Later this year, Cartoon Network is giving Damian Wayne his own Christmas special. For those unfamiliar, Damian Wayne is the brainchild of legendary playwright, author, producer and comic writer Grant Morrison and was one of the crown jewels of their epic Batman run. The run was particularly noteworthy for killing off Bruce Wayne, promoting Dick Grayson to Batman and introducing young Damian as the new Robin, in a dynamic of the ages. Rather than a strong, serious Batman with a light-hearted and pun-inducing Robin, the roles were reversed: Batman was the fun character and Damian Wayne’s Robin was the dark and gritty hero no-one knew they needed.
Damian Wayne and Dick Grayson as the fifth Robin and third Batman, respectively. Text by Grant Morrison, art by Frank Quitely; copyright DC Comics.
The animated special, which has yet to be given a formal date, promises an epic adventure where Damian will don the cape and cowl in the absence of his father, when Wayne Manor is attacked by members of Batman’s rogue gallery. Cartoon Network had this to say:
“An animated family action comedy destined to join the rogue’s gallery of classic holiday movies. When a six-year-old Damian Wayne finds himself alone in Wayne Manor, he must transform into “Little Batman” in order to defend his home and Gotham City from the crooks and super-villains intent on destroying Christmas. Produced by Warner Bros. Animation and based on characters from DC, Merry Little Batman is Executive Produced and directed by Mike Roth (Regular Show) from a screenplay by Morgan Evans (Earth to Ned).”
Obviously liberties are being taken with the character, as Damian, while young, was certainly beyond a mere six years old by the time he’d met his biological father. The notion of a six year old Damian becoming Batman for Christmas sounds to us like this may be a comedy caper, and we suspect it may fall in line with the hugely successful, but somewhat divisive, Teen Titans Go! series.
There is no word as yet how this will air in the UK. Warner Bros. do operate their own UK version of the Cartoon Network channel, and they also farm out most of their exclusive content to NowTV. Starting on the 19th of September, the US Cartoon Network will broadcast new content, including Merry Little Batman, but also a new Looney Tunes television-movie, a Harry Potter “competition series” and more.
Words: Graeme Small
