Worst code-name?

[godisawesome]

People not voting Drake are kidding themselves.

"The Smart Robin".

The kicker is the explanation for the name. Signal and Orphan feel like bad place-holders, but at least they have mundane and not lame explanations. Drake could have a cooler explanation… but instead it’s just the duck.

Seriously, the Spanish Empire figured out that calling Francis Drake “El Pato” would have been lamely useless in warning people about him; and if they figured out that calling Drake “El Draque” because dragons just communicate a much clearer level of threat was the right move way back then, then no one from Gotham would take “The Male Duck!” seriously.

[Confuzzled]

Black Bat is worse than Orphan. Poor Cassandra.

[ZuLuLu]

People not voting Drake are kidding themselves.

"The Smart Robin".

Yep, Drake is so bad Tim has gotten ridiculed in the comics a few times for using it.

[Fergus]

Robin is worse than drake

[MajorHoy]

Robin is worse than drake

I posted this in another thread:

I'm sorry, but "Drake" only works for Tim if he's given up on having a secret identity.

Hell, even calling him "Funky Chicken" would be better than "Drake"!

"Drake" as a code-name is especially miserable for Tim Drake.

[exile001]

Penny-One. Batman literally using part of Alfred's name as part of his super secret codename is just the dumbest thing.

[Timothy Hunter]

Black Bat is worse than Orphan. Poor Cassandra.

I kind of dig it because it was a wink and a nod to the pulp hero the Black Bat.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Bat

[Blight]

Black Bat is worse than Orphan. Poor Cassandra.

I disagree, but for different reasons. Black Bat lasted only six months compared to Orphan lasting four years. Just when you think DC is going somewhere with the character and identity (a wisen Cass) the character is yanked and kicked into limbo due to the New 52. The identity didn't last very long and only survived thanks to the fans. It is because of the fans the identity of Black Bat is any good.

Orphan meanwhile, regressed the character so much that we're back to her being Batgirl. So much just to deny Cass a bat symbol for four years too. Black Bat at the very least has Cass with a bat symbol, but there are other flaws with the identity. Both identities were bad, but one could have been more while the other was clear regression.

It just ties to the larger issues DC had from 2009 and 2011 being so gosh darn against Cass being Batgirl, instead embracing the myth and idealogy that Babs should be the only one. But that is so a different subject.

[Blight]

I'm glad though Drake is winning this. The codename or design did nothing for Tim. I get it was trying for him to find his own identity. But-- Red Robin did a better job at that. All Tim really needs is a good design that's a middle ground between his Robin and Red Robin identities. Something that feels like an evolution of the character instead of more dumbed-down version on how he became Red Robin. Just not literally a Robin costume with "RR". Something that's both.

However, if we're going for an identity that's done some damage I'd say Orphan is the far guiltier party. The Drake identity was just the symptom of what befell Tim as a character since-- surprise the New 52. The character (and the identity of Red Robin) lost all the identity behind both when DC well-- decided Tim was just Red Robin period. Drake is just one cog of a larger issue.

Orphan is the issue when it comes to Cass. The identity weighed the character down and you can pinpoint the EXACT moment Cass should have dropped the identity (League of Shadows), instead of keeping the identity around, until Batman & the Outsiders pointed out so many flaws in it, and DC ignoring the renewed potential of Babs mentoring Cass (which was set up at the end of the Tec Rebirth run). It feels like there's this grand fear DC had of Cass (and Stephanie) where if you pushed either too far they'd eclipse Barbara (given how badly the character regressed of either belief). But again that's another topic.

[MajorHoy]

NOTE: This thread was originally stated in September of 2019.

-------------------------------

With 145 people having voted,

* Drake = 61 votes
* Orphan = 36 votes
* Signal = 30 votes
* Batwing = 7 votes
* Spoiler = 7 votes
* "Other" = 4 votes

[MajorHoy]

And with 148 votes now,

* Drake = 64 votes
* Orphan = 36 votes
* Signal = 30 votes
* Batwing = 7 votes
* Spoiler = 7 votes
* "Other" = 4 votes

[HumbleMumble]

How is orphan not winning this! She’s not even an orphan. The whole code name is silly especially when there
are other members of the Bat family who are legitimate orphans.

[MajorHoy]

How is orphan not winning this! She’s not even an orphan. The whole code name is silly especially when there
are other members of the Bat family who are legitimate orphans.

Because annoying as "Orphan" may be, Tim Drake going by "Drake" is even dumber.

[mathew101281]

Drake followed by Orphan, signal and Batwing aren’t bad per say, just awkward and need explication. Spoiler is a cool name.

[Jackalope89]

Drake followed by Orphan, signal and Batwing aren’t bad per say, just awkward and need explication. Spoiler is a cool name.

Spoiler is a little meta, but it works. Batwing makes me think of the BatJet, Signal... A misnomer. Same with Orphan. Drake, yeah. Tim might as well have tossed his secret identity to the public. Not to mention it being in reference to the duck, and not the dragon.