Tim Drake: Robin #2 Preview

[godisawesome]

I mean DC is hoping to appeal to LGBTq readers so it's understandable that they would want this series to tackle issues that audience can relate to.

That's the strategy I perceive here as well - and in general, in both this and in Fitzmartin's Young Justice book, there's a clear, conscious decision to try appealing to readers DC and Fitzmartin see as neglected by previous DC books with those properties. Their supposition with Young Justice is that women feel neglected by books like the old Young Justice one, and thus would be appealed to by calling out conventional comic book sexism repeatedly and coloring everything in her book as a progressive strike back against that sexism and regression; similarly, the supposition with Tim's book is that LGBTQ+ readers are wary and untrusting of DC's commitment to making Tim bi, and that expositing on the alienation and loneliness sometimes experienced by non-straight people will be a key appeal to that demographic.

The debate then becomes whether or not DC and Fitzmartin are picking the right "battles" with these tactics.

I'm a straight dude, so I don't have any authority here... but it does seem like Fitzmartin is plotting a formulaic fanfiction type of "gay angst" into the story when the rest of DC isn't backing her up here; she's trying to use formulas of isolation and estrangement when DC is elsewhere going to show the Bat family accepting Tim and Bernard without any issue... undermining her writing.

At the same time, her seeming preference for putting "fanfiction" formulas into the comics risks further alienating both older but accepting demographics on one side but also some of the demographics she's trying to appeal to; fanfiction is not known for its depth or creative use of continuity after all - if anything, it's infamous for its ability to ignore both. In Young Justice, her seeming disregard for how progressively written Cassie was at the time, or how comparatively inoffensive inclusive the PAD series was "for the time" causes offense to some of the women she's trying to appeal to who know the characters better than her, while in this Tim Drake books she risks alienating fans who were ready for bisexual Tim Drake by taking shortcuts and emphasizing traumas that the character doesn't have to experience and that some LGBTQ+ readers may very well be reading comics to escape...

But again, I'm a straight white guy, so I have no real authority here to speak.

I just think that fanfiction writing tactics are likely a poor substitute for finding a more devoted fan who's progressive or part of the LGBTQ+ community instead.

[ChangingStation]

I'm a straight dude, so I don't have any authority here... but it does seem like Fitzmartin is plotting a formulaic fanfiction type of "gay angst" into the story when the rest of DC isn't backing her up here; she's trying to use formulas of isolation and estrangement when DC is elsewhere going to show the Bat family accepting Tim and Bernard without any issue... undermining her writing.

Never mind DC, Fitzmartin was the one wrote those short stories. She's contradicting her own writing, perhaps without even realising it.

[Frontier]

I mean DC is hoping to appeal to LGBTq readers so it's understandable that they would want this series to tackle issues that audience can relate to.

Yeah, but you can probably do it in a way that makes more sense in-character and in-universe to the point where it doesn't feel like the writer is forgetting their own work.

[ClassicMyth]

Something of a spoiler for this issue I guess but spoilers:

did Fitzmartin just make "villains" out of certain people from the bat family? Did I read the last page of this comic right? I get they're whatever evil things this villain has made but why would you do this?

end of spoilers If so I'm even more bummed out by this whole story thing. I don't see why this is necessary after making it seem like Tim has no place or family.

[NOCTPHOENIX]

Something of a spoiler for this issue I guess but spoilers:

did Fitzmartin just make "villains" out of certain people from the bat family? Did I read the last page of this comic right? I get they're whatever evil things this villain has made but why would you do this?

end of spoilers If so I'm even more bummed out by this whole story thing. I don't see why this is necessary after making it seem like Tim has no place or family.

Oh God. I expect some SERIOUS Steph bashing next issue.

[ChangingStation]

Something of a spoiler for this issue I guess but spoilers:

did Fitzmartin just make "villains" out of certain people from the bat family? Did I read the last page of this comic right? I get they're whatever evil things this villain has made but why would you do this?

end of spoilers If so I'm even more bummed out by this whole story thing. I don't see why this is necessary after making it seem like Tim has no place or family.

spoilers:

Pretty sure it's Clayface. Given that blatant clue at the crime scene earlier in the preview.

end of spoilers

[ClassicMyth]

spoilers:

Pretty sure it's Clayface. Given that blatant clue at the crime scene earlier in the preview.

end of spoilers

Oh I know it's not really them but the fact that they were used out of a lot of other possible people reads kinda badly given other comments that have been made regarding those same characters in Fitzmartin's writing. I get we have an actual bad guy behind it. Just seems like a cheap shot at some other characters imo.

[ChangingStation]

Oh I know it's not really them but the fact that they were used out of a lot of other possible people reads kinda badly given other comments that have been made regarding those same characters in Fitzmartin's writing. I get we have an actual bad guy behind it. Just seems like a cheap shot at some other characters imo.

To be fair, many writers have done something like this. Whether it be through fear gas or mind control. It's all about thematics.

The reason we're a bit wary here is because we feel like we're less likely to see positive parts to balance it out, and Tim doesn't have an obvious reason to feel this way. (Maybe if Fitzmartin tied it into Tim's gunshot to the throat, but she hasn't.)

[Konja7]

Never mind DC, Fitzmartin was the one wrote those short stories. She's contradicting her own writing, perhaps without even realising it.

That's the really weird thing. It was Fitzmartin who wrote the Batfamily and YJ as supporting Tim's new relationship with Bernard (even to ridiculous levels with Stephanie).

So, Tim feeling rejected by the Batfamily doesn't make sense.

[WebLurker]

Her fear and concern of Tim only treating her like a workbuddy and not feeling that he could find comfort with her even when they aren't dating.

Can see a writing prompt in there, but it'd be a pretty tricky needle to thread.

[NOCTPHOENIX]

Can see a writing prompt in there, but it'd be a pretty tricky needle to thread.

It won't be addressed ever.

[Triniking1234]

I thought Tim had the support of the Bat family? I don't understand where this is coming from. It makes it sound like Bruce disowned him or something and Dick wants nothing to do with him. It's really upsetting me to see Tim say things like this about everyone around him. Why is Bernard the only good thing he has? I keep seeing this stuff, and it makes everyone from his past sound really bad but that's not the case. I'm not saying everything with everyone from his past was all sunshine and roses but people cared about him too. Even Bruce. I don't understand why he's being written like this at all.

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Trying to figure out why Tim is so in love with this dude who he hasn't seen since high school before his dad died and tried to hit on his step-mum.

[Frontier]

Trying to figure out why Tim is so in love with this dude who he hasn't seen since high school before his dad died and tried to hit on his step-mum.

At this point I'm expecting Fitzmartin to write a flashback that completely reboots that time in Tim's life.

[ChangingStation]

At this point I'm expecting Fitzmartin to write a flashback that completely reboots that time in Tim's life.

I'm honestly expecting her to not even bother with that. Fitzmartin keeps telling us, rather than showing us and while excusable when writing short stories, it's become a bad habit of hers.

I'm sorry for that cynicism but I've lost faith in Fitzmartin's writing abilities over time. Which is funny, because check out Robin Eternal, it feels very different.

[NOCTPHOENIX]

I'm honestly expecting her to not even bother with that. Fitzmartin keeps telling us, rather than showing us and while excusable when writing short stories, it's become a bad habit of hers.

I'm sorry for that cynicism but I've lost faith in Fitzmartin's writing abilities over time. Which is funny, because check out Robin Eternal, it feels very different.

I dunno she already wrote a reboot flashback in Dark Crisis YJ.........despite how bare that was.