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Monday, November 03, 2008

Batman RIP SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS

SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS

Spoilers

(don't blame me)

spoilers.

So according to io9, Robin might be the villain of "Batman RIP."


This particular storyline, like most of Grant Morrison's current superhero projects, grabbed me for an issue or so until my eyes glazed over and I gave up, so I have not been picking up on all the "clues."

But io9 speculates:

"As ridiculous as it sounds, there are a couple of clues that point to this being more than just wild speculation. The first is from the end of the previous chapter, where the reader's attention is drawn (by both the Joker and Batman himself) to the colors red and black; this may be pointed towards Jezebel Jet (a black woman with dyed red hair), but it could also be directed towards Robin, whose costume is red and black, and whom, we were told earlier in the chapter, has not been captured like all of Batman's other sidekicks ("Well, little red Robin's proving to be a more... slippery customer than we expected"). We know from upcoming solicitations for Robin's own comic that 2009 will see "an all-new Robin," and the cover of last month's issue of the Robin comic did say that the end was near... But what kind of end is that, exactly...?"

The blog also notes Chuck Dixon's speedy departure from the monthly Robin title -- was it in protest for the Tim Drake's eventual fate, a fate that would in effect undo the writer's years of work on the character?

But I will say for the record that I never liked Tim Drake. Sorry. I've always felt he was a humorless over-achiever, one who could very well be hiding a darker side to his personality. And from a marketing/licensing/business standpoint, Drake is faaaaaar more expendable than Dick Grayson (who's been around for almost 60 years). Both of those factors make such a theory plausible.


Here's a scenario: taking a page from his own paranoid mentor, Tim could have had a "fail-safe" put in place just in case Bruce went insane and needed to be "taken out." This fail-safe would have been so thorough that Tim himself might have used hypnotic suggestion or some other self-mindfuck to remove all conscious knowledge of the failsafe from his own mind. Of course, I think this is the sort of crazy, controlling shit that Dick Grayson would never have thought of doing. Hence the crucial difference between Dick & Tim. Dick made a good partner for Bruce because he was different from him temperament-wise. But Tim was too similar, and it became a liability.

That said, I have heard no specific rumors pointing in this direction, though it would help explain the Dixon reaction.

And for the numerous Tim Drake fans out there: I'm not saying he's a bad character. I'm just saying after following him since his debut almost 20 years ago, I never warmed up to him. So sue me.


And as for the theory that with Bruce Wayne out of the way, all the Bat-Family has to do is just "move up one" (Dick becomes Batman, Tim becomes Nightwing, Damian becomes Robin, etc.) -- that would just be really pat. Ugh. Whatever happens, I hope that's not the resolution. I hope DC gets their money's worth from Morrison and that the writer thinks up something a little more interesting than that.

19 comments:

  1. i close my eyes, i close my eyes, i close my eyes, i close my eyes

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  2. Tim's lost a couple of his best friends lately, not to mention his father. He could be in a lot of pain.

    But wow, I hope those rumors are wrong. Besides, he never struck me as the Machiavellian type.

    Red and black could easily be Jason Todd's colors.

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  3. Interesting but I don't see it. Which means it's probably right.

    Robin Is Prepared?

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  4. The logic for the article is suspect

    I mean they are basing it on the character's colors. Whats more, technically Robin has a bit of gold thrown in his costume

    Even ignoring the whole "gold" thing, I could name ya five villains that could be the "big bad" I mean hell, Harley Quinn could easily be the big villain going by the black/red argument or Azrael.

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  5. This is an interesting take, especially if it is true. While I have always like Tim this reveal can lead to some interesting development for both Bruce and Dick. I think this could actually hurt Dick a lot more than Bruce since he is the one that convinced Bruce to let Tim become Robin and Dick and Tim have always been closer than Bruce and Tim were/are.

    Well will find out in a couple weeks if this is tru or not, if the issue is not delayed even more that is.

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  6. The idea isn't bad, but, as someone commented on the io9 thread, it hasn't been executed with any credibility across either the Bat-line or the DCU proper. Too bad to hear you don't like Tim, though; I think he's just as important for both the DCU and DC's business in the long term, as the next step in the Bat brand after Grayson.

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  7. solicits for the 2nd issue after RIP oddly don't feature Robin on the cover, though all other Batman characters are represented. Intriguing....

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  8. Possible, but we still need to know who Red Robin is.

    Reeeeeed Robin YUM!

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  9. I think it's going to be a two-part revelation. The "villain" is going to be revealed as Alfred, and Alfred is going to be revealed as Bruce's real father, after an affair with Martha Wayne.

    And then what happens? Well, when you've based your entire crime-fighting persona on the senseless death of your father, only to find out that your real father is alive and well? The persona of Batman has no reason to live.

    Hence Batman: RIP.

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  10. I hope you're wrong.

    But chances are, you're not.

    Yuck.

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  11. Of course you don't like Robin.

    In the Val-verse, everything DC is EVIL!!! and SEXIST!! and they're probably TERRORISTS!!

    But really, the big reveal being Robin? Unlikely, but what an awesome idea. That would be pretty cool actually.

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  12. "In the Val-verse, everything DC is EVIL!!! and SEXIST!! and they're probably TERRORISTS!!"

    bitter much?

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  13. "bitter much?"

    Thats the question, isn't it, Ms. D'Oranzio?

    How are those checks from Marvel, by the way?

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  14. "How are those checks from Marvel, by the way?"

    are you referring to the company who I *didn't* suffer disgusting sexual harassment and discrimination from?

    nice "alt," by the way, Mr. "just signed onto Blogger on November 3rd." Real convincing.

    Don't you have work to do? I wouldn't want you to get in trouble. Here, I'll delete the rest of your future comments for you so you don't get distracted by returning to my blog and looking for a reaction.

    Aren't I sweet & understanding?

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  15. I'm just glad to have the Robin theory out there, as I was finding the Alfred idea all too credible. I likes me some suspense in my comics.

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  16. "paiva grimm," I deleted your comment without reading it, but I do have to note that the only people you're hurting with this "alt" blog account and your off-topic rants on my blog are DC and quite possibly yourself.

    Believe me, it wouldn't be me begging you to shut up -- but DC.

    but maybe you're so far gone that you no longer care.

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  17. That... would be... AWESOME! I share your every sentiment regarding Tim Drake. Maybe Tim and Jason could become a Despicable Duo? Maybe Dick Grayson should reacquire his more famous, marketable alter ego and become the adult Robin prophesied since the '70s, watching to insure the Dark Knight's ongoing sanity?

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  18. "paiva grimm," I deleted your comment without reading it, but I do have to note that the only people you're hurting with this "alt" blog account and your off-topic rants on my blog are DC and quite possibly yourself."

    -Whoa.

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  19. I'm thinking Tim is out and Damien is in.

    Grayson will always be Robin though.

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