Tim Drake takes on Red Robin role in 2009 series

As the “Batman Reborn” branding stretched across the Batman line of comics in 2009, a new Batman and Robin were chosen: Dick Grayson and Damian Wayne.   This left former Robin Tim Drake (aka Tim Wayne) as a man without a title.  He resurfaces as “Red Robin,” taking on a new heroic identity as he searches for Bruce Wayne, who Tim believes to still be alive.

Issues 1-5 are collected in Vol. 1, “The Grail.”   Chris Yost and Ramon Bachs are the creative team as Tim crosses the globe looking for clues to Bruce’s whereabouts.  What I liked about the story were some of the callbacks to the early Chuck Dixon Robin stories.  The jet-setting nature recalls some of the elements of the first “Robin” miniseries.   Drake, isolated somewhat from the rest of the Bat-family after the events of “Battle for the Cowl,” works with Ra’s Al Ghul’s team of assassins on his mission.  It’s a compelling read for Tim Drake fans.

Red Robin #6-12 and Batgirl #8 are collected in “Collision,” the second volume, as Yost puts together pieces hinted at from the beginning of the run.   Marcus To comes on as the artist.  Tim must go against both the Council of Spiders and Ra’s group of assassins, and in so doing proves he’s one of the best detectives on the planet, himself.   Any questions Tim Drake fans had about the storyline after the first volume should be answered by the end of Yost’s 12-issue run.