Tim Drake: Robin #1 is published by DC Comics and written by Meghan Fitzmartin. Artwork is by Riley Rossmo, colours by Lee Loughridge and letters by Tom Napolitano. Main cover art (left) is by Ricardo Lopez Ortiz.
Tim Drake: Robin #1 is available now, in print and on digital, where all good comics are sold.
Synopsis
Step aside, Damian—the world’s favorite Robin has got this! That’s right, after years away, Tim Drake is taking center stage in a brand-spanking-new Robin series of his very own!
A mystery over a year in the making takes shape, as a new villain who’s been hounding Tim from afar decides to take things up close and personal, putting Bernard and everyone else Tim cares about in peril as things go from bad to worse for the world’s oldest and canonically tallest Robin (no, I will not be fact-checking that). All that and Tim finally carves out a corner of Gotham City just for himself, and sets up shop in his very own…murder shack boat? Fan-favorite writer Meghan Fitzmartin teams up with beloved Harley Quinn artist Riley Rossmo to define the next chapter in Tim’s life.
And as if that wasn’t enough, break out your skateboards and motorcycles cuz we’ve assembled a murderer’s row of artists to draw the 1990s’ One True Robin™ in his various looks from over the years!
Review
It has been a long time coming but finally Tim Drake is headlining his own series. With Meghan Fitzmartin steering the ship Tim is getting a life and style of his own. But will this opening gambit live up to the huge expectations of fans?
Of course it does! Over the past year, Fitzmartin has essentially been the shepherd of Tim’s journey from sideline back to the spotlight. Slowly but surely, DC has pivoted Tim back towards centre stage, giving him more to do as an active member of the Bat-family. But more than this, with Fitzmartin in charge, we’ve seen Tim’s overall character rounded out and brought in to the modern era.
Much will be written about Tim’s same-sex relationship with Bernard, a secondary player in this book. Putting Tim in a bisexual relationship has allowed him to play starring roles in DC’s Pride Anthology as well as further separating from the pack of Dick Grayson clones who have played the Robin mantle until the arrival of Damian Wayne. Detractors will, no doubt, expect Tim Drake: Robin to exist as a vehicle to drive home some inclusivity agenda. That is (of course!) not the case here.
We’re only seeing the humble beginnings of the series’ first arc here. But already it’s clear that Fitzmartin has a plan. Tim Drake: Robin #1 lays the groundwork for a story worthy of Detective Comics. A murder-mystery which feels Holmesian in nature. It allows the narrative room to focus on talents which Tim hasn’t had chance to flex in recent years. Even in this first issue we’re seeing him piece together clues, analyse crime scenes. Without Batman at his side Tim is acting as a hero in his own right and no longer a sidekick.
The crumbs of the story have bee laid in previous stories penned by Fitzmartin and so Tim Drake: Robin #1 feels like the culmination of his story over the past months. There’s no stunt casting in the book’s villain. No shoe-horned cameo to help send Tim on his way. Instead it’s simply a launchpad for a character who has long-deserved a story of his own.
With superstar artist Riley Rossmo bringing the artwork, Tim Drake: Robin has a blockbuster team to contend with. Teamed with colourist Lee Loughridge, the book crashes in to stores with a visual style as unique and as punk as Batgirls.
One has to applaud DC for the versatility to branch out from the norm. Rossmo’s visual style will not be for everyone. But if you’re looking for a striking book which doesn’t blend in on the self then Tim Drake: Robin fits that brief perfectly.
Verdict
Meghan Fitzmartin is throwing fans a lifeline with Tim Drake: Robin #1. This is a series they have been calling for for years and this first issue does not disappoint. Tim feels more real than he ever has by striking out on his own. Teamed with Riley Rossmo’s art, this is going to be one to watch for the future.
⭐⭐⭐⭐
