During Batman's more than 80-year run headlining the pages of DC Comics, he's almost always had Robin by side. However, one villain introduced in the late-80s was originally intended to eventually take on the mantle of the Boy Wonder but never did, as writer Alan Grant wanted to see his creation Anarky become the next sidekick to the Caped Crusader.
Robin first appeared in the pages of DC Comics in Detective Comics #38, just under a year after Batman debuted in the same series. The original Robin was Dick Grayson, who would later take the role of Nightwing after transitioning from sidekick to hero. There have been many characters who have taken over as Robin since, including Jason Todd, Tim Drake, Carrie Kelley, Stephanie Brown and Damian Wayne. But, before Drake appeared in the comics, Batman writer Alan Grant was hopeful his creation, Lonnie Machlin, aka Anarky, would join Batman's adventures as Robin.
Grant wrote multiple runs on Batman including Batman: Shadow of the Bat and Detective Comics in the late-89s, as he co-created a number of villains including Anarky, Victor Zsasz, Ratcatcher, and the Ventriloquist. Anarky, as his name suggests, was an anarchist, who, despite being a kid, was an expert hacker and fighter who would often use his intelligence to take on his opponents. He wasn't afraid to use violence to take down greedy CEOs and other people in power. Batman actually showed admiration for his work. His story would have worked well as a potential Robin who was learning how to use his skills the right way, but alas, Anarky never became Robin, despite Grant's wishes.
In a 2011 interview with DC Leaguers, Grant admitted that he hoped Anarky would eventually evolve into the new Robin - but that legends Denny O'Neil and Marv Wolfman beat him to the punch by creating Tim Drake.
I had originally hoped, when I wrote the first Anarky story, that Anarky would eventually end up as the new Robin. But, unknown to me, Denny was already working in secret with Marv Wolfman to create Tim Drake. When Norm and I stopped working on Batman, we tried to buy back the rights to Anarky, we loved him that much. But the DC Vice-President to whom we pitched this idea just laughed and said “That’s not the way we do things at DC.”
Anarky might not have become Robin or be a household name, but he became a popular pseudo-antihero, with the character appearing in the animated film Beware of Batman and in the Batman: Arkham Origins video game. Alexander Calvert portrayed Lonnie in the Arrowverse. It's too bad Anarky never got his shot as Robin, as he could be a completely redeemable villain who's actions of taking down greed and corporations (albeit in violent ways) is extremely relevant today. It would be fun to see DC revisit the character in a Black Label series or in an Elseworlds book and finally give Anarky a shot at being Robin - it seems like such a good fit, that it's a shame it never actually happened.
Source: CBR
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