On The Significance of Robins
The concept of sidekicks has been around since long before Sherlock Holmes accepted Dr. Watson’s need for a flat-mate and long before Batman realized that he needed a Robin to curb his darker edge. A protagonist needs an intelligent (but not too intelligent) partner to bounce their ideas off of and to have a built-in audience when they solve their latest case based on their own convoluted, yet totally logical, deductions. They might also need someone to distract the limelight from themselves and their own illuminated brilliance; someone who can deal with the unwashed masses as only an everyman sidekick can. Having a sidekick for our intrepid do-gooders allows us as readers to step into the story by filling that everyman’s (or woman’s) shoes and thus feeling we are able to help the hero to save London/Gotham City/The World, etc. in reality and not just observing events from afar.
So, Agnes Porter, in the guise of her favourite heroine, Sonya Crimson and in the tradition of all great protagonists, has her very own sidekick; a sidekick that will listen to her, keep her grounded and love her unconditionally. You won’t see Reggie all the time, Sonya has other friends and acquaintances that will fill her time, but he will always be there, waiting in the wings for whenever Sonya Crimson might have need of him,. Waiting on the periphery of brilliance as all good sidekicks should.
Enjoy this weeks comic everyone.Have a great one! – Jim