Tim Drake: The Most Reliable Robins

Who is Tim Drake?

Tim Drake is one of the most reliable and proficient Robins, but often goes overlooked in favor of his more outwardly chaotic brothers. His intelligence and ability to plan five steps ahead of any problem has set him apart from the others since his introduction and will continue to do so for the rest of his existence. While he isn’t the best fighter, or the best at stealth, he is certainly the most skilled investigator among the family, only second to Batman himself!

Tim Drake's Life Journey

Early Life

Timothy Jackson Drake was born to wealthy parents who traveled often, leaving him at boarding schools from an early age. In an attempt to spend some quality time with him, his parents took him to Haly’s Circus where he got to see the Flying Graysons perform!... for the final time. To their horror, two of them fell to their deaths and the third, Dick Grayson, was taken in by Bruce Wayne. Due to his powerful deduction skills, at the age of nine Tim was able to piece together that the boy acrobat he saw that night was the same boy as Batman’s sidekick who appeared not long after, also suggesting that Bruce Wayne was Batman as well! Tim didn’t use this information at the time, only filed it away for later use, and focused on his life and schooling.

Middle Life

Becoming Robin

Batman’s demeanor changed after the death of Robin (Jason Todd), and it led to concerning actions that suggested that he was going down a darker path. In an effort to prevent that from happening, Tim confronted Bruce Wayne and demanded that he change his ways and allow Tim to become his next Robin. Bruce originally refused, but was eventually won over by this boy who was able to match wits with him, and he decided to make Tim the next Robin both for his own sake, and so that Tim would be taught how to use his intelligence for good instead of getting bored and making poor choices like many of Batman’s rogue’s gallery.

Not long after becoming Robin, disaster struck. Tim’s parents were captured by someone named Obeah Man, who poisoned them before Batman could stop him. Unfortunately, his mother died instantly and his father ended up in a coma. Bruce Wayne took Tim in during that time before returning him to his father’s care once he was well enough to take care of his son again. This caused some problems with Tim’s heroism because his father wanted to spend time with Tim more often, and grew suspicious of his bruises.

Giving Up The Cowl (Temporarily)

Eventually, Tim’s father discovered his son’s secret, and forbade him from being Robin anymore. He was heartbroken, but Tim wanted to protect the Bat Family’s secrets and attempt to heal his terrible relationship with his father, so he reluctantly agreed. Tim gave the role over to his friend, and on-and-off girlfriend, Stephanie Brown, also known as Spoiler and Batgirl. Stephanie has always been one of the most important people in Tim’s life, so he was devastated to find out she apparently died trying to prove herself. Tim couldn’t stay away from heroism knowing that he was needed, and his father reluctantly agreed.

Adoption

Not long after he returned to fighting crime, Captain Boomerang appeared at the Drake residence and murdered Tim’s father, leaving him alone in the world. Bruce Wayne did what he had done before for Dick Grayson, Jason Todd, and Cassandra Cain: formally adopted Tim, making him an official and legal part of the Wayne family. He also named Tim the heir of Wayne Industries and has allowed him to act as the CEO in his stead when he has been unable to run the business.

Family Binds

Tim has considered Bruce Wayne a role model and a father figure from early in their relationship. He has spent his time as Robin attempting to prove himself to Bruce and make him proud. Since becoming Robin, Tim has also been close to Dick Grayson, viewing him as a big brother even before he was adopted. His relationship with the second Robin, Jason Todd, has not been so easy though, with Jason viewing Tim as a replacement for himself and holding onto resentment because of that, but their relationship has improved over time. Another relationship he struggled with was with the fourth Robin, Damian Wayne, who hated him instantly, but they have grown into a competitive brotherly relationship. He considers Cassandra Cain and Barbara Gordon to be like sisters to him, but his relationship with Stephanie Brown has always been more complicated due to their deep friendship tinted by romance.

Teen Titans / Young Justice

Like Dick Grayson before him, Tim became a leader of the Teen Titans and a major player in their adventures. He befriended Conner Kent (Superboy), and considers him to be one of his best friends. The two of them, along with Cassie Sandsmark (Wonder Girl) and Bart Allen (Impulse), became Titan together. Tim was able to flex his intelligence and leadership skills through the group’s activities, holding the group together even after disappearances and deaths.

Becoming Red Robin

When Batman seemingly died in combat, there was a battle for the cowl that resulted in Dick Grayson becoming the new Batman. Tim was certain Bruce wasn’t actually dead though, and decided to strike out on his own to find him. Dick chose Damian Wayne to be his Robin, and Tim chose to change his name to Red Robin as a result. Through Red Robin’s investigation, he was able to discover that Batman was not dead, but misplaced in time.

Tim Drake Today

After Bruce returned, Tim continued to use the name Red Robin while being mentored by Batman. He is still involved with the Teen Titans, and growing up within the Bat Family. Recently he discovered he is bisexual and began to date a boy named Bernard Dowd. Only time will tell what great deeds he will go onto do as an adult superhero!

What do you think of Tim Drake? What lesson can be taken from his story? Share with us in the comments to earn a Limited Edition Comic Book Pack for your collection on-site!