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I honestly feel like the peak example of Dick & Tim behavior is when they were both safely outside of Gotham for Cataclysm but then smuggled themselves in for No Man's Land.

Absolutely deranged.

That's my boys <3

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"For Robin, there is always a bright side."

[Batgirl (2000-2006) #58]

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my great friend @ryssbelle did another commission amazing spectacular commission of this canon dynamic duo, who had their own 500 issue run that’s still ongoing

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Tim is so funny, I love him

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Jason: I'm just saying that it's messed up you guys just pretended it was a costume change and not a new Robin. I died and you swept it under the rug. Like I didn't matter. Tim: I hear you, but, counter, if Rogues think they can *succeed* at killing a Robin, they're more likely to try. And to try killing other capes, too. It was a protective measure. Jason: They try to kill us all the time anyway. And it's not like it worked, they clearly all know you're the third Robin. How long did it take Joker to figure the switch out, five milliseconds? Tim: Oh no, it took him like...a few hours, maybe a couple days. I was busy I don't know the exact timeline. His face when he thought you were still alive was amazing, though. Jason: What. Tim: As I said, I was busy trying to- Jason: No no no, go back to his face. Tim: Uh...well I landed on the windshield and his eyes nearly bugged out of his head? He just started like. Screaming. "I killed you!" over and over. Just absolutely losing it. Jason: . . . Tim: Like his entire world just ended. Total meltdown. Jason: . . . Tim: I guess he figured it out eventually, or went into denial, but it's not like any of the other Rogues would listen to him after the cops had to fish him out of that sewage tank, it made him a laughingstock, so that bought us more time- Jason: When the cops had to WHAT. Tim: Uh. Jason: *Sewage tank???* Tim: We may have uh. Wound up in a showdown by some of the open tanks. And I may have. Um. Flipped the Joker into one. Jason: . . . Jason: . . . Tim: ...You okay? Jason: The Joker got tossed into a LITERAL VAT OF SHIT and I MISSED IT.

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#I think is kind of funny when people said that Tim could have a normal life if he didn't become Robin#As much I dislike a lot of things on that arc (I mean all those things are just the racism) that doesn't mean I'll pretend it doesn't exist#Still Janet should have survived instead on Jack. I want more of her.

If Janet had survived, Tim might have actually had a decent-ass life. Like it seems like she's a good mom when she's around from what little we've seen. And Tim described their travelling as "dad travels, mom goes with him", so if anything I think she would have been even quicker to stick around than Jack was.

But Jack was kept alive for drama. So cie la vie I guess.

Any time people talk about Tim becoming Robin like some ultimate tragedy because he had parents who were alive and well when he showed up, but forget that Tim's involvement with Batman is what saved Jack Drake's life in Haiti and again when he was kidnapped after he came out of his coma.

No, he wouldn't have been a normal kid with parents.

He would have been orphaned at 13.

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DC should get Chip Zdarsky to write a Robin solo for Tim

All us Tim fans love the fuck out of his Tim characterization.

It's like the ultimate pre-built fanbase as far as it actually going well this time.

And you know he read Tim's original solos, he'd know the vibe.

I trust this man xD

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Any time people talk about Tim becoming Robin like some ultimate tragedy because he had parents who were alive and well when he showed up, but forget that Tim's involvement with Batman is what saved Jack Drake's life in Haiti and again when he was kidnapped after he came out of his coma.

No, he wouldn't have been a normal kid with parents.

He would have been orphaned at 13.

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Jack Drake Hate Post: Robin Unmasked

(I'm not going to be reasonable about Jack Drake. I know Tim loved him. I also know Tim deserved better. I know it's a complicated situation. But I'm not out to be fair right now. I'm out to vent. Skip this one if you don't like that.)

There are many reasons to hate Jack Drake, be it his early neglect, his threats of boarding and military schools, his ripping household electronics off the wall in anger, the fact that his attempts to connect with Tim are severely lacking in actually trying to use his son's interests instead of his own.

With all that, you'd think that him not wanting Tim to be Robin - an objectively dangerous thing to be - wouldn't be one of them. This should be a reasonable parent moment for him, right?

You'd think

And yet

We begin our story with Tim coming home beat up

Tim, of course, lies, but makes the unfortunate mistake of actually catering to his father's interests. It might not seem unfortunate now, with Jack "toxic masculinity" Drake basically letting everything slide and being happy about it, but it will. Oh it will.

Because Jack is in fact SO happy about it, that he goes to thank the Coach personally.

And thus finds out Tim lied to him. And also isn't really into sports. Oh no, the horror. (Him describing how short Tim is is hella funny though)

And then starts searching Tim's room, with a sidenote of blaming Steph. Because girls who aren't virgins are bad influences.

And continuing to do so (with Dana trying but failing to get into his computer) until Jack finds a switch at the back of Tim's closet and finds the Robin costume.

Jack then has the "totally reasonable" reaction

of threatening Bruce Wayne with a gun

With ZERO trigger discipline, goddamn.

Like this dude is seriously down to murder right now.

Like normally I could maybe pass off the finger position as just general media portrayal but no, look at this dialogue, what the fuck.

As one of my friends as said "wow that's basically villain behavior".

Anyway

Bruce, being the goddamn Batman, disarms him, and then they have an argument which ends up in Jack threatening to expose him and Bruce being like, if you want to do that, that's fine, but let's talk first.

In the meantime Tim comes back and he's actually in a really good mood.

Knowing what's coming: OOF

Tim starts excitedly talking about what he was up to to Bruce when he notices that he's...off. And then Bruce tells him that his father is here. Who demands Tim come home, and Tim says no.

Alfred tries to do some damage control, but Jack yells that this is between him and his son.

Tim apologizes for freaking his dad out but he doesn't want to quit and really believes in what he's doing and he's really adamant and willful about it.

Also I think the fact that Jack told Tim stories about how his Grandpa lied about his age to become a decorated soldier as a point of family pride really does a decent bit to inform us about why Tim felt this kind of life was okay for him as a kid to begin with.

(Why do I get the impression that Janet stopped him from spanking Tim as a child by telling him that?) I kind of love that Tim makes this really inappropriate joke that makes Jack uncomfortable. It's just such a fucking Tim thing to do.

(He does apologize)

While Bruce and Jack both yell at Tim here, I just think the slight distinction where Bruce calls him "Tim" and Jack calls him "you" just speaks wonders.

(The fact that Bruce managed to be the cooler, more understanding dad through most of Tim's tenure certainly was a Thing. The bar wasn't THAT high, Jack.)

Unfortunately, they then leave Tim alone with him.

And Nightwing shows up and him, Bruce and Alfred start talking about what they'll do if Jack exposes them. Which apparently Bruce is just like, fully down to burn his identity if he needs to.

And what kills me here is the body language. Like, you compare it to all the previous images of Tim being willful and it's just...the will is drained.

Whatever Jack said to him in private, which we did not get to see, it results in this

And he's just so deflated. Like this isn't someone that has been convinced this is the right thing to do, this is a guy who has given up. And that just. Sucks.

Like, not wanting your son to be Robin? Reasonable. Whatever drained all of his energy completely when he'd been so feisty?

Oh, man.

Fuck that guy.

And then he "redeems" himself later by accepting it when Tim ends up going back anyway. And then he dies. And Tim feels guilty about it forever because he couldn't save him.

*screams*

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Doing Right By Dick Grayson: Bruce's "death" and Tim

I kind of wonder how much of Zdarsky's multiverse arc was intended as a direct "take that" to the whole time stream thing and how it was handled, and especially in regard to Dick even though this moment doesn't take up much space.

Tim: ...But we'll stop them. We always do... Dick: Tim, are you...are you okay? Tim: I... No, I'm not, Dick. Everyone keeps saying that he's dead. But he can't be. Batman...Bruce...he survives. It's what he does. I'm tired of everyone looking at me like I'm crazy. Dick: I think you're right. He's not dead. Tim: That... Thanks, man. I'm glad to hear I'm not alone. I'm going over all the footage and readings. Trying to figure out what happened. Where Bruce is. Or when he is if time-travel's involved- Dick: Hey, whoa...

Dick: ...I know you want to find him. But he's Batman, he'll make his way back to us. He'd want us to protect the people of Gotham while he's gone, not spend our time and resources on him. Trust me, I've been at this longer than you. He's alive and he'll come back. Tim: But you've been away! You haven't seen what I've seen! The Zur protocol, him being Batman 24/7! He's not the same Batman that you think you know, Dick! He needs help! And I'm going to help him! Dick: Robin, I didn't mean-

[Batman (2016-) #131]

Because really, when you think about how many heroes had turned out to be not really dead, or came back from the dead, the whole "know it in our hearts" thing and not believing Tim thing with the time stream situation was inexcusably shallow, does a disservice to Dick's character in regard to his relationships both with Bruce and with Tim, and kind of gives him the idiot ball. And Dick deserved better than that bullshit.

And this in comparison? This is so very much like: See? This is how you write their damn characters!

Dick believes Tim. He implicitly trusts his brother. But he's also concerned for him.

Dick believes in Bruce. He concentrates his loyalty on the mission because that's what Bruce would want him to do. Dick trusts.

Tim is like, no that guy can't save himself out a paper bag.

That's how you fuckin do it!

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You and your boyfriend be like:

Where did you you get those screenshots of our texts

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Stop asking me “Bruce are you okay??” “Bruce how are you?” “What’s up with you?”

I am 53 and still have to fight the Joker. NO I am not okay. I never will be. Unless given cake, I’ll probably be fine if I’m eating cake.

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Duke & Tim: Bruce's guilt complex & Batman doesn't control Robin

Duke: Look, I told you, if you're taking me in because of my parents, because you feel guilty or sorry for me, just stop. I'm fine on my own. And Robin today, Robin doesn't need a Batman.

Tim: Are you serious? I was saving people! Wait...does me getting shot remind you of Jason? Of Alfred? Is that it? Look, I didn't start yesterday, you're mad about a different thing. And you're not in charge of me. I don't even wear a bat.

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Tim: Good call on exploding our way out of the kettle. My step-by-step hacker brain sometimes forgets that being direct is an option. Damian: Direct is often my only option. But you redeemed yourself with that ambush-in-the-shadows maneuver. Tim: Never thought I'd say this - and I might not admit it if you tell Bruce - but I didn't hate partnering with you. Damian: Yes. Tonight makes me grateful that I am not the only Robin... And especially that I'm not Jason. Can you imagine having Killer #&@%*$# Moth as your archnemesis? Tim: Ha, no. Also you were right about one thing- Damian: I am right about everything, but go on. Tim: Villains really don't pay attention to our numbering!

"Robin Season" Batman: The Brave and the Bold #19 (the anthology series, not the cartoon tie-in)

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Tim: I am at a loss for words

Bruce: Despite being lost for words, Tim yelled at me for forty-five minutes