Robin gets by just fine without superpowers, but a crossover between DC Comics and Marvel showed how awesome he could be if he had them!
A crossover between DC Comics and Marvel not only gave Robin an awesome superpower, but a cool new name as well. In 1998’s Unlimited Access, a follow-up to the landmark Marvel vs. DC, Robin combines with Angel, of the X-Men, to create a new character: Redwing the Avenging Wonder. As Redwing, the Boy Wonder realizes his potential even more, combining (literally) high-flying acrobatics with amazing gadgets.
By the mid-1990s the comic book industry, which had experienced a boom a few years prior, was in dire straits sales-wise and something was needed to reenergize fans and retailers. In response, Marvel and DC buried the hatchet and released a series of crossovers, culminating with 1995-1996’s Marvel vs. DC, which pit the heaviest hitters of each publisher against the other with the fate of both universes in the balance. In addition to giving fans the match-ups of their dreams, Marvel vs. DC led to the creation of Amalgam Comics, a fictional company comprised of mash-ups of Marvel and DC characters; for example, Wolverine and Batman combined to form Dark Claw, Doctor Strange and Doctor Fate became Doctor Strangefate, and so on. A central character to the event was Access, a hero jointly owned by Marvel and DC. Once the dust from the event settled, the publishers released a series of follow-ups featuring Access; it would be in the final sequel, Unlimited Access by Karl Kesel and Patrick Olliffe, that Robin got his awesome powers and name.
In Unlimited Access, Darkseid and Magneto have joined forces, threatening both universes. In a bid to stop the two, Access summons heroes from the Marvel and DC universes to help. As the heroes of two worlds try to formulate a plan, Robin almost gets into a fight with Angel. Access pleads for peace and uses his powers to combine the two into one being: Redwing, the Avenging Wonder. Redwing aka Warren Drake comes complete with his own backstory, having been trained by the legendary Bat-X. Throughout the rest of the story, Redwing utilizes both his newfound ability to fly as well as his acrobatic skills and many gadgets in fighting off the hordes of Darkseid and Magneto.
Over the course of his 80-year history, Robin has never had superpowers, but his Amalgam version shows how awesome he would be if he had them. No one in the Bat-Family can fly unaided. If Robin had this ability, he would have a serious advantage over Gotham’s villains; it would also be a tremendous asset to the Bat-Family as well. Even though Redwing has superpowers, he is still a world-class detective and an amazing acrobat, which combined with his ability to fly, make him truly Robin’s ultimate form. Tim Drake, the Robin of Unlimited Access, has struggled to find a new alias over the past several years, cycling through various names, but never settling on one. He could return to the name Redwing; even though he would not have super powers, it is still a cool name, and fights with the bird name theme.
The comic industry has changed greatly since Marvel vs. DC, making another such crossover almost impossible, and depriving fans of perhaps Robin’s ultimate form: Redwing the Avenging Wonder.
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About The Author
Shaun Corley (1376 Articles Published)
Shaun Corley is a pop culture enthusiast living in the Pacific Northwest. After stints in both customer service and academia, he’s turned his attention to writing about comic books–his lifelong passion. He is a graduate of Radford University, with a degree in English. When not reading comics, he enjoys spending time with his fiance and their dog.