While nobody expected him to remain gone from the DC Universe forever, fans might not have thought Tim Drake would be returning before Rebirth's final act. However, come November, the popular Robin is back in Gotham City -- though he may not survive his trip home.

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In Detective Comics #968, Tim will finally escape his current imprisonment at the hands of the mysterious Mr. Oz (whose identity will be revealed soon in the pages of Action Comics). However, as DC's solicits tease, getting home is not quite the same thing as surviving the experience.

The arc’s title, “A Lonely Place of Living,” is a play on Drake’s DC Comics introduction in 1990’s “A Lonely Place of Dying.” The storyline, written by Marvel Wolfman and drawn by George Perez and Jim Aparo, was a crossover event between Batman and Teen Titans, and served to bring a new Robin (Drake) into Batman’s life following the murder of Jason Todd years earlier. The story was designed to illustrate how important Robin was to helping Batman regain his humanity in the face of Todd’s death.

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Check out the cover -- which homages the final chapter of the aforementioned "A Lonely Place of Dying" storyline -- and solicitation text for the Tim Drake's return, below.

DETECTIVE COMICS #968

  • Written by JAMES TYNION IV
  • Art by ALVARO MARTINEZ and RAUL FERNANDEZ
  • Cover by EDDY BARROWS and EBER FERREIRA
  • JUSTICE LEAGUE variant cover by CULLY HAMNER
  • Retailers: This issue will ship with two covers. Please see the order form for details.
  • “A LONELY PLACE OF LIVING” finale! Tim Drake is back on Earth — but if the deadly threat he brought back with him from outside of time has its way, it won’t be for long…and this shadowy figure wants to take one of Batman’s team down with him, too! Everything Tim died for the first time is at risk, if he can’t survive this attack!
  • On sale NOVEMBER 8 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T<.li>