Tim Drake: Robin, Red Robin, Drake Appreciation 2021

[Badou]

That sounds too much like reducing a character down to their sexuality just to make them relevant. Of course I find it disingenous that DC suddenly cares about Alan Scott because they're making him a gay rep way after the fact, but that's just me.

I think his relationship with Steph is relevant enough because most of the major Tim stuff involves her to some degree, so it's not like that can be ignored. Short of letting the fan-theories of him and Kon going through I can't think of a male love interest that could supplant Steph.

But it does happen quite a bit. Where characters do get reduced down to their sexuality or a relationship. These kind of things are just giant vacuums where people's attention are drawn to them probably too much. Now Tim is a bigger character than Alan Scott, so I don't know how it will go, but last year when they decided to have the main Earth Scott also be gay it was interesting in how it effected things. Where when they announced that Green Lantern show Scott being gay was like the first thing they mentioned about him in his character description. It kind of became his defining characteristic. It will just be interesting to see how it plays out with Tim.

At the end of the day these characters are just IPs to a DC/WB. So they value them differently than fans do that have a personal attachment. Tim being gay/bi sort of becomes his most valuable asset to a DC because they then can hold him up as an example for gay male representation in Gotham, which didn't really have any before, so things like his relationship with Steph might become less valuable in their eyes. So like watch that in the next seasons of the live action Titans show they will have a gay story arc with Tim on the show before doing anything with Steph.

[Frontier]

But it does happen quite a bit. Where characters do get reduced down to their sexuality or a relationship. These kind of things are just giant vacuums where people's attention are drawn to them probably too much. Now Tim is a bigger character than Alan Scott, so I don't know how it will go, but last year when they decided to have the main Earth Scott also be gay it was interesting in how it effected things. Where when they announced that Green Lantern show Scott being gay was like the first thing they mentioned about him in his character description. It kind of became his defining characteristic. It will just be interesting to see how it plays out with Tim.

At the end of the day these characters are just IPs to a DC/WB. So they value them differently than fans do that have a personal attachment. Tim being gay/bi sort of becomes his most valuable asset to a DC because they then can hold him up as an example for gay male representation in Gotham, which didn't really have any before, so things like his relationship with Steph might become less valuable in their eyes. So like watch that in the next seasons of the live action Titans show they will have a gay story arc with Tim on the show before doing anything with Steph.

Well, Steph's Batwoman appearance had her nerd flirting with Luke Fox and mimicking her dynamic with Tim, which I guess goes to show how DC Corporate is invested in their relationship.

[ChangingStation]

Well, Steph's Batwoman appearance had her nerd flirting with Luke Fox and mimicking her dynamic with Tim, which I guess goes to show how DC Corporate is invested in their relationship.

Not exactly a guarantee, considering they threw Stephanie in as a one off character, due to the writer being a fan. Keep in mind though, that considering the same writer has previously used Steph in Robin Eternal, with Tim caring deeply about her, that there is a strong chance he's bi, not gay. Which might have different effects from Alan Scott, and either lack the same punch as him being gay would, or simply make it slightly more difficult for DC to market.

[HsssH]

I think he is bi only so that Tim/Steph shippers wouldn't get mad, but I'll be surprised if he won't be written simply as gay Robin going forward.

[Aahz]

So like watch that in the next seasons of the live action Titans show they will have a gay story arc with Tim on the show before doing anything with Steph.

If that wasn't planed long ahead, it would be very likely to late for the show to address this in the next season.

But the show gets a 4th season, he would probably come out there.

Would be also interesting to see if Young Justice would pick it up (but there Tim was anyway just a background character).

[WonderNight]

I think he is bi only so that Tim/Steph shippers wouldn't get mad, but I'll be surprised if he won't be written simply as gay Robin going forward.

If tim comes out as bi than there's really no longer any point in Stephanie being his main love interest anymore. Because what would be the point if he's going to mainly be in a relationship with a female? It'll be selina all over again.

[Aahz]

If tim comes out as bi than there's really no longer any point in Stephanie being his main love interest anymore. Because what would be the point if he's going to mainly be in a relationship with a female? It'll be selina all over again.

But unless they make Kon (or another hero) bi would there be any male love interest that could compete with Steph?

I don't think that Bernard Dowd would be more interesting/important than Ariana Dzerchenko or Zoanne Wilkins.

[ChangingStation]

If tim comes out as bi than there's really no longer any point in Stephanie being his main love interest anymore. Because what would be the point if he's going to mainly be in a relationship with a female? It'll be selina all over again.

Besides the fact that it means they can alternate the genders between love interests in the intermediate time, there's no real reason that Stephanie would cease to be his main love interest. Otherwise they'd just go ahead and make him completely gay. No, if he is bi, which given an interview that the writer gave is a slightly more likely option, they'll probably have alternate love interests instead of strictly female. Remember, being bi, wouldn't mean he doesn't still have preferences to the kind of people he dates, and that includes gender (I did a brief read through of bisexuality).

[Aahz]

Problem with alternate love interest is, that characters usually don't switch love interests that often.

And the Batcomics seem to have anyway moved away from showing much of the live of the characters outside of costume, which means that it will even harder to include civilian love interests in the stories (should Tim even get a some kind of ongoing).

BTW has the Bi sexual ever really worked out in comics, most characters I can think of usually more or less ended up with one definitive love interest.
- Harly with Ivy
- Selina with Bruce
- Constantine gets usually paired with Zatanna

[Frontier]

Besides the fact that it means they can alternate the genders between love interests in the intermediate time, there's no real reason that Stephanie would cease to be his main love interest. Otherwise they'd just go ahead and make him completely gay. No, if he is bi, which given an interview that the writer gave is a slightly more likely option, they'll probably have alternate love interests instead of strictly female. Remember, being bi, wouldn't mean he doesn't still have preferences to the kind of people he dates, and that includes gender (I did a brief read through of bisexuality).

I doubt this is going to lead to Tim getting published often enough that he can be having more male and female love interests to the point where they seem a viable alternative to Steph whom he has probably one of the most developed relationships in comics.

[Rac7d*]

If tim comes out as bi than there's really no longer any point in Stephanie being his main love interest anymore. Because what would be the point if he's going to mainly be in a relationship with a female? It'll be selina all over again.

LGBT comics fans are loud and will get what they want
The recent JLQ controversy showed me that, if Tim is ever officially announced bi, that’s it with him and Stephanie and he would Proably appear a lot more

[ChangingStation]

I doubt this is going to lead to Tim getting published often enough that he can be having more male and female love interests to the point where they seem a viable alternative to Steph whom he has probably one of the most developed relationships in comics.

I meant during the times where creators inevitably break them up before they get back together again. Don't get me wrong Steph is undeniably his best developed love interest, and they'll end up returning to her at some point, but I'm not stupid enough to believe that they won't break up again at some point afterwards due to different creative teams. During those times, they'll probably explore male love interests as well as female.

[josai21]

I'm seriously confused as to why people think Tim's going to be Bi or Gay just based on going to hang out for dinner with a friend.

[ChangingStation]

I'm seriously confused as to why people think Tim's going to be Bi or Gay just based on going to hang out for dinner with a friend.

Subtext. That's what it boils down to. And you have a point in that at the end of the day, Tim went out to dinner with an old friend, but people will squabble about the subtext to the story until the cows come home.

And don't get me wrong, that's not me denying that they might have a point (because I can see the subtext when I know what to look for), but I'm not going to be surprised if it turns out this was all partially a metaphor for the actual story of Tim dealing with his own self-doubts and how that relates to Robin.

[Drako]

I'm seriously confused as to why people think Tim's going to be Bi or Gay just based on going to hang out for dinner with a friend.

Because of how he is acting around his friend.
Saying things like: "He looks so... " "He is my... "

And breaking up with Steph for no reason, apparently so Bernard can be something more.