Tim Drake from the beginning – part 2: "Batman Year Three" (continued)

(All reviews in this series contain spoilers.)

Batman #436-439 (August-September 1989)
Written by Marv Wolfman; pencilled by Pat Broderick; inked by John Beatty.

Earlier this week, in the first part of this review, I said there were nine flashbacks in "Batman Year Three." I miscounted. It turns out there are actually ten.

In part 1:

1. Zucco's childhood, his parents' murder, growing up in the orphanage (with Sister Mary Elizabeth), his revenge and beginnings as a criminal.

2. Dick grayson's childhood, his parents' murder (including Tim Drake's first appearance), brief stay at the orphanage (with Sister Mary Elizabeth).

In part 2:

3. Dick comes to live at Wayne Manor, visits the Batcave for the first time, begins training to become Robin.

4. Bruce gives Dick the Robin costume, first night out on patrol.

In part 3:

5. Jason Todd's death.

6. Batman teaches Dick/Robin forensics.

7. Batman and Dick/Robin going after Zucco's crime operations.

8. Dick Grayson's optimism shortly after becoming Robin.

And in part 4:

9. Dick's custody hearing, where he officially becomes Bruce's ward.

10. Jason Todd's death (again).

These flashbacks all serve a very straightforward narrative purpose, giving us important information about the characters and moving the plot forward. But there's something else going on if we look more closely at the way each one is introduced into the narrative.

"A torrent of memories"

In the first issue, the two flashbacks are narrated by Alfred, as he tries to convince the parole board not to release Zucco. He is describing events that he did not himself experience or even witness, relating second-hand information he's presumably gathered from various sources. Although Alfred is very passionate in his plea and in his efforts to convince the members of the board, he's giving them a very factual account which is an appeal to reason more than to emotion.

In the second issue, the two flashbacks are a little bit more personal and emotional. The first one (#3) is also from Alfred's point of view, but it's not something that he is telling anyone. It's a memory that he is experiencing, triggered by a photograph of Bruce Wayne and young Dick Grayson. The other flashback in this issue (#4), though it conveniently picks up where the other one left off, is from Dick's perspective, as he remembers how different Bruce Wayne was when the two started going out on patrol together.

This move toward more emotional and involuntary memories continues in the next issue. With the exception of the Jason Todd flashback (#5), which is not really presented as a memory but almost like an editorial note to readers in case they are not aware of what happened before, the flashbacks in this issue are all very personal and triggered by things happening in the present. Dick remembers Bruce's teachings while he's applying the detective skills he learned from him (#6); Batman remembers his early adventures with Robin at the mention of Zucco's name (#7); and Alfred, struck by Dick's determination and how similar it is to Bruce's, remembers a conversation they had shortly after he took on the Robin role (#8).

Those three flashbacks all carry a strong sense of nostalgia and they are all presented as automatically triggered memories. In Dick and Alfred's cases, this is represented visually with the art showing both the memory and the present simultaneously in the same panel. In Batman's case, the flashback sequence is introduced by brief narration box: "Almost against his will, he's caught in a torrent of memories." Unlike Dick and Alfred, Batman doesn't have any first-person narration in the story, so this is really the first time we get inside his head. This choice of narrative perspective is a deliberate choice that suggests Batman has been repressing emotions and memories. We haven't had access to his head, because he's been busy trying to keep it blank. When the "torrent of memories" finally do comes pouring in, he experiences it "almost against his will." His memories are completely visceral and involuntary, in contrast to Alfred and Dick's, which, while not devoid of emotion, have remained somewhat detached and analytical.

The power of love!

The two flashbacks in the final issue provide the emotional climax of the story, for both Dick and Batman. Dick's long flashback to the court proceedings when he officially became Bruce's ward is filled with tears and speeches about love. It's the most "emo" and unsubtle moment in the story, and probably the scene people have in mind when they accuse Marv Wolfman's writing of being too melodramatic. But it serves its thematic function.

Back in the first issue, Alfred pointed out some interesting parallels between Zucco and Dick's stories, using them to make a case against Zucco's early release from prison. They both experienced tragedy and the loss of their parents at a young age. Both were sent to the same orphanage, where they met Sister Mary Elizabeth, who tried to help them. But Zucco grows up wanting revenge and turns into a murderer, whereas Dick becomes a well adjusted and compassionate adult. Alfred suggests that they turned out so different because of their upbringing. Zucco's father was a bully and he grew up in a household without love. Dick, on the other hand, was raised in the circus by loving parents and surrounded an extended family of performers, all of whom were kind to him and cared for him.

But of course, there's a third orphan in this story: Bruce Wayne. And while Dick and Zucco represent the two extremes of that archetype, Bruce ends up somewhere in the middle. Like Dick, he was raised by a loving family, but unlike him, he was alone after they were killed, and there is definitely a darkness within him that Dick doesn't have. One major theme running through "Year Three" is how everyone deals with tragedy and whether it makes them seek justice or revenge. The idea is that extreme tragedy can be psychologically traumatic enough to drive one to murder. Zucco succumbed to that urge readily. Dick and Bruce have both resisted that urge in the past, but who's to say that they will continue to do so in the future? Alfred notices the similarities between Dick and Bruce and that scares him. He's afraid of what Dick will do when he finds out about Zucco's release. It's only with that flashback in part 4 (#9) that those fears finally come to rest.

Meanwhile, there's the looming question of what Bruce will do when he finally decides to deal with the death of Jason Todd. In this case, Bruce himself is scared. That's why he's paralyzed at the end of part 3, unable to confront Zucco because of what he might do to him. The very last flashback in the last issue brings him back to the death of Jason Todd. "For the first time in months, that name comes to his lips." This is the moment when Batman finally is forced to confront that death, the consequences of which will be dealt with in more detail in "A Lonely Place of Dying."

Setting the stage for the next Robin

What is hinted at throughout this story is that Batman simply cannot function without his Robin. The dark side of the Dark Knight simply takes over unless he has a young optimistic sidekick to lighten him up. Dick Grayson himself spells it out for us in flashback #8: "I used to think he was more real as Batman than as Bruce Wayne, but because he just can't be some super-hero around me, I think Bruce is becoming more real, too. (...) I think I'm helping Bruce to sometimes enjoy himself." This is of course not just an in-story argument that applies to the characters, but also a metatextual one that applies to the comic books themselves. Having Robin in the comics changes the tone of the comics (in theory at least). Robin was introduced for that very reason (and to give younger readers a character to whom they can relate). So while "Year Three" appears to be a story very focused on the past, with its multiple flashbacks and exploration of the psychological ramifications of the death of Jason Todd, it also looks to the future and is in fact setting the stage for the arrival of the next Robin, Tim Drake.

But "Year Three" does more than just prepare us for the next Robin, it also cleverly plants the seed right in the first issue, giving us Tim Drake's first appearance in flashback #2. I wish I could go back to 1989 and erase my memory of all the comics that came after that time and experience that first appearance as the readers did at the time. Because, of course, we know who Tim Drake is. I wonder how many readers picked up on it then. Did it seem weird that so much time was spent on this random little kid at the circus?

Unfortunately, I can't go back in time to verify that. I read the story for the first time earlier this year. In retrospect, I think it was a stroke of genius to insert Tim into the scene of Dick's parents' murder. It makes him part of the mythology of Batman almost from the very beginning. The fact that all three of them – Dick, Bruce and Tim – are in the same room but unaware of the their shared future history makes it a very poignant moment, at least from my perspective. And of course, it also serves a more practical purpose in setting up some important elements that are going to come into play in "A Lonely Place of Dying," namely, (1) the photo Dick and Tim take together, (2) the "quadruple flip of doom" performed by Dick, which Tim witnesses, and (3) Batman's dramatic entrance, which will haunt Tim for years.

More on that story in the next episode of Tim Drake from the Beginning.

Tim Drake from the beginning – part 1: "Batman Year Three"

(All reviews in this series contain spoilers.)

Batman #436-439 (August-September 1989)
Written by Marv Wolfman; pencilled by Pat Broderick; inked by John Beatty.


Tim Drake's first appearance was in Batman #436, the first issue of Marv Wolfman's four-part story, "Batman Year Three." It's only a brief appearance in a flashback, and Tim is only a little boy in it. He doesn't appear in the next three issues and doesn't play a significant role in the overall story. At the time, there was no indication that this boy would become one of the most important members of the Bat family. But in retrospect, this first appearance was carefully planned and it set into motion the series of events that would lead to the introduction of the third Robin.

A few thoughts on continuity

Before I start looking at the significance of this story, I have to say a few words about the concept of "continuity" in mainstream super-hero comic books and my own particular take on it. You see, many fans will tell you that "Year Three" is no longer in continuity, that it has been retconned and replaced by Dark Victory, Jeph Loeb's extremely mediocre sequel to his hit series The Long Halloween.

This adherence to "official continuity" or "canon" is an approach to comic books that I not only disagree with, but actually make it a point to actively fight against whenever I encounter it. I believe it is a terribly mistaken and limited understanding of how serialized comic book narratives operate. The simple-minded fans who stubbornly insist on determining a precise timeline, while carelessly eliminating any story that doesn't fit neatly into their linear continuity, are simply missing the point. All they succeed in doing is to reduce their own enjoyment of comic books.

The way I approach comic books is different. Every story I read that is set within the DC universe is linked (thematically, metatextually) to every other story I've ever read or am at least aware of. I not only include contradictions into that web of meaning, I actually embrace them. I understand every appearance of a character to be nothing more and nothing less than a possible interpretation of that character – an interpretation that is informed by the writer's (and the reader's) knowledge of every other interpretation that came before. This rich, multi-layered and often contradictory history is what gives the characters their power and complexity. It's what makes them seem real! Because human beings are complex and full of contradictions, and that's what our experience of the world is like. It doesn't fit neatly into a linear timeline and unless you're some kind of sociopath, you don't get to just discard whatever aspects of the world happen to not fit nicely into your particular worldview.

Year Three vs. Dark Victory

"Year Three" doesn't actually take place during the third year of Batman's career. The main story is set in contemporary continuity (at the time of publication), so it takes place much later, sometime after the death of Jason Todd. The reason for the title is that the story features several flashbacks to that third year, around the time when Dick Grayson's parents were killed and he became Bruce Wayne's ward, and eventually the first Robin.

Jeph Loeb seems to draw a lot of inspiration from this story for his own Dark Victory, which is set around the time of those flashbacks and retells the first Robin's origin story. What's strange (or annoying), though, is that he uses elements from the story that is set in the contemporary time period – namely the crime bosses getting taken out one after another by an unknown killer – but sets them also in Batman's third year. (I guess maybe this technically happens in The Long Halloween, of which Dark Victory is the sequel, but whatever.) The end result is that he mashes events from these two different periods into the same year, and since Loeb's story is considered canon, this effectively retcons "Year Three" out of existence.

It's a real shame, because it means that "Year Three" probably won't be collected in trades anytime soon, and not a lot of newer readers will bother hunting down the back issues. I'm of the opinion that "Year Three" is a much more important and significant story that Loeb's overlong snooze-fest, which at the end of the day doesn't amount to much of anything, except provide Tim Sale an excuse to draw some truly fantastic art. It doesn't provide any great insight into the characters of Batman and Robin(s), or the complexity of their relationship, which is what Marv Wolfman's story is all about.

Batman's nervous breakdown

It's been two years since Dick Grayson left Wayne Manor and left the Robin mantle behind in favour of his new identity, Nightwing. Apparently, he and Bruce haven't been keeping in touch, and when Jason Todd was killed by the Joker a few months earlier, Bruce didn't even call to tell him. Alfred wrote to Dick to tell him he was worried about Bruce's sanity and his refusal to acknowledge or deal with Jason's death. Dick thought he was exaggerating at first, but when he visits the Batcave and Wayne Manor, he's disturbed to find that Bruce has removed any trace of Jason having ever even existed.

Batman is out investigating the murder of the crime bosses, so Dick goes out as Nightwing to try to find him. He follows the bloody trail Batman left behind, which does nothing to ease his concerns that Bruce might be losing it. He's being reckless and violent. Dick remembers that Bruce always taught him how to think with his head, not with his fists, but now Bruce seems to be ignoring everything he taught him.

While Batman is going around beating people up and putting himself in dangerous situations, Nightwing starts his own investigation, putting to use the detective skills that Batman taught him. They follow the same trail, but using different methods, and it eventually leads them to the same place.

Meanwhile, Alfred has been trying to convince the parole board not to release Zucco. When that fails, he even resorts to visiting Zucco himself in prison and offering him money to leave Gotham. Zucco only laughs at him.

Eventually, all these threads combine, as it turns out that Zucco was the one who organized the murders Batman and Nightwing are investigating. But the other crime bosses, who were helping Batman in his investigation, have also figured it out, and they set their own retaliation plan in motion. On the day of his release, Zucco walks out of the prison and is assassinated on the spot.

Dick asks Batman if he knew about their plan and allowed it to happen. Bruce denies this. "Whatever you think of me now, you know I would never be a party to murder." But when Dick asks why he didn't try to stop Zucco, Bruce reveals just how damaged he's become. "I watched him and I was shaking. I was... afraid I'd strangle him for..." He doesn't say any more, but he doesn't really need to.

There's one last loose end to tie up in the case. Zucco left behind a ledger with detailed information that could serve as evidence to prosecute all the remaining crime family bosses. Now more violence is erupting as they all try to get their hands on it first. When Dick offers to help Batman find it, he lashes out at him, saying he doesn't need a partner.

So once again we have Batman and Nightwing doing their own investigations using different methods. Nightwing finds the Ledger first, but Taft, a lawyer that Zucco was blackmailing, follows him. Batman arrives at the scene just in time to see Taft hit Nightwing with a tire iron, recalling the scene in "A Death in the Family" where the Joker beat Jason Todd with the crowbar. Again, Batman is paralysed with fear.

Fortunately, Dick can take care of himself. Taft is no match for him, and Dick quickly overpowers him, but the ledger is destroyed in the process.

At the end of the story, Batman hasn't really worked through any of his issues, but all the pieces have been set in place for the next story arc, "A Lonely Place of Dying" (which I'll review next).

What does any of this have to do with Tim Drake?

Tim only appears in one issue of this four-part story, during one of the many flashbacks. But although it's only a brief appearance, it's a very significant one, especially in retrospect.

This is already getting pretty long, though, so I'm going to break it off here and continue this in the next post. Hopefully I'll be able to finish it before the weekend.

In the next instalment of Tim Drake from the Beginning, we'll look at the nine flashbacks in "Batman: Year Three," and what they tell us about Batman's relationship with his many Robins.