How DC Can Fix Their Tim Drake Problem

One of Batman’s closest allies and the third person to take on the mantle of Robin, Tim Drake, has struggled in recent years to connect with readers and find his place in the DC Comics Universe. Fans feel the character has stagnated, lacking opportunities to grow and evolve—and that’s just the start of DC’s Tim Drake problems.

Since his debut in Batman #436 in 1989, Tim Drake has been a vital part of the Bat Family and their wide-ranging stories. From his long-running solo book to standing by the Dark Knight through some of his toughest battles, Tim has proven himself worthy of the status achieved by many of his Bat Family peers. He isn’t a character who deserves to be discarded or sidelined. The third Robin’s future in the DC Universe holds endless possibilities.

Both Tim Drake and Damian Wayne Are Currently Robin

Until 2006, Tim Drake was the DC Universe’s only active Robin. Batman’s former protégés had moved on to their own mantles and carved out their own places in the DC landscape. The first Robin, Dick Grayson, had become a hero in his own right as Nightwing, patrolling the rooftops of Blüdhaven in his solo series packed with boundary-pushing art. Jason Todd, the second Robin, had returned from the dead and taken on the role of Red Hood, an anti-hero vigilante with a more violent approach to crimefighting.

This left Tim Drake by Batman’s side as his partner and ally in the never-ending fight against crime in Gotham City—until Damian Wayne appeared on the scene. First appearing as Robin in Batman #657, Damian is the son of the villainous Talia al Ghul and the Caped Crusader himself. The emergence of this new Robin added an exciting dynamic to Batman’s ongoing stories. However, it soon became apparent that Tim Drake was being pushed to the sidelines.

Since then, DC has made numerous attempts to give Tim Drake his own identity and story apart from Batman and the Robin mantle, but none of them have lasted. For a time, he was known as Red Robin, working alone with occasional support from his longtime ally Spoiler, aka Stephanie Brown. Later, he simply went by “Drake,” a name change that didn’t win over many fans and was quickly abandoned. Eventually, Tim returned to the role of Robin, existing in a strange limbo alongside his co-Robin, Damian Wayne. Tim and Damian can’t both fill the same space in the Bat Family, and the decision to have them share the role of Robin does both characters a disservice.

Tim Needs to Grow and Evolve

His Stagnation Has Frustrated Fans for Years

Though previous attempts have failed to stick, DC needs to allow Tim Drake to grow and evolve as a character. He’s remained the awkward middle child of the Bat Family for far too long, and it is increasingly clear that DC doesn’t know what to do with him. The solution is simpler than the comics giant seems to think. All they need to do is revamp Tim Drake and his solo stories and give them the time necessary to build and develop his character and supporting cast.

Major character changes and revamps take time, something DC hasn’t given Tim Drake. It’s not just about giving him a new codename or costume; he needs to be given his own life with its own complications, relationships, and drama. Damian Wayne has been allowed to grow and evolve, and it’s time for Tim Drake to receive the same thoughtful treatment.

One reason Nightwing is so beloved by fans is that he was given the time and space to grow into his own character, separate from Batman’s shadow. He developed a distinct personality, dreams, aspirations, and quirks and even had his own city to protect. Readers can pick up a Nightwing book and enjoy an exciting superhero story without needing previous knowledge about Batman or Dick Grayson’s time as Robin. Tim Drake remains heavily tied to Batman and his narratives and hasn’t been given a chance to sever that connection. He constantly gets dragged back into the midst of the central Bat Family and its assortments of interpersonal drama and complicated storylines.

What would benefit Tim Drake most is for DC to take him out of the Bat Family’s immediate orbit and give him his own spotlight. Like Nightwing, perhaps he could even be assigned his own city to protect—or at least his own portion of Gotham. Tim Drake deserves the space and distance from Batman to fully grow into his own character.

Separating Tim from the Bat Family would also give writers the opportunity to develop a strong supporting cast and rogues’ gallery for Tim, something he’s sorely lacking. While there have been past attempts to establish villains and allies for him, they haven’t been given the focus or time needed to resonate with fans. That needs to change. Tim Drake needs to move beyond being “one of the Robins” and instead become his own man—his own hero.

Tim’s Stories Should Be Detective Thrillers

He’s One of the World’s Greatest Detectives

Tim Drake is considered one of the best detectives in the DC universe, but he rarely gets an opportunity to utilize his investigative skills. Since he is so often attached to Batman, his detective instincts are ignored to keep the spotlight on the Dark Knight. This underutilized aspect of Tim’s character is a major missed opportunity for DC. A detective-focused book centered on Tim Drake would set him apart from other Bat Family members and their solo titles and would give readers a constant flow of exciting mysteries.

Placing Tim Drake at the center of a deep-seated conspiracy in his new city or a long-running murder investigation would be extremely compelling to readers. It could also serve as a means to flesh out Tim’s character beyond Batman. Focusing on Tim as a human being as he follows the trail of an elusive killer or brings a long-hidden truth to life would make for an excellent comic book. It would also be a way to introduce new and compelling characters around Tim, which would make his solo world feel more vibrant and alive.

Bringing characters like Spoiler, Bernard Dowd, or even some of Tim Drake’s former Young Justice teammates into his solo stories would keep him connected to the larger DC Universe while allowing him to flourish on his own. These familiar faces could serve as anchors for Tim, preserving the core of his character while leaving room for him to meet new people, forge new relationships, and face fresh challenges.

Highlighting Tim’s detective skills would give him plenty of opportunities to interact with other characters in the DC Universe. A long-reaching investigation that brings him into contact with a myriad of DC heroes and villains would introduce familiar faces into his stories while still allowing him to remain independent.

His Name Doesn’t Matter

Whether He’s Robin, Red Robin, or Drake, Tim Just Needs to Find His Place

Both DC Comics and Tim Drake fans often seem to believe that giving Tim a new codename is the solution to revitalizing his character. That simply isn’t the case. The issue runs much deeper than that, and past attempts to simply rename him or slightly tweak his direction have already proven insufficient to satisfy fans. It doesn’t matter if Tim Drake continues operating under the name Robin. Superhero mantles can and should be shared. If Tim Drake is given his own voice and the opportunity to grow into a fully realized, unique character, fans won’t mind him sharing the Robin mantle with Damian Wayne.

As long as Tim Drake is written as a three-dimensional, compelling character with his own stories and a vibrant supporting cast, his superhero name is irrelevant. He could potentially return to the Red Robin moniker to make things clearer for newer readers, but even that isn’t necessary. Tim Drake is a beloved character who deserves far better treatment than he’s received in recent years. He is an equal to Batman in ways the other Robins haven’t been, and he should be as celebrated as his peers are.

Fan love and hype don’t happen overnight. DC needs to be patient with Tim and any new directions they decide to take him in. If they allow him to grow and evolve—as Robin or under a new mantle—fans will flock to the iconic DC hero. It would rejuvenate interest in Tim Drake and solidify his place in both Batman’s supporting cast and the larger DC Universe. Grounded detective stories focused on character development, mystery, and interpersonal drama are exactly what’s needed to spice things up for a long-overlooked hero.