Why is it so hard to really do anything good with Tim Drake now a days?

[MajorHoy]

It's sad but true they are not writing him as bisexual because he was queer coded from the beginning and it's the same with Jon. Being a minority or in this case gay is like the new fad and that's tragically all writers care about because they think it makes them more money or whatever. If "representation" was not big right now this wouldn't be happening and the reason they wrote him as a bisexual is to use it as a safety hatch. In a few years we'll probably have them written as straight again and nobody will even remember this part of their history.

I didn't read the story in question, but does it really imply Tim is firmly, definitely bi- or does it just set him up as open to thinking about the possibility?

[SixSpeedSamurai]

I didn't read the story in question, but does it really imply Tim is firmly, definitely bi- or does it just set him up as open to thinking about the possibility?

He and Bernard say they'd like to go on another date I believe is how it ended. We'll find out more in Urban Legends #10.

[Restingvoice]

I didn't read the story in question, but does it really imply Tim is firmly, definitely bi- or does it just set him up as open to thinking about the possibility?

No. He's still figuring out, and the author also say he's still undefined at the moment, but she doesn't want to invalidate his past relationships including Steph.

[mathew101281]

Because the main characters like Batman and Superman can’t really age (or at least DC thinks they shouldn’t) and new writers are always going to want to create “their” new Robin, Superboy etc. you are always going to have that crunch in the middle with the characters that are the former sidekicks.

[Rac7d*]

No. He's still figuring out, and the author also say he's still undefined at the moment, but she doesn't want to invalidate his past relationships including Steph.

It wont be invalidated, he just wont be able to date her again without strong opposition

[Writerblog]

I didn't read the story in question, but does it really imply Tim is firmly, definitely bi- or does it just set him up as open to thinking about the possibility?

The story is not finished yet, second part will still come out next month or December. But DC site released a article saying he is bi, so he probably is. Weird how much DC spoil on articles before the issue come out

It wont be invalidated, he just wont be able to date her again without strong opposition

Let's see, but I think it won't be a problem for him and Steph.

Tim is at the very least 18 almost 20. Around the time Dick took on his own idenity. He cannot go back to being robin while a growing Damian ascends to a new role/identity that would be worse

I think we can all agree that Tim can't come back to being Robin. I like this ide of Robins graduating into new roles

[TheBatman]

When Tim Drake was introduced in 1989, his function was to replace the slain Jason Todd as Robin. That worked just fine until 2005, when Jason returned (albeit not as Robin). Then, a few years later, Damian Wayne was introduced, given the Robin role, and to everyone's surprise, appealed to much of the fan base. The one-two blow of Jason returning and Damian becoming popular as Robin put Tim in a very awkward position as the very reason he was created was suddenly obviated.

It's a shame: I've always liked Tim much more than Jason or Damian.

Buried Alien (The Fastest Post Alive!)

Unpopular Opinion: While I dig 90's-Mid 00s Tim, what you just laid out reveals that, IMO, 90's/Early 00's Tim ultimately benefited from both a lack of serious competition in terms of his role in the franchise, and him being Robin at a time when DC was updating the character and making him cooler for a modern audience.

[Ascended]

I've said a hundred times and it bears repeating.

There's no purpose to Tim being a costumed hero right now.

Originally, he didn't view "Robin" as a career choice. He wanted to do his part, help Bruce on his journey, and then return to a "normal" life. And he tried to get out of the game a few times, only to get sucked back in.

But now? We have Damian, and a whole army of Bats and Robins, all of whom largely share a similar skillset, all of whom can help Bruce keep the darkness (both internal and external) at bay. And there's no book for Tim to continually operate out of.

So why the hell not have the kid retire now? What do we gain right now by him remaining a costumed hero?

Tim can remain a part of the Gotham supporting cast, showing up and playing a large role in multiple Gotham books....but as a civilian. A detective, working as a private PI or as part of the GCPD.

It fixes so many problems. It adds another civilian (who can kick ass) to the Gotham supporting cast, and we all know comics have been awfully lacking in that department lately, with most heroes surrounded by other heroes all the time. But it's a civilian that Bruce can be honest with, which is a rarity that opens up story options. It gives Tim a direction and a niche to occupy, which he's currently lacking. It removes a costumed vigilante from the overcrowded Cave, but Tim would still be welcome there. As a detective Tim can still be actively involved in whatever story Bruce is dealing with, but he'll come at it from a different, fresh perspective.

And Tim can always put a costume back on eventually, when the right story (and code name!) comes along. It's not going to put him any deeper into limbo than he already is, it does something different with him that would certainly be more satisfying than being "the Robin who can't let go of being Robin" and it adds a new face for guys like Gordon and Bullock to bounce off of.

There is literally no downside to Tim retiring right now. He adds nothing as a repetitive Robin. His biggest story right now is dating a dude, and that doesn't require a costume. He can still show up just as much as he has been, but without being another redundant vigilante in a splash page of vigilantes.

[lemonpeace]

I've said a hundred times and it bears repeating.

There's no purpose to Tim being a costumed hero right now.

Originally, he didn't view "Robin" as a career choice. He wanted to do his part, help Bruce on his journey, and then return to a "normal" life. And he tried to get out of the game a few times, only to get sucked back in.

But now? We have Damian, and a whole army of Bats and Robins, all of whom largely share a similar skillset, all of whom can help Bruce keep the darkness (both internal and external) at bay. And there's no book for Tim to continually operate out of.

So why the hell not have the kid retire now? What do we gain right now by him remaining a costumed hero?

Tim can remain a part of the Gotham supporting cast, showing up and playing a large role in multiple Gotham books....but as a civilian. A detective, working as a private PI or as part of the GCPD.

It fixes so many problems. It adds another civilian (who can kick ass) to the Gotham supporting cast, and we all know comics have been awfully lacking in that department lately, with most heroes surrounded by other heroes all the time. But it's a civilian that Bruce can be honest with, which is a rarity that opens up story options. It gives Tim a direction and a niche to occupy, which he's currently lacking. It removes a costumed vigilante from the overcrowded Cave, but Tim would still be welcome there. As a detective Tim can still be actively involved in whatever story Bruce is dealing with, but he'll come at it from a different, fresh perspective.

And Tim can always put a costume back on eventually, when the right story (and code name!) comes along. It's not going to put him any deeper into limbo than he already is, it does something different with him that would certainly be more satisfying than being "the Robin who can't let go of being Robin" and it adds a new face for guys like Gordon and Bullock to bounce off of.

There is literally no downside to Tim retiring right now. He adds nothing as a repetitive Robin. His biggest story right now is dating a dude, and that doesn't require a costume. He can still show up just as much as he has been, but without being another redundant vigilante in a splash page of vigilantes.

this is and always has been the answer. the problem (I believe) is that too many Tim Drake fans (both readers and writers) project themselves onto Tim for that. you hear it a lot about how he's "the everyman" Robin, which often means they like the idea of a character they see as "like them" operating with all these more spectacular characters. so even though it makes sense for Tim's story, people will likely see it like a demotion or a slight against the character. even if it was actually done well it would feel too much like closure, and mainstream comics and closure always have problems meeting nowadays.

[Frontier]

I've said a hundred times and it bears repeating.

There's no purpose to Tim being a costumed hero right now.

Originally, he didn't view "Robin" as a career choice. He wanted to do his part, help Bruce on his journey, and then return to a "normal" life. And he tried to get out of the game a few times, only to get sucked back in.

But now? We have Damian, and a whole army of Bats and Robins, all of whom largely share a similar skillset, all of whom can help Bruce keep the darkness (both internal and external) at bay. And there's no book for Tim to continually operate out of.

So why the hell not have the kid retire now? What do we gain right now by him remaining a costumed hero?

Tim can remain a part of the Gotham supporting cast, showing up and playing a large role in multiple Gotham books....but as a civilian. A detective, working as a private PI or as part of the GCPD.

It fixes so many problems. It adds another civilian (who can kick ass) to the Gotham supporting cast, and we all know comics have been awfully lacking in that department lately, with most heroes surrounded by other heroes all the time. But it's a civilian that Bruce can be honest with, which is a rarity that opens up story options. It gives Tim a direction and a niche to occupy, which he's currently lacking. It removes a costumed vigilante from the overcrowded Cave, but Tim would still be welcome there. As a detective Tim can still be actively involved in whatever story Bruce is dealing with, but he'll come at it from a different, fresh perspective.

And Tim can always put a costume back on eventually, when the right story (and code name!) comes along. It's not going to put him any deeper into limbo than he already is, it does something different with him that would certainly be more satisfying than being "the Robin who can't let go of being Robin" and it adds a new face for guys like Gordon and Bullock to bounce off of.

There is literally no downside to Tim retiring right now. He adds nothing as a repetitive Robin. His biggest story right now is dating a dude, and that doesn't require a costume. He can still show up just as much as he has been, but without being another redundant vigilante in a splash page of vigilantes.

To be honest, as much as I wasn't the biggest fan of some of what Tynion did with Tim, I think he had it right that Tim is the kind of character who would probably try to improve Batman's War on Crime in his own way and has probably come too far in the hero game to permanently give it up.

And he's also the character who will drop everything for Bruce at the drop of a hat. Dick has too many obligations to properly do that now, Jason's Jason, and Bruce and Damian haven't been in a place to be partners in a long time.

Considering the lack of focus on civilian characters in general, making Tim one is probably going to hurt his screentime rather than help it (especially with how inconsistent writers' care for him is). I mean, putting him in the GCPD might help because they're like the only people we ever see but even that can be spotty.

[Kid Devil]

It wont be invalidated, he just wont be able to date her again without strong opposition

Opposition from who? People who never read his ongoing series?

[Immortal Weapon]

The first thing DC needs to do is find a new identity for him. I don't necessarily see Red Robin as an unique identity as he merely added an adjective to his previous one. I don't know how prominent the Court of Owls still is in the bat books but I always thought Tim should claim Talon for himself. It's a cool name, bird themed and it's something he can easily make his own like how Jason made Red Hood his own.

[Kid Devil]

The first thing DC needs to do is find a new identity for him. I don't necessarily see Red Robin as an unique identity as he merely added an adjective to his previous one. I don't know how prominent the Court of Owls still is in the bat books but I always thought Tim should claim Talon for himself. It's a cool name, bird themed and it's something he can easily make his own like how Jason made Red Hood his own.

Yeah, DC was really struggling in the late 2000s with Batfamily names. Red Robin? Black Bat? Not the best.

He could have been Red Cardinal, Red Hawk, Red Eagle, exedra.

[KrustyKid]

I've said a hundred times and it bears repeating.

There's no purpose to Tim being a costumed hero right now.

Originally, he didn't view "Robin" as a career choice. He wanted to do his part, help Bruce on his journey, and then return to a "normal" life. And he tried to get out of the game a few times, only to get sucked back in.

But now? We have Damian, and a whole army of Bats and Robins, all of whom largely share a similar skillset, all of whom can help Bruce keep the darkness (both internal and external) at bay. And there's no book for Tim to continually operate out of.

So why the hell not have the kid retire now? What do we gain right now by him remaining a costumed hero?

Tim can remain a part of the Gotham supporting cast, showing up and playing a large role in multiple Gotham books....but as a civilian. A detective, working as a private PI or as part of the GCPD.

It fixes so many problems. It adds another civilian (who can kick ass) to the Gotham supporting cast, and we all know comics have been awfully lacking in that department lately, with most heroes surrounded by other heroes all the time. But it's a civilian that Bruce can be honest with, which is a rarity that opens up story options. It gives Tim a direction and a niche to occupy, which he's currently lacking. It removes a costumed vigilante from the overcrowded Cave, but Tim would still be welcome there. As a detective Tim can still be actively involved in whatever story Bruce is dealing with, but he'll come at it from a different, fresh perspective.

And Tim can always put a costume back on eventually, when the right story (and code name!) comes along. It's not going to put him any deeper into limbo than he already is, it does something different with him that would certainly be more satisfying than being "the Robin who can't let go of being Robin" and it adds a new face for guys like Gordon and Bullock to bounce off of.

There is literally no downside to Tim retiring right now. He adds nothing as a repetitive Robin. His biggest story right now is dating a dude, and that doesn't require a costume. He can still show up just as much as he has been, but without being another redundant vigilante in a splash page of vigilantes.

I couldn't definitely back this.

[Captain Nostalgia]

Often a character who was extremely popular during a specific decade often just falls through DC's editorial cracks and never regains the momentum they once had.

I think of Firestorm in the 80's, and to be honest, Tim Drake of the 90's alongside lesser Bat characters that were popular like Azreal & Anarky.

I think the transition of graduating to Red Robin never really caught on, probably because he's less notable than Nightwing, and doesn't stand out as an anti hero like Jason Todd.