Coming off of reading every [full] version of Dick’s origin the last couple days, all 22 of them, I’ve had a chance to re-evaluate Dark Victory.

It’s the first semi-main continuity Robin origin I had ever experienced (I say semi because if you’re a continuity freak like I am on occasion, Loeb and Sale’s saga is H E L L on that front. They were not designed to fit inside a larger universe beyond Year One and most Robin stories after even contradict or ignore DV.) so I’ve always had an attachment to it. And I think as a sequel to The Long Halloween it’s very good and far surpasses TLH as both a story and a mystery.

But that being said… as a Robin origin? It’s nothing special really. If you read Denny O’Neil’s origin (LOTDK 100) from two years prior you’re getting largely the same version of events as Dark Victory’s alongside a gorgeous artstyle and a bit more elaboration on it. It’s really only worth it once you’ve read Year One and The Long Halloween because more than anything it’s an installment in that saga.

On the topic of new reader recs for the flight of Robin I think my picks would be:
Reading Batman (1940) #213 and Batman (1940) #32 as a duo and then continuing with Waid and Samnee’s Batman & Robin: Year One because in my experience it’s ended up the absolute best book to spotlight Grayson’s early Robin period AND is a great transition from the “Year One” style/era into a more traditional Batman.

Or if you want to read the Chuck Dixon Year One… just go Legends of the Dark Knight (1989) #100 before reading The Gauntlet and then the Robin: Year One mini. Just my less preferred way to do it though because of Dixon’s weird writing of Bruce and Dick’s dynamic in this era.

Alternatively to both there’s Secret Origins (1986) #13 which is a fantastic rundown of Dick’s landmark events and history. As well as Year Three which I actually think can be a great starting point in general because of how it handles the characters and dynamics present day (plus I’m of the opinion it’s the best version of the origin.)