Warning! Spoilers for DC Pride: Tim Drake Special #1 ahead!
It's hard being Robin, and it's been even more difficult for Tim Drake has he's come to terms with his own sexuality. After having come out as bisexual recently, Tim reveals why he didn't do it sooner.
Out of all of the Robins, Tim Drake is most unique for being the only one who sought Bruce Wayne out. After Jason Todd died at the hands of the Joker, Tim Drake deduced the truth about Bruce Wayne being Batman. He knew that Batman always needed a Robin and implored ex-Robin Dick Grayson to return to the role. But Dick had become Nightwing and had no intentions of returning to Batman's side. Instead, Tim Drake took up the job and became an instantaneous fan favorite character.
Recently, Tim Drake has come out as bisexual in the DC Universe. The recently-released DC Pride: Tim Drake Special #1 features a reprint of the story "A Carol of Bats" by Megan Fitz Martin and Alberto Jimenez Albuquerque, which originally appeared in Batman: Urban Legends #10. In the story, Tim actually deals with the awkward conversation of talking about his sexual identity with Batman. He explains that he's not always known who he was, but being Robin has a lot of time consuming responsibilities. Tim reveals, "It's hard to have personal enlightenment when you're battling super-villains in tights every night."
Having romantic entanglements is a reoccurring theme in superhero comics for a number of reasons. There is the danger aspect, that heroes are afraid villains will find out who they are and attack the ones they love. Then there is the practical time aspect. It's hard for heroes to devote their time to someone when they are out fighting crime. Tim offers another side to this dilemma. It's not that he's afraid to put people in danger or doesn't have the time, it's that he is still unsure with who he is as a person. Being Robin is such an outward distraction that he never had the chance for inward reflection.
This characterization of Robin extends way beyond just having him come out as bisexual. It shows that it's not as simple as the editors at DC just deciding he is bi. It reveals that Tim Drake himself has wrestled with this side of himself for a long time. Being a vigilante and keeping Gotham's streets safe is a full-time job. But these heroes are still people with their own internal struggles and conflicts. Tim Drake has failed in that personal reflection because of his duties as Robin and now he's taking the courageous step to try and consolidate the two.