Holy Finale! Comics Hero Bites the Dust

NEW YORK —  A group of comic book artists and writers has succeeded in doing what some of the most fiendish minds of the century--including Penguin, Riddler and Catwoman--have failed to accomplish.

They have killed off Batman’s right-hand man, Robin, the younger half of the 48-year-old crime fighting team known to readers around the world as the “Dynamic Duo.”

“Holy Toledo!” as Robin might say.

Robin is killed off in next week’s issue of Batman comics, blown to bits--BAM!--by a bomb planted by Iran’s new ambassador to the United Nations, who turns out to be another of Batman’s old foes, the Joker.

According to a spokesman for D.C. Comics, which publishes Batman, Robin was killed off by readers by a vote of 5,343 to 5,271 because he was considered a “twerp” and a “vindictive, vengeful little brat.” The vote was taken last month.

“Holy Toledo!” as Robin might say, a guy sure can be misunderstood.

D.C. Comics admits that Robin is no Dick Grayson, the teen-age ward of millionaire Bruce Wayne who was the original Robin.

Grayson was promoted to a comic book of his own as “Nightwing,” a teen-age superhero in 1984. His place was taken by a street tough named Jason Todd, the victim of the bomb blast.

“The days of wine and roses don’t last forever,” said Batman Comics editor Denny O’Neill.