connection To Batman’s Family
Absolute Batman#1 – Written By Scott Snyder; Art By Nick Dragotta, Frank Martin & Clayton Cowles
In the eighteen years since his introduction, Robin’s signature tongue click has become one of his most notable features. It’s a relatively common sound in a broad sense, but Damian’s repeated usage of it makes it an undeniable staple of his character, as iconic to him as his father’s"I am Batman"catchphrase. The"tt"sound is meant to indicate annoyance or judgment, which suits Damian’s personality well as a no-nonsense Robin who wants to get right to business. Now, though, another member of the Wayne family has made that sound her own.
Robin’s Iconic Catchphrase Was Just Stolen by the Last Person DC Fans Expected
One iconic Justice League member has officially hijacked the Boy Wonder’s signature catchphrase, bringing hilarity with a dose of wholesomeness.
It’s likely that Robin got his catchphrase fromMartha Wayne, the mother of Batman. This change to DC lore settles how Robin fits into the Wayne family after he’s had difficulty navigating the paternal half of his lineage. BecauseBruce’s parents died when he was young, Damian never had the privilege of meeting Thomas and Martha Wayne, and he therefore has a disconnect from Batman’s side of the family. This demonstrates thateven though Robin hasn’t met his grandparents, they’re still a part of him, just like the relatives he has met on his mother’s side.
The Main DC Continuity Version Of Robin Was Raised By His Mother – The Absolute Universe Changes That
Absolute Batman#1 – Available Now From DC Comics
The side of his family that Robin is most closely acquainted with is that ofhis mother, Talia al Ghul. As the grandson of Ra’s al Ghul, the Demon King, Damian was raised alongside the League of Assassins and taught to fight with intent to kill from a young age. For the first ten years of his life, the Al Ghuls were the only family Damian had ever known – one of the paradigms thatAbsolute Batmanwill seemingly seek to invert, as one of its many gamechanging alterations of Caped Crusader lore.
Talia al Ghul made her first appearance in 1971’sDetective Comics#411 – written by Dennis O’Neil, with art by Bob Brown, Dick Giordano, & Ben Oda. Available now from DC Comics!
Talia’s love, and Ra’s influence, permeates Damian’s story in the mainstream DC Universe. InThe Boy Wonder#4–by Juni Ba, Chris O’Halloran, and Aditya Bidikar – it is shown that Talia decided she didn’t want her son to lead the life her father wanted for him and made the heartbreaking choice to give him up to Batman. This sacrifice has led Damian to become Robin and navigate a part of his family he hadn’t known before in the familiar continuity – but as the new origin for his catchphrase shows, nothing is ordinary about theAbsoluteUniverse.
Absolute Batman Is An Opportunity To Explore An Entirely New Batman-Robin Dynamic
The Revised Origin For “TT” Is The First Step
Batman didn’t start off on the best terms with Damian when Talia first left their son in his care inBatman#656 by Grant Morrison and Andy Kubert.Robin’s initial hostility towards his fatherdrove a wedge between them, and despite Batman’s best efforts to connect with his son, they couldn’t quite see eye-to-eye about anything. Over the years, however, the two have bonded through fighting crime together as Batman and Robin. They’re now a Dynamic Duo in their own right, withBruce stepping up to be the father Damian has always needed, andhis latest connection to Batman’s family solidifies this.
While exactly how the Batman and Robin dynamic will play out in theAbsoluteUniverse remains to be determined, Martha Wayne’s use of “tt” inAbsolute Batman#1 makes it clear the series has the opportunity to do a drastically different take on their partnership. The reinvention of Damian’s classic catchphrase, and the lore-change to make it stem from his paternal grandmother, entrenches him inBatman’slineage and proves thatRobinis a true member of both halves of his family tree.
Absolute Batman#1is available now from DC Comics.
Batman
One of DC’s most iconic heroes, Batman is the vigilante superhero persona of billionaire Bruce Wayne. Forged by tragedy with the death of his parents, Bruce dedicated his life to becoming the world’s leading martial artist, detective, and tactician. Recruiting an entire family of allies and sidekicks, Bruce wages war on evil as the dark knight of his hometown, Gotham City.
