Tim Drake - Robin 1 1

[Jesse-Lee]

Aside from the fact that Tim Drake has potentially one of the lowest valued first appearances in comics (maybe the lowest?) for a long-term, arguably key character in a comics universe - I've gotten nice raw copies of Batman 436 for as little as $3 - why is his first appearance as Robin so convoluted? The consensus is that Batman 457 is his first appearance as Robin, but he's on the cover of Batman 442 as Robin.

Spoilers from 1989 ahead I guess:

 

Yes, I've read the books, and he dons the costume in 442, and goes to rescue Batman and Nightwing as Robin. Is it just because Batman rejects him as Robin at first in 442?

[GeeksAreMyPeeps]

On 6/1/2022 at 2:03 PM, Jesse-Lee said:

Aside from the fact that Tim Drake has potentially one of the lowest valued first appearances in comics (maybe the lowest?) for a long-term, arguably key character in a comics universe - I've gotten nice raw copies of Batman 436 for as little as $3 - why is his first appearance as Robin so convoluted? The consensus is that Batman 457 is his first appearance as Robin, but he's on the cover of Batman 442 as Robin.

Spoilers from 1989 ahead I guess:

 

Yes, I've read the books, and he dons the costume in 442, and goes to rescue Batman and Nightwing as Robin. Is it just because Batman rejects him as Robin at first in 442?

Probably a combination of things:

• 442 was readily available when released, while 457 came as a bit of a surprise.

• 442 is not the first appearance of Tim Drake or the first appearance of that costume. He just puts it on, but wasn't actually offered the mantle of being Robin

• 457 features the new costume and he is officially Robin

[Jesse-Lee]

On 6/3/2022 at 6:50 AM, GeeksAreMyPeeps said:

• 442 is not the first appearance of Tim Drake or the first appearance of that costume. He just puts it on, but wasn't actually offered the mantle of being Robin

That makes sense, I can see the logic there. So 457 is basically his first “official” appearance as Robin.

[GeeksAreMyPeeps]

On 6/3/2022 at 11:59 AM, Jesse-Lee said:

That makes sense, I can see the logic there. So 457 is basically his first “official” appearance as Robin.

Pretty much. Of course plenty of people will still see him for the first time in the Robin as the key book. (And I kinda wish people would, as I have 25 or so copies that I bought when they were new.)

[divad]

On 6/3/2022 at 8:59 AM, Jesse-Lee said:

On 6/3/2022 at 4:50 AM, GeeksAreMyPeeps said:

• 442 is not the first appearance of Tim Drake or the first appearance of that costume. He just puts it on, but wasn't actually offered the mantle of being Robin

That makes sense, I can see the logic there. So 457 is basically his first “official” appearance as Robin.

Well, it really depends on which issue I have more copies of at any given time . . .