One of the most renowned memes on the internet features Batman striking Robin mid-sentence due to an absurd remark he is going to make, although the phrase remains unfinished. Since its beginnings, the meme has been modified into various varieties, employing either alternate versions of the same characters or entirely distinct characters.
The image of Batman hitting Robin originates from a comic book, albeit accompanied by entirely different text and background.
In the alternate world of World’s Finest Comics #153 (1965), Batman struck Robin due to the Boy Wonder’s opposition to his vengeful scheme to eliminate Superman alongside Lex Luthor, as well as his skepticism over Superman’s culpability in his father’s death. This narrative was fortunately never deemed canonical.
Having provided a brief introduction, we shall now examine the subject of this article in further depth.
Source of the Batman Hit Robin Scene
The meme originates from a genuine comic book scene featured in World’s Finest Comics #153, published in 1965. The narrative, “The Clash of Cape and Cowl,” was authored by Edmond Hamilton and illustrated by Curt Swan.
The narrative was fundamentally an alternative reality tale situated on Earth-153, and hence, it is not included in the Prime-Earth canon. The narrative was subsequently labeled a “Imaginary Novel,” indicating to readers that it was a non-canonical, alternate tale.
The narrative centers on a specific confrontation between Batman and Superman. During his childhood, Bruce Wayne resided with his widowed father, Thomas Wayne, a prominent scientist. Dr. Wayne championed justice and so commenced collaboration with Green Kryptonite to develop an antidote for the youthful hero, Superboy, who was vulnerable to the peculiar mineral.
Dr. Wayne apprised Superboy of his findings; however, he had not yet been able to furnish the antidote, as it had not undergone testing at that time.
Regrettably, Dr. Wayne was discovered killed in his laboratory that night as Bruce entered the room simultaneously with the assailant’s hasty departure. Bruce is astonished to see that the Kryptonite solution has been pilfered. Believing Superboy to be culpable for his father’s murder, Bruce resolves to exact vengeance on Superboy and commences rigorous training to become the preeminent investigator and crime fighter globally.
Years later, Bruce Wayne assumes the masked persona of Batman and subsequently adopts Dick Grayson, another orphan who eventually becomes Batman’s crime-fighting ally, Robin. Batman and Robin attain notoriety in Gotham City; nevertheless, the partnership dissolves when Robin discovers Batman’s animosity towards the now-adult Superman.
Robin chooses to depart from Batman following an unexpected slap to the face for attempting to assist Superman. Subsequently, Batman used a hypnosis device acquired from the Crime Doctor to erase Robin’s memories of him and his tenure as Boy Wonder, leaving Robin with only the recollection of being an orphan named Dick Grayson.
Dick visits an orphanage while Batman seeks personal retribution by gathering evidence to implicate Superman in his father’s demise.
Consequently, he penetrates Superman’s Fortress of Solitude to locate the Kryptonite remedy devised by his father. Unable to locate the chemical, Batman resolves to ally with Superman’s foremost adversary, Lex Luthor, to defeat the Man of Steel.
Batman and Luthor successfully apprehend Superman using Kryptonite; but, prior to executing the Man of Steel, Batman discovers that Luthor is the perpetrator of his father’s murder.
Batman rescues Superman but sustains severe injuries from an explosion caused by one of Luther’s firearms. Superman vanquishes Luthor and converses with Batman, who is mortally wounded and subsequently perishes.
In his final moments, Batman expresses remorse to Superman for harboring a longstanding animosity, while Superman ensures that Luthor receives the justice he merits. The slapping incident occurred amid the altercation between Batman and Robin.
Beginnings of the Batman Slapping Robin Meme
The initial known variant of the meme emerged online in 2008 when an individual evidently discovered the image and altered it to create a humorous reference to Batman’s familial history.
The meme was originally intended to reference the deaths of Batman’s parents, therefore the alternate designation – the “My Parents Are Dead” meme.
Many original memes had Robin attempting to communicate with Batman regarding his parents, to which Batman would respond by stating that his parents are deceased while striking Robin across the face.
Given the violent and atypical nature of the image, many individuals initially believed it to be a modified comic book panel; nevertheless, it was subsequently revealed to be an original image, as detailed in the preceding section. Thus, history was forged.
The meme was initially limited to the phrase “My Parents Are Dead,” with the majority of the humor derived from that comic book reference. As the meme’s popularity increased, its usage proliferated, leading to an expansion as individuals saw the potential of the two dialogue clouds for more humor.
This not only boosted the meme’s appeal but also rendered it a wellspring of humor that elicited laughter on several occasions.
Understand the fascinating origins and development of the renowned Batman smacking Robin meme. The narrative extends beyond its comic book origins to its evolution into internet humor. Explore the complete narrative and engage in the discussion by visiting our website today!