The final page of the issue sees Drake visit his friend Bernard at his home, when the two share a moment of unexpected connection (and Drake, as his alter ego Robin, must save Bernard from villains). In the last panel, Drake tells Bernard, smiling, “Yeah… yeah, I think I want that” after Bernard knocks him out.
“[The issue] It happened because that’s what Tim is,” comic writer Meghan Fitzmartin said
In an interview with Polygon. “I love this character so much, and as I went back to re-read as many as possible to do Robin justice, it became clear that this is the story Tim needed to tell.”
Fans have long viewed Batman’s faithful sidekick as a potentially queer character since the first Robin, Dick Grayson, made his comics debut in the 1940s. In
2016 articles for SlateIn , adapted from his book on the world’s greatest detective, culture critic Glenn Weldon documented a few examples that made readers’ ears perk up. These include depictions of Batman and Robin lying next to each other, naked, in separate beds; Batman and Robin waking up in the same bed; Robin fits into jealous fits when Batman entertains female love interests. Former Batman comic writer Grant Morrison also told Playboy magazine that “homosexuality is built into Batman.”
Despite decades of fans queuing up for Robin material, the sidekick’s sexuality was never explicitly stated, although various iterations of Robin, from Drake to new addition Damien Wayne, have had relationships with women in the comics. .
Speaking to Polygon, Fitzmartin said that Drake’s new relationship doesn’t erase his previous relationships with women (most notably Stephanie Brown, who moonlights as the protagonist Spoiler).
“I wanted to pay tribute to the fact that sexuality is a journey … However, Tim is still figuring himself out,” Fitzmartin told Polygon. “I don’t think he has the language for it … yet.”
The next issue of “Batman: Urban Legends” opens the door for Drake and Bernard’s relationship to develop. But they join the growing constellation of
LGBTQ characters in the DC universe: Batwoman, also known as Kate Kane, who was once punished for her relationship with another woman under the former “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy of the US military; Harley Quinn, who left the Joker for her friend Poison Ivy in a recent comic run; and transgender scientist Victoria October, who debuted in the 2017 Batman series.
DC and friends
comics juggler marvel both have started
More LGBTQ characters in their stories. both companies
Released special compilation comics Starring queer and trans characters in June to coincide with Pride Month.
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