Tim Drake

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Timothy "Tim" Drake is a DC Comics fictional superhero who, as Robin, is Batman's sidekick but also a young hero in his own right. Tim is the third and current Robin.

Character history

Origin

DC Comics was left uncertain about readers' decision to kill Jason Todd (the second Robin), wondering if they felt Batman should be a lone vigilante, disliked Todd specifically, or just wanted to see if DC would actually kill the character (see also: ). In addition, the 1989 Batman film did not feature Robin, giving DC a reason to keep him out of the comic book series for marketing purposes. Regardless, Batman editor Denny O'Neil introduced a new Robin.

Tim Drake, who was to become the third Robin, first appeared in a flashback in Batman #436 (1989). Drake was a 13-year-old boy who had followed the adventures of Batman and Robin ever since witnessing the murder of the Flying Graysons, back when he was only a toddler. This served to connect Drake to Dick Grayson, the first Robin, establishing a link that DC hoped would help readers accept this new Robin. Drake surmised their secret identities with his amateur but instinctive detective skills, after watching Batman and Robin battle against the Penguin on a security tape shown on TV. While the Penguin was attempting to catch Batman unaware, Robin pounced on the Penguin after executing a quadrupal somersault, which Tim had witnessed Dick execute during the final performance of the Flying Graysons. Tim knew for a fact that only Dick Grayson could execute such a feat, and made the connection, after which he followed their careers closely.

Some years later, after Batman grew progressively more violent and reckless following Jason Todd's death, Tim sought out Dick Grayson to try and convince him to reprise his role as Robin. Convinced that he could not take a step back, Dick agrees to assist Batman once again, but only as Nightwing. Tim, who was unsatisfied with Dick's decision, continued to argue that Batman needed a Robin. Finally he coaxed Alfred to help him, and taking the Robin costume from the Batcave pursued the original Dynamic Duo where he proved to be an invaluable asset in the capture of Two-Face.

Both Dick and Alfred could see that Tim was well suited not only as Robin but also as a force to keep Batman grounded emotionally. Although Batman was very reluctant to have another partner, he grudgingly agreed that the boy had potential and then began an extended training period in which Tim endured months of physical, mental and psychological tests.

Yet before Tim could take on the role of Robin, his parents Jack and Janet Drake were captured by a villain calling himself the Obeah Man. Batman immediately flew to their rescue, but he failed to save them before both Jack and Janet were poisoned. Janet died, and Jack was left in a coma for several months. Batman became even more reluctant to entrust Tim with the Robin mantle following this loss, afraid that the boy was too blinded by rage and a desire for vengence. Tim managed to prove himself however, when Batman and Vicki Vale were kidnapped by the Scarecrow. After that, Batman finally allowed Tim Drake to become the newest Boy Wonder (this time wearing a more practical uniform, including long pants and no 'pixie' boots).

Training abroad

In addition to being a primary character in the main Batman comic books, Drake is also the first Robin to star in his own series (both mini and later monthly).

The Robin mini-series #1-5 (January 1991 to May 1991, written by Chuck Dixon with Tom Lyle as penciller), took place immediately following Batman giving him the mantle. Still wishing to make certain that his newest Robin did not repeat the mistakes of the previous Boy Wonder, Batman sent Tim to Paris in order to learn fighting skills from a master martial artist: Rahul Lama. There, he learned the healing arts from the aging master, while learning combat from his grandson. Unfortunately Tim found himself drawn into a battle against King Snake's criminal organization, the Ghost Dragons. While on this adventure, Tim joined forces with a former DEA agent, Clyde Rawlins. Unexpectedly however, they were not the only ones after the King Snake. The world-class assassin Lady Shiva, who was wishing to test her skill against the King Snake, immediately saw the potential that Tim had as a fighter, and decided to take him under her wing and trained him in martial arts. As a bonus, she offered to train him in one weapon - he chose the bo staff. Shiva mentioned, somewhat derisively, that it was not a lethal weapon, to which Tim replied that was the reason he had chosen it. At the end of his training, he defeated Shiva in a sparring match with the bo, and she gifted him with a collapsible bo staff which fit under his cape.

Meanwhile, King Snake was creating a virulent plague. The three attempted to stop them from releasing it, but the Ghost Dragons escaped with a few of the canisters. After tracking them to Hong Kong, they eventually defeated King Snake, though Rawlins died in the attempt and Shiva mostly watched the proceedings. Shiva ordered Robin to kill King Snake while he hung from a building, to signify his 'graduation' and thus become her 'weapon'. Robin, of course, refused to do so and left. It is believed that Shiva threw the King Snake off the ledge of the building theoretically to his death, though later it would be revealed that he did actually not die.

Not just a sidekick

When Robin returned to Gotham City, he began his official career as Batman's sidekick, and over the next several months, he began making himself known as a hero to be reckoned with. This led DC to give Tim yet another mini-series, entitled Robin II: Joker's Wild (October 1991 to December 1991), in which Tim is forced to face Jason Todd's murderer, the Joker, without the assistance of Batman. A third mini-series entitled Robin III: Cry of Huntress (December 1992 to March 1993), pitted Tim and the Huntress against Robin's old nemesis, the King Snake. This story delved deeper into the difficulties that Robin suffered as both a normal teenager and as a vigilante; particularly in the relationship with his father, who had come out of his coma only months prior. Both Robin II and Robin III featured the same creative team that worked on the first mini-series.

The popularity of the Robin mini-series led to the launch of a monthly series in November 1993, which has created a mythos independent of that of the main Batman story. Robin was given an assortment of archenemies, such as the bumbling but cruel Cluemaster and the psychotic child criminal, the General. The series was launched with Chuck Dixon and Tom Grummett as writer and artist, respectively.

Meanwhile, Tim's father, Jack Drake, had at last come out of his coma and was left crippled from the waist down. This new handicap and the loss of his wife left Jack with the desire to reconnect with his son, Tim. Tim's duties as the Boy Wonder and his close relationship with Bruce Wayne caused a greater rift between Jack and Tim, though they did attempt to reconcile.

In time, Jack regained the use of his legs with the aid of physical therapist Dana Winters. Although Dana was considerably younger than Jack, the two immediately felt an attraction for one another and began dating. The involvement of Dana in the Drakes' life was a blessing, as she was able to curb Jack's anger at his son for being so distant, as well as aid Tim to feel more connected with his father. As time passed, Jack proposed to Dana, and they were married; this following an incident in which Dana was possessed by a powerful witch and fought Robin, Spoiler, Wildcat, and Black Canary.

Tim was also given a romantic interest, a Russian girl named Ariana Dzerchenko, who was introduced in the third Robin mini-series. While Tim and Ariana dated seriously for many years (meaning "real world" years; Tim Drake has only been Robin for approximately four or five years in continuity), they did break up, at which point Tim fell in love with Stephanie Brown, the Cluemaster's daughter, who rejected her father's lifestyle and adopted the superhero identity, the Spoiler.

Young Justice and the Teen Titans

Much like Grayson, Tim Drake has allied himself with the other superheroes in his demographic. He spent much time working primarily with only the Gotham City heroes, but would on occasion join forces with heroes such as Superman, the Flash, Superboy (who became Tim's best friend) and Impulse. Then, during one adventure where a pre-teen boy was given god-like powers, Robin, Superboy and Impulse joined forced to defeat him. The boys had worked so well together that they agreed to create their own team of heroes called Young Justice (a name they did not select themselves). Robin was made the leader of the team, until he temporarily quit following the Imperiex War, during which the group was tortured on Apokolips and Robin had discovered that over half the team including Superboy, Wonder Girl, Impulse and Cissie King-Jones (formerly Arrowette), no longer trusted him after the JLA discovered Batman kept contingency plans on them. The younger heroes began to wonder if Robin, who could be as secretive as Batman, might also have plans to defeat or even kill them.

When Tim returned, the team agreed to elect their leader this time around, and Tim lost to Wonder Girl. Despite no longer being the team's leader, Tim was still looked at as the team's tactical expert, aiding Wonder Girl in leadership, similar to Batman's own position in the JLA. Unwilling to quit Young Justice a second time, Tim once took on the identity of "Mister Sarcastic" at a point where Young Justice had agreed to be become Reality TV stars.

Unfortunately, Young Justice disbanded following the death of Donna Troy. Cyborg, Starfire and Beast Boy drew Robin, Superboy, Wonder Girl and Impulse (later known as Kid Flash) together to form the new Teen Titans. While Cyborg took the post as leader of the Titans overall, Robin was often seen as the leader of the younger members, even going against the direct orders of the elder Titans, who at times were coddling them. In the "Titans Tomorrow" storyline, Tim encountered his future self in the identity of Batman after his mentor died in a crisis. This future happened despite his repeated statement that he did not want to be the next Batman, and was rather content being Robin.

War Games

Just prior to The War Games, Tim's father, Jack Drake, discovers that Tim is actually Robin. Jack was enraged and threatened to expose the secret identities of all those involved with Batman. Tim however offered Jack a deal, in which he would give up his role as Robin to respect his father's wishes and in exchange Jack would keep their secret identities safe.

After this, Stephanie Brown took over the role of Robin for a short period of time, until Batman fired her for disobeying orders. Soon after a massive gang war consumed Gotham City which soon found its way into Tim's school. After assisting the Bat-Team to the best of his abilities (with no equipment or costume), Tim managed to protect his classmates, but not without casualties. Following this, Tim then realized that he could not disregard his responsibilities and retook the Robin mantle once again, against his father's wishes. When Jack found that Tim was once again Robin, he grudginly realized how truly important his son was to Gotham, despite the immense danger.

Spoiler meanwhile had attempted to stop the villain known as the Black Mask but was captured and tortured by the crimelord. She later died from both her injuries and the willful negligence of Leslie Thompkins at the end of the War Games arc.

Identity Crisis and Blüdhaven

Main article: Identity Crisis

In Identity Crisis, Tim, along with the rest of the superhero community are trying to keep all of their loved ones safe after some tragic attacks have come down upon the family members of the Justice League.

One night while Batman and Robin are investigating these crimes, they receive an incoming transmission from Oracle (a.k.a. Barbara Gordon) saying that Tim's father needs to speak to him immediately. It turns out that there is an intruder in the Drake home and a mysterious note with a gun is left for Jack suggesting that he protect himself. Jack tells Tim that he is proud of him and that he is not responsible if something bad happens. The intruder turns out to be the hired killer Captain Boomerang. Jack fires as Capt. Boomerang unleashes a razor boomerang and the two kill each other before Batman and Robin can make it back to the scene. Like Bruce Wayne and Dick Grayson, Tim Drake has now lost both of his parents due to the evils in the world.

After Identity Crisis, Bruce Wayne offered to adopt Tim, who was not fond of the idea. In order to avoid this, he falsifies records to create an uncle who would become his 'legal guardian'. He then moves in with his 'Uncle Eddie' in Blüdhaven (Nightwing's previous stomping grounds), whilst his step-mother receives treatment at a psychiatric hospital for the mental stress she is under due to the gruesome murder of her husband Jack. Although Tim covers his tracks well, Bruce is still able to figure out the truth. However, Tim was suprised that Batman was not angered by his actions, but instead very much impressed for demonstrating his abilities to create a situation that took some real detective work for him to figure out and even offered to teach Tim to completely cover his tracks. It would seem that all is well between Batman and Robin until the Veteran, a military super-hero legend (similar to Marvel Comics' Captain America), attempted to recruit Robin as a part of his unit. Tim, now concerned with his own mission rather than Batman's mission, took the Veteran's offer under consideration and on occasion went on a mission with his team to get a feel for what the job would be like. However following later events, Tim apparently has turned down the offer.

Robin vs. Robin

Some time after the events of Identity Crisis, a new villain appeared in Gotham, going under the alias of the Red Hood, an identity perviously used by the Joker. It was soon discovered that the new Red Hood was Jason Todd, who by all accounts was supposed to be dead.

While Jason managed to cause immense pain for Batman, he had not forgotten that someone had replaced him as Robin. Tim Drake had not only taken his place, but also done a far more satisfactory job at it than he had. Furious at his so-called replacement, Jason broke into Titans Tower wearing an oddly-fashioned version of his own Robin costume. Quickly immobilizing the other Titans, Jason confronted Tim to see if the new Boy Wonder was really as good as everyone claimed.

The two Robins fought, until at last Jason had struck down Tim in the Hall of Fallen Titans. Jason revealed his anger at how he had once been a temporary Titan, and yet there had been no statue made of him, as if he were forgotten. He then furiously demanded of Tim, who lay broken at his feet, if he was really as good as everyone claimed he was, to which Tim said "Yes" before passing out.

Jason could have easily killed Tim, but he instead simply tore off the 'R' shaped emblem from his chest. In the epilogue of the story, Jason has developed a grudging respect for Tim, and is left wondering if he would have been a better Robin and a better person had he managed to have a life like Tim's and friends like the Titans.

Infinite Crisis and 52

As of the events surrounding the Infinite Crisis storyline, Robin, along with the Veteran's forces, must defend the city of Blüdhaven against an army of OMACs who captured dozens of metahumans for immediate extermination. After a virus deactivated the cyborgs (see also: The OMAC Project), Tim, the Shadowpact and the Veteran's team accomplished the capture of the metahumans. With Blüdhaven safe, Wonder Girl arrived on the scene asking Robin for aid. Along with the Teen Titans, the Doom Patrol and the Justice Society of America he battled against Superboy-Prime who had gone on a violent assault of their world's Superboy (Conner Kent). The result of this fight had over-taxed Conner's body to the point where it began eating away at itself for energy.

After Robin's departure from the 'Haven, the city was destroyed by The Society. Although he was worried for his stepmother, his fake-uncle, and Nightwing, Tim continued to Titans Tower. He then led a successful assault into one of Lex Luthor's genetic research bases to find a cure for Superboy. With Blüdhaven still in chaos, Robin was left in command of all the super-hero rescue efforts by Superman, who believed Tim to be more than qualified. The Titans were kicked out of Blüdhaven, however, when the Government executed a complete lock down of the city.

Following the discovery of Superboy's death in the North Pole, Robin joined the rest of the world's heroes in a final battle against the Society in Metropolis. Although the heroes won the battle, it involved the death and injuries of many other heroes and villains.

Following the Infinite Crisis, Bruce Wayne, Dick Grayson, and Tim Drake spent time retracing Bruce Wayne's original journey around the world in his quest to become Batman (see also: 52).

One Year Later

After spending nearly a year away from home after the events of the Infinite Crisis, Tim was the first to return to Gotham following his trip with Batman and Nightwing, when he received a message from an unknown source telling him that if he did not return to the states, Batgirl (Cassandra Cain), would be killed. Returning back to Gotham City and donning a new costume, Tim moved into the Wayne Estate, but in the Carriage House which as been converted into a loft and Robin's new nest, as opposed to residing in the Manor.

Tim's return to Gotham City is marred by quick accusations of the murder of Batgirl. The body was, in fact, that of the villain Lynx in a Batgirl's costume. Her body was planted where Robin was being attacked by an unknown assailant.

Robin eluded the Gotham P.D. when they arrived on the scene. Refusing to sit out the investigation, he infiltrated the police station to look for evidence and stole the mask of the fake Batgirl costume. While running tests on the mask at Wayne Manor, Lady Shiva arrived and informed Tim of the death of Nyssa al Ghul, daughter of Ra's al Ghul and head of the League of Assassins, and her suspicions that someone outside the League was trying to usurp it. Robin returned to his investigation before finding a note in Batgirl's cowl, written in Navajo code, informing him that to save Cassandra, he had to give them her father, David Cain. Robin broke into Blackgate Prison to free and question Cain, assuming he was behind the kidnapping, only to learn that Cassandra herself had taken over the League.

Asking Robin to kill David and join her, Cassandra claims she's accepted her fate as a killer and is going to kill David's other daughters. Robin refuses, and Cassandra shoots her father. Beliving David to be dead, Robin tries to bring Cassandra in, and while he manages to hold his own against her and her League, an explosion forces them all to flee. When Tim then returns David's body, he finds Cassandra's league of assassins all dead with broken necks and Cain's body missing.

After returning to Gotham City, Tim finds that his mini-cam did survive the explosion and that it captured the entire battle, giving Tim a way to clear his name. As he laments the fact that the footage will brand Cassandra a murder, Killa 'Nilla approaches Robin with a boomerang given to him by Owen Mercer and explains that the new Captain Boomerang is looking for him.

Another big change has taken place for Tim upon returning to Gotham. During a recent case in which Batman and Robin were forced to face off against a revived Two-Face, Bruce had begun thinking about Tim's place in the world following the deaths of both his parents and the events of the Crisis. Finally, Bruce re-approached Tim with the idea of adoption. Unlike the first attempt, Tim readily accepted this, even going so far as to embrace Bruce with tears in his eyes. Along with the adoption, Tim will also move into the Manor using the room once owned by Dick and Jason at different points.

The \"new\" Teen Titans

Meanwhile, Robin has rejoined the Teen Titans. Tim quickly called together two new Titans, but Wonder Girl refused to return, feeling abandoned by Robin following the death of Superboy. Cyborg has recently returned to the team though it appears that Robin still is in command. There also appears to be some sexual tension between Tim and Rose Wilson, the Ravager and daughter of Deathstroke. She even propositioned him for sex late one night in his room. He was not amused and not only rejected her, but handcuffed her.

Tim has set up a secret facility beneath Titans Tower for the express purpose of recreating Superboy via replicating his DNA, though despite his efforts, all his attempts have so far failed. Unable to let his best friend go[link], Robin still keeps Conner's costume mounted in glass, grieving the death much like Batman grieved the death of Jason Todd. Following their completion of a battle against the Brotherhood of Evil with the Doom Patrol, Wonder Girl chose to return to the team full time, and went in search of Robin to inform him of her decision. However, she ended up discovering his secret lab in which Tim confessed how much he misses Conner. As the two grieved together, they ended up sharing a passionate, yet unexpected kiss, which appears to have shocked both of them.

Skills and abilities

Tim Drake possesses the normal human strength of a teenager who regularly engages in intensive physical exercise. He was trained by the Batman in many combat/non-combat disciplines, like martial arts, criminology, acrobatics, stealth, disguise, escapology, etc.

Tim excels, however, as a skilled detective having with an above average intellect. This has been made most clear over the years by how he was able to discover the secret identities of Batman, Nightwing, Robin (Jason Todd), the Huntress, Captain Marvel and many others without outside help.

Costume and equipment

Drake's original costume was slightly different from that of Grayson and Todd as supplied by Batman to give him a measure of increased protection. He wears an armored tunic, a cape that is black on the outside though still yellow on the inside, and green leggings. Other details include an armored gorget, better footwear than either of the previous Robins, an emergency "R" shuriken on his chest in addition to the traditional batarangs, a collapseable bo staff as primary weapon, and generally more strongly Robin-flavored equipment.

Following the Infinite Crisis' aftermath, Tim has updated his costume design. These updates include long sleeves, the elimination of the green from the suit and the addition of scallops to his gloves and cape, including a utility belt with pockets. The scallops on the cape give more of an illusion of feathers rather than bat-wings, as seen on the cape of the Dark Knight. Also the stylized "R" on Robin's chest has been replaced with a more traditional one that may vary from artist to artist. Robin still retains his 'R' shurikens, but they are now carried in his belt as opposed to his tunic. This new costume closely resembles the Robin suit worn by his cartoon counterpart, the animated Tim Drake in The New Batman Adventures (see below).

Personal life

For much of his career, Drake was differentiated from the previous Robins in that his father was alive and did not know of Tim's secret identity for quite some time. His mother, however, was murdered before Drake officially became Robin. His father then died several years later, having been killed by Captain Boomerang.

Initially, Tim's best friend was a nerd at Gotham Heights, Ives. They remained friends for many years, until Tim was sent to Brentwood Academy for Boys. They reconnected when Tim's father could no longer afford to send him to Brentwood, but lost contact after Tim began attending a school inside Gotham. At Tim's new school he made friends with the hyperactive, metrosexual Bernard. While Tim often found his loud opinionated behavior taxing, they remained friends until the Gotham Gang War, after which Tim moved to Blüdhaven. Tim's overall best friend however has been been Superboy, followed closely by Wonder Girl and Kid Flash. The connection of these four friends is comparable to the relationship between the original Teen Titans or even the Justice League's Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman and Flash. Tim is particularly close with Dick Grayson, and they share a sibling like relationship, as Tim looks up to Dick for guidance, and Dick has a sense of protecting his Robin protege.

When unable to tell people his real name, Robin often goes undercover using the alias of "Alvin Draper", although many, such as Superboy, realize that this is a weak lie. This identity is usually executed with slicked back hair dyed brown, and wrap-around sunglasses used as a mask and at times he would also grow a patch of facial hair for effect. Tim also used this identity during his time with Young Justice, at a point where Batman allowed him to show his face to the other YJ members, but not his name.

Tim has had an assortment of female love interests including a Russian girl named Ariana Dzerchenko, fellow vigilante Stephanie Brown (a.k.a. the Spoiler, currently deceased), a criminal warlord named Lynx, his former schoolmate Darla Aquista, and even Marvel Comics' Jubilee during the Marvel vs DC mini-series. Robin also had potential relationships with former Young Justice allies Arrowette and Secret, though they never went beyond friendship. One Year Later, Rose Wilson appears to be trying to seduce him (Teen Titans #34), but again, Tim does not seem at all interested. It appears in TT #37 however that there is some sort of developing romantic relationship between Robin and Wonder Girl, brought on by their mutual pain in losing Superboy.

Robin graphic novels

In 1993, a few years after his debut as Robin, DC launched a monthly solo series featuring Tim Drake's adventures as Robin, with Batman appearing as a supporting character. As of 2006, the series are still ongoing. He has also starred in some miniseries and one-shots. This material as been collected as follows:

Title	Material collected
Pre-series graphic novels
"Robin"	Robin (miniseries) #1-5
"Robin II: The Joker's Wild!"	Robin II #1-4
"Robin III: Cry of the Huntress"	Robin III #1-6
Showcase '93	Showcase '93 #5-6, 11-12
Regular series graphic novels
"A Hero Reborn"	Batman #455-457, Robin #1-5 (regular series)
"Flying Solo"	Robin #1-6, Showcase '94 #5-6
"Unmasked"	Robin #121-125
"Robin/Batgirl: Fresh Blood"	Robin #132-133, Batgirl #58-59
"To Kill a Bird"	Robin #134-139
Other graphic novels
"Tragedy and Triumph"	Detective Comics #618-621, Robin II #1-5
Robin 80 page giant #1: Nature's Bride	special issue

In other media

Tim Drake appears in the DC Animated Universe as the second Robin, who joins after Dick Grayson leaves to become Nightwing. In The New Batman Adventures, he is the son of a small time criminal who worked for Two-Face, but tried to run away after he found out that Two-Face was attempting to use a chemical agent to hold the city hostage.

Tim found himself a target of Two-Face's goons, trying to find out where his father had hidden the two parts of the poison, and was rescued by Batman, who was injured in the process. Tim ended up stealing a Robin suit in order to help Batman and Batgirl stop Two-Face, and continued serving as Robin until an incident where he was kidnapped and brainwashed by the Joker, an incident that ended in the Clown Prince of Crime's apparent death. After Tim recovered, Bruce forbade him from being Robin. So, Tim set out on his own, but eventually retired from super-heroics, and lived a normal life until , where it was discovered that the Joker had implanted a chip into Drake's brain containing his personality and genetic code. This caused Tim's body and mind to be temporarily transformed into an almost exact replica of the Joker. This new Joker then proceeded to torment an aging Bruce Wayne and the new Batman many years later.

The animated version of the character is a composite of Jason Todd and Tim Drake, being more similar in character history to Jason and resembling earlier versions of Dick Grayson in personality.

In the original pitch for the Justice League animated series, a seemingly older Tim Drake (as Robin), Impulse (Bart Allen) and a teenage female version of Cyborg were supposed to act as junior members of the team. The according short animation is available as a bonus on the Justice League complete first season DVD.[link]

External links

• [DC Comics - Robin]
• [DC Comics - Teen Titans]
• [Titans Tower Biography]
• [Tim Drake's Bibliography]

 

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