Tim Drake: Robin #6 is published by DC Comics and written by Meghan Fitzmartin. Artwork is by Riley Rossmo and Ricard Lopez Ortiz, colours by Lee Loughridge and letters by Tom Napolitano. Main cover art (left) is by Ricardo Lopez Ortiz.
Tim Drake: Robin #6 is available from today in stores and on digital platforms where all good comic books are sold.
Synopsis
THE FINAL SHOWDOWN!
Tim Drake comes face-to-voice with the villain who’s been taunting Tim by using his metahuman powers to create ghostly animals.
When this Moriarty’s identity is revealed, all hell breaks loose in the marina. Can Tim keep things afloat, while simultaneously dealing with his relationship with Bernard?
Review
It’s time to find out if Tim Drake: Robin can stick the landing in its first narrative arc. With the newly revealed Moriarty having the upper hand, can Tim rally himself enough to save Bernard and stop the destruction of the Gotham Marina?
Of course the answer to all of these questions is yes. Was there any doubt of that? I love what Meghan Fitzmartin has done with the character even over just the course of these six issues. She’s challenged who Tim is as a character and as a crime fighter. This issue is the culmination of all those questions as he, himself is questioning whether he has what it takes to save the day.
I can’t fault the character drama whatsoever. During some high stakes action Fitzmartin is still able to maintain an impressive level of introspection. This is cleverly boosted by the very nature of Moriarty and his attacks. Part-Clayface-part-something-else, the character takes on a cool new visual style this issue as he continues to shift and challenge the young Robin.
It’s evidential of Fitzmartin’s strong narrative that Moriarty didn’t need to be an already established character. In fact we don’t really leave this issue knowing who the new villain really is. That identity, which could be revealed in the future, is really secondary to how he challenges Tim. But that’s not to say the character isn’t without merit. He still presents a credible threat to the city, specifically the marina which Tim now calls home. The visual qualities of Moriarty also really give Riley Rossmo chance to have some fun this month.
In fact the entire issue is a chance for Rossmo to go wild. You don’t need me to sing Rossmo’s praises, I’ve been doing it for six months now. What I will say is that issue #6 features some of the series’ best layouts and panels. DC is consistently breaking the mould through series like this and Batgirls. There’s a fluidity to the page layouts for Tim Drake: Robin which really echo the book’s overall approach to storytelling. Beautiful, forward thinking artwork and unbiased, inclusive storytelling at its best.
Verdict
The finale to the first arc of Tim Drake: Robin doesn’t disappoint. It’s high stakes, emotional action which really tests the limits of the titular character. Fitzmartin ties up loose ends with all the gusto we’ve come to expect, leaving plenty of intrigue for what comes next.
⭐⭐⭐⭐
