The Usual Suspects: Top 5 "most likely" characters to become Robin

                Now lets address the elephant in the room.  Ever since Batman Inc. #8, when Damian died, everyone has been asking the same question.  "If Batman & Robin continues who will be the next Robin?"  Now the idea of this top 5 is to address the characters that have been introduced to us through the course of the Batman story lines.  But also this is my top 5, so I'll be doing it on my personal opinions on who best would fill the Robin cape, and who best would continue the story we've seen so far. 

#5  Carrie Kelly

            Lets break this down.  We have a character that in this continuity shouldn't be born for at least another fifteen years, and who appears to be in her early twenties and is a drama major.  Most people love Miller's Dark Knight, and like them I really like the Carrie Kelly Robin, but in this universe I just don't see it.  This could be just a clever misdirection, and man do I hope so, but her relationship with Damian, keeps her coming back to stately Wayne Manor, and with Bruce not being in the best state of mind might keep her around whether it's a good idea or not because he misses his son.  Ever since we first saw her in Batman & Robin #19 dressed as Robin at a costume party, all I can imagine is that later that night she's getting plowed by a dude dressed as Batman, and that image alone disturbs me enough to make her the bottom of the list.

#4 Harper Row

            Harper has one of the most complex relationships with Batman than anyone on this list.  Harper shows up and helps save Batman, she see's this as a calling and starts training to take on the scum of the streets, Batman punches her in the face, Batman saves her, and gives her back her equipment while pretty much giving her his blessing.  If Harper should become Robin, what will we see?  Punk up the costume a bit?  I like Harper Row as her own character, but Robin swinging around with her septum pierced pisses me off a bit.  Maybe I'm just being a stubborn fan boy, but no, don't do it.  She's already a techno guru, if you have to make her something more than she is, why not a new oracle?  Just keep her out of the red and green.

#3 Resurrected Damian

           Let's be realistic.  Even though it would be the weakest way to have a Robin,  Damian is the grandson of Ra's Al Ghul.  We've recently seen Ra's back in action so that tells me that there's still a Lazarus Pit out there.  Looking back at Batman & Robin #19, Batman dissected Frankenstein in order to figure out the secrets of Resurrection, and then in the next issue, Batman ruined any decent family reunion he could of had with Red Hood by taking him to the spot the Joker killed him.  It didn't end well.  Like I said resurrecting Damian would be the worst idea to have a new Robin.  The only reason it ranks higher than Carrie, or Harper, is that like most people I really miss Damian.  When he became Robin I hated him, but as the stories progressed, and the New 52 happened I found myself loving the redemption of this character.  Even though I miss my little pumpkin headed Robin, keep him dead.  We'll all be better off in the long run.

#2 Tim Drake

            Tim is my favorite Robin of all time.  I miss seeing him by Batman's side, and I don't think it too far off base to give him Teen Titans and Batman & Robin.  Like me most people I talk to when asked their favorite Robin, go right to Tim.  He's trained, he already knows the Bat Family secrets so we don't have to have the whole run around with that.  Tim just seems the perfect choice, which is why I don't have much to say about him.  But if Tim is so perfect why is he #2?

#1 None

            Now it pains me to say this but the best option for a Robin, is not to have one.  How does it make any sense that Batman after losing his son lets anyone else put on the tights.  Batman & Robin is one of my favorite titles but I would rather see it ended then to have Batman be out of character and give us a weak story.  We still have a few more months of Batman & (add name here), but the stories aren't what we have come to expect from the title.  The solicitations aren't out yet for whats to come next after Villains Month.  But all I can say is end it.  Let Batman have his grief, and work it through, and maybe eventually we will have a Robin again that feels right.  I just don't want DC to force the issue to continue a title.  We already have a Crisis of Infinite Bat titles, if we lost Batman & Robin I would be sad, but in my opinion it's the right thing to do.

            Well there you have it.  My Top 5 Robins.  So maybe someone out there has glimpsed some future option I haven't or maybe you don't agree with my opinion at all so if you know something I don't (which isn't hard to imagine), let me know.  Write your opinions down in the comment section and see if you know what Tomasi has cooking in the future.  Until next time.