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(LIFE LINE)
Brianna Mc Crary
Professor Derohanessian
English 113B
27 April 2015
Gender in Batman
Gender has and still does play a large role in society. Society decades ago placed women
and men into separate categories portraying men to be more sophisticated than women in the
workplace, and women to be better than men performing housewife duties at home. Women were
looked at as weak and not as sophisticated as men several decades ago, but in our society today,
even though women are sometimes still looked at as being below men, women can also be
looked at as being equal or above men. In Frank Millers Batman: The Dark Knight Returns,
gender is incorporated in the novel in a way that raises numerous questions about how women
are not being seen as much as men are in the novel, why Robin, Batmans sidekick, was given an
image of a young male, and why Robin was next in line if Batman were to retire, or be killed.
In all Batman movies, comics, and television shows, Robin was portrayed as being a
young male, but in Millers DKR, the graphic novel made Robin a girl. In Batman Biography,
History, there is evidence that Robin was considered male in most television shows, movies,
and comics, but in Millers graphic novel, the switch of genders for Robin creates something new
to the audience because it is more common for a superhero to be male and not female. The
superheros we see the most are male. The reason why male superheros are most favored and

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well known is because men are looked at as creatures that are stronger than women. It is also
moral for a man to fight crime instead of a woman because women are said to be gentle, and they
play the role of the damsel in distress in stories, TV shows and movies. Therefore, since it is
peculiar to see and read about a superhero that is a woman, Miller was clearly using Robin as a
symbol for womanly power.
Since Robin is a girl in DKR, there is the idea of Robin being below Batman because of
her gender, then, there is also the idea that Robin is a symbol for women being more powerful in
society. Batman is like the king, or the leader in the novel, and if Batman were to fail, Robin
would then take his place. This shows that gender is still important in a way that is unfair and
bias. On page 182 of Millers graphic novel, there is a full page showing Batman and Robin on
horses preparing to fight. Batman is the largest character on the page and is in front of Robin.
Robin is shown on the left of Batman (readers right), which symbolizes how she will be the next
in line if all does not go well for Batman. It is questionable if Robin is behind Batman because
she is next in line to protect Gotham, if Robin is behind Batman because she is a girl, or if Robin
was a character that was supposed to have Batmans back during battle.
According to The History of Robin: The Significance of Superhero Sidekicks
superheros like Robin are considered sidekicks because they are there to talk to the main
superheros like Batman and keep them company (Cagney). They are also to present so that they
can appeal to younger audiences. Since Robin is a girl, it is easier to make the connection that
women are starting to be looked at as sophisticated, and not there to stand next to men for
emotional support only. Not only is Robin a sidekick and can be seen as a source of comfort for
Batman, but Robin is also a female which shows even more how women are compared to men.

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All in all, Millers graphic novel opens the eyes of readers to understand the symbolism
between the role of women and Robin, Batmans sidekick. Gender and the Dark Knight Returns
shows audiences the role women can play in superhero comics, movies and TV shows. Women
can be just as important as men as superheros, and should not be looked at as less than men.
Robin as a girl superhero brings a variety that is equal for men and women, and shows that
women can play an important and useful role in life.

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Works Cited

"Batman Biography, History." Batman History, Batman Biography, Batman Bio. N.p., n.d. Web.
21 Apr. 2015.

Cagney. "The History of Robin: The Significance of Superhero Sidekicks." The Artifice. N.p.,
Apr. 2015. Web. 21 Apr. 2015.

Miller, Frank. N.p.: DC Comics, 1986. Print.