Tim Drake: Robin, Red Robin, Drake Appreciation 2021

[Konja7]

Why? They have a built in market of people who are looking for gay superheroes. They are not a more or less valid audience then people who say ‘well, they should leave that sort of stuff to slice of life comics and stay out of my DCU’ and their money is just as good. Teen and tween girls have been of the major success stories for girls over the last couple of years.

Of course, their money is as good as anyone. However, the point is whether they would spend this money in superhero comics.

Also, there is people who will stop to buy comics for this decisions.

So, this decision would be profitable if the amount of people starting to buy a comic with this decision is more than the amount of people who would stop to buy the comic.

[ZuLuLu]

Because I don't think that superheroes is what a good part of this audience is looking for.

I might be wrong, since "boy’s love YA content" is not exactly a genre I'm that knowledgable in.

From what I've seen the genre doesn't matter slice of life, music, sports, high action fantasy, and sci-fi have all been popular in BL, superheroes may also find an audience.

[Swallowtail]

Of course, their money is as good as anyone. However, the point is whether they would spend this money in superhero comics.

Also, there is people who will stop to buy comics for this decisions.

So, this decision would be profitable if the amount of people starting to buy a comic with this decision is more than the amount of people who would stop to buy the comic.

I mean, given that DCs best selling non Watchman graphic novels are all aimed at the tween market and that books like Raina Telegmeir’s stuff or outselling Dc 3 to 1 the answer is blatantly yes.

The 1000 or so copies a month they lose on people not reading Urban Legends will be more than made up for if they can market a graphic novel with Tim’s name on it, particularly as most of those people who threaten boycott are so involved in the scene they will just switch to an alternative DC product.

[Frontier]

Lets not forget that some people have zero problems with gay characters, but they'd prefer if the character they have been following for couple of decades suddenly wouldn't become gay. I'm all for Midnighter and Apollo appearing more frequently, but Alan or Tim being gay? Meh, and its not that I like Tim much in the first place.

I can at least say the case for Alan is stronger than for Tim but making them gay shouldn't be what makes DC invest in a character more.

[Rac7d*]

I can at least say the case for Alan is stronger than for Tim but making them gay shouldn't be what makes DC invest in a character more.

Look at Jackson Hyde compared to Garth
It certainly is

[Drako]

Look at Jackson Hyde compared to Garth
It certainly is

Very different situations. Jackson only competition in the Aqua Family is Garth, while Tim is behind Dick, Jason, Damian and now even Duke.

[Pohzee]

Jackson kinda sorta has YJ Kaldur going for him. And Kaldur is way cooler than Garth has ever been regardless of sexual orientation. Cooler look, cooler backstory, etc.

Tim doesn't really have that.

[Aahz]

I mean, given that DCs best selling non Watchman graphic novels are all aimed at the tween market and that books like Raina Telegmeir’s stuff or outselling Dc 3 to 1 the answer is blatantly yes.

And with Raina Telegmeir we are afaik back at slice of life stuff.

[josai21]

Representation is vitally important in media.

That said, making Tim Gay/Bi at this time is disrespectful both to the character and the LGBTQ+ community. Rather than taking the time and energy to fix the character (and yes this would be easily possible with a good solo) they will trivialize the gender identity and think slapping that identity on Tim will somehow fix all of the issues in the character.

[The World]

Am I missing something here? Where is all of this coming from all of a sudden?

[spatterdasher]

Am I missing something here? Where is all of this coming from all of a sudden?

People are picking up on possible subtext in the most recent Urban Legends. Tim stating that he broke up with Steph and then meeting up with an old friend with an odd "he still looks... he looks..." thought box upon seeing him. The fact that it's unfinished suggests that Tim doesn't quite know how to complete that thought or is hiding the last word from the reader, which places more importance upon the complete thought than if he had just said "he looks great" or "he still looks the same". Could be something, but on the other hand, could be nothing. (Edit: reading the issue more carefully, especially his convo with Babs, I'm actually more convinced that it's about Tim being afraid of changing while others stay the same, or perhaps the reverse).

I highly doubt anything will come of this. Even if the writer does have a 'gay agenda' for Tim, she might have just been able to slip it past DC without them noticing. DC tolerates subtext but is terrified of elevating it to text. Personally I'd love if an existing male Batfamily member was made something other than straight, but I'm worried that in Tim's case specifically it would just make him 'the gay Robin' since DC is struggling so much to make him stand out from the others.

That said, clumsy representation is still better than no representation, in my opinion. Insisting that representation has to be PERFECT discourages companies like DC from even trying.

[Rac7d*]

People are picking up on possible subtext in the most recent Urban Legends. Tim stating that he broke up with Steph and then meeting up with an old friend with an odd "he still looks... he looks..." thought box upon seeing him. The fact that it's unfinished suggests that Tim doesn't quite know how to complete that thought or is hiding the last word from the reader, which places more importance upon the complete thought than if he had just said "he looks great" or "he still looks the same". Could be something, but on the other hand, could be nothing.

I highly doubt anything will come of this. Even if the writer does have a 'gay agenda' for Tim, she might have just been able to slip it past DC without them noticing. DC tolerates subtext but is terrified of elevating it to text. Personally I'd love if an existing male Batfamily member was made something other than straight, but I'm worried that in Tim's case specifically it would just make him 'the gay Robin' since DC is struggling so much to make him stand out from the others.

That said, clumsy representation is still better than no representation, in my opinion. Insisting that representation has to be PERFECT discourages companies like DC from even trying.

Twitter has latched on and once they have it’s done
They are gonna harass that new actor like he has the power to change the character

[Aahz]

Personally I'd love if an existing male Batfamily member was made something other than straight, but I'm worried that in Tim's case specifically it would just make him 'the gay Robin' since DC is struggling so much to make him stand out from the others.

I don't think there is good candidate for that among the major ones, Bruce, Dick and Tim have all definitive love interests, Jason really doesn't need another source of angst and Damian is to young.

[Frontier]

Very different situations. Jackson only competition in the Aqua Family is Garth, while Tim is behind Dick, Jason, Damian and now even Duke.

I wouldn't even say Duke is a problem when they seem comfortable race-bending the other Robins instead of using him.

Jackson kinda sorta has YJ Kaldur going for him. And Kaldur is way cooler than Garth has ever been regardless of sexual orientation. Cooler look, cooler backstory, etc.

Tim doesn't really have that.

Garth was pretty cool as Tempest.

[spatterdasher]

I don't think there is good candidate for that among the major ones, Bruce, Dick and Tim have all definitive love interests, Jason really doesn't need another source of angst and Damian is to young.

Damian's right on the boundary. Writers will probably start giving him love interests soon.

I'd say it doesn't necessarily have to be a source of angst for Jason but who am I kidding, everything turns into a source of angst for Jason.

I think Bruce is actually the best candidate (I don't think Catwoman cares much about monogamy) but I'm not deluding myself into thinking that would ever happen.