A new variant cover for Tim Drake: Robin #4 is shining an unfortunate light on an ongoing issue for DC. In a tribute to a classic comic book cover, the publisher accidentally showcased the precarious situation involving its two current Robins, Tim Drake and Damian Wayne.
It’s been an interesting few years for the Batman sidekicks. After Batman’s son Damian was introduced, he replaced Tim in the role of Robin, forcing Tim to take on the new identity of Red Robin. However, after Damian Wayne ‘quit’ the Robin role after a particularly tumultuous period of time, Tim Drake became Robin once more. But even though Tim has reclaimed his old title, Damian was still operating under the Robin moniker, albeit with a slightly modified costume. Now, with Damian’s Robin title ended and Tim Drake’s series replacing it, the latter seems all but poised to fully supplant the junior Boy Wonder.
Nothing highlights the current status of the Robins more than a variant cover for Tim Drake: Robin #4. The cover was released as part of DC’s December solicitations and is illustrated by artist Dan Mora. The variant is part of a series by Mora that features Tim Drake paying homage to famous Robin covers with Tim in place of other Robins. The alternate cover for Tim Drake: Robin #4 recreates the cover of Batman and Robin #1 by Frank Quitely and, like Mora’s other variants for Tim Drake: Robin, references the first appearance of another character as Robin (in this case, Damian). Also like Mora’s other covers, instead of Batman, Tim is joined by the Robin who was featured on the original cover. So looking on at Tim Drake recreating Damian Wayne’s famous pose is the son of Batman himself.
What’s interesting about the variants is that they show where every former Robin currently is as Tim Drake becomes Robin once more. Dick is obviously Nightwing, and Jason is, of course, Red Hood. But the variant for Tim Drake: Robin #4 is the only one to feature the two heroes currently sharing the title. Even more odd, it’s the only cover that illustrates that Tim is essentially taking his title back from a younger hero, a notable change from the traditional passing of the Robin legacy.
Admittedly, the transition to a new Robin has rarely been without drama. Jason became Robin after Dick had a major falling out with Batman and Tim Drake had to fight for the title after Jason Todd’s untimely death. Even Damian was criticized for his assumption of the role, which essentially forced Tim to take on the Red Robin identity. Regardless, the Robin moniker has generally passed from older heroes to younger ones and rarely the other way around. Tim Drake’s reclaiming of the title bucks decades of tradition and is all the more odd with Damian still technically having the role himself. Seeing the two side-by-side on a variant cover of Tim Drake: Robin #4 only shows that DC needs to address the odd status quo that Damian and Tim have found themselves in.
