Gotham Knights television series

[DigificWriter]

Batman over the years has had a large number of 'surrogate' sons plus the real one (Damian) why does CW feel the need to make up a new character?

Why did Smallville create the characters of Chloe Sullivan, Jason Teague, and Tess Mercer?

Why did Arrow, The Flash, Supergirl, Legends of Tomorrow, and Batwoman create the characters of John Diggle, Thea Queen, Tommy Merlyn, Sara Lance, Felicity Smoak, Mia Smoak-Queen, William Clayton, Harrison and Jesse Wells, Eddie Thawne, Nora West-Allen, Alex Danvers, Kelly Olsen, Nia Nal, Jefferson Jackson, Amaya Jiwe, Charlie, Ava Sharpe, Zari Tomaz, Zari and Behrad Tarazi, Mona Wu, Gary Green, Esperanza Cruz, Gwyn Davies, Mary Hamilton, Ryan Wilder, and Jada and Marquis Jett?

It's called creativity.

Note: I'm aware that a lot of those characters (especially the ones from the Arrowverse) are at least loosely based on preexisting DC characters, but they themselves are not said preexisting characters and therefore are classified as wholly original characters created by the individual producers/writers of the series in which they appeared.

 

[Christopher]

Original source or no, it's a pretty big stretch today to name the son/partner of a crime fighting billionaire after Robin Hood, a character best known for robbing the rich.

You're forgetting that Robin Hood is generally treated in the lore as a rich nobleman himself. He becomes a vigilante to fight against the corruption and abuses of King John and the Sheriff of Nottingham, because he believes his abilities and resources as an educated nobleman should be used to benefit the people rather than oppress them. So yes, of course Batman would identify with Robin Hood.

Probably doesn't make as much sense in 2022 when Errol Flynn isn't a couple of years away.

Robin Hood has been a perennial part of English-language folklore since at least the 14th century, and there have been numerous Robin Hood movies and TV series in the decades since Flynn. Maybe Dick Grayson was a fan of the Disney animated version.

 

[DarKush]

Why did Smallville create the characters of Chloe Sullivan, Jason Teague, and Tess Mercer?

Why did Arrow, The Flash, Supergirl, Legends of Tomorrow, and Batwoman create the characters of John Diggle, Thea Queen, Tommy Merlyn, Sara Lance, Felicity Smoak, Mia Smoak-Queen, William Clayton, Harrison and Jesse Wells, Eddie Thawne, Nora West-Allen, Alex Danvers, Kelly Olsen, Nia Nal, Jefferson Jackson, Amaya Jiwe, Charlie, Ava Sharpe, Zari Tomaz, Zari and Behrad Tarazi, Mona Wu, Gary Green, Esperanza Cruz, Gwyn Davies, Mary Hamilton, Ryan Wilder, and Jada and Marquis Jett?

It's called creativity.

Note: I'm aware that a lot of those characters (especially the ones from the Arrowverse) are at least loosely based on preexisting DC characters, but they themselves are not said preexisting characters and therefore are classified as wholly original characters created by the individual producers/writers of the series in which they appeared.

Don't disagree with you about the creativity. Creating a new character (s) gives them a lot more flexibility, and less internet outrage, in how they depict the character.

But I'm thinking too that with Grayson, Todd, and now Drake on Titans, there's not a lot surrogate sons left to use. I don't know if the Gotham Knights creators have spoken on it, but I wonder if they asked to use any of the other Robins, including Damian, and got a no back from WB. Though not a surrogate son they've also used Luke as well for Batwoman. There's Duke Thomas and Jace Fox, neither of which I consider surrogate sons out there, but don't know if either was considered either.

Also, when it comes to female characters, with Barbara Gordon getting an HBO Max movie, Cassandra Cain in the DCEU courtesy of the Birds of Prey film, and Stephanie Brown already on Batwoman that limits the 'surrogate daughter' options perhaps as well. I am a bit surprised that Harper Row hasn't made it to live-action. Seems like they are leaving her on the shelf.]

As for the picture of the group I'm not that impressed. Nothing against the actors, but more so the production design doesn't stand out to me; this could've easily been a picture taken from Heroes or Heroes Reborn.

 

[wayoung]

You're forgetting that Robin Hood is generally treated in the lore as a rich nobleman himself. He becomes a vigilante to fight against the corruption and abuses of King John and the Sheriff of Nottingham, because he believes his abilities and resources as an educated nobleman should be used to benefit the people rather than oppress them. So yes, of course Batman would identify with Robin Hood.

I'm not forgetting anything. "Being rich" isn't Robin Hoods defining characteristic, and is far from even being a universal one. His defining features are stealing from the rich (then usually giving to the poor) and using a bow and arrow really, really well. "being rich" isn't even the reason used in your source - it's "scoff[ing] at danger" which, I dunno, maybe in 1940 immediately made people think for Robin Hood, but sure isn't today.

"He's named after Robin Hood, because he's like Robin Hood!"

"Oh, you mean he steals from the rich?"

"No. In fact he's the son/partner of a billionaire who uses his wealth as a weapon against crime."

"So.... The exact opposite of Robin Hood ethically"

"I guess so, but otherwise he's just like Robin Hood!"

"He's a really good Archer?"

"No, that's Green Arrow who is also based on Robin Hood because of the whole archery thing"

"He... Lives in the woods with a band of merry men?"

"No, he lives in a mansion with his Dad and a butler."

"How is he like Robin Hood?"

"He scoffs at danger!"

"..."

"..."

"What?"

 

[Christopher]

"No. In fact he's the son/partner of a billionaire who uses his wealth as a weapon against crime."

"So.... The exact opposite of Robin Hood ethically"

No, exactly the same as Robin Hood ethically. Robin Hood is not against wealth and nobility per se, as his motivation for turning outlaw is that King John robbed him of his rightful claim to his estate and he's trying to win it back by fighting on behalf of King Richard. He's opposed to the corruption of the system, not the existence of the system. (Of course, historically Robin Hood may have been a Saxon commoner fighting the oppression of the Norman elites, but his narrative was eventually reintepreted to make him a nobleman himself, and that's the version more familiar in the 20th and 21st centuries, which makes it the relevant version when talking about Dick Grayson's inspiration.)

Besides, how exactly does naming Batman's sidekick after a small bird associated with springtime make more sense than this? A bat and a robin? Besides having wings, they have no connection at all. It's totally random.

 

[wayoung]

No, exactly the same as Robin Hood ethically. Robin Hood is not against wealth and nobility per se, as his motivation for turning outlaw is that King John robbed him of his rightful claim to his estate and he's trying to win it back by fighting on behalf of King Richard. He's opposed to the corruption of the system, not the existence of the system. (Of course, historically Robin Hood may have been a Saxon commoner fighting the oppression of the Norman elites, but his narrative was eventually reintepreted to make him a nobleman himself, and that's the version more familiar in the 20th and 21st centuries, which makes it the relevant version when talking about Dick Grayson's inspiration.)

Besides, how exactly does naming Batman's sidekick after a small bird associated with springtime make more sense than this? A bat and a robin? Besides having wings, they have no connection at all. It's totally random.

Well, there is a ton wrong with this. You're only discussing one version of the legend, and not even the universal elements of it, only the bit that's distinct to the one version. You're ignoring everything I wrote about Robin Hoods defining features, you're ignoring the reason for the name given in your own source, and you're ignoring the reasons for Robin being based off a bird given in the trailer that were talking about by coming up with your own reasons no one has mentioned.

The reason in the trailer? She's the "little bird" who tells things to him, so he called her Robin. Yeah, I'd say thats a lot less torturous route to get to a nickname of Robin than: "He scoffs at danger! I will call him Robin! After Robin Hood! Because if there's one thing modern audiences associate with Robin Hood, it's how he scoffs at danger!"

 

[Kai "the spy"]

In the original folk tales, Robin Hood wasn't even a rich nobleman. In fact, the early ballads refer to him as a 'yeoman', a title used not for noblemen but commoners. Even the later versions that had Robin Hood as a nobleman make a point about him losing his family riches before becoming the defender of the poor.

 

[Christopher]

Well, there is a ton wrong with this. You're only discussing one version of the legend...

Of course I am, because we only need one. We're talking about what could inspire the name of Batman's sidekick. It doesn't matter if there are other versions. It just matters that there is a very well-known and popular version of Robin Hood that has obvious parallels to Batman, and it clearly makes more sense than naming him after a tiny bird, unless you're just looking for excuses to pick a pointless argument on the Internet. I'm done wasting my time with this.

 

[Samurai8472]

All they have to do for that is to remake One Tree Hill or Dawson's Creek.... and add superpowers.

CW- Coming next season............

"Pacey you can fly?!?"

"Joey you can shapeshift?!"

I dare them greenlight this. Heck Dawson's dad used to play the Flash. It works perfectly

 

[wayoung]

Of course I am, because we only need one. We're talking about what could inspire the name of Batman's sidekick. It doesn't matter if there are other versions. It just matters that there is a very well-known and popular version of Robin Hood that has obvious parallels to Batman, and it clearly makes more sense than naming him after a tiny bird, unless you're just looking for excuses to pick a pointless argument on the Internet. I'm done wasting my time with this.

Christopher:. Actively ignores everything everyone writes, makes up reasons nobody said to argue against. Doesn't respond to anyone's actual posts about the reasons Robin is named Robin within his own source or in the trailer actually being discussed.

Also Christopher: "I'm done with this, you're just making pointless arguments for a fight!"

 

[Aragorn]

CW- Coming next season............

"Pacey you can fly?!?"

"Joey you can shapeshift?!"

I dare them greenlight this. Heck Dawson's dad used to play the Flash. It works perfectly

The DC O.C.

 

[DigificWriter]

I am a bit surprised that Harper Row hasn't made it to live-action. Seems like they are leaving her on the shelf.]

Harper is in the show; they've just made her and her brother Cullen (who is also in the show) into the offspring of one of Batman's villains.

 

[CaptainWacky]

It looks shite.

 

[JD]

I am a bit surprised that Harper Row hasn't made it to live-action. Seems like they are leaving her on the shelf.

She's one of the main characters on this, along with her brother, and they're both in the trailer. She was the one wanting the cops to let her brother go.
I didn't think it looked that bad.
They seem to have made some interesting choices with the Batman lore, like having Harvey apparently not having become Two-Face, and Robin is apparently a nickname unique to Carrie Kelly.

 

[ToddKent]

I'm personally past the point for needing an on screen explanation of why Robin is named Robin.

"Hi, I work for Batman. My code name is Robin for no particular reason." Works for me.

 

[Jax]

To view this content we will need your consent to set third party cookies.
For more detailed information, see our cookies page.

Accept third party cookies

This looks really bad.

That trailer offended my eyes.

 

[F. King Daniel]

Solid gold classic. DC is saved.


Oof.

 

[theenglish]

Is this really going into production? Nothing I see makes me want to see more; in fact, I want to unsee what I have seen.

 

[DarKush]

She's one of the main characters on this, along with her brother, and they're both in the trailer. She was the one wanting the cops to let her brother go.
I didn't think it looked that bad.
They seem to have made some interesting choices with the Batman lore, like having Harvey apparently not having become Two-Face, and Robin is apparently a nickname unique to Carrie Kelly.

Thanks. I hadn't known that Row would be in the series, but it's good that they are using her. I'm also glad to learn that Carrie Kelley is Robin, or a Robin, because I didn't know how they were going to explain her being the daughter of a villain. I just saw the trailer. I wasn't that impressed. The cast seems appealing enough, but this feels like a cheaper version of Marvel's Runaways.

Harper is in the show; they've just made her and her brother Cullen (who is also in the show) into the offspring of one of Batman's villains.

Thanks.

 

[JoeZhang]

This looks like dogshit.