Tim Drake and Damian Wayne may have both called themselves Robin to Bruce Wayne’s Batman, but they are polar opposites at heart. While Tim has been a fan favorite Robin ever since his debut, Damian has proven to be much more divisive. It makes sense then, given their differing natures, that just as Damian Wayne quits being Robin… Tim Drake may be returning to the role.

The two most recent Robins have been on opposite paths in their team books. In the pages of Teen Titans, Damian has distanced himself from those who care about him most. The trauma of witnessing Bane kill Alfred has made Damian take an extreme approach to crime-fighting. Locking criminals under the Titan’s HQ and killing Brother Blood has driven a permanent wedge between Damian and the Teen Titans. Things finally came to a head when the Teen Titans stopped Damian from killing KGBeast. That confrontation ended with Batman canceling the Teen Titans, the Teen Titans trying to bring Damian to justice, and Damian renouncing Batman. As Damian ripped the emblem off his tunic, he quit being Robin.

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Meanwhile, Tim has only been growing closer to his teammates. Once Zatanna unlocked Tim’s memories of his days in Young Justice pre-New 52, Tim reunited with longtime friends such as Conner Kent, Cassie Sansdsmerk, and Bart Allen. This new iteration of Young Justice, now referred to as Young Justice League, would go on to grow closer as teammates and friends as they hopped dimensions. Just as important as finding his friends again though, was Tim rekindling his relationship with former Robin, Stephanie Brown. Just as Tim forged his own path away from Batman by taking up the mantle Drake, the latest issue of Young Justice ended with Tim becoming Robin again much to the happiness of Conner.

Though the two events have little to do with each other on a plot level, it’s no coincidence that the two events are happening so close together. While many might first assume that these are both temporary changes, they might last longer than fans might think. The recently revealed Gotham Knights game features Tim Drake as Robin, signaling that DC wants people to think of him as Robin rather than Damian.

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As for why DC would want to make this change, fan response is possibly a large factor. Tim Drake is often seen as the best Robin, while Damian Wayne has earned the ire of fans, deeming him the worst to just as many (if not more). Damian does have his fans, with many even being upset at the direction he’s taken in Teen Titans, but his arrogance has earned him a bad reputation. While all this bodes well for Tim, it does leave Damian in an awkward place. Of course, he could very well become Robin again, but his current direction is leaning towards him becoming more like Jason Todd than Dick or Tim. Who knows, DC could even plan to have Damian partner up with Red Hood and go by Tim’s old title of Red Robin. Alternatively, Tim’s return as Robin could be temporary, so DC can set up a new character to become Batman’s sidekick.

Though both Tim and Damian are going through radical changes, it’s unknown where fans can expect to see their arcs continue. Both Teen Titans and Young Justice are being canceled by DC, leaving these characters up in the air. No matter what happens to either though, the legacy of Robin will live on.

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About The Author


Evan Mullicane
(362 Articles Published)

Evan D. Mullicane is an editor, critic, and author based out of California’s Bay Area. He received his bachelor’s degree in creative writing from San Francisco State University in 2016. In his free time, he enjoys reading graphic novels and writing fantasy.

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