Nightwing

The very first Robin, Dick Grayson was taken in by Bruce Wayne after the tragic death of Grayson's parents. Using his remarkable acrobatic abilities, Grayson was trained to become one of the best fighters and detectives in the DC Universe. During his time as Robin, Grayson founded the Teen Titans along with other teen sidekicks. As he matured, Grayson became distanced from Batman and decided to abandon the mantel of Robin. He now fights crime as Nightwing.

Jason Todd

After Dick Grayson abandoned the mantel of Robin, Batman found himself without a partner. That would change on the night that Batman found a young street hood named Jason Todd attempting to steal the wheels off the Batmobile. On an impulse Batman took the boy in and trained him to be the next Robin. However, Jason Todd proved to not be as disciplined as his predecessor.

While on a mission in the Middle East to find his birth mother, Jason Todd was beaten by the Joker and left in a building set to blow up. Batman was not able to make it to the site in time and Jason Todd was killed. Jason's death has haunted the Dark Knight ever since.

Recently, due to the reality altering effects of Superboy Prime's escape from his dimensional prison, Jason Todd has been resurrected. He now acts as a violent vigilante known as the Red Hood.

Tim Drake

Origin

Tim Drake has followed Batman and Robin’s careers ever since he saw the murder of the Flying Graysons. Tim had excellent instinct and deductive skills which would later show. One day he saw Batman and Robin battle the Penguin on the television. Time noticed that Robin performed the quadruple somersault, Tim remembers seeing Dick do that exact move before his parents died and quickly made the connection that Robin and Dick Grayson were one. Tim continued to follow the dynamic duo’s career for years.

After the apparent death of Jason Todd, Batman has grown more violent and reckless. Tim notices that this is not how Batman’s character is and seeks out the help of Dick Grayson. At this time Dick had been going by the code-name Nightwing, so Tim tried to convince Dick to retake the mantle of Robin because it was the only way to keep him sane. Dick agreed but will only help Batman as Nightwing. Tim did not like Dick’s decision and continued to argue that Batman needs Robin. Eventually he was able to attain the help of Alfred to take the Robin costume so he can go help Batman. Alfred and Dick accepted Tim to be the Robin so he can keep Batman sane. However, Batman did not want a new partner and would continue to say no but also adds “the boy has potential.” Eventually Batman skeptically accepted Tim as Robin but under one condition, Tim had to endure physical and mental training from Bruce before he can become Robin so he does not suffer the same fate as Jason Todd.

Tim as Robin

While Tim was still training, his parents Jack and Janet Drake were kidnapped by a mysterious stranger. Tim continued to focus on his work by foiling a plan of a hacker thief. Meanwhile, Batman went out to rescue Tim’s parents. Batman arrived too late though, and his parents were both poisoned, his mother died but his father fell into a deep coma. With the tragedy Tim and his parents went through, Batman became wary that Tim may go down the road of vengeance and it would cloud his judgment. However Tim would prove Batman wrong when he saved Batman and Vicki Vale from the Scarecrow. Afterwards Batman allowed Tim to take the mantle of the Boy Wonder and gave him a newer version of the costume.

Training

Tim was an excellent detective, however he was missing an important skill, martial arts. Right after Batman gave Tim the Robin mantle, he sent him to Paris to learn fighting skills from a master martial artist, Rahul Lama. He would learn healing techniques from the old master while learning martial arts from his grandson. Tim noticed an organized crime lead by King Snake, so he decides to try and stop them. However, Lady Shiva had been pursuing King Snake also, she discovers the potential that Tim had in martial arts. Lady Shiva takes Tim in and decides to train him herself. She also offered to teach him how to use only 1 weapon of his choice. Tim chose the bo staff because it was the least deadliest weapon. Nearing the end of his training, Lady Shiva and Tim had a sparing match in which Tim defeats her with the bo staff. Shiva then presents Tim with a gift, it is a retractable bo staff that he could conceal. The King Snake was planning to release a plague but was stopped by Tim and Lady Shiva. While King Snake was hanging onto the building helplessly, Shiva orders Tim to kill him in order to “graduate.” Tim refused to kill King Snake.

Robin fighting

Back in Gotham

Tim returns to Gotham City and officially becomes Batman’s partner. Tim also began going on many solo missions which included him fighting the murderer of the previous Robin, the Joker. He also teamed up with Huntress to battle the King Snake again. Meanwhile, Tim still could not fully adjust to having an alter-ego. His father also comes out of the coma around the same time, and their relationship has not been the same.

When Tim’s dad came out of the coma, he was paralyzed from the waist down. He realizes his wife had died and that he was in a coma for a long time. Jack wants to reconnect with his son, but Tim’s duties as Robin and his relationship with Bruce caused a little controversy between the father and son. Jack would eventually be able to regain the use of his legs with the help of a therapist Dana Winters. Jack and Dana began a romantic relationship and she begins to fix the Drakes’ problems. She helped rid Jack of his anger towards his son and helped Tim reconnect with his father. Dana and Jack would eventually marry.

Tim began a romantic relationship as Robin with the daughter of a criminal named Cluemaster, Stephanie Brown. Batman would not allow Robin to reveal his identity to Stephanie. Later she reveals to Tim that she is pregnant from a previous relationship. Tim helps her through childbirth but eventually the child was given up for adoption.

Team ups

Teaming up

Tim began teaming up with other young heroes around his age, but also teamed up with heroes like Superman and the Flash. Robin and Superboy would eventually team up and realize that they worked so well together. As a result, the two of them created Young Justice. Robin was the leader of the group for a period of time before he had to take a temporary leave to assist in the Imperix War. When Tim had to rescue the Young Justice from Apokolips, he discovers that more then half the team has lost trust in Tim due to the actions of Batman. Many of the heroes discovered that Batman had been keeping tabs on everyone and had a plan that would defeat anyone if they crossed the line.

When Tim returns to the Young Justice, the whole team decided to vote for a leader instead of letting Tim retake leadership. Wonder Girl wins the election, but Tim worked closely with Wonder Girl, helping her with leadership, and the team still looked to Tim for tactical advice. The Young Justice eventually disbanded after the death of Donna Troy. Robin, Superboy, and Wonder Girl would go on to join the new Teen Titans and fight alongside Cyborg, Starfire, and Beast Boy. Even though Robin was one of the younger member and was not the leader of the Titans (Cyborg was the leader), Tim often took leadership amongst the young members.

Before the War Games story arc, Jack Drake discovers Tim’s alter-ego Robin. Angered at his son’s decision to fight crime, he threatened to expose the identities of all those connected to Batman. Tim stuck a deal with his dad that he would keep the secret if Tim gives up the Robin mantle. Stephanie Brown took over the Robin mantle during War Games. Eventually Tim realizes he cannot neglect his duties as the boy wonder and starts going out as Robin again behind his father’s back. Jack would eventually realize how important Robin was to Gotham City and would slowly accept Tim’s role.

At Jack's grave

During Identity Crisis, Batman and Robin were investigating the crimes related to the problem in the JLA. Oracle sends them a message saying the Tim’s father needs to speak with them immediately. Tim arrives and they figure that someone is threatening him. Jack assures Tim that whatever happens is not his fault. Eventually the mystery man turns out to be Captain Boomerang. Jack and Captain Boomerang exchange shots and in the end killed each other. Batman and Robin arrived too late to save Jack. Afterwards Bruce offers to adopt Tim, however Tim did not like the idea. Instead Tim decided to created fake records about an Uncle living in Bludhaven. His fake uncle would be his legal guardian and Tim would eventually move to Bludhaven. The reason his mother did not take custody was because she checked in to a mental hospital to help her deal with the death of her husband. Batman would eventually be able to uncover the tracks Tim tried to hide and discovers what he is truly doing. Batman became impressed with Tim rather then angry, and offered to teach him how to fully cover his tracks.

Robin meets Robin

Later a mystery villain began to appear claiming his alias as Red Hood. It would later be discovered that Red Hood was actually Jason Todd. Jason continued to make Batman suffer, but was also intrigued with who had replaced him and why everyone claimed that he was so good. He broke into the Titan Tower wearing his Robin costume. Jason defeated the other Titans and would engage in a battle with Tim. Jason had been angered at someone replaced him, and that he used to be a temporary Titan, yet they did not have a statue of him in the Hall of Fallen Titans. He beats Tim but does not kill him, instead he rips the R off his chest and leaves.

Infinite Crisis, 52, and One Year Later

Robin aided all the heroes during Infinite Crisis and helped the a few teams battle Superboy-Prime. Tim later was able to find a cure for Superboy in one of Luthor’s genetic research base. After Bludhaven’s destruction, Robin led a team to help rescue those that were caught in the middle, however the heroes were kicked out of the city by the Government. After Superboy’s death, Robin joined Batman and the other heroes to the final battle of Infinite Crisis. After the crisis, Bruce, Dick, and Tim left Gotham to go through a quest that Bruce had gone through before he turned into Batman.

After Robin returns to Gotham City, he receives a message saying that if he does not return to the U.S. Batgirl would be killed. He later figures out that Cassandra became the leader of the League of Assassins. Bruce also eventually adopts Tim, which Tim accepts.

Spoiler

During Tim Drake's brief retirement, Stephanie Brown, also known as Spoiler, filled in as Robin before being fired for disobeying Batman's orders. Then shorly after she was captured and tourtured by the Black Mask. She escaped but died shortly after; due to the injuries suffered from the Black Mask.

Non-canonical Robins

Carrie Kelly portrays a female Robin in the non-canocal The Dark Knight Returns miniseries by Frank Miller. She later becomes Catgirl in the sequel The Dark Knight Strikes Again.