Of all of Bruce Wayne’s Robins, Dick Grayson and Tim Drake are perhaps the most recognizable & iconic. Where Jason Todd died in-between Robins, Dick Grayson became Nightwing (along with adopting the role of Batman in Grant Morrison’s run) and Time Drake served as Robin longer than anyone else (in terms of in-universe chronology) before taking on the name of Red Robin. Bruce Wayne wouldn’t be half the Batman he is without Dick or Tim– arguably the best Robins he’s ever had.
As great as Dick Grayson and Tim Drake are in their respective role as Robin, they’re also radically different characters, a fact often reflected in their greatest storylines. Dick and Tim’s best comics not only comment on their history as Robin, they acknowledge the unique roles they fill in Batman’s life.
10 Dick: Dark Victory
A direct sequel to The Long Halloween, Dark Victory picks up exactly where the last book left off, resolving plot threads & themes linking back to the Holiday killings. With a new killer wreaking havoc on Gotham– along with Batman’s classic rogues formally taking over the city from the mob– Bruce Wayne finds himself unable to keep up with the ever changing city.
A major theme running through Dark Victory is that Batman cannot work alone. The last few issues of the story adapt Dick Grayson’s introduction, his training, and eventual becoming of Robin. Although Dick is only in a few issues, he leaves an enormous impact and his presence plays an extremely important role in Bruce Wayne’s development as Batman.
9 Tim: A Lonely Place Of Dying
The thematic sequel to A Death in the Family and simply a far better story in general, A Lonely Place of Dying is Tim Drake’s introduction in the Batman canon. Young Tim Drake has been keeping tabs on Batman since Robin’s death, ultimately deducing Nightwing’s and Batman’s secret identities.
Tim wants to stress to Bruce the sheer importance of Robin not only to Batman, but to Gotham, which results in him becoming the new Boy Wonder by the arc’s end. A Lonely Place of Dying is dated, but it’s also a charming origin story for one of DC’s richest characters.
8 Dick: The Gauntlet
The Gauntlet focuses on Dick Grayson’s last night of training before he formally becomes Robin. Dick has to spend the night in Gotham avoiding Batman’s detection, but the story quickly spirals as Robin sees an opportunity to clean up the city.
The Gauntlet plays to Robin’s strengths as a character while highlighting the inherent charm he brings to the Batman universe. More importantly, the story doesn’t neglect to show Bruce Wayne’s feelings on Robin, showcasing just how important they are to one another.
7 Tim: The Joker’s Wild
The second entry in Chuck Dixon’s Robin trilogy, The Joker’s Wild is one of the first Joker arc following Jason Todd’s death and the first to pit the Clown Prince of Crime against the new Robin, Tim Drake. Just as key, Batman isn’t in Gotham when the Joker strikes, leaving Tim Drake in vicinity of a monster who very recently clubbed a boy to death.
As high as the stakes are, The Joker’s Wild’s main conceit is to emphasize how Tim Drake’s Robin can handle Batman’s rogues on his own terms. Considering Dixon’s trilogy eventually built up to its own proper run, The Joker’s Wild set a very important precedent.
6 Dick: Batgirl/Robin Year One
Batgirl/Robin Year One collects Dick Grayson and Barbara Gordon’s origin stories into one neat package. Although perspective shifts from Dick to Babs five issues in, Robin plays an important role throughout the entire story. The book opens with Robin Year One, detailing Dick Grayson’s early career with Batman along with some tension between him & Bruce.
The book then time skips to Batgirl Year One, which is for all intents and purposes a direct sequel. Batgirl highlights Barbara’s struggles to come into her own as a hero along with the relationships she weaves with Batman, Robin, and her father Jim Gordon. Both stories do an excellent job at painting a clear picture of Dick Grayson’s personality.
5 Tim: Cry Of The Huntress
Cry of the Huntress is the final installment in Chuck Dixon’s Robin trilogy, teaming Tim Drake up with Helena Bertinelli, the orphaned daughter of Gotham mobsters now turned vigilante. Much like The Joker’s Wild proved that Robin could handle Batman’s worst enemies, Cry of the Huntress shows how Tim can interact with the larger Bat-Family completely independent of Batman. In many respects, Cry of the Huntress is a story about Robin no longer needing to work alongside Batman, far more than capable of taking on his own threats & building his own inner circle.
4 Dick: Black Mirror
Quite possibly the best story to feature Dick Grayson as Batman, Black Mirror is a genuinely chilling story that brings Jim Gordon’s estranged son, James Jr., back into the picture. Black Mirror disconnects itself from other Batman stories not only by indulging in horror on a visceral level, but by playing up how Dick is distinct from Bruce.
Dick Grayson isn’t as brooding or as moody, and having a Batman who can connect on an emotional level with those around him consistently makes for a refreshing read while raising the stakes. Along with being one of Dick’s best outings, Tim Drake and Barbara Gordon play key roles as Red Robin & Oracle respectively.
3 Tim: Resurrection of Ra’s Al Ghul
Although a crossover event set during the events of Grant Morrison’s Batman, Tim Drake and Damian Wayne are the real main characters of Resurrection of Ra’s Al Ghul. While the story itself interrupts the carefully woven narrative Morrison was penning at the time, both Tim and Damian deal with important arcs. Tim, as Red Robin, forces an examination of the nature of life & death in comics by wanting to revive his father, while Damian finds himself threatened by his grandfather’s desire for perpetual youth. Damian’s arc is arguably more important, but Tim’s is the emotional center.
2 Dick: Gates Of Gotham
Gates of Gotham is a deep dive into Gotham history that puts Dick Grayson at the center of the action. Unlike Black Mirror, Gates of Gotham plays up the Bat-Family surrounding Dick Grayson, featuring a fair bit of Tim Drake as Red Robin along with great character work between Dick and his personal Robin, Damian Wayne. Gates of Gotham is in many ways a follow-up to Black Mirror while also serving as fairly important set-up for the New 52.
1 Tim: Face The Face
Face the Face centers itself more on housekeeping and setting the stage for Gotham after a year without Batman & Robin, but Tim Drake still plays a vital role in the story’s emotional arc. Although Two-Face is at the heart of the narrative, Face the Face emphasizes just how important Batman & Robin are as a concept. They not only keep Gotham safe, they keep it healthy and its people secure. Face the Face notably ends with Bruce Wayne formally adopting Tim Drake as his son, a move that speaks to how much depth their relationship has.