SPOILER WARNING for Nightwing #81!
Barbara Gordon spends a ton of time on the internet as the tech-savvy hero, Oracle and all of her web surfing means that she’s naturally well-versed in meme culture, and a particular, real-world meme of Batman slapping Robin just so happens to be her favorite.
The Batman slapping Robin meme originated in World’s Finest Comics #153, one of DC’s “Imaginary Novels.” Similar to one of Marvel’s “What If…?” stories, the 1965 comic focuses on an alternate version of the Dark Knight, who believes that his father was killed by Superman. The story features many wild moments, including Batman teaming up with Lex Luthor and even being killed by the issue’s end. Still, Bruce Wayne’s attack on Dick Grayson stands out by far as the comic’s most recognizable panel and has since been modified by countless fans giving their own humorous twist to the scene. Due to the hypothetical nature of the tale, however, the famous slap has never actually been considered canon, but thanks to Barbara Gordon, fans now know that the meme exists on some level in the DC Universe.
In Nightwing #81, by Tom Taylor, Bruno Redondo, Adriano Lucas, and Wes Abbott, Dick Grayson takes on a new villain known as Heartless. Initially, Nightwing underestimates his opponent, but after taking a brutal uppercut from the evil-doer, he realizes that Heartless has enhanced abilities. Despite these superpowers, the acrobatic hero manages to out-maneuver his enemy, forcing Heartless to make his escape by setting off an explosive that puts hundreds of homeless children in danger. Luckily, Nightwing is able to work together with Tim Drake and Barbara Gordon to get all of the kids to safety, but his head injury causes him to pass out quickly thereafter.
Dick wakes up in his apartment with Barbara and Tim standing beside him. Barbara explains that being punched by Heartless in addition to having been shot in the head recently by KGBeast has given Nightwing head trauma and that he needs to rest. As the heroes are talking, however, readers get a quick glance at Barbara’s shirt, which prominently features the iconic Batman slapping Robin meme.
The fact that Barbara would choose to wear this shirt in Dick’s own home is a real slap in the face (pun intended) for Nightwing, especially considering how he got knocked out in the first place. Honestly though, including this minor detail in a story that focuses so heavily on Nightwing’s head trauma just makes Barbara’s fashion statement all the more hilarious. Unfortunately, the former Boy Wonder’s noggin just can’t seem to catch a break, which is perpetuated even further at the end of this issue when he receives yet another blow to the cranium.
While the Batman slapping Robin meme may not be considered canon in the traditional sense, Barbara’s shirt means that it still exists in the DC Universe. Judging by how she spends her time as Oracle, it’s likely that she happened upon the meme somewhere on the internet, meaning that somebody in the DC Universe took the time to create the infamous image. Whatever the case may be, it’s nice to see Nightwing’s creative team including fun Easter eggs in their stories. In a prior issue, they gave a shout out to Adam West’s Batman, so it’s possible that readers will continue seeing little glimpses of the Dark Knight’s history as the series continues. Although hopefully, for Nightwing’s sake, the next one won’t feature Dick Grayson taking a beating. Nightwing #81 from DC Comics is available now in stores and online.