August 10th marked the anniversary of the romance between Tim Drake and Bernard Dowd in Batman: Urban Legends #6. (by Meghan Fitzmartin, Belen Ortega, Alejandro Sanchez, and Pat Brosseau). Though Gotham has other queer villains and secondary characters, Tim Drake is one of the biggest DC characters to come out since Batwoman in 2006. Batman: Urban Legends #6 was reprinted as a standalone special edition during pride month in 2021 to commemorate the historic event. The issue marks a meaningful step forward in comics as Robin is a household name and has since paved the way for other heroes of the LGBTQIA community.

Batman: Urban Legends #6 pleasantly surprised fans when Tim Drake confessed his feelings for his school friend Bernard Dowd. According to author Meghan Fitzmartin, the idea to write the Boy Wonder's self-discovery issue was a defining moment she was more than happy to create. Before the comic's release, Fitzmartin received a call from her editor with news that Tim got the green light for another issue. They discussed Robin's past in detail, but more importantly discussed what was next for the Red Robin. Fitzmartin had a light-bulb moment during their conversation and told her editor, "Look, I don't know if this is something that can happen, but this is the story because it's the only story it can be."

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Tim Drake Bernard Date

Batman and Robin have unfortunately been the brunt of homophobic jokes since the 1940s. DC fans have speculated about their sexuality since Bill Finger and Bob Kane created the superheroes. In 1941 Dick Grayson was introduced to the series and initially created to soften the tone. Grayson's character added light-hearted dynamics to The Dark Knight's storyline. Having a sidekick as a superhero is pretty standard, and Robin helping Batman solve crimes is similar to Dr. Watson helping Sherlock Holmes. The jokes regarding their sexuality regrettably ensued due to the rampant homophobia in that era.

When reading Detective Comics #38 (by Bill Finger and Bob Kane) in the 21st century, there is undoubtedly no confusion as to Batman's intentions when he helps Dick Grayson. Following the tragic death of the Graysons, Batman tells a terrified Robin, "I'm going to hide you in my house." This promise to Robin from the Defender of Gotham is rather fitting as he aims to protect Dick from the mobster Tony Zucco who killed his parents. There is no other way in which this sentence can be interrupted unless someone is looking to point the finger. Comic book oppositionist and German psychologists Fredric Wertham, for example, would claim that Batman's intentions were immoral and lewd.

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Tim Drake Pride cover

In 1954 Fredric Wertham wrote the book Seduction of the Innocent and led the public government hearings against "crime comics." He claimed that comic books influenced youth to a life of juvenile delinquency due to their violence, sex, and drug use. Wertham believed in the common logical fallacy that correlation implies causation. This fallacy means that through reading comic books alone, youth are likely to imitate what is read and partake in the behavior. After the hearings, publishers tried to follow the Comic Book Code of Authority closely. General rules in the code included no sex, no drugs, no cursing, and no nudity.

The Comic Book Code of Authority was created to avoid further government involvement with comic books. Publishers did not have to adhere to the authority's code. Comic book publishing companies such as DC and Marvel followed their company's code of conduct; therefore, following the authority's rules was no different. Though no legal ramifications occurred if publishers chose to ignore the code, there were still consequences. For example, distributors would refuse to sell comic books if they lacked the authority's official seal of approval. By 2011 the code was abandoned, and the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund inherited their intellectual property rights.

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Comic Code Authority seal of approval.
Comic Code Authority seal of approval.

Since the release of Drake's coming-out issue, several DC and Marvel big names have opened up about their sexuality. For example, Superman's son Jonathan Kent came out as bisexual in the issue Superman: Son of Kal-El #5 (by Tom Taylor, John Timms, Hi-Fi Designs, and Dave Sharpe). In addition, Loki mentions to Sylvie in the Disney+ live-action series he is also bi, and a myriad of other Marvel superheroes in the Marvel's Voices: Pride anthology series represent the LGBTQIA+ community.

Tim Drake's Robin is a household name. He fights crime and stands for justice regardless of his sexual orientation. Although its verifiable sexual preference holds no validity in a superhero's capabilities, Robin's coming-out issue is historic for more important reasons. Comic book writers like Meghan Fitzmartin and Stan Lee understand the importance of accurate representation and how fans relate to characters. They believe there is a hero in all of us and that anyone can wear the mask regardless of cultural background or sexual preference.