Umm, this is 2009. The "dark and gritty" Batman dates back at least to the mid-1980s, and was heading that direction even in the 70s under the pen of Jim Aparo. The Tim Burton Batman film was 1989, twenty years ago. Batman: Year One was in 1987. A "decade or so" must mean a much longer period of time to you than it does to me.
Moreover, the "dark" batman is a return to form that even when it debuted was hailed as a reniassance for the character. It brought him back to his roots as a noir character, the Dark Knight Detective whose influences from the Shadow, Zorro, Dick Tracy, were at last restored. "A Death in the Family" was viewed not just as a vote against Jason Todd, but against the entire concept of Robin and the presence of a brightly colored lighthearted foil for Batman. From then on, he worked alone.
But people keep wanting to bring back the brightly colored children, and the lighthearted camp silliness. The want the TV show and Silver Age era back, when the public has overwhelmingly rejected that. Just ask Joel Shumacher and Christopher Nolan which vision of Batman people want. it won't have Robin or bright colors or lighthearted camp silliness in it, I'll tell you that for nothing.