DC’s Batman Family Just Got a Little More Queer

Because there are multipleBatmanbooks released by DC Comics inany pay week , there ’s alwayssomething get going on with the Bat - menage . event might admit adevastating last , the introduction of anew extremity , or , as is the lawsuit in this week ’s Batman : Urban Legends # 6 from author Meghan Fitzmartz , artist Belén Ortega , colorist Alejandro Sánchez , and letterer Pat Brosseau , someone revealing a newfangled aspect of their identity .

In the Robin - focussed “ Sum of Our office ” story — the third of three — boast towards the death of Urban Legends # 6 , a solo Tim Drake wing into natural action to deliver Bernard , a longtime champion of his who has n’t yet been by rights let in on the whole secret identity matter . This chapter picks up immediately after the effect in Urban Legends # 4 where Tim and Bernard ’s reunion was suddenly interrupted by the reaching of Chaos Monster , a new Gotham villain who wears a grotesque mask and attacks people using chloroform powder . After waking up in a daze to feel Bernard kidnap , Tim makes a quick costume change and like a shot track the new villain to a den where he and a group of his followers have chained Bernard to an altar .

Though there are stack of other abduct victims lock up in cells who Chaos Monster presumably also meant to give , Tim ’s focused on Bernard as he charge the villains drumhead - on . From the pregnant pauses written into Tim and Bernard ’s dialogue , you could straightaway get the sensory faculty that while Tim might not have explicitly told Bernard that he ’s one of the Robins running around Gotham , he knows . What ’s quite denotative , however , is Bernard ’s hope that he gets a chance to stop his day of the month with “ Tim , ” and “ Robin ’s ” very ego - assured smirk in reception .

Tim Drake in action.

Tim Drake in action.Image: Belén Ortega, Alejandro Sánchez, Pat Brosseau/DC Comics

While some may be warm to take proceeds with Urban Legends prove Tim Drake ’s canonic quirk — and/or that he and Spoiler ( Stephanie Brown ) have broken up — these are elements of the type ’s story that the creative squad put a considerable amount of thought and care into . In a recent interview withPolygon , Fitzmartin explicate that this itinerary for Tim occur from her poring over the case ’s previous electric discharge . “ [ “ Sum of Our part ” ] happened because this is who Tim is , ” Fitz Martin suppose . “ I get laid this character very much , and as I went back to reread as much as I could to do Robin justice , it became decipherable this is the story Tim needed to tell . ”

As Polygon notes , Tim has had a far more nebulous identity over the past few year compare to Nightwing ( Dick Grayson ) , Red Hood ( Jason Todd ) , and the fresh Robin ( Damian Wayne ) , and this new development enter a aspect of his identity that ’s quality for exploration . On the subject of how Tim name , though , Fitzmartin was thrifty to excuse that Tim ’s coming out does n’t at all retcon or lessen the tactile sensation he ’s had for Spoiler . “ I want to compensate tribute to the fact that sex is a journeying , ” Fitzmartin said . “ To be clean-cut , his belief for Stephanie have been / are 100 % real , as are his feelings for Bernard . However , Tim is still figure himself out . I do n’t think he has the spoken communication for it all … yet . ”

While there are sure to be some diehard Red Robin - Spoiler shippers and/or run - of - the - mill homophobes who will get up in limb about the fact that yet another member of the Bat family is queer up the place ( see : Batwoman ) , tardily in ( fabricated ) life coming out are part of the queer experience that are important to spotlight , and can be a solid way of adding new attribute to ( again , fancied ) fictitious character . Now that Tim ’s gayness has been put on the tabular array for readers , the question is how DC is in reality travel to go about address it .

Graphic: Jim Cooke

Image: Belén Ortega, Alejandro Sánchez, Pat Brosseau/DC Comics

Tim Drake does n’t need to become the “ queer Robin ” any more than Kate Kane demand to become the “ lesbian Batwoman who is also Jewish . ” There ’s a depth and complexity to Kate ’s life that ’s halt from different originative teams putting idea and care into building out the turgid context she survive in as a person . The same has been dependable of Tim in the past , and it almost certainly will be in the time to come . It ’s just that now , Tim ’s quirkiness can and should be an important face of his individuality that he embraces because it ’s part of who he is .

Batman : Urban Legends # 6 is in stores now .

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Image: Belén Ortega, Alejandro Sánchez, Pat Brosseau/DC Comics