In the decades since he first appeared, Batman has had a rotating roster of sidekicks. But as a new creative team takes over later this year, a fan-favorite hero will return to the Dark Knight's side.
Of all the superheroes in the DC and Marvel universes, it's hard to think of a hero who has had more sidekicks than Batman. After Dick Grayson eventually graduated from the role of Robin, his successor, Jason Todd, met a tragic end. So it was difficult for Batman to bring Tim Drake on as Jason's replacement. But this turned out to be an important part of Batman's life. So much so that Tim Drake became a fan-favorite in the role of Robin and was sorely missed after Bruce's son Damien took over the role by force.
Starting in July with Batman #125, Chip Zdarsky and Jorge Jimenez will write and draw on the title respectively. In a trailer and interview shared on YouTube by Tim standing by a melancholy Batman.
It will be very interesting to see how Tim Drake's return to the Dark Knight's side affects his character. Each Robin has a very different relationship with both Bruce Wayne and Batman. Batman was still reeling from the death of Jason Todd when Tim Drake figured out his identity and demanded to work alongside him. Tim's role was to remind Bruce that it was okay to trust again and to stop him descending into darkness. The art shared by Jimenez suggests Bruce Wayne may once again need Tim to prevent a downward spiral.
While Tim Drake has had some sporadic appearances over the last few years, he's generally been downplayed as a Batman ally, and even had his stint as Robin erased from DC history for a short period. Rumblings of editorial mandates restricting the character's use have come from several DC creatives in the past, however Tim's recent coming-out as bisexual in Batman: Urban Legends #6 suggested he was once again on DC's radar, with a starring role in its flagship title confirming the beloved character is truly back.
The interview also hints at more to come in the first story arc than just Tim Drake. Zdarsky talks about a brand new villain that will DC's former plans to reinvent Robin are still on the cards.
Source: DC, Jorge Jimenez
Batman #125 will be available from DC Comics July 5.
