Issue Description

Official Solicitation  Writer Chris Yost (New X-Men, X-Force) and artist by Ramon Bachs (Civil War: Front Line) kick off a brand-new ongoing series right here with "The Grail" part 1 of 4! Following the aftermath of BATTLE FOR THE COWL, a new Batman watches over Gotham City. But not everyone is ready to give up on the old one. Someone believes that Bruce Wayne may still be alive…and that someone is Red Robin. But who is wearing the Red Robin costume, and why is he traveling the globe looking for a dead man? Whoever he is, he's not alone in his search! 
 
Extended Plot SummaryThe First issue in an all new series starts off with a kidnapping of the daughter of an outspoken Spanish politician.  The thought boxes reveal that the kidnappers wanted money as well as a political statement.  No one believed she would be returned alive, however they did pay the ransom.  The transaction went south as both the money and the girl got away.  We find out the character who's thought bubbles we are reading arrived in Madrid 4 hour hours prior and he needed to "stretch his legs after a long flight."  The character begins to beat the criminals to a pulp, asking if he has crossed a line and if that even matters anymore.  Batman is dead and he sure as hell isn't Robin.
 
We meet the title character dressed in the familiar Red Robin garb.  As he begins to take on the criminals one by one in the room, he realizes through their actions the girl is still alive.  His final obstacle is a a cyborg who basically shoots fire from his hands.  As his flaming hands are about to punch our hero he stops the punch with his own hand and headbutts the final criminal.  He saves the girl but that's not the reason he came here.  The hero is revealed to be Tim Drake as he tends to his hand that he caught the punch from fire hands he reflects on the stupidity of his actions.  Tim Drake would know better he thinks and then realizes that he's Tim Wayne.  Through the internal monologue we learn that he has been traveling around the world, telling himself over and over again he knows he's right.
 
We get a flashback to Tim in the Batcave talking to Dick Grayson, the new Batman, about how his life has been torn down yet again.  It appears that Dick has chosen a Robin and it's not Tim.  Damian Wayne is taking over Tim's old job.  Dick tries to tell Tim that he's not his protege, he views Tim as his equal and that he'll be okay.  Dick apparently takes Damian as his Robin because he wants to try to teach him and prevent him from killing someone.  Before the conversation can continue Damian shows up and starts trash talking Tim.  Tim becomes so enraged about Damian calling him Drake, he punches Damian stating "My name is Tim Wayne!"  Dick has to restrain Tim telling him to back off, which Tim takes to heart and apparently turns his back on the batcave and the family.  Once out of the cave he begins trashing some things eventually cutting his hand in the ensuing chaos.  We then switch back to present time Prague where someone was thrown out of a window.
 
Back in Paris with Tim, he's riding through the streets and encounters some criminals which Tim has no trouble taking out.  Something he does not enjoy because it's distracting him from his search.  Flash back to after Tim cuts his hand, he seems to have let out all his frustration and in a moment of silence he blurts out "He's Alive."   The "He" Tim is talking about is Bruce Wayne, the person the entire Batman Family believes to be dead.  Bruce is all Tim has left, and he has to find him.  The issue ends with Tim looking at a map thinking Bruce would never give up on him so he won't give up on Bruce.  We learn that someone else knows Tim is out and looking.  They are spying on him through a pair of binoculars from across the way, minions of Ra's Al Ghul.

Red Robin (2009)

Publisher

DC Comics

Volume Description

Red Robin

Starring: Tim Drake as Red Robin.

Red Robin follows Tim Drake's journey to prove that Batman, Bruce Wayne, is alive. Tim dons the mantle of Red Robin after Dick becomes Batman and chooses Damian Wayne as his Robin. So Tim travels around the world to find clues and relics from long ago. Tim ends up fighting, and later teaming up with, the League of Assassins. He begins to work with Ra's al Ghul and follows the leads that he gives him. The first twelve issues focus on that and then begin to show Tim working in Gotham.

Tim arrives back in Gotham and reunites with Superboy, Batgirl and then later the new Dynamic Duo. Tim has more trouble on his hands when Tommy Elliot, who still looks like Bruce Wayne after the events of Heart of Hush, tries to take over Wayne Enterprises. Tim finds out that Ra's put him up to this and they have a climatic fight.

The series then has Tim trying to figure out what he is going to do, where he is going to operate out of, and who to work with. Tim makes his own hit list and begins hunting down villains. Damian finds a screen of heroes to watch underneath the villain screen and he's on it. They have a fight while Dick is on a mission with the Justice League whom comes back during the fight and puts a stop to it. Currently, Tim has been following leads on the Unternet and reconnecting with the Teen Titans. 7 Days of Death has Tim across the world learning of a secret tournament filled of assassination attempts.

Red Robin will not continue with DC's relaunch and will end with issue #26 but Tim's adventures will continue in Teen Titans #1.

Collected EditionsVol. 1: The Grail (#1-5)Vol. 2: Collision (#6-12, Batgirl #8)Vol. 3: The Hit List (#13-17)Vol. 4: 7 Days of Death (#18-21, #23-26, Teen Titans #92)

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