Warning: Spoilers for Batman: The Brave and the Bold #10 ahead!

Summary

• Maps Mizoguchi takes on her first sanctioned mission with Batman, setting her up to officially be the next Robin.
• Batman seeks out Maps for her sleuthing skills, showing his tacit approval of her crime-fighting abilities.
• Maps has proven herself as a capable hero, demonstrating initiative, detective skills, and even assisting the Batgirls.

After years of teasing, it looks like Robin as Batman finally enlists her on her first sanctioned mission — even if he hasn't actually called her Robin yet.

Batman: The Brave and the Bold #10 returns to Gotham Academy in the story "Mother's Day, Part 1," by Karl Kerschel, MSassyK, and Steve Wands. Though Batman is on the trail of a Man-Bat creature, Kirk Langstrom reveals that he has his monstrous alter-ego under control. So Batman next turns to Maps for assistance in scouring Gotham Academy for the next likeliest candidate: Tristan Grey.

After Batman s her directly using a gifted communication device, Maps is tasked with finding Tristan's whereabouts and securing a DNA sample for Batman to analyze. Maps is quick to declare this "official Robin business," despite Batman swinging off without confirming — or, importantly, denying — her claim.

Maps Mizoguchi Can Officially Claim the Robin Name

As Gotham Academy's breakout star, Maps has made no secret of her heroic aspirations (nor of her home-made Robin outfit). Although she has largely remained a background character, Maps recently made a surprise appearance in the Dawn of DC Birds of Prey series by Kelly Thompson and Leonardo Romero, where she appears as her future self: the time-traveling hero Meridian. Her pivotal work with the Birds of Prey emphasizes Maps' future as a hero and implies that her younger self is approaching her big break in DC's hero scene.

Maps Mizoguchi's first appearance — along with a number of other beloved Gotham Academy characters — occurs in 2014's Gotham Academy #1 by Becky Cloonan, Brenden Fletcher, and Kerschl.

Notably, and despite her other adventures, this is the first time that Batman has officially sanctioned Maps' crime fighting activities. While they teamed up to defeat a murderous Kappa in Batman #119 — another story by Kerschl — Batman made it explicitly clear that he did not approve of her acting as "Robin" then and did his best to discourage her from the case. This issue marks a dramatic reversal, with Batman deliberately seeking Maps out for her aid on a mission while being fully aware of her penchant for sleuthing. Given how protective Batman is of his image and those acting in his name, this implies tacit approval.

Maps Is Ready to Be the Next Robin

It's surprising that Batman hasn't offered Maps the position already, considering how she compares to previous Robins: she's shown at least as much initiative as Jason Todd, paired with detective skills that would make Tim Drake proud. She even has the Batgirls to vouch for her, after assisting Cassandra Cain in taking down Killer Moth in Batgirls #11 by Cloonan, Michael W. Conrad, and Neil Googe. Seeing Batman finally trusting Maps with an official mission all but confirms her role as the next Robin — whether Bruce is ready to it it or not.

Batman: The Brave and the Bold #10 is available now from DC Comics.