You might know more than me about the history of the character, but I was under the impression that back in 1940 that the introduction of Robin saved Batman.
I have not done the research myself, but in Michael Chabon's novel The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Klay, which deals extensively with the early days of comic books, it's more or less stated that the introduction of Robin improved the sales of Batman comics, and to such a degree that it drove nearly every other super hero to acquire a youthful sidekick. Captain America got one. I thought the Sub-Mariner got one (though I can't find direct evidence of it, so maybe not). The freaking Human Torch got one! And he was an android!
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I have not done the research myself, but in Michael Chabon's novel The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Klay, which deals extensively with the early days of comic books, it's more or less stated that the introduction of Robin improved the sales of Batman comics, and to such a degree that it drove nearly every other super hero to acquire a youthful sidekick. Captain America got one. I thought the Sub-Mariner got one (though I can't find direct evidence of it, so maybe not). The freaking Human Torch got one! And he was an android!