As comic book characters continue to capture imaginations and sell out cinemas the world over, they’ve become a popular subject of research among arts and literary scholars. Thea Cheuk, communications arts junior, will lend a critical eye to the most famous sidekick since Dr. Watson when they present their original research on Robin, the “boy wonder,” at VCU’s graduate and undergraduate research symposiums April 23 and 24.
For nearly 80 years, Dick Grayson has taken on the mantle of Robin the alongside “the world’s greatest detective,” Batman. “Queer Eye for the Hero Guy: Exploring Dick Grayson’s Sexuality” will examine the ways in which Cheuk—who also studies gender, sexuality and women’s studies—argues Robin has been “subtextually coded queer” since his 1940 debut.
“There are a lot of parallels between superheroes and closeted queer people,” Cheuk said. “They are hiding themselves except in certain situations. They use costuming to release their true selves into the world. They have this alter ego. And I found that was true when looking at the old comics of Batman and Robin.”
Cheuk began by examining Grayson’s early relationships with other characters.
“The way he is visually and narratively presented helped shore up Batman’s masculinity,” Cheuk said. “Batman is covered head to toe in body armor. And you have Robin wearing this essentially feminine outfit—very short shorts, flashlight bright colors, blaring that his presence is here.
“He’s also kidnapped a lot, and plays this damsel in distress role. Batman doesn’t have a solid love interest—you have a couple women but they come in and out. And when they do, Robin becomes very distressed at the idea of Batman’s attention being split from him, which is indicative of some queer themes.”
Read more about Cheuk’s research at VCU News.
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