Carrie Kelley, the Robin from Frank Miller's influential alternate-future Batman story, first appeared in Batman: The Dark Knight Returns #1 (February 1986), created by Frank Miller, Klaus Janson, and Lynn Varley. In this dystopian tale, Kelley is a 13-year-old schoolgirl inspired by the return of an aging Batman, whom she encounters after he rescues her from a gang of Mutants. Using her savings to purchase a makeshift Robin costume, she actively seeks out Batman, demonstrates resourcefulness and bravery by saving his life, and earns her place as his sidekick, providing youthful energy and moral support to the grizzled vigilante throughout his battles against the Mutant leader, the Joker, and Superman.
In the sequel The Dark Knight Strikes Again (2001–2002), an older Carrie adopts the identity of Catgirl, continuing to assist Batman in a more chaotic, satirical world. The trilogy concludes with The Dark Knight III: The Master Race (2015–2017), co-written by Miller and Brian Azzarello, where she briefly assumes the Batman mantle before settling on Batwoman, leading a new generation of heroes and solidifying her evolution from enthusiastic sidekick to independent leader in Miller's Dark Knight Universe.
Although primarily confined to Miller's non-canonical Elseworlds timeline, Carrie Kelley has occasionally appeared in main DC continuity, such as a cameo in Batman and Robin #19 (2013) during the New 52 era as a college student and homage character, and minor references thereafter, but she has not assumed the Robin role in prime Earth stories as of late 2025, remaining an iconic symbol of renewal and the first prominent female Robin in Batman lore.