Batman has a new Robin. Maybe.
In a move likely to delight, and perhaps befuddle, longtime Batman fans, Carrie Kelley — a cult-favorite girl Robin introduced in the classic 1986 graphic novel, “The Dark Knight Returns” — is joining DC Comics’ modern canon.
Confused? That’s understandable given the convoluted world of comic books.
Here’s a quick primer: As first reported by the Post in February, DC Comics has killed off the latest in a succession of Robins – Bruce Wayne’s son, Damian. Now, as the Caped Crusader mourns, the publisher is teasing readers of the new issue of “Batman and Robin” by bringing in the highly popular Carrie Kelley, who was previously reserved for comics auteur Frank Miller’s “Dark Knight” alternate-reality stories.
EXCLUSIVE Q&A WITH ‘BATMAN AND ROBIN’ WRITER PETER TOMASI
In this new iteration, Carrie is a little bit older than she was in “The Dark Knight Returns” and its 2001 sequel, but her personality remains very much intact.
“She’s a college kid who’s got spunk and speaks her mind,” said writer Peter Tomasi. “This is not an alternate-earth Robin, this is simply a girl named Carrie Kelley, who we learn knew Damian, which in turn weaves her into the fabric of the DC Universe for the first time in 25 years.”
So is she the new, official Robin or not?
While the issue – No. 19, on sale Wednesday — features a dynamic illustration of the duo by artist Patrick Gleason on a special, fold-out cover, it’s not a given that Carrie Kelley will ultimately inherit the role of Batman’s protege.
“What you’ll find out once you crack the book, is that she’s not exactly the ‘new Robin,’ but I don’t want to spoil the story and her introduction into Bruce Wayne/Batman’s life,” Tomasi said. “In regards to how long she’ll be around, let’s just say that it’s a helluva lot longer than ‘one issue.’ I’ve got plans for Carrie that play well into the future.”
The move is the latest in a string of eye-catching maneuvers since DC Comics relaunched its primary line in 2011 under the banner The New 52. And it comes in a month where the publisher has been promoting an array of oddball occurrences and encounters across the entire line.
But Tomasi promises that Carrie Kelley’s arrival is no mere stunt, or dream, or what-if story.
“It’s all real,” he said. “It’s all in continuity. It’s all part of the Batman universe in the here and now. Carrie Kelley has found her way into The New 52 and she’s here to stay – in what capacity is anybody’s guess – except mine of course.”