Batman always does what he can to defeat crime. He pushes his physique and psyche to their limits and even stretches beyond those. He prepares the best plans for any and all given circumstances. And even for a man who wants to be and fight alone, he isn’t above aligning himself with others to stop crime or tyranny. He is one of the most crucial members of the Justice League. But just a recognizable, he is the alpha in the Bat Family. Over the years, Batman has brought in many different allies to help him with his crusades. The most noticeable ones are the multiple Robins. Each of them has brought different elements to the team-ups. Each of these has been vital to Batman, as well as his arc. And Batman is willing to help anyone who needs it. Now, what if people were to stumble across a young kid who lost their parents as a child and has just recently lost their uncle while dealing with this new set of abilities given to them by a radioactive spider? Would Spider-Man be a good Robin to Batman?
So, from the gate, Peter Parker meets some of the criteria that some of the Robins have faced. Dick Grayson lost his parents at a young age. Jason Todd grew up in a harsh environment. Damien Wayne was trained to be a cold-blooded assassin from birth, but there was not a loving environment. Bruce Wayne and Batman believed there was an opportunity to give these boys a better living. He gave them some type of purpose after their tragedies muddied their paths. Batman could see the same opportunity with Peter Parker. In fact, Peter’s and Dick’s paths are similar. A criminal killed Uncle Ben and Dick’s parents, and both Peter and Dick set off on crusades to bring those who were responsible down. Batman intervened with Dick and helped him bring the criminals to justice so Dick could see that justice could be delivered, even though it never came to Bruce. Batman could help Peter do the same. That could start the bond, the trust, and the training. Even though Peter still has Aunt May, he could still be supported by Bruce. Once Bruce sees Peter’s natural ability to understand science, he can help Peter get far. Give him a stable career in the science field. Maybe even give him a role in Wayne Enterprises instead of leaving Peter to fend for himself and worry about getting fired from multiple jobs because he needs to be Spider-Man.
What makes this potential team-up make more sense is that fans have seen this already. Peter’s character is all about laughs, having a good time, making jokes, and poking fun at his enemies in the middle of a fight. Dick Grayson’s Robin and Nightwing do the same thing. That type of character was a great foil to Batman’s personality. It makes it known that the world in which Batman operates does not corrupt everyone. Grayson’s Robin and Nightwing are well versed in that world but show Batman not everything has to lead to a venomous depression. He was the spark, the light to the darkness surrounding Batman. For small moments, Batman and Bruce Wayne had to stop the brooding, the grimness, the sulking to love Grayson as a son. That could all be translated to Peter Parker. It’s well known that many villains want to shatter Spider-Man’s soul. He has to find ways to bring himself back up. Well, Batman is an expert in that realm. He knows how to do it. So, Batman can mentor Spider-Man out of those calamities. But much like Grayson, Spider-Man could offer some hope to Batman. Spider-Man tends to look at things more positively and sees the silver lining. In many ways, Spider-Man is a Boy Scout himself. If he joined Batman, Spider-Man could guide Batman away from a dark blur.
In addition to all of this, having Spider-Man on Batman’s crusade to stop crime gives the Dark Knight some power on his side. Most of the Bat Family are powerless. They are gifted and highly skilled but lack any superpowers. Spider-Man will have more power than all of them combined. Threats that outpower the Bat Family, like Bane, Mr. Freeze, Poison Ivy, and Killer Croc, will now be met with a matching power.
So, even though many factors say that Spider-Man could be a great addition to the Bat Family, eventually, he will step out of Batman’s shadow. Spider-Man has the potential to stand on his own and have his own lore. In fact, his whole existence goes against the sidekick trope. At the time of his debut, characters his age were all sidekicks. Spider-Man was the first to be his own hero despite his young age. Even though Spider-Man is mentored by Iron Man, Mister Fantastic, Captain America, or someone else in Marvel Comics, he doesn’t stay with them for long. He knows how to stand on his own. He DOES stand on his own. This type of character arc is being played out right now.
For the past couple of years, Nightwing has not only stepped away from Batman but is becoming his own character that Batman, Superman, and the Justice League respect as a stand-alone person. While he still shares many skills as Batman, Spider-Man is much different. His traits, powers, and abilities will want to grow, will want to separate. Spider-Man already has a great supporting cast around him. Aunt May, Harry Osborn, MJ, or Gwen. He won’t solely need the support of Bruce, Alfred, or any others in the family. So, it gives more reason for him to step away from Batman. Although both characters have experienced similar heartbreak and want to do good, there’s enough within Spider-Man to move away from Batman. His personality and his outlook on how enemies should be treated will clash with Batman. Spider-Man will discover he has the strength – figuratively and literally – to venture and make his own impact on the world. The duo of Spider and Bat will be a great pair of powers, but Spider-Man will find his own place in the world outside the cave.
