DC – and Robin – is no stranger to alternate timelines. Some of the best superhero costume redesigns come from DC stories that don’t fall within the main continuity and so are bypassed by veteran cosplayers. However, since cosplay is much more mainstream than just a niche interest now, this ’90s Robin costume is a perfect chance for a cosplayer to show their chops.
DC has many Elseword comics that place Batman in alternate timelines – such as Gotham by Gaslight and Dark Knights of Steel – but one of the original Elseworld stories was Batman: Reign of Terror, a one-shot by Mike W. Barr, José Luis García-López, Noelle Giddings, and Todd Klein. In this world of pirates and revolutionaries, Batman masquerades as a nighttime vigilante who means to disrupt a system of corrupt officials – and this pirate world also, of course, has a Robin.
One of the best pieces of new Batman lore to come out of this comic is Rochelle Wayne, a forgotten Robin who provides comic fans with one of the most unique costumes in the history of the iconic sidekick.
Robin Is a Favorite Character for Cosplayers
From Dick Grayson to the Forgotten Rochelle Wayne
Robin is no stranger to the world of cosplay. The fan-favorite character has been a staple of cosplayers for some time now, even getting treatments of costumes that haven’t even been a part of comic continuity, as when a cosplayer presented a Court of Owls Damian Wayne. The creativity of cosplayers know no bounds, and this ’90s Robin is the perfect challenge for their skills, especially given its unique pirate-like elements.
Not only is this Reign of Terror Robin a simple enough costume, it’s also a rare case of a female Robin getting the spotlight, even in an Elseworlds story. Female Robins arguably have the best costumes ever, even in gender-swapped versions. Though characters like Stephanie Brown and Carrie Kelly are woefully under-represented in the cosplay community, Rochelle Wayne is here to fix that. With a fun and classic style that can display a cosplayer’s creativity and also intimate knowledge of comics, this is by far the coolest Robin costume there can be.
Cosplayers Have a Chance to Show Fans a New Robin
The Many Costumes of Robin
There’s a secret DC world out there that hasn’t been tapped into by cosplayers. Fans should be scouring the most niche versions of characters to show off their knowledge and to stand out in their cosplay. This Robin of the 1600s does just that, and it would be a wonder to see it live on a convention floor. Cosplayers often bring the dream of the page into real life, and this is one Robin who deserves to be brought out into the light, finally doing justice to a genuinely cool DC costume.
Batman: Reign of Terror #1 is available now from DC Comics.
