Even if Robin’s mainstream reputation isn’t the best, the Boy Wonder remains essential to Batman’s mythos in DC Comics. But Tim Drake, the third character to don the Robin mantle in mainline canon, is arguably the most underrated. He doesn’t have the novelty of Dick Grayson’s reputation for being the original Boy Wonder or seismic storylines like Jason Todd’s death in A Death in the Family.
Damian Wayne, Bruce’s biological son, is poised to be the Robin in the DCU’s Brave and the Bold, leaving Drake’s potential on-screen debut uncertain. Even so, Tim Drake is still featured in several noteworthy Batman comics in their own right. Recent story arcs like Failsafe put a welcome spotlight on Bruce and Tim’s Dynamic Duo, while classics like A Lonely Place of Dying mark important points in both characters’ histories.
10 Failsafe is an Action-Packed Thriller With Tim Supporting Batman
The Caped Crusader Sees His Paranoia Come Back to Bite Him
Recently acclaimed for his successful run on Daredevil for Marvel, writer Chip Zdarsky opened his Batman tenure with a bang in Failsafe. While later story arcs from his run were muddied with inter-family drama and DC-wide crossovers, this stint on the mainline Batman comic brought much-needed focus to Bruce and Tim’s Dynamic Duo. The opening arc sees one of Bruce’s fallback plans—a hyperintelligent android—go rogue and terrorize him and Gotham City.
Failsafe is a worthwhile action-focused Batman comic that’s complemented by Jorge Jiménez’s exceptional artwork and cleverly uses the character’s flaws to drive the story. This, namely, sees his past paranoia return to haunt him very literally and viscerally. But on top of exciting narrative callbacks to JLA: Tower of Babel and R.I.P., it sees Bruce and Tim operate as a capable and determined team. The Failsafe arc also shows the bond and affection between the surrogate father-son duo amid the action.
9 A Lonely Place of Dying Shows Why Batman Needs Robin
A Robin's Death Shows the Dark Knight's Vulnerability & Need for Tim Drake
One of the most consequential and tragic events to happen to the Bat-Family is the death of Jason Todd. The second Boy Wonder was not without his rage issues, but his murder by the Joker in A Death in the Family is the darkest mark on Batman’s career. But Marv Wolfman, George Pérez, and Jim Aparo’s A Lonely Place of Dying exposes the hole left in the Dark Knight without Jason. Following Jason’s demise, Batman becomes increasingly more volatile.
He’s quicker to anger and puts himself and those around him in unnecessary danger, with his missteps eerily mirroring his late companion’s raw and unrefined edge. However, Tim Drake notices this as a bystander, leading to a tale that makes thoughtful commentary on Bruce’s psyche and sees the soon-to-be Boy Wonder prove the Robin mantle’s utmost importance. A Lonely Place of Dying is a poignant exploration of grief’s aftermath in the brooding hero’s mind and highlights how Robin is far more than a «sidekick.» Robin keeps the Dark Knight grounded and helps make sense of his world.
8 The Bat-Man of Gotham is a Sci-Fi Thriller
Robin Takes the Reins in Gotham While Batman Ventures Into the Multiverse
Chip Zdarsky takes his mainline Batman run in wilder directions in The Bat-Man of Gotham story arc. The second major storyline in his run follows Bruce Wayne as he’s thrown into a more dystopic Gotham City found elsewhere in DC’s vast multiverse. With the mainline canon’s Dark Knight missing in action, Tim Drake’s Robin steps up to rescue his surrogate father and mentor.
The Bat-Man of Gotham plays out like an even wilder sci-fi story than Spider-Man: No Way Home. It meshes alternate versions of iconic heroes and villains and pushes the main continuity Batman into a fish-out-of-water situation. The arc splits the focus into parallel stories, showing fans the admirable levels of courage Robin shows in filling a daunting vacancy. The Bat-Man of Gotham certainly leans into zanier concepts some fans might be used to, but it ultimately still feels like a celebration of Batman’s character while giving Tim a share of the spotlight.
7 Contagion Pits the Bat-Family Against an Unseen Enemy
Robin Joins Batman & More as They Scramble for a Cure to a Viral Disease
The ’90s saw several dire events turn into crossovers for Batman comics. Storylines like Knightfall and No Man’s Land are the most well-known, but Contagion was a gripping comic event as well. The Dark Detective and several of his allies find themselves forced to react to a lethal virus taking Gotham City by storm. The Order of St. Dumas, which brainwashed the Azrael seen as an antiheroic Batman in the earlier Knightfall arc, goes to great lengths to ensure an antidote isn’t created.
This involves Robin being caught in the crossfire, as readers see Tim team up with the likes of Catwoman and Azrael in their mad dash to find a cure. The young hero is infected with the disease himself, adding to this disaster-thriller comic’s high-stakes atmosphere. Contagion also includes Tim Drake’s Robin solo comic tie-in into this wider event.
6 Knightfall Puts Tim Drake & the Bat-Family in a Tough Position
Tim's Time as Robin Sees Batman's Defeat at Bane's Hand
It’s important not to understate the significance of the year-long Knightfall arc in Batman comics during the ’90s. Various writers and artists came together to tell a story following one of the Caped Crusader’s most shocking losses. When the ambitious, then-new villain Bane orchestrates a breakout of Arkham Asylum to wear out the hero physically and mentally, he goes for the final strike in his own home. After the famous «breaking of the Bat,» the mantle is left empty, and Jean-Paul Valley—Azrael—steps in to fill the role.
The main draw of Knightfall is, of course, Batman’s most iconic deconstruction, the corruption of the mantle, and Bruce’s path back to victory. However, Tim Drake was the sitting Robin at the time, forcing him to watch the steady degradation of Valley’s mind into a borderline villainous take on Batman. It was a grueling position to be in, but Tim demonstrates his steadfast morals and maturity as he continues to grow into his superheroic persona.
5 Slayride Pits Robin Against the Joker
A DCAU Writer Tells a Tense One-Issue Story in Detective Comics
Writer Paul Dini is credited as one of the key figures behind Batman: The Animated Series‘ success in the DC Animated Universe. Fortunately, fans have an entire Detective Comics run to enjoy from the creator, and it includes an exciting one-issue story focusing on Tim Drake as Robin and the Joker. Slayride, with artist Don Kramer, opens with the Boy Wonder escaping a gang of drug dealers. But when he desperately joins a driver offering him a way out, it’s none other than the Joker.
The tone of Slayride is one of several reasons Dini’s time with Batman in Detective Comics (and Streets of Gotham) is so fondly remembered. The premise of this comic feels like something straight out of a Saturday morning episode of The Animated Series, and it effectively makes Tim the protagonist for this one-off. Between Robin’s quick thinking to get out of a dire situation and Joker’s morbid sense of humor, it’s hard not to love Slayride.
4 Prodigal Shakes Up the Dynamic Duo Pairing
The Original Boy Wonder Becomes Batman With Tim By His Side
Set in the aftermath of the Knightfall arc, a team of writers and artists unite for the Prodigal storyline. As Bruce continues to physically recover from the beatings endured from the former event, Dick Grayson—the first Robin—becomes Batman. This calls for an unconventional Dynamic Duo as Gotham City is faced with a revolving cast of villains, including Two-Face, Killer Croc, and Ratcatcher.
Prodigal will surely satisfy readers eager to see Grayson’s time as the Dark Knight and the challenges of living up to such overwhelming standards. Seeing his journey go from the trailblazing Robin to Nightwing to Batman fleshes out a satisfying character arc. But Prodigal also gives Tim enough space to deal with the pressures that come with juggling two alter egos. With Grayson facing his insecurities and Drake still coming to terms with his place in the Bat-Family, this arc excels due to its fresh character perspectives.
3 No Man's Land Was a Bat-Family Call to Arms
Gotham Suffers a Natural Disaster, With Batman & Co. Being Spread Thin
The ‘90s No Man’s Land crossover arc is one of Batman’s biggest blockbuster events in DC Comics. Gotham is reeling in the wake of the 7.5 earthquake that struck during Cataclysm and paved the way for more havoc for those left behind. With the U.S. government effectively abandoning the city, the Bat-Family and Commissioner Gordon must pick up the pieces. No Man’s Land remains one of the most significant and catastrophic story arcs to affect Gotham City.
This crossover event was also a perfect excuse to bleed into other Gotham-related comics and create a genuine sense of desperation for the Bat-Family, Tim Drake’s Robin included. While the Dark Knight had the young hero stay out of most of the city’s destruction, Robin would eventually team up with the likes of Nightwing to square off against rogues like Mr. Freeze and Ratcatcher. The No Man’s Land arc is still a grand-scale comic event worth reading for Batman fans eager to see the Bat-Family in action in general.
2 Face the Face Follows Batman & Robin's Return to Gotham
DC's Dynamic Duo Returns One Year After Infinite Crisis for a Two-Face Conflict
Writer James Robinson and several artists created the Face the Face arc spanning the mainline Batman and Detective Comics titles. This Batman comic arc is set a year after the Infinite Crisis event and revolves around the Dynamic Duo investigating a string of killings of certain villains. The Dark Knight entrusted Gotham’s safety to a recuperated Harvey Dent, but the murders are tied to a double-barrelled gun tied to the former district attorney.
Face the Face is an excellent Batman comic for fans wanting the best stories involving Two-Face. This storyline underscores the tragedy of Harvey’s fall from grace and struggles for redemption, but it also gives some time to watch Bruce and Tim investigate a case as Batman and Robin. Having a mystery-focused story to highlight Batman’s detective qualities and Tim as Robin to work with is fulfilling to see, with the young man once again showing his prowess as a crime-fighting partner and an important fresh perspective.
1 The Rise and Fall of the Batmen Includes Tim in the Gotham Knights
Tim Drake Plays a Key Role as Red Robin in Batman & Batwoman's Team
James Tynion IV’s Detective Comics tenure is among the best modern Batman comic runs. Suitably titled The Rise and Fall of the Batmen in the omnibus collection, this overarching story follows Batman and Batwoman’s initiative to lead the Gotham Knights. This run includes Tim Drake, who, like the Robins before him, is now donning a superhero persona away from being the Dark Knight’s sidekick.
Now known as Red Robin, The Rise and Fall of the Batmen explores a coming-of-age arc for Tim. The young man is grappling with his growing responsibilities as a crimefighter with the Gotham Knights, working by Batman’s side, and how it conflicts with his life outside the capes and masks. It’s a deserved spotlight for his character, but this run impresses with how Tynion provides compassionate character arcs for the main cast overall. On top of featuring a terrific Tim Drake story, The Rise and Fall of the Batmen is a must-read Bat-Family epic.
Batman
Batman is one of the oldest comic superheroes, with nearly a century of comics, TV-shows, films, and video games. The mild-mannered Bruce Wayne becomes Gotham City's caped crusader, protecting it from villains like The Joker, Killer Croc, The Penguin, and more. Batman is also one of DC comics' "Big Three" alongside Superman and Wonder Woman, and together the three help keep the earth safe as founding members of the Justice League.
DC Comics
DC Comics follow the adventures of iconic superheroes such as Superman, Wonder Woman, Batman, and more.
