Watch out, DC Comics fans, there’s a new Robin in town as Tim Drake gets a new series under Meghan Fitzmartin and Riley Rossmo. Not only that, he’s got a new place to live, a new boyfriend, and an enemy that seriously requires him to use his detective skills. It’s an opening issue that should easily find fans of the character thirsty for more, but is it good?
As you can see in the preview, Tim is now docked at the Gotham City marina. Over the first quarter of the issue, Fitzmartin and Rossmo unveil not only his new home base but also colorful neighbors of his and a general vibe that feels unique to Gotham. It’s a fantastic idea to flesh out an area in Gotham that’s new, which suits Tim Drake’s new life untethered from Batman and being happy.
Fitzmartin makes the point here that Tim is quite happy, which is so abnormal for him Damian thought he was body-swapped with a bad guy. His cheery open self is a nice element that keeps the issue light. That includes his love interest Bernard, a super positive go-getter who Tim has been dating for six months, even if he isn’t yet using the term “boyfriend”.
There’s a bunch of colorful characters to unpack in this issue.
Credit: DC Comics
That positivity is juxtaposed well with the dark setting as they hang out around the marina at night. Rossmo’s style gives the characters a youthful and cartoony feel that suits his kinetic style. Their faces can sometimes seem too heavy on the long chins, but this is certainly Rossmo’s style, and fans of his should enjoy it. That goes for the fun aspects, like a cool side view of Tim’s boat home sliced in half to show its many rooms and compartments. Given that the creators promise a new costume, it’ll be fun to see Rossmo evolve this character in more ways than one.
About halfway into the book, a murder occurs, kicking Tim into Robin mode. The costume looks great, with splashy yellow used under the cape that creates fun angles. After introducing the policeman Tim trusts, the book goes into full detective mode, a breath of fresh air. So often in Bat-books, the detective element is surface level at best, but it’s refreshing to see Fitzmartin do the heavy lifting to make the mystery feel essential and to lift up Tim’s skills.
That threat ends up dovetailing into a supernatural action sequence. It’s fun to see the sci-fi fantasy tropes at work, and it sets up a new villain you’ll want to stick around for.
Tim Drake: Robin is a fresh start for the character in more ways than one. From the Rossmo art that is unlike anything else to Tim Drake’s new lifestyle and home in the harbor, there’s so much here that makes the character feel brand spanking new. That’s exciting in a series set in Gotham where so many characters have remained the same for so long.
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