Batman#436

Batman #436

Aug 1989 · DC

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★ 1st appearance — Tim Drake★ Pre-first appearance — Tim Drake

About this Issue

Batman #436 is the debut appearance of Tim Drake, the third Robin and one of the most enduring characters in Batman's supporting cast over the past three-and-a-half decades. Where his predecessors Dick Grayson and Jason Todd were driven by personal tragedy, Tim was deliberately conceived as a detective-minded Robin who chose the role out of moral conviction rather than grief — a meaningful creative departure that gave him a distinct identity. The issue launched 'Batman: Year Three,' a four-part arc that braided the Post-Crisis retelling of Dick Grayson's origin with a present-day story of a Batman unraveling after Jason Todd's death, setting the emotional groundwork that would lead directly into 'A Lonely Place of Dying.' Tim's arrival ultimately sparked a 183-issue solo Robin ongoing series, multiple miniseries, and appearances across television and video games, making this issue the origin point of one of DC's most prolifically developed legacy characters.

ComicBooks.com Value

Our Model is In Beta

Raw (VF) $8

CGC 9.8 $181

CGC 9.6 $49

CGC 9.4 $42

CGC 9.2 $41

CGC 9.0 $33

CGC 8.5 $33

Show all 22 grades ▾

CGC 8.0 $29

CGC 7.5 $27*

CGC 7.0 $27

CGC 6.5 $20*

CGC 6.0 $20*

CGC 5.5 $20*

CGC 5.0 $20*

CGC 4.5 $20*

CGC 4.0 $20*

CGC 3.5 $20*

CGC 3.0 $20*

CGC 2.5 none in existence

CGC 2.0 $20*

CGC 1.5 $20*

CGC 1.0 none in existence

CGC 0.5 $20*

* estimate — limited direct-sales data at this grade

Our model’s value — refined as new sales data arrives · CGC census counts shown where available

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History

Writer Marv Wolfman — returning to the Batman title for his second run — and penciler Pat Broderick created Tim Drake as DC's deliberate answer to reader discontent following the death of Jason Todd; editorial under Denny O'Neil resolved to introduce the new Robin slowly and methodically rather than rushing him into the costume. Wolfman confirmed in a 2025 interview with Popverse that the character was originally named Jeff, but the first name was changed late in development as a nod to Tim Burton, who was directing the 1989 Batman film at the same time — a last-minute switch that even caused a typo in Batman #441, where Bruce Wayne mistakenly calls Tim 'Jeff,' a gaffe DC acknowledged in the letters column of Batman #445. O'Neil strategically had Dick Grayson serve as Tim's in-story advocate, calculating that the original Robin's endorsement would smooth reader acceptance of the new Boy Wonder.

Trivia · 9 facts

First appearance of Tim Drake (Timothy Jackson Drake), who would become the third Robin — debuting in a flashback sequence as a young child in the audience the night the Flying Graysons were murdered.
First appearance of Janet Drake (Tim's mother), also in flashback.
Written by Marv Wolfman (his second run on the Batman title); penciled by Pat Broderick; inked by John Beatty; cover art by George Pérez.
Part 1 of 4 of the 'Batman: Year Three' arc, titled 'Different Roads,' which presents the Post-Crisis origin of Robin (Dick Grayson) in flashback alongside a present-day story of Batman's psychological deterioration following Jason Todd's death.
Tim Drake was named after director Tim Burton as an homage; the character had originally been planned under the first name Jeff.
Tim was intentionally not placed in the Robin costume in this issue — his formal debut in the Robin costume did not occur until Batman #457 (December 1990), reflecting DC's deliberate slow-build approach.
The issue exists in two print variants: a direct-edition and a newsstand edition.
Reprinted in Batman: The Caped Crusader Vol. 2 (2019), Tales of the Batman: Marv Wolfman Vol. 1 (2020), Batman Chronicles (Urban Comics) #6 (2023), and Batman: Die ersten Jahre Deluxe Edition (Panini Deutschland, 2024).
Tim Drake went on to headline a 183-issue solo Robin ongoing series (1993–2009) and has appeared in Young Justice (2010–2022), Titans (2018–2023), and the Batman: Arkham video game series.