Yes, Robin Has a Cousin and She Needs to Come Back ASAP

Everyone knows about Robin’s brothers, but how many people are aware of his cousin? One would expect Damian Wayne to have a large family, being both a member of the Wayne and al Ghul dynasties. And yes, over the years, we’ve seen him interact with plenty of his brothers and other relatives on his father’s side of the family. However, it’s rare to see him interact with his mother’s side, which has a large family that we’ve never seen. Case in point, Cheetah and Cheshire Rob the Justice League’s breakout character, Featherweight.

During the titular duo’s plan to pull off a heist involving Justice League Unlimited’s Watchtower, they rounded up a unique team to assist them. One such person was Alya Raatko, aka Featherweight, a young woman who, despite her small frame, packs an incredibly powerful punch. And yes, during the series, she acknowledges her familial connection to the Boy Wonder. Sadly, despite the time she’s given, Featherweight isn’t the most prominent character, and with this miniseries concluding, there’s no telling when Alya will show up again. But DC Comics absolutely needs to bring Featherweight back as soon as it can.

Meet Featherweight, Robin’s Superpowered Cousin

Alya first appears in Cheetah and Cheshire Rob the Justice League #2 by Greg Rucka and Nicola Scott when the pair are out looking for muscle. Cheetah’s daughter, Lian, alerts them to a young woman protester in Hub City, whom Barbara and Jade witness her demolish a tank with her fists. They bring in the protester in the subsequent issue, where she reveals she goes by Featherweight, and that her mother is Nyssa al Ghul (making Alya Damian’s first cousin). Featherweight spends most of the series bonding with Lian, while Klarion the Witch Boy develops a crush on Alya.

When it comes to the actual process of robbing the Justice League, Alya is integral to the plan. She tricks the League by hitting a satellite in outer space with a rock, giving her and the rest of the crew the opening they need to infiltrate the Watchtower. When Cheshire and Cheetah’s team actually makes it into the League’s base, it’s Featherweight who is called on to bust into one of the most secure parts of the Watchtower, which she easily does. Interestingly enough, during this adventure, we discover her strength works better when she uses anger to drive her.

Now, despite working with villains and successfully robbing the Justice League, Featherweight has a good heart. When the team makes off with the entire contents of the League’s trophy room, Featherweight muses how much her share will be able to help people like herself. And when she goes her own way, she plans on going back to protesting, specifically in Greece, where anti-LGBTQ persecution is rising (a personal issue with Featherweight, who reveals she’s both bi and trans). She has one final goodbye with Klarion and heads out to whatever adventure awaits her next.

There is So Much Storytelling Potential with Featherweight

As a big Damian Wayne stan, I was interested in Featherweight the moment we found out she was a blood relation to Robin. Unfortunately, we don’t get to see that play much in this story (beyond Alya calling Damian ‘cuz’ during the crew’s heist). Granted, this is a team-based book and not a Robin one. Thankfully, the creative team did a lot with the limited time they could give Featherweight, and they did the most important thing when making a new character. Making me want more of them the moment the story is over.

But don’t think I’m just interested in Featherweight just because she’s Robin’s cousin (even though I do think that’s pretty interesting, narrative-wise). I also really appreciate other aspects of her character, like her passion for social justice and protesting power structures. Given the state of things today, it’s always cool to see characters that embody the fury of younger generations. Not to mention, Featherweight does an amazing job serving as representation for bi and trans individuals. It’s not her defining characteristic, nor is it downplayed. Featherweight just is, and sometimes, that’s the best kind of queer representation.

I think there is so much that future stories could do with Featherweight. Obviously, I’d love to see a story that actually brings her and Robin together. Not for a fight, because we’ve had enough of Damian and family infighting (plus, a punch from Alya could be fatal). Hell, even just a standalone story for Featherweight would be nice because the DCU could always use more good stories with LGBTQ+ characters. I don’t know if it’s in the cards right now, but it would seriously be a shame if DC allowed Robin’s cousin to fall by the wayside of history.

What do you think of Featherweight? Let us know in the comments or share your thoughts on the ComicBook Forum!

All 20 Members Of The Batman Family, Ranked By Threat Level