What New Identity Should Tim Drake Take?

[Pohzee]

Blackbird is too similar to Bluebird. Red Robin is too similar to Robin. Redwing, etc. is too similar to Nightwing. If Tim is to get a new name, it shouldn't be bird-related.

[scary harpy]

Is it active? I cant remember whose using it at the moment

I think so.

Blackbird was villainess who could steal powers...fought Black Canary...and the Birds of Prey.

[Lal]

Since there's still a title named "Robin and Batman" that should be announced this year, it's possible that Tim would just become Robin again (and not even the main Robin, since that's Damian).

And it really won't help his character at all. Right now the main problem Tim has is that there isn't a single story that you can tell about him that you can't tell using one of the other robins/ ex-robins.

A detective story or a story with as him as a team leader? Dick.
Edgy narrative and being estranged and doing things his way? Jason and Damian.
Father-son relationship or finding himself outside of Batman's shadow? Damian is doing just that.

He really needs to find a different niche.
And right now it looks like DC is just planning that being bi/gay would be his niche.

[Aahz]

His deal used to be that he is the one who has to juggle his normal life and family, with being Robin.

That went out of the window with Identity Crisis...

[dietrich]

If you're talking about iconography, yes Dick absolutely made Robin popular and iconic in the first place, especially with kids. But I don't think it's a stretch to say that Tim is who made Robin "cool".

-First Robin to actually get his own comic book series (admittedly this is partly due to good timing on Tim's part since he was conceived in the Modern Age of comics where it's easier for side characters to get a book, but it was still a milestone for Robin nonetheless).

-First Robin to be introduced as a detective and to be explicitly marketed as one. That last part especially is important and is what separates him from Dick. To this day, Bruce and Tim are still more marketed by their similarities while Bruce and Dick and more marketed by their differences.

-First Robin that actually gave the Robin role a purpose (i.e. A Lonely Place of Dying)

-First Robin to wear Robin's iconic Modern Age design, both the long green pants and the red-and-black suit.

All of those factors changed the way the Robin image started to be perceived under Tim, if not with the mainstream audience then at least among comic book fans.

I'm not just talking Iconography. I'm talking what and who Robin is in pop culture, his role and function
Batman's sidekick or chum, leader of the TT, a teen hero who flips around taking on grown men while cracking wise, Batman's Kid or ward, Dick Grayson age 12

All that is still what Dick established/started with Dick.

Even the personality associated with Robin is wise cracks to Batman's broody [creating that light and dark dynamic] is simply Dick Grayson's personality not Tim's awkward more reserved personality.

- Cool is subjective. for 90's kids/teens Tim might have been cool [I don't know I wasn't around]
As a young person who started reading shortly before Rebirth Damian is the only Robin that is remotely cool.

Dick was cool enough as Robin to make the mantle the most iconic sidekick in comic history even in leotards. I'm sure there are those that believe jason is the coolest so subjective and dependant on evolving trends


- Tim wasn't introduced as a detective nor was he marketed as such until part way through his Robin series. Tim was introduced as a regular kid who was inquisitive and try hard. he was smart but not exceptional.

Tim was briefly morphed into Batman lite during the end of the pre flashpoint era.

Damian is the only Robin that has been marketed on his similarities to Bruce.

- Robin has had a purpose since 1941. Both in story and in the real world purpose.

The same purpose we see in Dick's, Jason's and in Modern day Damian's story. We even see it in the We are Robin kids the most current batch of Robins. The same purpose that was there even when Batman was no longer a factor
The excuse that was used to justify Tim's introduction in ALPOD is just that an excuse that has never been backed up; in canon and is actually contradicted by not just the story but by yourself because Tim was independent in his own title.


Yes Tim was the 1st to wear the updated redesign that included the green tights but even that outfit was originally belonged to Dick Grayson created for him by Neal Adams. Designed with his circus background in mind. That is still Dick Grayson.


As a modern reader, Damian is my Robin just like Tim was to some in the past but I would be lying to myself of I said that Dick Grayson wasn't THE Robin. Or that what pop culture associates with robin can't all be found in Dick Grayson.

Tim was the Robin who also had a normal life and the Robin that DC marketed as independent solo hero but that isn't what pop culture knows Robin.

[dietrich]

Since there's still a title named "Robin and Batman" that should be announced this year, it's possible that Tim would just become Robin again (and not even the main Robin, since that's Damian).

And it really won't help his character at all. Right now the main problem Tim has is that there isn't a single story that you can tell about him that you can't tell using one of the other robins/ ex-robins.

A detective story or a story with as him as a team leader? Dick.
Edgy narrative and being estranged and doing things his way? Jason and Damian.
Father-son relationship or finding himself outside of Batman's shadow? Damian is doing just that.

He really needs to find a different niche.
And right now it looks like DC is just planning that being bi/gay would be his niche.

Agreed. The real problem is Tim needs a niche. Damian became Robin in 2011 it's 2021.
Tim has had multiple names and slotted into various temp roles in that time.
Batman has had Duke and harper in between Tim's regression back to sidekick. It feels like everyone else is moving forwards while Tim's going backwards.

[Lal]

I'm not just talking Iconography. I'm talking what and who Robin is in pop culture, his role and function
Batman's sidekick or chum, leader of the TT, a teen hero who flips around taking on grown men while cracking wise, Batman's Kid or ward, Dick Grayson age 12

All that is still what Dick established/started with Dick.

Even the personality associated with Robin is wise cracks to Batman's broody [creating that light and dark dynamic] is simply Dick Grayson's personality not Tim's awkward more reserved personality.

- Cool is subjective. for 90's kids/teens Tim might have been cool [I don't know I wasn't around]
As a young person who started reading shortly before Rebirth Damian is the only Robin that is remotely cool.

Dick was cool enough as Robin to make the mantle the most iconic sidekick in comic history even in leotards. I'm sure there are those that believe jason is the coolest so subjective and dependant on evolving trends


- Tim wasn't introduced as a detective nor was he marketed as such until part way through his Robin series. Tim was introduced as a regular kid who was inquisitive and try hard. he was smart but not exceptional.

Tim was briefly morphed into Batman lite during the end of the pre flashpoint era.

Damian is the only Robin that has been marketed on his similarities to Bruce.

- Robin has had a purpose since 1941. Both in story and in the real world purpose.

The same purpose we see in Dick's, Jason's and in Modern day Damian's story. We even see it in the We are Robin kids the most current batch of Robins. The same purpose that was there even when Batman was no longer a factor
The excuse that was used to justify Tim's introduction in ALPOD is just that an excuse that has never been backed up; in canon and is actually contradicted by not just the story but by yourself because Tim was independent in his own title.


Yes Tim was the 1st to wear the updated redesign that included the green tights but even that outfit was originally belonged to Dick Grayson created for him by Neal Adams. Designed with his circus background in mind. That is still Dick Grayson.


As a modern reader, Damian is my Robin just like Tim was to some in the past but I would be lying to myself of I said that Dick Grayson wasn't THE Robin. Or that what pop culture associates with robin can't all be found in Dick Grayson.

Tim was the Robin who also had a normal life and the Robin that DC marketed as the independent solo hero but that isn't what pop culture knows Robin.

I completely agree.

I'm a relatively new reader (I started reading comics about a year ago, but read a lot of back issues), so I think I could offer the insight of someone who didn't read comics for years and grew up with Tim as Robin.

The Robin that people who don't read comics know is Dick.

I'd argue that with the DC animated movies, Damian is also becoming more known as the son of Batman, and even Jason is establishing a name to himself as the Robin who died and became Red hood. Tim is actually probably the least prominent Robin, and I only barely knew him from the Batman Arkham games.

As a new reader, Damian is my robin, but it's quite clear that THE Robin is Dick.

I hope that Tim could be something other than Robin III.

[marvelprince]

I completely agree.

I'm a relatively new reader (I started reading comics about a year ago, but read a lot of back issues), so I think I could offer the insight of someone who didn't read comics for years and grew up with Tim as Robin.

The Robin that people who don't read comics know is Dick.

I'd argue that with the DC animated movies, Damian is also becoming more known as the son of Batman, and even Jason is establishing a name to himself as the Robin who died and became Red hood. Tim is actually probably the least prominent Robin, and I only barely knew him from the Batman Arkham games.

As a new reader, Damian is my robin, but it's quite clear that THE Robin is Dick.

I hope that Tim could be something other than Robin III.

I can say from my circle of friends who aren’t comic readers but consider themselves comic fans they know of the original Robin who became Nightwing, the one who died and became Red Hood and Batman’s son.

[Alpha]

Most people here agree that Tim needs more than just his own name, he needs his own niche. Nobody here seems to be too crazy about my pitch for Tim creating an urban legend, Spectre like haunting persona, so what niche DO you actually think Tim could fill?

[Drako]

His deal used to be that he is the one who has to juggle his normal life and family, with being Robin.

That went out of the window with Identity Crisis...

Pretty Much.

As soon as DC made him into a little Bruce Wayne he started to lose the appeal. He started to be broody, people around him all of the sudden became stupid so he could be extra intelligent. Even tho i liked his Red Robin book. He still manage to stay on top for a long time, but Damian turning into Robin was the final straw.

[Lal]

Most people here agree that Tim needs more than just his own name, he needs his own niche. Nobody here seems to be too crazy about my pitch for Tim creating an urban legend, Spectre like haunting persona, so what niche DO you actually think Tim could fill?

I think I'd try to use his appeal as the relatable Robin and make him a college student, trying to balance "normal life", college and dating with being a vigilante. Maybe even working part-time in a job that isn't Wayne enterprises.

Away for Batman or the Batfamilty. With his own cast of characters.
He could be bi, or gay. or whatever.
He could be funny and awkward and not annoyingly and unbelievably smarter than all the other people around him combined.

[Korath]

I think I'd try to use his appeal as the relatable Robin and make him a college student, trying to balance "normal life", college and dating with being a vigilante. Maybe even working part-time in a job that isn't Wayne enterprises.

Away for Batman or the Batfamilty. With his own cast of characters.
He could be bi, or gay. or whatever.
He could be funny and awkward and not annoyingly and unbelievably smarter than all the other people around him combined.

Well, as long as he doesn't operate during the day, I'd be really interested in it.

[MajorHoy]

-First Robin to actually get his own comic book series (admittedly this is partly due to good timing on Tim's part since he was conceived in the Modern Age of comics where it's easier for side characters to get a book, but it was still a milestone for Robin nonetheless).

Dick was the solo lead of Star Spangled Comics from issue #65 to #130.

But Dick was just a feature in Star Spangled Comics, and he didn't get that feature slot until a few years after the first issue of that title was published. He also shared that book with Robotman, Liberty Belle, Tomahawk, and others over Robin's run. (And Robin even lost the cover spotlight to Tomahawk starting with issue #96.)
Tim had his own self-titled comic book that he didn't have to share with other features; Dick didn't have that distinction until well after he had given up the Robin identity and became Nightwing.

[TheRay]

There are two problems with Red Robin name/ suits. The first is that it's not creative. The second is that it doesn't give Tim a purpose

It not being creative is nothing. Being creative has never been a prerequisite for a codename.
As for giving a purpose, a codename doesn’t really do that either. Red Robin serves the purpose it’s intended for and that’s to separate Tim from Damian.

[Lal]

But Dick was just a feature in Star Spangled Comics, and he didn't get that feature slot until a few years after the first issue of that title was published. He also shared that book with Robotman, Liberty Belle, Tomahawk, and others over Robin's run. (And Robin even lost the cover spotlight to Tomahawk starting with issue #96.)
Tim had his own self-titled comic book that he didn't have to share with other features; Dick didn't have that distinction until well after he had given up the Robin identity and became Nightwing.

Well, honestly it seems like having a solo title had more to do with the timing.
It looks like in the 90' almost all the sidekicks and batfam characters had solo books.

But even if Tim was the first Robin to have a solo book (which is cool) does it really matter? It really doesn't make him the main Robin or the most well-known Robin, just the first with an ongoing series.