Robin Vol 1 1

Robin Vol 1 1

"Big Bad World"

Cover Date: January 1991

Release Date: November 15, 1990

Cover Artists: Brian Bolland

Writer: Chuck Dixon

Pencilers: Tom Lyle

Inkers: Bob Smith

Colorists: Adrienne Roy

Letterers: Tim Harkins

Editors: Dan Raspler, Dennis O'Neil

Executive Editor: Dick Giordano

Continuing from the last appearance, Tim stands in his new costume in the cave with doubts if he's good enough to be Robin. He's not scared of the streets, but that he will let Batman down if he is not good enough to watch his back on the streets. Batman suggests Tim just needs an edge. In Tokyo, Lady Shiva meets empty hand fighting master trying to find out how he was defeated by a man named King Snake. The master says King Snake used the dark to defeat him. Back in Wayne Manor, Tim is packing his bags to head for Paris to learn more about martial arts. Before leaving Gotham, he says his goodbyes to his mom's grave and dad's hospital bed. In Paris, Tim arrives at the school of Rahul Lama, meeting him and his grandson Shen Chi. Tim spends the next few weeks learning an ancient Tibetan healing art from Rahul Lama, before beginning combat training with Shen Chi. 

One night, Shen Chi takes Tim out on the town where they end up at a bar. A lady starts hitting up Tim, taking him out the club but she is a part of a gang and that gang drag her away. Tim tries to fight them but gets handled pretty quickly. Tim decides to head back to the school to grab his Robin uniform, to follow them to what seems to be an abandoned warehouse with the words "Ghost Dragons" written on the outside wall. Inside the warehouse, he sees the gang are interrogating a man tied to a chair, so Tim jumps in to free him. The guys name is Clyde Rawlins and he and Tim team up to take on the gang. As they are fighting, Lady Shiva is watching from the shadows above.

So Tim's done a complete 180 on his previous confidence. Fair enough I guess, must be a lot different putting on the costume, and he was probably in a volatile mental state before with anger at the Obeah Man. It's mainly the physical side of things he doesn't have the confidence in, he's fine with the computer and detective side. Also that's Tim's first love interest being introduced. We learn about what Tim usually does for fun; read, movies, and video arcade. He's kind of a nerd in this though but is like 13 to be fair. Next appearance is Batman: Bride of the Demon!

Batman Vol 1 457

Batman Vol 1 457

"Master of Fear"

Cover Date: December 1990

Release Date: October 25, 1990

Cover Artists: Norm Breyfogle

Writer: Alan Grant

Pencilers: Norm Breyfogle

Inkers: Steve Mitchell

Colorists: Adrienne Roy

Letterers: Todd Klein

Editors: Dennis O'Neil, Kelley Puckett

Executive Editor: Dick Giordano

With Batman tied upside down, Scarecrow exposes him to a variety of fears which Batman cannot stop. Tim gets out the taxi at an seemingly abandoned warehouse which the taxi driver is suspicious of. Knowing the thugs are too big for him to take on directly, he works through the site in a home alone type style taking out the henchmen. Whether is be locking them in sheds or tripping them up with tripwire. We also see Tim with his iconic staff weapon for the first time. Hiding his identity with a ski-mask, Tim breaks into the room Batman and Vicki Vale are being help captive. He takes out a few thugs as Vicki bites her way three, but Scarecrow exposes both of them to trauma fear gas. Tim begins to hallucinate the Obeah Man killing his parents and then himself as he lies paralysed with fear on the floor. However, he also hallucinates the past Robins who encourage him to live and accept the fear and take action. He doesn't need the mask, make himself a hero. Tim pushes through the toxin and takes out Scarecrow, exposing Crane to all his fear gases. Still weak, Batman calls Tim Robin for the first time as Tim frees him. At the Batmobile, Tim tells Bruce he knows it's the end of his dream of becoming Robin. However, Bruce tells him instead he learned a valuable lesson that sometimes, but rarely, the rules have to be broken by heroes. With that, Bruce thanks him and officially calls him Robin.

At the Batcave, Bruce and Tim stand over the memorial of Jason Todd. Bruce asks Tim if he is afraid of it, but Tim says he isn't it's just that the symbol of the suit carries so much weight with what Dick and Jason have accomplished. Bruce agrees that it is too much to fairly hand to Tim, so passes Tim another box. Tim puts on the new suit inside the box and we are finally introduced to the new Robin.

Schematics included in the Robin Vol 1: Reborn TPB. Costume designed by Neal Adams, revamped logo and collapsible staff designed by Norm Breyfogle.

The introspective into what it means to wear a mask throughout this whole storyline has been very cool. Just under a real world year since A Lonely Place of Dying ended, Tim has finally become Robin. In this issue he understands his limits, and has remained confident in his abilities to take down Scarecrow. While he still has some physical aspects to work on, the training of the mental side of being a hero seems complete. We not only saw him develop the smarts needed to be Batman's partner, but also the mentality of a vigilante. Jason's memory probably isn't going anywhere soon, as Tim is constantly trying to learn from and prove himself in the shadow Jason left. It's a big legacy he has to live up to every day, and he's ready. Next up is Tim's first miniseries, Robin #1!

New Titans Vol 1 71

New Titans Vol 1 71

"Beginnings... Endings... And (We Promise) New Beginnings!"

Cover Date: November 1990

Release Date: October 25, 1990

Cover Artists: Tom Grummett

Writer: Marv Wolfman

Pencilers: Tom Grummett

Inkers: Al Vey

Colorists: Adrienne Roy

Letterers: John Costanza

Editors: Jonathan Peterson

Executive Editor: Dick Giordano

The issue follows the (in-universe) third anniversary of the Titans. Returning home from a mission, they all go separate ways to get ready before their anniversary dinner in the evening. We follow Nightwing as he reflects on their teams and each individuals journey. However, while this is happening, the Titans are being picked off and kidnapped one by one by the Wildebeest Society. Steve Dayton contacts the only person he knows can help, Deathstroke, who agrees to help for free as his son Jericho is one of the kidnapped Titans.

Not much to say about Tim here. When Nightwing saves a little girl from falling off the edge, she asks if she can become Lady Nightwing one day. Dick says wilder things have happened and wonders if this is the start of another Tim Drake. Would be cool if a writer brought her back. Tim also comes up when Dick thinks about how he called him a boy scout when they was training together as Tim feels good when helping people, which Dick says applies to himself too. The last place Tim comes up in is when Dick is reflecting on his journey growing up, he talks about how Tim is asking the right questions and has the respect for Bruce to be a great Robin, but also doesn't think he will keep silent if Bruce is wrong. He wishes he was as bright as Tim was when he was his age. Next we will finish the identity crisis story in Batman #457!

Batman Vol 1 456

Batman Vol 1 456

"Identity Crisis - Part Two: Without Fear of Consequence…"

Cover Date: November 1990

Release Date: September 20, 1990

Cover Artists: Norm Breyfogle

Writer: Alan Grant

Pencilers: Norm Breyfogle

Inkers: Steve Mitchell

Colorists: Adrienne Roy

Letterers: Todd Klein

Editors: Dennis O'Neil, Kelley Puckett

Executive Editor: Dick Giordano

It's Christmas eve, Batman has stopped another skull masked killer in a Santa costume from killing a group of carollers. He discusses the "crimes of whim" outbreak with a detective, who says there are no clues or connections other than each attacker was previously of good character. He does tell Batman about Vicki Vale's lead though, which Batman goes to investigate. Vicki Vale is captured by the man she was investigating, who takes her to meet someone. Batman is following close behind. In the Batcave, Tim is determined to figure out who is behind these attacks to prove himself to Batman. As he is about to give up, he hallucinates ghosts of the past Robins, who tell him not too and that he is entering a never ending war. They fill Tim with confidence so when he wakes up, he has a fresh wave of determination and is able to logically put together who is behind all these attacks. He tries to warn Batman but there is no answer from the Batmobile. So, posing as Robin over the phone, tells Gordon who it is and that he needs to warn Batman.

At a mysterious warehouse, Vicki Vale tries to escape but runs into the man behind all of this. Batman is still following behind, but the warehouse is a large trap and the bridge collapses underneath his feet as he is crossing it. Gordon can't send any men to help a unconfirmed suspicion, so Tim decides he has to risk his future as Robin by disobeying Batman and going out to help him. Getting up from the rubble, Batman meets the person behind all this... Scarecrow.  

Having the ghosts of Robin's past speak to Tim as he is on the verge of taking on the large legacy is really cool. We get to see that drive behind Tim that is more similar to Bruce than it is to Dick for example. Also his great detective skills plus intuition as he is able to figure out the mastermind before anyone else. Batman #457 and New Titans #71 were released on the same day, but New Titans has an earlier cover date so we are gonna look at that next before finishing this story!

Batman Vol 1 455

Batman Vol 1 455

"Identity Crisis: Part One"

Cover Date: October 1990

Release Date: August 23, 1990

Cover Artists: Norm Breyfogle

Writer: Alan Grant

Pencilers: Norm Breyfogle, Kevin Breyfogle

Inkers: Steve Mitchell

Colorists: Adrienne Roy

Letterers: Todd Klein

Editors: Dennis O'Neil, Kelley Puckett

Executive Editor: Dick Giordano

As Batman is about to wrap it up for the night, he hears gunfire. An old lady, who has never committed a crime before, got a "whim" to wear a mask with a skull on it and kill random bystanders in the night. On the same night, Vicki Vale is doing some photo journalism reporting on the homeless population of Gotham, but as she leaves, another person with a skull mask murders a group of homeless people she was just talking to. At Wayne Manor, Tim is having a nightmare angry at the unfairness of life and the masks vigilantes wear. He is woken by Batman, who reminds him today is his mothers funeral. Watching the news as Tim is getting ready to leave, Bruce and Alfred see that many more attacks from seemingly random civilians wearing skull masks have happened claiming the lives of many. It will have to be a matter for later though.

Tim stares at the memorial of the Robin costume, feeling hatred towards Obeah Man and a burning hole inside him. Many people attend Janet's funeral, including Bruce, Dick, Alfred, Tim, and a paralysed Jack Drake. Tim is putting on a brave face seemingly remaining in control of his emotions. Dick asks Bruce if he knows what comes next. Bruce knows but says he won't let Tim put on the suit. Vicki Vale, developing her photos from last night, notices the skull mask killer in the background and decides to follow up a potential lead she found. Tim begs to come out with Bruce as Robin, but Bruce refuses believing Tim is currently too upset and angry which could end up with him following a similar path as Jason. He implies that once Tim understands how the mask can't hide him from himself, perhaps then he will be ready. Tim is confident he is ready now, but Batman tells him if he disobeys he can forget about ever being Robin. Tim is determined to show him he is wrong. The issue ends with Vicki Vale chasing up the lead, but about to be surprise attacked by a skull masked killer.

The memory of Jason really plays a big part in Tim's psychology. I think it is because of him, Tim is trying his best to control his emotions and stay determined on the mission. He's confident he's ready, almost seeing tragedy as a requirement to becoming a vigilante, but you can't fault Bruce for thinking Tim is too volatile here all things considered. I think in this story we will see Tim learning the real reason why heroes wear the mask. Interesting to note that Batman thinks Tim still has a lot to do physically, but does trust him. Next is Batman #456!