New ‘Batman’ comic confirms his sidekick Robin is queer

Tim Drake, one of the many characters to take over Robin’s mantle in the comics, agrees to date a male friend in new issue of “Batman: Urban Legends,” a series that debuted over early this year.

“[The issue] happened because that’s who Tim is, ”comic book writer Meghan Fitzmartin said in an interview with Polygon. “I really like this character, and as I came back to re-read as much as possible to do Robin justice, it became clear that this is the story Tim had to tell.”

Fans have long viewed Batman’s staunch sidekick as a potentially odd character ever since the first Robin, Dick Grayson, made his comic book debut in the 1940s. In a 2016 article for Slate, adapted from his book on the world’s greatest sleuth, cultural critic Glen Weldon has documented a few cases that have caught the ears of readers. 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 throwing fits of jealousy when Batman entertained female love interests. Former Batman comic book writer Grant Morrison even told Playboy magazine that “homosexuality is inherent in Batman.”

Despite decades of fans clamoring for queer Robin content, the sidekick’s sexuality has never been openly declared, though various iterations of Robin, from Drake to the most recent addition Damian Wayne, have had relationships with women in them. comics.

Speaking to Playserver, Fitzmartin said Drake’s new relationship doesn’t erase his past relationships with women (most notably Stephanie Brown, who moonlights as the Spoiler hero).

“I wanted to pay tribute to the fact that sexuality is a journey… However, Tim is still discovering himself,” Fitzmartin told Playserver. “I don’t think he has the language for everything … yet.”