The Popverse coverage of the ComicsPRO Annual Meeting 2026 is brought to you by Lunar Distribution. Commited to Retailers. Focused on the Future of Comics.

You may know Batman: The Dark Knight Returns as the iconic story by Frank Miller, Klaus Janson, and Lynn Varley. But as it turns out, other 1980s comic book creators have left their creative fingerprints on The Dark Knight Returns, and Janson and Miller are revealing it all now. 

At ComicsPRO 2026, Frank Miller revealed where the inspiration came from to include a version of Robin in the story, opposite a grizzled and middle-aged Bruce Wayne. Of course, at the time in 1986, there had never been a female Robin, as the mantle had only been carried by Dick Grayson and Jason Todd. And the idea to create a Robin who was also a girl didn't come from Frank Miller's mind, but the mind of another creator. 

"I never thought there would be a Robin. But it was my colleague, John Byrne, as a matter of fact, who suggested that I put Robin in it and that I make Robin a girl," Miller began. 

Miller continued, "And I set out to create Carrie Kelley. And the whole thing really started rushing together, because all of a sudden, there was a bright spot in Batman's dark world. And all of a sudden, this middle-aged superhero had a fatherly aspect." 

This year, DC is celebrating the 40th anniversary of The Dark Knight Returns, complete with a new hardcover and Compact Comics editions that will be hitting shelves later in the coming months.

Get ready for what's next with our list to upcoming comics and how to buy comics at a comic shop, and our guide to all the free comics you can get with this year's Free Comic Book Day and Comics Giveaway Day.