Bartimaeus of Uruk

Like, the story would be a symbol of how it's not always the emotional connection with another person that inspires one to continue that person's actions after their death; it could only be the actions themselves and how they impact the successor personally. It would essentially be a lesson on how one's actions are important and could have an impact even on people who don't know you very well or aren't very close to you.

Perhaps even make Lonnie being Joker’s biological son canon in this universe (for drama/internal conflict and so that he'd be the best thing that ever happened to Bruce from Joker), assuming Joker is just Tim's guardian and not parent (there’s “parent or guardian” written on the document from issue #19 after all). I imagine Lonnie would be initially uninterested in social change (which his time away from Joker and with Batman would resolve) and have a wealthy, loving but corrupt family whom Joker would kill, leading to Lonnie, who didn’t know about Joker’s role in their deaths, being taken in by Joker and learning about their real relationship. 

Under Joker’s care, Lonnie would get close to Tim, becoming friends, then eventually lovers. I imagine Tim's parents as Joker's supporters and Joker as his godparent or standby guardian to add weight to the aforementioned theory. I imagine Tim and Lonnie to be the same age or one year apart, and Lonnie to be a former member of the Robin program. Eventually, Lonnie would learn the truth about Joker and lose loyalty, leading to a fight he barely escaped and driving him into hiding. 

Stealing doesn't have to be for selfish reasons. It's an action that could turn out good or bad depending on the actor's intentions. Thus, as a gentleman thief, Tim would still be a crime fighter, committing theft to defeat crime (like stealing blackmail material to prevent blackmail) and exemplifying the phrase “it takes a thief to catch a thief.” Being such could serve as an opportunity to show more of his stealth and intelligence than his combat prowess and beyond deduction skills. His method of operation for his new vigilante identity would be similar (but not limited to) that of a gentleman thief.  

For instance, Lupin donned many disguises and used misdirection or sleight of hand, having spent time with a magician. The author emphasizes his mastery of disguise by encouraging readers to guess which character is actually just Lupin in disguise (i.e., he could be the narrator, the detective, his victim…). Arsène Lupin is also not even his real name but his most popular alias, making it his primary alias. Moreover, the main characters from the Now You See Me franchise, who were also involved in theft, used both magic tricks and disguises to fulfill their goals. They also used tricks during combat. 

Essentially, such skills/actions target other people’s minds rather than their physical bodies. They involve distraction, deception, and manipulation, causing someone to dance to the tune of whoever possesses them. Like, Lupin succeeded in a theft while imprisoned and eventually escaped by deceiving the victim and the police, respectively. And with Tim’s association with intelligence, they are therefore what I imagine his M.O. for his new vigilante identity to be, complementing his combat and deduction skills. 

He could deceive others into believing that he has a superpower, for instance. He could even use holograms, which is where his technical skills would come in handy. He had, after all, already used a hologram before when he wanted to deceive his enemies into believing that Batman was in Gotham City. Manipulative behavior is more commonly associated with villains, but it could add to his complexity, provide internal and external conflict, and be used for good. 

In the Red Robin series, we already saw him act as a puppeteer, with Captain Boomerang as his oblivious puppet, but for a bad reason. There, we also saw him move quickly and undetected after the League of Assassins bombed his place, as well as be deceptive to defeat the League and prove that Tim Drake and Red Robin were not the same person. He also committed theft and used a fake identity to travel to a foreign country, which he struggled with, and therefore resulted in the League stepping in. Aspects from the series could be recycled, such as making the aforementioned struggles shift his attention to where he could improve, with him realizing that the areas for improvement could be useful as an M.O. for his new vigilante identity. 

Master of Disguise 

On the other hand, emphasizing disguises as a primary tool would include Tim keeping his Red Robin identity. It would serve as one of his disguises, most of which were not as valuable or defined. That is, most of his disguises would be temporary/one-time-only or non-vigilante (e.g., pretending to be an employee in a certain establishment). Red Robin would be a disguise he would, for instance, use when associating with Batman or the Titans rather than his new vigilante one. He could even use it or another disguise as a backup when his primary one becomes unavailable (due to false accusations, for instance). 

Like Lupin, Tim would have his primary disguise, his main vigilante identity, which would specifically be a combination of gentleman thief and detective. Although Lupin was mainly a thief, he showed great skill in detective or investigative work, which also helped pave a path for him toward money or valuables. He had even worked as a chief detective under a different name in a story where his primary disguise was framed. Essentially, he shows that one can be a thief and a detective, and that having more than one disguise is helpful when one disguise gets into a messy situation. 

Tim’s other disguises (besides his primary and Red Robin ones) would not just operate quietly; he would be shown fighting his enemies in those disguises. (Imagine something like that time when Tim could not use the Robin costume yet and had to hide his identity in another way to save Batman against Scarecrow). These disguises could be associated with his primary identity by the public, earning him a widely known reputation for disguises and making his enemies paranoid that one of their allies or the people around them would turn out to be him in disguise. He would take advantage of their paranoia. He could, for instance, disappear in the middle of a fight and go back to the fight secretly, not by hiding in the shadows, but by disguising himself as one of his enemies. 

Example Scenario:

A powerful object has gone missing. No one knows the thief’s identity. Before Tim can take the object to its rightful place, he has to first solve the thief’s identity and the object’s whereabouts, which turn out to be very secure. The overall task not only requires deduction but also for him to operate like a thief (like the thief characters mentioned) to succeed. 

How would Tim get associated with being a thief? 

Well, he would get major tasks that happen to require stealing something. Then he would bring that something to the authorities or original places/owners, leaving evidence that he was the one who did so. Lupin, for instance, would write his primary alias on a calling card, a note, a letter, or even a door, and leave them to be found after his theft. 

He even went as far as to leave evidence of his presence even before the theft by informing a prospective victim of his intention. Of course, engaging in combat and conversing with others (e.g., for information) would also make Tim’s presence known. He could also make use of media outlets. In Lupin’s first story collection, for instance, there was a news outlet considered the official reporter of his exploits, of which he was suggested to be a shareholder.

I imagine Tim initially dismissing the public calling him a thief and eventually embracing it when he realized they were associating it with him positively.  

On Tim’s New Vigilante Name: 

I think about him not officially or specifically (i.e., using general terms instead) identifying himself (at least at first) to make him more phantom-like, with the public shaping the name he would eventually identify with, giving it meaning. It’s like when you face the unknown, and the unknown does not let itself be known to you, so your mind runs wild to define it. 

Imagine a scene where a potential ally asks Tim what he would like to be called, and instead of providing a name, Tim answers, “What do you call me?” The potential ally may call him with what is publicly popular, and if not, then it will give Tim another name associated with his identity. So, he’d basically use different names according to who he was talking to, even if he used the same disguise. 

The public would give him different names, from which he could choose one as his primary, which does not have to be the most popular. He could even choose a name inspired by the names given to him. Essentially, he let his public actions choose a name for him. Therefore, the name becomes meaningful because of his actions. Like Arsène Lupin, a name that, again, is not even the character’s real one but the most popular alias among his many aliases that lead him to treat it as his primary one, Tim would have his primary alias to make it easy for us to identify his vigilante identity. It’s like when a nobleman holds many titles, and the others will primarily call him by his most prestigious title. 

If an alias is inspired by an animal… I really like the animal to be a fox because a fox is associated with cunning, stealth, and mischief (maybe even add to his backstory that he had a loved one who called or described him as a fox). It could be something like Vulpes (Latin for fox and a fox-related scientific term), Fox-Prince, or Vulprince (vulpes + prince “charming”), with the “fox” or “vul” part emphasizing his phantom and thief characteristics and the “prince” part emphasizing his gentleman characteristics. 

On Tim’s New Outfit: 

His outfit doesn’t have to be animal-inspired. His outfit could be pirate and masquerade/Venetian carnival-inspired as a nod to his parents being “explorers” (also, because pirates are thieves of the seas) and to the wealthy upbringing that would have exposed him to masquerades or high art and fashion at a young age (he was already a fan of Erté pre-Robin era, for instance). It could be added to his backstory that his parents used to tell him adventure stories, including but not limited to those about pirates, and that he inherited their interest in exploration (or archaeology). 

Masquerade/Venetian carnival for inspiration because its participants wear stylish outfits, which include masks. A stylish outfit could positively influence public perception of his vigilante identity, and positive perception was especially necessary for him as a new vigilante in a foreign place. His weapon would be as stylishly designed. He could still keep a bo staff or switch to a bokken paired with a hanbo. 

He would wear a tricorn hat, which is popularly associated with pirates but not a pirate-only hat. It could be attached to or unattached from his mask, with a feathered brim or a plume, subtly referencing his Robin/Red Robin vigilante identities. The plumes could function as pens and/or batarangs. Also, he could put most, if not all, of those functional feathers in his utility belt to make his headwear lighter. Regarding masks, a full-face mask would make him more intimidating but better protected, while a half-mask would allow him to be more approachable, as it would allow others to see his expression, his friendly smile. He could just alternate between these masks depending on the situation. For better protection and mystery, the back and sides of his head could also be fully covered (e.g., using a coif, hood, cowl, or wig). 

Perhaps even give him a mechanical bird that functions like a drone and a telecommunications device. A way for him to contact others (especially those who don’t have another and more direct way to contact him) or accept private commissions. It could also serve as a distraction (again, it’d be part of his M.O.). It could be a parrot to emphasize the pirate influence. Also, parrots are intelligent and known for mimicking human speech, reflecting Tim’s intelligence and the device’s recording or communication function. Of course, it could be a robin. But it would specifically highlight his Robin identities, unlike mere bird feathers, associating his new vigilante identity with those identities relatively better, which shouldn’t be the case. Again, he would still have his Red Robin as another disguise, which he would associate with things he would not associate with his new vigilante identity. 

Moreover, his outfit, including the hat, would be naturally made of protective material and dark to blend with the shadows (e.g., prominent dark green and brown combo–let’s use that brown color from his Drake era–and less prominent colors), with showy details or accessories for when he emerged into the light, as well as a cape with a high collar or hood (he would secure his hat on his belt to use the hood or wear the hat atop his hooded head) for stunning and cover. Perhaps he could even easily switch his outfit to another variant (like folding up his cape to turn it into an Inverness cape, referencing pop culture Sherlock Holmes) and, in general, have different stored outfit variants (like one without a tricorn hat). Let him change his outfit occasionally rather than sticking to the same variant all the time (e.g., he’d change variants according to the weather or temperature). 

Basically, his main vigilante outfit would be full-body for better protection, designed for aesthetics and combat, including or looking like normal clothing, not full-on normal clothing. 

Academic Setting

The Gentleman Thief-Detective vigilante identity would appear during Tim’s college years. Regarding the academic setting of his potential stories, it could be something considered as Dark Academia (e.g., Wednesday, Harry Potter…). Although Dark Academia is popularly associated with wealthy student characters, it’s not limited to them. The word “wealthy” is not in the term after all. I imagine Tim attending a university among students from different social classes. The “dark” part would come from the coloring, architecture, atmosphere, discussion of profound topics, and the mysteries/secrets and dangerous/dark situations he would encounter (not necessarily taking place in his university), courtesy of being a vigilante and studying at a university with some unethical members. Even his student life would not be safe.  

His university should be important storywise. Like, show more of him as a student dealing with college work and interacting with other university members. Give him enemies or cases there (which can be as simple as proving whether a student was cheating). Let him conduct the act of infiltration there, too, which could end with him stealing something or not. Perhaps even make some of its members be a part of a large-scale crime. Make him lead a new vigilante group with his college friends and a non-vigilante group like Dumbledore’s Army in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

Make his acquired knowledge and experiences at his university contribute to his personal growth and vigilante work. Give him a civilian mentor(s). A professor, for instance, someone who would be his Mr. Keating (from Dead Poets Society). Let him join his university theater organization. He could join more than one organization (like a journalism org, dance org, or other communications/performing arts orgs to be better at publicly presenting himself), but his schedule might not be accommodating, and he might not last long in them. Joining an organization would help him befriend students with other majors. 

Why “theater member”? 

Because it would allow Tim to learn visual/theatrical tricks and help develop his new vigilante identity. It could help him better sell that identity to the public and practice the art of disguise. It could also be a way for him to practice manipulating events, which again would be a part of his M.O. 

Why should Tim study Psychology?

Because he’s a character associated with intelligence, which is associated with the mind. Studying Psychology would help improve his deduction skills and give him another way to help others beyond physical prowess, beyond punching or kicking criminals and sending them to prison. Psychology could help him understand these criminals and be present during their imprisonment and rehabilitation, not to interrogate but to help them change for the better, successfully or not. This would also emphasize his mental competence and allow him to become a hero to the criminals he sent to prison in the first place, unbeknownst to them. Moreover, the mind itself is full of mysteries, the most complex part of us humans, and as a detective, he should train himself to solve its mysteries/complexities as well. 

Future Psychiatrist (or Psychologist) and Educator

I feel like he's the kind of person people expect to pursue a tech or criminology career, so striving to be a psychiatrist and educator diverts those expectations. For the psychiatrist part, the same explanation as for why Tim should study Psychology. However, if Tim couldn’t commit to medical school yet to become a psychiatrist, then he could work on becoming a psychologist first. 

The educator part, on the other hand, is inspired by his Arkham Universe counterpart, who worked as a teacher. It’s not like he can’t pursue a second career after becoming a psychiatrist/psychologist. Being an educator would allow him to inspire many more people, as he would teach many students at once, and also be their hero as Tim Drake. After all, education is important, with educators as its great champions, allowing us to find success in life. Education helped him get where I would like him to be, for instance. 

Lonnie Machin (Anarky)

C. Auguste Dupin (the first fictional detective) has a companion. 

Sherlock Holmes has Dr. John Watson. 

A. J. Raffles has Bunny Manders. 

Arsène Lupin has his historiographer. 

Batman has Robin. 

Tim Drake should have Lonnie Machin. 

Lonnie’s first solo series already has academic elements, and the Red Robin series shows how he could work with Tim, where he specifically acted as his Oracle. He could also be an alternate male love interest for Tim. The idea of a former enemy becoming his ally (and potential love interest), who had also been considered for the third Robin role, is interesting. I can imagine them engaging in philosophical debates and being study partners, with Lonnie, for instance, waking Tim whenever the latter accidentally fell asleep or fell asleep longer than planned during their study sessions. They could do vigilante work at the same time or take over each other’s, easing the burden of being a student vigilante. 

Additionally, Lonnie should study Sociology. Not only would it complement his character, but it would also complement Tim’s Psychology major. Considering the “enemy” part, they would provide different perspectives for one another from which they could learn, be unafraid to reject each other’s ideas, and do things in their own way. Their dynamic would add flavor to Tim’s stories. They would not always agree with each other, but that’s fine. Disagreements would give room for them to grow as individuals and as a duo, thereby making their closeness feel deserved and satisfying. Moreover, they could be the co-founders or co-leaders of vigilante/non-vigilante student groups. 

Lonnie would also be useful for providing the audience with a different perspective on Tim’s character in his stories (of which Lonnie is a second major character), allowing us to see how he was really, assuming that they share Lonnie’s perception, outwardly perceived; if not, then how he could be outwardly perceived, rather than what he thought he was outwardly perceived. It would encourage us to rethink our decision on siding with Tim in disagreements, which would be easier to do when he was the POV character. It would encourage us to consider the other side, reminding us that Tim had imperfections, that he would not always be right. It would allow us to see him on a less positive side. But that would just make him more relatable and interesting. 

They could be the Bungo Stray Dogs Dazai and Chuuya (Soukoku/Double Black) of DC Comics. 

What Tim’s future stories could involve (Overall): 

They could involve deduction, infiltration/espionage, exploration, and/or theft, with missions ranging from ordinary to extraordinary, happening within or outside the university. Ordinary, as in they happen or can happen in the real world, and as Tim’s world works differently from ours, they can still be ordinary even when they involve superhumans or a touch of magic or the supernatural. Extraordinary, as in otherworldly or transcendental, like how Persona 5 and Inception involve traveling into the cognitive world to steal something there, which reminds me of Tim traveling to a virtual world. 

His stories could have cozy mysteries, too. He could have non-violent or simple cases, such as finding an anonymous prankster or a missing college paper at his university, or like Hyouka’s cases. They could be special stories, serve as an interlude, an appetizer, or a warm-up, or even end up actually being connected to more grave cases.