Tim Drake: Robin, Red Robin Appreciation 2019

[byrd156]

There was no progression from Robin to Red Robin with the New-52. What was done pre-52 was a great transition from Robin to Red Robin, but without that back story Red Robin is just Robin 2.0

Which never needed to happen. They could've done literally anything with Tim but they decided to regress him and turn Red Robin into another Robin with a different design and a color attached to the name.

That progression from pre-52 could've and should've carried over since they weren't doing a hard reboot. DC chose to screw themselves over and mangled a lot of characters in the process. Tim included.

[josai21]

Which never needed to happen. They could've done literally anything with Tim but they decided to regress him and turn Red Robin into another Robin with a different design and a color attached to the name.

That progression from pre-52 could've and should've carried over since they weren't doing a hard reboot. DC chose to screw themselves over and mangled a lot of characters in the process. Tim included.

I would argue that Tim's issues weren't so much an issue with DC as a whole as it was a problem with Lobdell. Lobdell is great on Jason, but he didn't -get- Tim. Everything about that origin and backstory and Tim's role in the Teen Titans was crap. Tynion tried to fix the character, but I would argue he was too much of a fanboy. Also he bought into the techno-Tim hype.

Tim has always been good with Tech, but never on the whole Luthor/Mr. Terrific level. Tim's genius has always been tactical and strategic, more akin to Bruce's intelligence than just being the tech guy.

[Restingvoice]

I would argue that Tim's issues weren't so much an issue with DC as a whole as it was a problem with Lobdell. Lobdell is great on Jason, but he didn't -get- Tim. Everything about that origin and backstory and Tim's role in the Teen Titans was crap. Tynion tried to fix the character, but I would argue he was too much of a fanboy. Also he bought into the techno-Tim hype.

Tim has always been good with Tech, but never on the whole Luthor/Mr. Terrific level. Tim's genius has always been tactical and strategic, more akin to Bruce's intelligence than just being the tech guy.

I don't know how much of the rest of the Tim problem is Lobdell or DC so personally, I can't say who's more to blame than who.

All I know was Lobdell came up with the witness protection parents and the editorial like it so they asked him to add that Tim Drake is not his real name. That's the only thing I'm sure since it was in his interview on Comicvine after that issue came out. I forgot who came up with Tim Is Never Robin.

[godisawesome]

I would argue that Tim's issues weren't so much an issue with DC as a whole as it was a problem with Lobdell. Lobdell is great on Jason, but he didn't -get- Tim. Everything about that origin and backstory and Tim's role in the Teen Titans was crap. Tynion tried to fix the character, but I would argue he was too much of a fanboy. Also he bought into the techno-Tim hype.

Tim has always been good with Tech, but never on the whole Luthor/Mr. Terrific level. Tim's genius has always been tactical and strategic, more akin to Bruce's intelligence than just being the tech guy.

As much as I find Lobdell at fault for most of New 52 Teen Titans’s problem, I think some of the issues with Tim and the team wound up being from DC editorial remembering he was a yes-man and making more demands “for the good of marketing.”

Early on, Lobdell was viewing the book mostly as a relaunch, but not a reboot - reportedly, he was going to try and re-introduce familiar versions of characters like Superboy by having him *captured* by NOWHERE instead of created by them , and the first few issues were festooned with references to Tim being a former adjectiveless-Robin and there being previous Titans teams (which were also referenced in RHATO). As time went on, editorial saw their idea of dollar signs in the book if they could just make it “better” for “new readers,” so stuff started disappearing in TPBs and reprints, and suddenly Lobdell’s modest crossover between Superboy and Teen Titans became a massive mega-event with all the young teams (including the Legion), and a spin-off book he was supposed to overview as well.

A lot of Teen Titans growing pains around The Culling were the result of DC wanting to be 90’s-era Marvel while also being a “fresh start.” Now, eventually most of the book’s problems would start to fall at Lobdell’s feet, and yeah, he really didn’t get Tim. But I’m tempted to think that Tim’s New 52 origin was the result of an amalgamation of Lobdell and editorial both losing their minds a bit, and it’s not like he was alone in trying to make Tim the tech Robin; Tyrion had similar goals for the longest time.

[failo.legendkiller]

Which never needed to happen. They could've done literally anything with Tim but they decided to regress him and turn Red Robin into another Robin with a different design and a color attached to the name.

That progression from pre-52 could've and should've carried over since they weren't doing a hard reboot. DC chose to screw themselves over and mangled a lot of characters in the process. Tim included.

I basically agree with this but he wasn’t either a Robin because a Robin should have a Batman on his side, and in N52 Tim and Bruce have almost never teamed-up.
Tim in N52 was an entity not well specified with uncertain history and background.

[Fergus]

Lobdell gets too much flak.

Lobdell isn't a writer with clout meaning that he wrote what he was asked to write. Changes he made DC wanted. This was at the time when DC decided to make Batman younger by scrapping disposable canon from their continuity so likely someone higher up decided what to change not individual writers.

If DC had run with Lobdell's version of Tim rather than giving in to fans then Tim wouldn't have the continuity problems he has now. Lobdell's version like all the other sidekicks from his TT's team wasn't even the the real. He was a kid who was using a fake name.
DC could have just had him be an impostor, erase him and have old regular Tim appear just like Conner just did.

No fuss no messing around but nope they had to merge the two and we are left with the Mish Mash Frankenstein's Monster we have now.

[failo.legendkiller]

Lobdell gets too much flak.

Lobdell isn't a writer with clout meaning that he wrote what he was asked to write. Changes he made DC wanted. This was at the time when DC decided to make Batman younger by scrapping disposable canon from their continuity so likely someone higher up decided what to change not individual writers.

If DC had run with Lobdell's version of Tim rather than giving in to fans then Tim wouldn't have the continuity problems he has now. Lobdell's version like all the other sidekicks from his TT's team wasn't even the the real. He was a kid who was using a fake name.
DC could have just had him be an impostor, erase him and have old regular Tim appear just like Conner just did.

No fuss no messing around but nope they had to merge the two and we are left with the Mish Mash Frankenstein's Monster we have now.

Bendis is working on it, and as far as we are he did a great job.
Next month should be centered on Tim and his brand new identity.
Let’s wait and see...

[Darkcrusade25]

Bendis posted preview art

https://scontent-lga3-1.cdninstagram...ninstagram.com

Looks like Tim got a new costume on the bottom right. He got the cowl back.

[CPSparkles]

Bendis posted preview art

https://scontent-lga3-1.cdninstagram...ninstagram.com

Looks like Tim got a new costume on the bottom right. He got the cowl back.

Looks very batman from the little I can see.

[Konja7]

Bendis posted preview art

https://scontent-lga3-1.cdninstagram...ninstagram.com

Looks like Tim got a new costume on the bottom right. He got the cowl back.

So, it is possible Tim's new name is Red Robin again.

That would explain why Tom King refer him with that name in Heroes in Crisis.

[Restingvoice]

Hey, who knows. Maybe he'll call himself Dr. Mid-nite

I miss the hair. One thing I don't like about that cowl is the lack of hair. Especially Marcus To hair, and Young Justice kinda sorta use Marcus To hair.

[Arsenal]

Maybe the "new" costume is just a version of his RR costume with the cowl.

[Sergard]

Looks very batman from the little I can see.

Could also be Kingdom Come Red Robin.

[Konja7]

Could also be Kingdom Come Red Robin.

Yeah. That's another good possibility.

After all, Kingdom Come Superman appear there.

[Sergard]

Yeah. That's another good possibility.

After all, Kingdom Come Superman appear there.

And Kingdom Come Green Lantern, Wonder Woman and Power Girl.