Teen Titans #0 Review
It's Tim Drake's turn to get a rebooted origin in this latest #0. Wait, what? He's not Robin anymore?
Comic: Teen Titans #0Written By: Scott LobdellPencils By: Tyler KirkhamPublisher: DC ComicsRelease Date: OUT NOW IN STORES & DIGITAL DOWNLOAD (VIA COMIXOLOGY)
rating: 2.5
Last week we had Dick Grayson and Jason Todds Robin backstories, this month its Tim Drakes turn and guess what, DC are messing with another Robin. Cards on the table time, I adore Tim Drake. He was my favourite Robin, I collected his solo run in the 90s onwards and loved what this Robin meant to Batman and how he was different from who had worn the green tights before him. I had a keen belief this kid was destined to be Batman when Bruce (ever) retired and through the mess that was the Death of Batman, the evolution Tim had from Robin to Red Robin began to push the character down roads that would enable him to grow in character and significance within the world of DC Comics. Then DC rebooted and the DC52 universe pulled the rug out from beneath us all.
On paper, not a lot has changed from the core of Tim Drakes origin story. Hes on the road to finding out who this Batman is all by himself and given that Jason Todds death has left a gaping hole in Batmans sidekick status, Bruce, or more so Alfred is on the look out for another boy wonder to aid the caped crusader. The story here is narrated by Batman and not an entirely convincing one. I'm not a big fan of how writer Scott Lobdell has written this Batman. He feels like a bit of dick really. Toying with this bright young kid, spying on him as a potential new teenage boy to hang around with (always dodgy), weighing up having a Robin like its chore, yet still setting traps to scare the kid off. Also with the whole Penguin gang shooting up the Drake family home, forcing them into a witness protection program and signing over their son to Batman or Bruce Wayne (that wasn't all that clear if I'm honest) for protection seems a bit of a stretch even if Father Drake believes his sons destiny is to leave his family behind and thrive. 
Tim is written like a bit of a mix between the go getter Dick Grayson and the hothead Jason Todd. After Jason Id imagine Bruce Wayne would avoid any sort of cocky streak in a sidekick but he goes right ahead and signs this new kid up anyway but guess what kids, Tim Drake isn't just Robin. He never was. Hes Red Robin. His own thing. Yup, it hit with a dull thud on me too. This whole rejiggle of the four Robins and when they all put their suits on in the redefined and rebooted DC universe works for the DC52 but that doesn't mean it works for me. I find Tim a bit of a non-entity now with his long history wiped out within the pages of a few issues this month. He just doesn't seem all that important when stacked up againt the all but son of Bruce Wayne, Dick Grayson, the failed Robin Jason Todd and actual son of Bruce Wayne Damian Wayne. Shit, even Batgirl seems more important than Tim Drake at this stage. Tim Drake seems somewhat set adrift from the Bat-family with this reshuffle and it feels like a massive shame. 
Once again the DC52s changing of history chisels away at my connection to the DC universe. Each and every change feeling like they are prying my fingers away from my ever loosening grip on what I held dear about DCs roster of characters. I think I'm down to about two issues in the DC52 that I actually read with enthusiasm and this #0 month could be the final straw to break the back of my DC Comics regular buying. Dont get me wrong, most of these issues are written well enough for a newbie to DC but DC52 is feeling more and more like its not for me any more. Bring on the Joker! He can win me back right?