Batman himself was largely untouched by the Crisis on Infinite Earths, but the same thing cannot be said for those around him, notably Jason Todd, Selina Kyle and Leslie Thompkins. Batman didn't even get an officially labeled "Crisis" crossover issue; it was over circa #392. He got a revamped origin a year or so later (#404-407), but his backstory wasn't altered nearly as much as Catwoman's. Jason Todd's origin was revised immediately after Batman's, and Lesluie Thompkins' around the same time in Detective. Issues #408-416 of Batman were designated "The New Adventures," but been more accutately called "The Revised Adventures." Until then, Jason Todd was the the third Robin, but "The New Adventures" makes him "#3b."
- 1. Earth One Robin - Dick Grayson (becomes Nightwing)
- 2. Earth Two Robin - Dick Grayson (dies in the Crisis on Infinite Earths)
- 3a. Pre-Crisis Jason Todd ("circus" origin)
- 3b. Post-Crisis Jason Todd ("street" origin)
That's not to say that that version "#3b" was featured only in Batman #408-429 (when he was killed); certainly the Robin who appeared in #392-403 was, by definition, post-Crisis. Beyond that, I suspect some (if not most) of Jason Todd #3a's stories "happened" in some form. I'll offer a very specific example of what I mean by that in a later post, but right now I'd like to take a closer look at that post-Crisis origin story.
"The New Adventures of Batman" begins with a version of the story of Dick Grayson giving up his "Robin" identity that is somewhat at odds with the one presented in New Teen Titans #39. [ASIDE: Worse still is the "Nightwing: Year One" version from Nightwing #101-106. I still recall the vigorous debate on this board at the time regarding the relative merits of that steaming pile of crap. (If you weren't here then or don't remember, you can guess which side of the debate I was on.)] But I digress...
Batman #408-409 is largely a continuity implant. It opens with Robin (i.e., Dick Grayson) being shot (in the arm) by the Joker and nearly dying (by falling from the roof of a building but landing on a ledge). This situation leads Batman to "fire" Robin, paving the way for Dick Grayson to become Nightwing. The entire incident was caught on tape by a television news crew in a helicopter. Robin "disappeared" after after that, leaving the media to speculate, "Did Robin Die Tonight?" Batman answers that question for Commissioner Gordon ("Literally? No. To all intents and purposes? Yes."), but is not particularly interested in what the press has to say about the matter.
Vicki Vale tries to get Bruce Wayne to contribute to "Ma Gunn's School for Boys" in the heart of "Crime Alley." This is the sixth year Batman has visited Crime Alley on the anniversary of the night his parents were killed. It will soon be established that Dick Grayson became Robin during "Batman: Year Three," so I suppose we can speculate that Bruce Wayne has been Batman for six years at this point, and that Dick Grayson was Robin for three. Batman pays a visit to Ma Gunn and likes her. after leaving her school he discovers that the Batmobile's two front tires have been boosted. He confronts the young thief returning for the other two and follows him back to the abandoned building where he lives.
The boy's name is Jason Todd. His parents are both dead. Batman agrees not to turn the boy over to social services if Jason will agree to attend Ma Gunn's school. He agrees, but soon learns that the school is a front for training young criminals. Meanwhile, Bruce Wayne tracks down Catherine Todd and learns that she died of a drug overdose about six months ago. Batman learns that Willis Todd is believed dead, believed killed by his boss, Two Face, whom he double-crossed. Batman thwarts a mugging, but when he is clipped from behind he realizes how much he has come to rely on Robin watching his flank. Batman returns to the school to find it empty; Ma Gunn and "her boys" are out pulling a job. Nearby, a man's tires have been stolen. Playing a hunch, Batman returns to the building where he initially found Jason.
Jason is there, and admits to having stolen the man's tires. He also tells Batman about the job Ma and her boys are pulling, then follows Batman to the scene. Working together, Batman and Jason round up Ma and her gang, and by the end of the night Batman calls Jason "Robin." As unlikely as that seems, I find I much prefer this revised origin of Jason Todd; his original origin was too similar to that of Dick Grayson.
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Lady Shiva appeared with Richard Dragon until his last last issue, #18 (D'77). She didn't reappear until The Question #1 (F"87).
She first met Batman in the crossover of Detective Comics Annual #1, Green Arrow Annual #1 and The Question Annual #1, all September 1988, just a few months before Batman #427 (Winter'88). Did he mention that?
Ironically, she played a major part in Tim Drake's first miniseries, 1991's Robin.
Thanks! I remember those three annuals but I didn't buy them.*
When Batman and Lady Shiva first come face-to-face in Batman #427, Batman says, "Lady Shiva. We meet again," but there's no footnote indicating where that meeting took place. Other than that, if I didn't know better, this could almost have been her first appearance.
*I remember being in a regular bookstore in Overland, Mo. and overhearing one of their customers, who noticed Green Arrow Annual #1 was Part II, ask the clerk where Part I could be found. She couldn't tell him, but I did. Detective Comics Annual #1 was elsewhere on the shelf. I made a sale!
All three annuals are included in DC Finest: Green Arrow: The Longbow Hunters.
Anyone have any idea why Jason's dad would have Lady Shiva in his address book? Or why she would have an address?
Other than the fact that they are both criminals, the exact nature of their relationship was not revealed. When Batman and and Robin questioned her, they didn't even mention Willis Todd; all they asked was whether or not she ever gave birth to a kid in Gothan City. She didn't exactly have an "address" per se; the Bat-computer revealed only that she was "operating out of Lebanon at the moment."
I've been thinking about what DC's plans might have been for Jason Todd had the vote gone the other way. An alternate ending was prepared, which amounted to a full page reveal plus several panels on three other pages amounting to approximately an additional page. They have been published in at least three different sources that I am aware of. Had he survived, the "Death in the Family" would have referred to his mother. But his attitude at the beginning and the events of #424 would remain intact. Robin could not appear after "A Death in the Family," obviously, nor would he have if the vote went the other way. Batman would have acted solo for a few issues either way while the new direction was plotted.
I don't think the direction would have been all that different than it actually played out. The Jason Todd Robin was unpopular in any case, and likely would have been replaced by Tim Drake anyway, leaving the door open for Jason to return as the Red Hood in a future story, just as he did in established continuity, but sans the clunky "pounding of Superboy's fists" resurrection. At this point, it is far easier for me to accept (in my head canon) that Jason did survive (exactly as shown in in those alternate pages and panels) than to accept what was revealed in Batman Annual #25, my candidate for "Worst Comic Book (So Far) of the 21st Century."
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