Robin will be the latest new ongoing series launch for DC's Infinite Frontier reboot-refresh. The new series by writer Joshua Williamson (The Flash, Infinite Frontier #0) and artist Gleb Melnikov (Wonder Woman) launches Tuesday, April 27, and interestingly will star Batman's son Damian Wayne in his brand new darker duds and not Tim Drake.
Tim, the former star of an ongoing series that ran 183 issues over 15 years, was the Robin who got his own Future State two-issue series. Future Stare is serving as inspiration for many of DC's subsequent Infinite Frontier launches and series refreshes.
Damian doesn't appear to be a presence in Future State.
"Now that Damian Wayne has severed his ties to both Batman and the Teen Titans, he'll be emerging from under their shadows to forge his own path," reads DC's description, referring to pre-Future State storylines in the Batman titles during 'The Joker War' and its fallout in the Teen Titans.
"Robin will feature new mysteries for Damian to explore, a new supporting cast, brand new characters, and fights, lots of fights!"
Damian has co-starred in several ongoing series but this is his second solo ongoing, after 2015-16's short-lived Robin: Son of Batman.
"Being a big fan of Damian Wayne, I'm really excited about getting him back on a hero's journey," says Williamson in the new series announcement. "Gleb is the perfect artist to tell this story as we show readers Damian's growth, in a new adventure that navigates his legacy, his connections to Batman, Talia al Ghul, and kicks off an important story in the DC Universe."
Readers should probably take notice that the events of January's Dark Nights: Death Metal #7 has elevated Talia - Damian's mum - into a member of the Totality, the new hybrid hero-villain "next stage" super-team that's sort of a big brain first line (or is that last line?) of defense for the new Earth-0 in the new DC Omniverse.
And that new DCU status quo will first be explored in March's Infinite Frontier #0, written by ... wait for it ... Joshua Williamson.
Interestingly, the always very-deliberate DC referred to what was billed as a one-shot Infinite Frontier #0 simply as Infinite Frontier in their official announcement.
Scott Snyder referred several times to an Infinite Frontier series Williams was writing that "begins" in March in Newsarama's recent interview about the Death Metal #7 finale.
"After learning of the deadly League of Lazarus tournament, Damian Wayne has a new mission: to win the tournament and prove he is the greatest fighter in the DC Universe!" continues the publisher's description of the new series. "But first he must find the secret island where the tournament is being held!"
DC readers taking their Ginkgo Biloba daily supplements might remember Damian will star in a two-part back-up story by Williamson and Melnikov in March's Batman #106 and Detective Comics #1034 that now appears to be a prequel to the new ongoing.
In 'Demon or Detective,' "After leaving Batman behind in Detective Comics #1033, Damian comes face to face with his mother, Talia al Ghul"
See how it all comes together?
Robin #1 features a cover by main and wraparound variant cover by Melnikov, a team-themed card stock variant cover by Andy Kubert, and a 1-in-25 variant cover by Riccardo Federici.
Find out where Damian measures up in the rankings of the greatest Robins of all time. There’s been more than you think!
