Tim Drake
Encyclopedia
Timothy "Tim" Drake is a superhero
who appears in comic book
s published by DC Comics
and in related media. The character was created by Marv Wolfman
and Pat Broderick
. From 1989 to 2009, he was known as Robin
in the Batman
comics, becoming the third character to take up the identity. Tim Drake made his first comic book appearance in Batman #436 in a flashback as a child who was in the audience when Dick Grayson
's parents fell to their deaths. Following the events in Batman: Battle for the Cowl
, Drake has taken up the identity of Red Robin
. In 2011 Tim Drake was ranked 32nd in IGN's "Top 100 Comic Book Heroes".
and impressed the former Robin with his skills. This led to Grayson and later Alfred Pennyworth
, Bruce Wayne's butler, to support Tim's request to be Batman's new partner. Batman editor Dennis O'Neil hoped that Grayson's approval of Drake would ease reader acceptance of him. Evidently, this approach was successful with Tim Drake being so accepted by readers that, after three successful miniseries, the character had his own 183-issue series from 1993 through 2009. Mike Mullins on Newsarama
has stated:
As Robin, the character has also been featured prominently in the Young Justice and Teen Titans series, and, as of June 2009, Tim Drake/Wayne took on the new identity of Red Robin, starring in yet another series by the same name.
and Janet Drake, coming from the same social class as Bruce Wayne. When he was a young child, he visited the circus for the first time with his parents. The Drakes asked the Flying Graysons for a photo together, resulting in a momentary bond between Dick Grayson and Tim Drake as they met for the first time.
After reaching the age of nine, Drake deduces the identities of Batman and Robin as Bruce Wayne and Dick Grayson after witnessing a gymnastic move by Robin that Grayson displayed while performing with the Flying Graysons. Noting that Batman has grown reckless and violent following the death of second Robin Jason Todd
, who was murdered by the Joker
, Drake decided to intervene and Batman eventually enlisted him as the third Robin after the death of his mother and crippling of his father. Jack Drake also appeared in Identity Crisis. When Jean Loring
sent him a gun he used it in self-defense and killed Captain Boomerang
, but at the last second Boomerang threw a boomerang that killed Jack Drake. As a result Tim became an orphan, continuing the long held tradition that Robin is an orphan.
Before joining Batman as the new Robin, Tim Drake was given a modern redesign of the Robin costume and sent to train abroad with numerous masters. When Bruce Wayne retires after Knightfall
, Robin goes solo to defend Gotham. Robin would eventually go on to co-star with other teenaged superheros in Young Justice
and Teen Titans. He also made guest appearances in other DC comic books such as Nightwing
and Azrael
.
Following the deaths of his father in Identity Crisis (2004), his girlfriend Stephanie Brown in Batman: War Games (2004–2005) and his best friend Superboy (Kon-El)
in Infinite Crisis
(2005–2006), Drake was relocated to Blüdhaven
for a period of time in order to escape the "ghosts" of Gotham City
and to stay close to his stepmother Dana Winters who was admitted into a Blüdhaven clinic after going into psychological shock over Jack Drake's murder at the hands of Captain Boomerang
, was given another redesign of the Robin costume in the colors of Superboy's costume and was formally adopted by Bruce Wayne as his son.
After Batman's apparent death in Batman R.I.P.
and Final Crisis
, Bruce Wayne's biological son Damian Wayne
takes up the Robin identity while Tim Drake, believing that his mentor is still alive, assumes the identity of Red Robin
and leaves Gotham City to go on a worldwide search for Bruce Wayne.
, which was launched in late 2009, depicted Tim Drake's search to find evidence that Bruce Wayne was still alive after cutting himself off from the rest of the Bat Family. He was approached by Ra's al Ghul's assassins, who were also interested in finding out what happened to Batman. At the same time, Tam
, Lucius Fox's daughter, has been sent to find Tim Drake-Wayne to bring him back to Gotham. Tim goes to Iraq and manages to discover definitive proof that Bruce was alive and lost in time, but was ambushed by an assassin from the Council of Spiders. He manages to drive himself and Pru to Tam Fox's hotel room, and they promptly get abducted by the League of Assassins. Although initially reluctant, he entered into an alliance with Ra's al Ghul nearly bleeding to death due to their encounter with the Council of Spiders. He was put in charge of the League of Assassins by Ra's al Ghul, and used the time to simultaneously plan how to stop the Council of Spiders and destroy the League of Assassins. After failing to foil all but one of the Council's assassination attempts, Tim realizes that the Council will be attacking the League's base, and realizes that he left Tam Fox in danger at the base. Rushing back to base, he simultaneously manages to delay the Council of Spiders, blow up the League's base, and escape with Tam.
After crippling Ra's al Ghul
's League of Assassins
, Drake returns to Gotham City to overthrow Ra's plans to use Hush
, who was surgically-altered to resemble Bruce Wayne, to gain control of the Wayne family resources by becoming the CEO
and controlling shareholder of Wayne Enterprises
in accordance to Bruce Wayne's will. Ra's al Ghul plans to destroy all that Batman held dear, and begins directing his assassins to target all of the Batman's associates. Realizing that these attacks are a smokescreen and that the real target is coercing Hush to sign away Wayne Enterprises, Red Robin decides to confront Ra's al Ghul head on. He calls upon all of his friends to protect the various targets. He distracts Ra's al Ghul from stopping Lucius Fox from making Drake the controlling shareholder of Wayne Enterprises. Realizing that Red Robin has bested him, Ra's al Ghul commends him, calls him 'detective,' and launches Tim out of the window. Tim is happy that he was able to achieve victory without any compromises, and is saved from falling by Batman, Dick Grayson. Drake has since moved back to Gotham City and reestablished ties with his family and friends. After Bruce Wayne's return, Tim begins to aid his plans for expanding their mission globally with Batman, Inc.
Tim is eventually appointed as the head of the newest incarnation of the Outsiders
, who now serve as Batman Inc.'s black-ops wing. Red Robin eventually rejoins the Teen Titans and takes over leadership from Wonder Girl. He remains as the team's leader during their climatic battle against Superboy-Prime and the new Legion of Doom
.
Following an adventure with Blackbat where he faces Ra's al Ghul
's sister, Tim stalks and attempts to kill Captain Boomerang (who was resurrected during the Brightest Day
). Though Tim ultimately stops himself from killing Boomerang, he is chastised by Batman for his actions.
. According to writer Scott Lobdell
, many elements of Drake's history will remain canon. At the start of the series, Tim has been in a state of semi-retirement after his falling out with Batman, and uses his computer skills to fight crime over the internet in a manner similar to Oracle. He is also shown monitoring various teenaged superheroes, such as Static, Miss Martian
, Solstice
and Kid Flash. After being attacked by agents from the shadowy organization N.O.W.H.E.R.E., Tim dons a new Red Robin suit and returns to the world of crime fighting.
His combat style is a reflection of everything he learned from the masters, Bruce, and his own incredible intelligence deducing weak points in moments and targeting them with a variety of combat tactics.
He is also inoculated against several toxins the Batfamily has encountered, including Joker Venom, Fear Toxin, and some of Poison Ivy's pheromones.
commented:
At the age of about nine years old, Tim Drake was able to deduce Robin's secret identity as Dick Grayson when Robin performed a quadruple somersault, in which Grayson was only one of the three people who could perform such a flip. This deduction also allowed Drake to deduce that Grayson's guardian Bruce Wayne was Batman. Drake's intellect has allowed him to deduce a majority of other heroes' identities including Flash and Superman. In addition, after foiling Ra's al Ghul's master plan to assassinate everyone Bruce Wayne cared about and ruining the Wayne Family fortune, Ra's has addressed Tim as "Detective", a title the villain once only reserved for Bruce Wayne. His intellect has enabled him to excel in computer science and a grasp of assorted scientific techniques, including biology, engineering, and genetics, which he has been shown to use in his attempts at re-cloning Superboy. Tim also speaks several languages beyond his native English, including Cantonese, Russian, Spanish and German.
Drake, like Dick Grayson, has served as leader to Young Justice
, the Teen Titans, and even being placed in charge of the rescue efforts of Blüdhaven by Superman, following the attack made by Deathstroke and his fellow villains.
, a cape
colored black on the outside and yellow on the inside, and green leggings
. Other details include an armored gorget
, jika-tabi
style boots, an emergency "R" shuriken
on his chest in addition to the traditional batarang
s, and a collapsible bo staff as the character's primary weapon. Following Infinite Crisis
, Drake's costume was modified to favor a black and red color scheme and included long sleeves.
The Red Robin costume consists of a long-sleeved red tunic, along with black boots, tights, gloves, cape and cowl. It also includes a black-and-gold utility belt that carries Drake's weaponry such as his bo staff and throwing discs. After Drake's confrontation with Ra's al Ghul in Red Robin #12, the costume was slightly altered.
The Red Robin costume changes in the 2011 relaunch, he has a red and black costume with the return of his former mask that cover up his eyes, with a black utility belt and a gold core. He also has many other utility belts on his arms and chest, also with black boots and added red wings.
(DCAU). Drake made his animated debut as Robin in the animated series The New Batman Adventures
, voiced by Mathew Valencia
. His characterization was changed to blend in Jason Todd
's. In addition to continuing to appear regularly on The New Batman Adventures, Drake also made guest appearances on the 1998 Superman: The Animated Series
episode "Knight Time", and two Static Shock
episodes: "The Big Leagues" and "Future Shock", voiced by Shane Sweet
. He also made two cameo appearance
s in the Justice League
episodes "The Savage Time" and "Hereafter".
The fate of Tim Drake in the DCAU was revealed in the 2000 animated film Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker
. In a flashback sequence, the Joker kidnapped and tortured Drake to the point of insanity. The demented Drake reveals a sliver of his original mind when he kills the Joker. The new Batman, Terry McGinnis, confronted the resurrected Joker, revealed to be the 52 year-old Tim Drake transformed through a microchip containing the Joker's memories, personality, and DNA. In the 2003 animated film Batman: Mystery of the Batwoman
, Drake appeared in a supporting role as Robin, voiced by Eli Marienthal
.
. As of August 2009, Drake is the star in a new series, Red Robin
. He has also starred in some miniseries and one-shots. This material has been collected as follows:
Superhero
A superhero is a type of stock character, possessing "extraordinary or superhuman powers", dedicated to protecting the public. Since the debut of the prototypical superhero Superman in 1938, stories of superheroes — ranging from brief episodic adventures to continuing years-long sagas —...
who appears in comic book
Comic book
A comic book or comicbook is a magazine made up of comics, narrative artwork in the form of separate panels that represent individual scenes, often accompanied by dialog as well as including...
s published by DC Comics
DC Comics
DC Comics, Inc. is one of the largest and most successful companies operating in the market for American comic books and related media. It is the publishing unit of DC Entertainment a company of Warner Bros. Entertainment, which itself is owned by Time Warner...
and in related media. The character was created by Marv Wolfman
Marv Wolfman
Marvin A. "Marv" Wolfman is an award-winning American comic book writer. He is best known for lengthy runs on The Tomb of Dracula, creating Blade for Marvel Comics, and The New Teen Titans for DC Comics.-1960s:...
and Pat Broderick
Pat Broderick
Pat Broderick is an American comic book artist known for his work on the Micronauts. Broderick also pencilled the four-part Batman: Year Three storyline, written by Marv Wolfman, which detailed the first meeting of Batman and Tim Drake.-Early career :Fresh from high school in Tampa, Florida,...
. From 1989 to 2009, he was known as Robin
Robin (comics)
Robin is the name of several fictional characters appearing in comic books published by DC Comics, originally created by Bob Kane, Bill Finger and Jerry Robinson, as a junior counterpart to DC Comics superhero Batman...
in the Batman
Batman (comic book)
Batman is an ongoing comic book series featuring the DC Comics hero of the same name. The character first appeared in Detective Comics #27, published in May 1939. Batman proved to be so popular that a self-titled ongoing comic book series began publication in the spring of 1940...
comics, becoming the third character to take up the identity. Tim Drake made his first comic book appearance in Batman #436 in a flashback as a child who was in the audience when Dick Grayson
Dick Grayson
Dick Grayson is a fictional superhero that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. Created by Bob Kane and Bill Finger and illustrator Jerry Robinson, he first appeared in Detective Comics #38 in April 1940....
's parents fell to their deaths. Following the events in Batman: Battle for the Cowl
Batman: Battle for the Cowl
Batman: Battle for the Cowl is a 2009 comic book storyline published by DC Comics, consisting of an eponymous, three issue miniseries written and penciled by Tony Daniel, as well as a number of tie-in books. The central story details the chaos in Gotham City following the "Batman R.I.P." and "Final...
, Drake has taken up the identity of Red Robin
Red Robin (comics)
Red Robin is a name that has been used by several fictional characters in the DC Comics Universe.On the alternate world of Kingdom Come, a middle-aged Dick Grayson reclaims the Robin mantle and becomes Red Robin. His uniform is closer to Batman's in design, rather than any previous Robin uniform...
. In 2011 Tim Drake was ranked 32nd in IGN's "Top 100 Comic Book Heroes".
Publication history
Tim Drake was introduced in 1989's Batman: A Lonely Place of Dying, in which he first introduced himself to Dick GraysonDick Grayson
Dick Grayson is a fictional superhero that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. Created by Bob Kane and Bill Finger and illustrator Jerry Robinson, he first appeared in Detective Comics #38 in April 1940....
and impressed the former Robin with his skills. This led to Grayson and later Alfred Pennyworth
Alfred Pennyworth
Alfred Pennyworth is a fictional character that appears throughout the DC Comics franchise. The character first appears in Batman #16 , and was created by writer Bob Kane and artist Jerry Robinson. Alfred serves as Batman’s tireless butler, assistant, confidant, and surrogate father figure...
, Bruce Wayne's butler, to support Tim's request to be Batman's new partner. Batman editor Dennis O'Neil hoped that Grayson's approval of Drake would ease reader acceptance of him. Evidently, this approach was successful with Tim Drake being so accepted by readers that, after three successful miniseries, the character had his own 183-issue series from 1993 through 2009. Mike Mullins on Newsarama
Newsarama
Newsarama is an American website that publishes news, interviews and essays about the American comic book industry.-History:Newsarama began in Summer 1995 as a series of Internet forum postings on the Prodigy comic-book message boards by fan Mike Doran. In these short messages. Doran shared...
has stated:
Throughout [the entire Robin series], the character of Robin has been captured consistently, showing him to step up to greater and greater challenges. Robin is a character who shows initiative and is driven to do what he views as right. He knows he is living up to a legacy left by Dick Grayson and strives to not disappoint Bruce Wayne, Batman. Tim is a more natural detective than previous Robins and is talented with computers, which allows him to stand in his own unique spotlight. Unlike his predecessors, Tim is not the most proficient combatant and has had to really work on his fighting technique, taking up the bo staff to give him an edge that Batman doesn’t need. Tim almost always seeks to analyze a problem and to outthink his opponent but has shown the ability to win a fight when necessary.
As Robin, the character has also been featured prominently in the Young Justice and Teen Titans series, and, as of June 2009, Tim Drake/Wayne took on the new identity of Red Robin, starring in yet another series by the same name.
Introduction
Tim Drake is the son of JackJack Drake
Jack Drake is a fictional character from DC Comics books, specifically the Batman titles. Jack is the father of Tim Drake, formerly the third Robin and the current Red Robin.-Initial history and family:...
and Janet Drake, coming from the same social class as Bruce Wayne. When he was a young child, he visited the circus for the first time with his parents. The Drakes asked the Flying Graysons for a photo together, resulting in a momentary bond between Dick Grayson and Tim Drake as they met for the first time.
After reaching the age of nine, Drake deduces the identities of Batman and Robin as Bruce Wayne and Dick Grayson after witnessing a gymnastic move by Robin that Grayson displayed while performing with the Flying Graysons. Noting that Batman has grown reckless and violent following the death of second Robin Jason Todd
Jason Todd
Jason Peter Todd is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. Jason first appeared in Batman #357 and became the second Robin, sidekick to the superhero Batman, when the previous Robin went on to star in The New Teen Titans under the moniker of Nightwing.Though...
, who was murdered by the Joker
Joker (comics)
The Joker is a fictional character, a comic book supervillain published by DC Comics. He is the archenemy of Batman, having been directly responsible for numerous tragedies in Batman's life, including the paralysis of Barbara Gordon and the death of Jason Todd, the second Robin...
, Drake decided to intervene and Batman eventually enlisted him as the third Robin after the death of his mother and crippling of his father. Jack Drake also appeared in Identity Crisis. When Jean Loring
Jean Loring
Jean Loring is a fictional character in comic books published by DC Comics, formerly associated with superhero the Atom for whom she was a supporting character and primary love interest. She first appeared in Showcase #34 , created by Gardner Fox and Gil Kane...
sent him a gun he used it in self-defense and killed Captain Boomerang
Captain Boomerang
Captain Boomerang is a fictional character in the . A supervillain traditionally portrayed as an enemy of the Flash...
, but at the last second Boomerang threw a boomerang that killed Jack Drake. As a result Tim became an orphan, continuing the long held tradition that Robin is an orphan.
Robin (1989–2009)
Batman: Knightfall
"Knightfall" is the title given to a major Batman story arc published by DC Comics that dominated Batman-related serial comic books in the spring and summer of 1993...
, Robin goes solo to defend Gotham. Robin would eventually go on to co-star with other teenaged superheros in Young Justice
Young Justice
Young Justice is a fictional DC Comics superhero team consisting of teenaged heroes. The team first appeared in Young Justice: The Secret , before graduating to their ongoing monthly series...
and Teen Titans. He also made guest appearances in other DC comic books such as Nightwing
Nightwing
Nightwing is a name that has been used by several fictional characters in the DC Comics Universe. It was conceived as a Kryptonian analogue to the character of Batman, with Nightwing's frequent partner Flamebird based on Robin...
and Azrael
Azrael (comic book)
Azrael was an American comic book ongoing series, published by DC Comics based on the character Azrael. The name, inspired by the Islamic Angel of Death, is primarily associated with two characters: Jean-Paul Valley and Michael Lane...
.
Following the deaths of his father in Identity Crisis (2004), his girlfriend Stephanie Brown in Batman: War Games (2004–2005) and his best friend Superboy (Kon-El)
Superboy (Kon-El)
Superboy is a fictional character, a comic book superhero in the DC Comics universe. A modern update of the original Superboy, who is a younger version of Superman, the character first appeared in Adventures of Superman #500 , and was created by writer Karl Kesel and artist Tom Grummett.Originally...
in Infinite Crisis
Infinite Crisis
Infinite Crisis is a 2005 - 2006 comic book storyline published by DC Comics, consisting of an eponymous, seven-issue comic book limited series written by Geoff Johns and illustrated by Phil Jimenez, George Pérez, Ivan Reis, and Jerry Ordway, and a number of tie-in books...
(2005–2006), Drake was relocated to Blüdhaven
Blüdhaven
Blüdhaven is a fictional city in the . Created by Chuck Dixon and Scott McDaniel in 1996, it was originally intended to serve as a backdrop for the Nightwing comics series.-Fictional geography:...
for a period of time in order to escape the "ghosts" of Gotham City
Gotham City
Gotham City is a fictional U.S. city appearing in DC Comics, best known as the home of Batman. Batman's place of residence was first identified as Gotham City in Batman #4 . Gotham City is strongly inspired by Trenton, Ontario's history, location, atmosphere, and various architectural styles...
and to stay close to his stepmother Dana Winters who was admitted into a Blüdhaven clinic after going into psychological shock over Jack Drake's murder at the hands of Captain Boomerang
Captain Boomerang
Captain Boomerang is a fictional character in the . A supervillain traditionally portrayed as an enemy of the Flash...
, was given another redesign of the Robin costume in the colors of Superboy's costume and was formally adopted by Bruce Wayne as his son.
After Batman's apparent death in Batman R.I.P.
Batman R.I.P.
Batman R.I.P. is a comic book story arc published in Batman #676-681 by DC Comics. Written by Grant Morrison, penciled by Tony Daniel, and with covers by Alex Ross, the story pits the superhero Batman against the Black Glove organization as they attempt to destroy everything for which he stands...
and Final Crisis
Final Crisis
Final Crisis is a crossover storyline that appeared in comic books published by DC Comics in 2008, primarily the seven-issue miniseries of the same name written by Grant Morrison. Originally DC announced the project as being illustrated solely by J. G. Jones; artists Carlos Pacheco, Marco Rudy and...
, Bruce Wayne's biological son Damian Wayne
Damian Wayne
Damian Wayne is a fictional character in the . Damian is the child of Bruce Wayne and Talia al Ghul, and thus the grandson of Batman villain Ra's al Ghul....
takes up the Robin identity while Tim Drake, believing that his mentor is still alive, assumes the identity of Red Robin
Red Robin (comics)
Red Robin is a name that has been used by several fictional characters in the DC Comics Universe.On the alternate world of Kingdom Come, a middle-aged Dick Grayson reclaims the Robin mantle and becomes Red Robin. His uniform is closer to Batman's in design, rather than any previous Robin uniform...
and leaves Gotham City to go on a worldwide search for Bruce Wayne.
Red Robin (2009–2011)
Red RobinRed Robin (comic book)
Red Robin is an American comic book ongoing series, written by Chris Yost with art by Ramon Bachs, featuring former Robin Tim Drake under the identity of Red Robin. The debut of the series follows the events of Batman R.I.P., Final Crisis, and Battle for the Cowl in which the original Batman, Bruce...
, which was launched in late 2009, depicted Tim Drake's search to find evidence that Bruce Wayne was still alive after cutting himself off from the rest of the Bat Family. He was approached by Ra's al Ghul's assassins, who were also interested in finding out what happened to Batman. At the same time, Tam
Tamara Fox
Tamara "Tam" Fox is fictional character in the DC Comics Universe, specifically a supprting character in the Batman franchise. She first appeared in Batman: Family #1 and was created by John Francis Moore and Stefano Gaudiano.-Publication history:...
, Lucius Fox's daughter, has been sent to find Tim Drake-Wayne to bring him back to Gotham. Tim goes to Iraq and manages to discover definitive proof that Bruce was alive and lost in time, but was ambushed by an assassin from the Council of Spiders. He manages to drive himself and Pru to Tam Fox's hotel room, and they promptly get abducted by the League of Assassins. Although initially reluctant, he entered into an alliance with Ra's al Ghul nearly bleeding to death due to their encounter with the Council of Spiders. He was put in charge of the League of Assassins by Ra's al Ghul, and used the time to simultaneously plan how to stop the Council of Spiders and destroy the League of Assassins. After failing to foil all but one of the Council's assassination attempts, Tim realizes that the Council will be attacking the League's base, and realizes that he left Tam Fox in danger at the base. Rushing back to base, he simultaneously manages to delay the Council of Spiders, blow up the League's base, and escape with Tam.
After crippling Ra's al Ghul
Ra's al Ghul
Ra's al Ghul is a DC Comics supervillain and is one of Batman's greatest enemies. His name in Arabic has been translated in the comics as "The Demon's Head" and references the name of the star Algol. Created by writer Dennis O'Neil and artist Neal Adams, he was introduced in Batman #232's...
's League of Assassins
League of Assassins
The League of Assassins is a group of fictional comic book villains, an organization of killers formerly led by Ra's al Ghul, an enemy of Batman in the DC Comics Universe.-Doctor Ebeneezer Darrk:...
, Drake returns to Gotham City to overthrow Ra's plans to use Hush
Hush (comics)
Hush is a fictional comic book supervillain appearing in books published by DC Comics, usually as an enemy of Batman. Created by writer Jeph Loeb and artist Jim Lee, the character first appeared in Batman #609 , as part of the 12-issue storyline, Batman: Hush...
, who was surgically-altered to resemble Bruce Wayne, to gain control of the Wayne family resources by becoming the CEO
Chief executive officer
A chief executive officer , managing director , Executive Director for non-profit organizations, or chief executive is the highest-ranking corporate officer or administrator in charge of total management of an organization...
and controlling shareholder of Wayne Enterprises
Wayne Enterprises
Wayne Enterprises is a company in the DC Universe, owned by Bruce Wayne and run by his business manager, Lucius Fox. It was founded by merchant ancestors of the Wayne family in the 17th century as a merchant house, although the company changed when the heir of Judge Solomon Wayne, Alan, utilized...
in accordance to Bruce Wayne's will. Ra's al Ghul plans to destroy all that Batman held dear, and begins directing his assassins to target all of the Batman's associates. Realizing that these attacks are a smokescreen and that the real target is coercing Hush to sign away Wayne Enterprises, Red Robin decides to confront Ra's al Ghul head on. He calls upon all of his friends to protect the various targets. He distracts Ra's al Ghul from stopping Lucius Fox from making Drake the controlling shareholder of Wayne Enterprises. Realizing that Red Robin has bested him, Ra's al Ghul commends him, calls him 'detective,' and launches Tim out of the window. Tim is happy that he was able to achieve victory without any compromises, and is saved from falling by Batman, Dick Grayson. Drake has since moved back to Gotham City and reestablished ties with his family and friends. After Bruce Wayne's return, Tim begins to aid his plans for expanding their mission globally with Batman, Inc.
Batman, Inc.
Batman Incorporated was a 2010-2011 American comic book ongoing series, written by Grant Morrison and featuring Batman...
Tim is eventually appointed as the head of the newest incarnation of the Outsiders
Outsiders (comics)
The Outsiders are a fictional DC Comics superhero team. As its name suggests, the team consists of superheroes who allegedly do not fit the norms of the mainstream superhero community, namely the Justice League....
, who now serve as Batman Inc.'s black-ops wing. Red Robin eventually rejoins the Teen Titans and takes over leadership from Wonder Girl. He remains as the team's leader during their climatic battle against Superboy-Prime and the new Legion of Doom
Legion of Doom (comics)
The Legion of Doom is a group of supervillains led by Lex Luthor that appeared in Challenge of the Super Friends, an ABC animated series that starred superheroes from DC Comics.-History:...
.
Following an adventure with Blackbat where he faces Ra's al Ghul
Ra's al Ghul
Ra's al Ghul is a DC Comics supervillain and is one of Batman's greatest enemies. His name in Arabic has been translated in the comics as "The Demon's Head" and references the name of the star Algol. Created by writer Dennis O'Neil and artist Neal Adams, he was introduced in Batman #232's...
's sister, Tim stalks and attempts to kill Captain Boomerang (who was resurrected during the Brightest Day
Brightest Day
Brightest Day is a year-long comic book maxi-series that began in April 2010. The story follows the ending of the series Blackest Night and how the aftermath of these events affect the entire DC Universe.-Plot:...
). Though Tim ultimately stops himself from killing Boomerang, he is chastised by Batman for his actions.
DC relaunch (2011–)
In the 2011 relaunch in September, Tim Drake is seen in the new Teen Titans #1 issue as Red Robin, now sporting a new costume designed by Brett BoothBrett Booth
Brett Booth is an American comic book artist. He is best known for his work on Backlash, a character he co-created with Jim Lee at the Wildstorm Studios.-Biography:...
. According to writer Scott Lobdell
Scott Lobdell
Scott Lobdell is an American comic book writer.-Early Career:Scott didn't begin to read comics until he was 17 years old, while lying in bed after lung surgery....
, many elements of Drake's history will remain canon. At the start of the series, Tim has been in a state of semi-retirement after his falling out with Batman, and uses his computer skills to fight crime over the internet in a manner similar to Oracle. He is also shown monitoring various teenaged superheroes, such as Static, Miss Martian
Miss Martian
Miss Martian is a superhero in the . Miss Martian was created by Geoff Johns and Tony Daniel and first appeared in Teen Titans #37 . Miss Martian is named "Megan Morse" after Marvel Comics associate editor Ben Morse's wife, Megan...
, Solstice
Solstice (comics)
Solstice is a fictional comic book superhero published by DC Comics. The character is set to appear as a new member in DC's long-running Teen Titans comic book series, and was created by JT Krul and Nicola Scott. Krul has described the character as being "a positive spirit - influenced by the...
and Kid Flash. After being attacked by agents from the shadowy organization N.O.W.H.E.R.E., Tim dons a new Red Robin suit and returns to the world of crime fighting.
Combat Skills
Tim Drake has been trained by Batman and other instructors across the world, including Lady Shiva. He has knowledge in several martial arts such as Ninjustu, Karate, Judo, Aikido, Jujitsu but his favorite combat defense is Bojutsu (taught in Ninjutsu). He has beat Lady Shiva in sparring and is classed the best stick fighter who ever lived. Tim was able to fend off several notorious assassins from the Council of Spiders at once while protecting Tam Fox and also in the end game of his plan to destroy several League of Assassins bases; earning commendation from Ra's al Ghul himself who was watching the fight from afar.His combat style is a reflection of everything he learned from the masters, Bruce, and his own incredible intelligence deducing weak points in moments and targeting them with a variety of combat tactics.
He is also inoculated against several toxins the Batfamily has encountered, including Joker Venom, Fear Toxin, and some of Poison Ivy's pheromones.
Intellectual, deductive and leadership skills
Comic book writer Fabian NiciezaFabian Nicieza
Fabian Nicieza is an American comic book writer and editor who is best known for his work on Marvel titles such as X-Men, X-Force, New Warriors, Cable and Deadpool, and Thunderbolts, for all of which he helped create numerous characters.-Early life:The son of Omar and Irma Riguetti Nicieza, Fabian...
commented:
He is "the smart one" of the Bat-family, the thinker and planner. I mean, of course Bruce Wayne/Batman is what he is, and Tim isn’t quite there yet, but Tim at 17 has a more developed intellect than Bruce at 17 did. That’s not to say Dick Grayson or Barbara Gordon are dumb, of course they’re not, but Tim’s level of thinking is a bit... thicker... than theirs. For me, Dick is about superior reflexive thinking, Barbara about superior operational thinking and Tim is about superior comprehensive, or all-encompassing, thinking.
What I love about Tim is that he shares some of the strongest traits of various Bat-family members. The intellect and detective skills of Bruce, the ability to lead others and be a friend to others like Dick has and even the ability to make cold, harsh decisions like Jason does.
At the age of about nine years old, Tim Drake was able to deduce Robin's secret identity as Dick Grayson when Robin performed a quadruple somersault, in which Grayson was only one of the three people who could perform such a flip. This deduction also allowed Drake to deduce that Grayson's guardian Bruce Wayne was Batman. Drake's intellect has allowed him to deduce a majority of other heroes' identities including Flash and Superman. In addition, after foiling Ra's al Ghul's master plan to assassinate everyone Bruce Wayne cared about and ruining the Wayne Family fortune, Ra's has addressed Tim as "Detective", a title the villain once only reserved for Bruce Wayne. His intellect has enabled him to excel in computer science and a grasp of assorted scientific techniques, including biology, engineering, and genetics, which he has been shown to use in his attempts at re-cloning Superboy. Tim also speaks several languages beyond his native English, including Cantonese, Russian, Spanish and German.
Drake, like Dick Grayson, has served as leader to Young Justice
Young Justice
Young Justice is a fictional DC Comics superhero team consisting of teenaged heroes. The team first appeared in Young Justice: The Secret , before graduating to their ongoing monthly series...
, the Teen Titans, and even being placed in charge of the rescue efforts of Blüdhaven by Superman, following the attack made by Deathstroke and his fellow villains.
Costumes
Tim Drake's original costume was different from that of his predecessors to give him a measure of increased protection, which included an armored tunicTunic
A tunic is any of several types of clothing for the body, of various lengths reaching from the shoulders to somewhere between the hips and the ankles...
, a cape
Cape
Cape can be used to describe any sleeveless outer garment, such as a poncho, but usually it is a long garment that covers only the back half of the wearer, fastening around the neck. They were common in medieval Europe, especially when combined with a hood in the chaperon, and have had periodic...
colored black on the outside and yellow on the inside, and green leggings
Leggings
Leggings are a type of fitted clothing covering the legs, which can be worn by both men and women.Originally leggings were two separate garments, one for each leg....
. Other details include an armored gorget
Gorget
A gorget originally was a steel or leather collar designed to protect the throat. It was a feature of older types of armour and intended to protect against swords and other non-projectile weapons...
, jika-tabi
Jika-tabi
is a type of outdoor footwear worn in Japan. It was invented in the 20th century.Also known as "tabi boots", they are modelled on tabi, traditional split-toe Japanese socks...
style boots, an emergency "R" shuriken
Shuriken
A shuriken is a traditional Japanese concealed weapon that was generally used for throwing, and sometimes stabbing or slashing...
on his chest in addition to the traditional batarang
Batarang
A batarang is a roughly bat-shaped throwing weapon used by the DC Comics superhero Batman. The name is a portmanteau of bat and boomerang, and was originally spelled baterang. Although they are named after boomerangs, batarangs have become more like shuriken in recent interpretations...
s, and a collapsible bo staff as the character's primary weapon. Following Infinite Crisis
Infinite Crisis
Infinite Crisis is a 2005 - 2006 comic book storyline published by DC Comics, consisting of an eponymous, seven-issue comic book limited series written by Geoff Johns and illustrated by Phil Jimenez, George Pérez, Ivan Reis, and Jerry Ordway, and a number of tie-in books...
, Drake's costume was modified to favor a black and red color scheme and included long sleeves.
The Red Robin costume consists of a long-sleeved red tunic, along with black boots, tights, gloves, cape and cowl. It also includes a black-and-gold utility belt that carries Drake's weaponry such as his bo staff and throwing discs. After Drake's confrontation with Ra's al Ghul in Red Robin #12, the costume was slightly altered.
The Red Robin costume changes in the 2011 relaunch, he has a red and black costume with the return of his former mask that cover up his eyes, with a black utility belt and a gold core. He also has many other utility belts on his arms and chest, also with black boots and added red wings.
Alternate versions
Set after the events of Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker (which is set on Earth-12 one of the 52 parallel earths to the Earth on which Batman the Animated Series and The New Batman Adventures take place), Tim serves as a supporting character in the ongoing Batman Beyond comic book series. It is suggested that, after a series of examinations, he is freed from the Joker's control, although the experience has left him with doubts.Animation
After Dick Grayson, Tim Drake is the second Robin to make the most appearances in the DC animated universeDC animated universe
The DC Animated Universe is a fan term that refers to a series of popular animated television series and related spin-offs produced by Warner Bros. Animation which share the same continuity. Most of these series are adapted from DC Comics properties...
(DCAU). Drake made his animated debut as Robin in the animated series The New Batman Adventures
The New Batman Adventures
The New Batman Adventures is the successor to Batman: The Animated Series produced by Warner Bros. Animation. Although bearing different character designs and animation styles, both shows take place in the same continuity, with TNBA set two years after BTAS. The series aired on The WB from...
, voiced by Mathew Valencia
Mathew Valencia
Mathew Valencia is an American actor and voice actor. Mathew was born in Fontana, California. His father is a California Highway Patrol officer and his younger brother Joseph Ashton is also a voice actor...
. His characterization was changed to blend in Jason Todd
Jason Todd
Jason Peter Todd is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. Jason first appeared in Batman #357 and became the second Robin, sidekick to the superhero Batman, when the previous Robin went on to star in The New Teen Titans under the moniker of Nightwing.Though...
's. In addition to continuing to appear regularly on The New Batman Adventures, Drake also made guest appearances on the 1998 Superman: The Animated Series
Superman: The Animated Series
Superman: The Animated Series is an American animated television series starring DC Comics' flagship character, Superman. The series was produced by Warner Bros. Animation and aired on The WB from September 6, 1996 to February 12, 2000. Warner Bros...
episode "Knight Time", and two Static Shock
Static Shock
Static Shock is an American animated television series produced by Warner Bros. Animation. It premiered in September 2000 on the Kids' WB! block and ran for four seasons, with a total of 52 half-hour episodes....
episodes: "The Big Leagues" and "Future Shock", voiced by Shane Sweet
Shane Sweet
Shane Sweet is an American actor, perhaps best known for his role as Josh Stevenson, Robbie's younger brother, on Nickelodeon series The Journey of Allen Strange....
. He also made two cameo appearance
Cameo appearance
A cameo role or cameo appearance is a brief appearance of a known person in a work of the performing arts, such as plays, films, video games and television...
s in the Justice League
Justice League (TV series)
Justice League is an American animated television series about a team of superheroes which ran from 2001 to 2004 on Cartoon Network. The show was produced by Warner Bros. Animation. It is based on the Justice League of America and associated comic book characters published by DC Comics...
episodes "The Savage Time" and "Hereafter".
The fate of Tim Drake in the DCAU was revealed in the 2000 animated film Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker
Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker
Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker is a 2000 direct-to-video animated film featuring the comic book superhero Batman and his archenemy, the Joker...
. In a flashback sequence, the Joker kidnapped and tortured Drake to the point of insanity. The demented Drake reveals a sliver of his original mind when he kills the Joker. The new Batman, Terry McGinnis, confronted the resurrected Joker, revealed to be the 52 year-old Tim Drake transformed through a microchip containing the Joker's memories, personality, and DNA. In the 2003 animated film Batman: Mystery of the Batwoman
Batman: Mystery of the Batwoman
Batman: Mystery of the Batwoman is a 2003 direct-to-video animated film based on the animated series The New Batman Adventures. It was released in the U.S. in October 2003 and was produced by Warner Bros...
, Drake appeared in a supporting role as Robin, voiced by Eli Marienthal
Eli Marienthal
Eli David Marienthal is an American former child actor.-Personal life:Marienthal was born in Santa Monica, California, the son of Lola Marienthal, who manufactures bags made of organically grown cotton, and Joseph Cross, a journalist. Marienthal is Jewish and has two siblings, actors Harley Cross...
.
Video games
- Tim Drake as Robin appears in Batman: Dark TomorrowBatman: Dark TomorrowBatman: Dark Tomorrow is a console video game exclusively for the Nintendo GameCube and Xbox systems, based on DC Comics' Batman. It was developed by HotGen and published by Kemco in conjunction with Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment and DC Comics...
(voiced by Jonathan Roumie), Batman: Rise of Sin TzuBatman: Rise of Sin TzuThe game received substantial publicity. Many critics found the beat 'em up gameplay repetitive.Game Informer reviewed this game and gave it a 5 out of 10...
(voiced by - Scott MenvilleScott MenvilleScott David Menville is primarily an American voice actor, actor, musician, and comedian.-Early life and career:The son of Chuck Menville, he was bassist for the Southern California rock band Boy Hits Car, which released three albums until he left the band in 2006. He was with the group since...
), Lego Batman: The Videogame (vocals by James Arnold TaylorJames Arnold TaylorJames Arnold Taylor is an American voice actor, Impressionist, and Announcer. He is the current voice provider for Fred Flintstone as well as Obi-Wan Kenobi in the TV series Star Wars: The Clone Wars and also the movie Star Wars: The Clone Wars and Johnny Test in Johnny Test...
), and DC Universe OnlineDC Universe OnlineDC Universe Online or DCUO is an MMORPG by Sony Online Entertainment – Austin. Jim Lee serves as the game's Executive Creative Director, along with Carlos D'Anda, JJ Kirby, Oliver Nome, Eddie Nuñez, Livio Ramondelli, and Michael Lopez...
(voiced by Wil WheatonWil WheatonRichard William "Wil" Wheaton III is an American actor and writer. As an actor, he is best known for his portrayals of Wesley Crusher on the television series Star Trek: The Next Generation, Gordie Lachance in the film Stand by Me and Joey Trotta in Toy Soldiers...
). - Tim Drake will be a playable character in all of the challenge maps in Batman: Arkham City, as well as appearing in the story voiced by Crispin FreemanCrispin FreemanCrispin McDougal Freeman is an American voice actor, and Mythology scholar. His roles have included Alucard from Hellsing, Kyon from The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya, Karasu from Noein, Togusa from Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex, as Holland Novak from Eureka Seven, Touga Kiriyu in...
. The game's producer's have describe the new Arkham City Drake as a grittier, darker character to fit the tone of the new game series, perhaps being a cage fighter in his spare time to hone his skills. While his costume has been redesigned so as to add a hood and armor, it will still incorporate his traditional red and yellow colors, though blending Drake's old and new costume together. The screenshot released of him has portrayed his physical appearance as more muscled with a short buzz-cut. He is available through a pre-order bonus from Best Buy in the United StatesUnited StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, and in a "Robin edition" of the game released in the United KingdomUnited KingdomThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. Alternate skins for the character include his Red Robin costume, modeled in the realistic style of the game, and a skin based on Dick Grayson's Robin from Batman: The Animated SeriesBatman: The Animated SeriesBatman: The Animated Series is an American animated series based on the DC Comics character Batman. The series featured an ensemble cast of many voice-actors including Kevin Conroy, Mark Hamill, Efrem Zimbalist, Jr., Arleen Sorkin, and Loren Lester. The series won four Emmy Awards and was nominated...
. He appears briefly in the story of the game, intervening during a confronation between Batman and members of the League of AssassinsLeague of AssassinsThe League of Assassins is a group of fictional comic book villains, an organization of killers formerly led by Ra's al Ghul, an enemy of Batman in the DC Comics Universe.-Doctor Ebeneezer Darrk:...
. After which, Batman gives him a sample of his own poisoned blood to get to a hospital for analysis and tells him to keep watch over Gotham whilst he deals with events in Arkham City.
Other appearances
Drake has appeared as Robin in two fan films, Patient: J and Batman: Legends, by Bat In The Sun Productions played by actor Robert Tovani.Collected editions
In 1993, a few years after his debut as Robin, DC launched a monthly solo series featuring Tim Drake's adventures as Robin, with Batman appearing as a supporting character. The series ended in February 2009 with issue #183 following the events of Batman: RIP and Final CrisisFinal Crisis
Final Crisis is a crossover storyline that appeared in comic books published by DC Comics in 2008, primarily the seven-issue miniseries of the same name written by Grant Morrison. Originally DC announced the project as being illustrated solely by J. G. Jones; artists Carlos Pacheco, Marco Rudy and...
. As of August 2009, Drake is the star in a new series, Red Robin
Red Robin (comics)
Red Robin is a name that has been used by several fictional characters in the DC Comics Universe.On the alternate world of Kingdom Come, a middle-aged Dick Grayson reclaims the Robin mantle and becomes Red Robin. His uniform is closer to Batman's in design, rather than any previous Robin uniform...
. He has also starred in some miniseries and one-shots. This material has been collected as follows:
| Year | Title | Material collected | ISBN |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1993 | Robin: Tragedy & Triumph | Detective Comics #618–621; Robin II #1–4 | SC: ISBN 1-56389-078-X |
| 1998 | Robin: A Hero Reborn | Batman #455–457, Robin (1991 miniseries) #1–5 | SC: ISBN 1-56389-029-1 |
| 2000 | Robin: Flying Solo | Robin #1-6; Showcase '94 #5–6 | SC: ISBN 1-56389-609-5 |
| 2004 | Robin: Unmasked! | Robin #121-125 | SC: ISBN 1-40120-235-7 |
| 2005 | Robin/Batgirl: Fresh Blood | Robin #132–133; Batgirl #58–59 | SC: ISBN 1-40120-433-3 |
| 2006 | Robin: To Kill a Bird | Robin #134–139 | SC: ISBN 1-40120-909-2 |
| 2006 | Robin: Days of Fire and Madness | Robin #140–145 | SC: ISBN 1-40120-911-4 |
| 2007 | Robin: Wanted | Robin #148–153 | SC: ISBN 1-40121-225-5 |
| 2007 | Robin: Teenage Wasteland | Robin #154–162 | SC: ISBN 1-40121-480-0 |
| 2008 | Robin: The Big Leagues | Robin #163–167 | SC: ISBN 1-40121-673-0 |
| 2008 | Robin: Violent Tendencies | Robin #170–174; Robin/Spoiler Special #1 | SC: ISBN 1-40121-988-8 |
| 2009 | Robin: Search for a Hero | Robin #175–183 | SC: ISBN 1-40122-310-9 |
| 2010 | Red Robin: The Grail | Red Robin #1-5 | SC: ISBN 1-40122-619-1 |
| 2010 | Red Robin: Collision | Red Robin #6–12, Batgirl (vol. 3) #8 | SC: ISBN 1-40122-883-6 |
| 2011 | Red Robin: Hit List | Red Robin #13–17 | SC: ISBN 1-40123-165-9 |
| 2012 | Red Robin: 7 Days of Death | SC: ISBN 1-40123-364-3 |
Other collected editions
- Batman: Legacy (Robin #32-33)
- Batman: Cataclysm (Robin #53)
- Batman: No Man's Land Vol 1 New Edtion (Robin #67-70)
- Batman: No Man's Land Vol 1 New Edtion (Robin #71-73)
- Batman: New Gotham Vol. 2: Officer Down (Robin #86)
- Bruce Wayne: Murderer? (Robin #98-99)
- Batman: War Drums (Robin #126-128)-Stephanie Brown
- Batman: War Games Book 1 (Robin #129)
- Batman: War Games Book 2 (Robin #130)
- Batman: War Games Book 3 (Robin #131)
- Batman: The Resurrection of Ra's al Ghul (Robin #168-169 & Annual #7)
See also
- Alternative versions of Robin
- List of Batman supporting characters
- List of DC Comics characters
- List of superheroes and villains without superpowers