Jack Drake
Encyclopedia
Jack Drake is a fictional character from DC Comics
books, specifically the Batman
titles. Jack is the father of Tim Drake, formerly the third Robin
and the current Red Robin
.
long enough to meet a young woman named Janet, who would later become his wife. The couple became a strong team in business, expanding their company far and wide.
As time passed, Janet gave birth to the Drake's first and only son, Timothy. Although the Drakes loved their son, business always seemed to take a higher priority; Tim was often left behind in a series of Gotham boarding schools while they traveled the world.
When Tim was a still a young child, his parents took him to Haly's Circus. Worried that her son might be afraid, Janet was somewhat reluctant to attend, until Jack suggested that they have their picture taken with some performers. At that point, the headliners of the circus, the Flying Graysons, were passing by, and happily agreed to the photo. The youngest performer, Dick Grayson
, who would later become the first Robin
and later Nightwing
, held young Tim in his arms and dedicated his performance to the small boy.
Moments later, tragedy
struck when the elder two members of the Flying Graysons were killed before the eyes of their son Dick, and an entire audience, including Bruce Wayne
and the Drake Family. The Drakes immediately rushed their son out of the tent, but not before young Tim caught sight of Batman
offering Dick Grayson comfort. The Drakes, feeling sorry for Dick, would later mail the boy the picture that they had taken.
As the Drakes continued their travels around the world, Tim continued to follow the lives and careers of Batman and Robin. As such Tim was aware of Dick Grayson becoming Nightwing and Jason Todd
becoming the second Robin. When Jason Todd was later murdered, Tim grew concerned that Batman was slowly getting out of control due to the absence of Robin. And so Tim would later approach Dick and Bruce, in the hopes of becoming the new Robin.
The Drakes' marriage began to sour at this point. During a trip over Haiti
, the couple was captured by a psychotic holy man called the Obeah Man. The couple was held hostage for money, until the Batman came to save them. While Batman had arrested the Obeah Man, however, Jack and Janet were poisoned when they drank some of his voodoo man's water. Janet died instantly, while Jack was left in a coma
.
Batman brought Jack back to Gotham and cared for Tim. Some months after their return, Jack came out of his coma, but was left a paraplegic. This new handicap and the loss of his wife led Jack to desire to reconnect with Tim, who by now had become Robin. Tim's duties as the Boy Wonder and his close relationship with Bruce Wayne caused a greater rift with his father, although they did attempt to reconcile.
Soon afterward, however, Jack's company went bankrupt, and the family lost their mansion home. Jack fell into a deep depression
, during which he began thinking more and more about his late wife, Janet. Jack eventually recovered with the aid of what is believed to be a fabled Valkyrie
who came to him, urging him to move on.
Upon learning that Tim had lied to him about trying out for the school's football team, Jack began searching his son's room, until at last he found Tim's secret storage closet of Robin gear. Furious and hurt, Jack confronted Bruce Wayne with a gun. Although Bruce took the gun away, the damage was done; Jack knew the secret identities
of Batman, Robin and Nightwing.
Not wishing to cause his father any more pain, Tim agreed that in exchange for his father's silence, he would give up the Robin mantle. This solution was short lived, however; when a massive gang war erupted in Gotham, and spilled over into Tim's school; where one of his classmates was the target of a rival mob family. Tim felt he had no alternative and returned to his life as the Boy Wonder. Although Jack disapproved, he realized that his son was too important to Gotham as Robin, and reluctantly allowed the boy to continue with his duties.
, Captain Boomerang
breaks into the Drake family household in order to kill him. Jack, meanwhile, had been sent a gun by the same killer, in the hopes that Jack would kill Boomerang and place him as the supposed murderer of Sue. Jack shot Boomerang, who had stabbed him in the heart with one of his boomerang
s. Following his father's death, Tim mourns painfully and becomes more dark and brooding. Dana, also grief stricken, is taken to a clinic in Blüdhaven
for psychological treatment. She has not been seen or heard from since the destruction of that city. Following the One Year Later
event, Bruce Wayne adopts Tim.
. Dick Grayson
(now the new Batman) warns Tim (known as Red Robin
) and tells him to return to Gotham. After Tim's arrival, Jack and Janet are joined by John and Mary Grayson (the parents of Dick), who were also reanimated as Black Lanterns. The foursome then begin their attack on the city, including their respective sons, Damian Wayne
(the new Robin), Commissioner James Gordon, and Oracle
. The Black Lantern Graysons, the Drakes, and also some of the original Dark Knight's reanimated rogue gallery, retreats after Dick and Tim cryogenically suspended themselves as the undead army are unable to read any sign of life from them in their frozen states. Deadman
later revives the former Boy Wonders after they left.
DC Comics
DC Comics, Inc. is one of the largest and most successful companies operating in the market for American comic books and related media. It is the publishing unit of DC Entertainment a company of Warner Bros. Entertainment, which itself is owned by Time Warner...
books, specifically the Batman
Batman
Batman is a fictional character created by the artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger. A comic book superhero, Batman first appeared in Detective Comics #27 , and since then has appeared primarily in publications by DC Comics...
titles. Jack is the father of Tim Drake, formerly the third Robin
Robin (comics)
Robin is the name of several fictional characters appearing in comic books published by DC Comics, originally created by Bob Kane, Bill Finger and Jerry Robinson, as a junior counterpart to DC Comics superhero Batman...
and the current Red Robin
Red Robin (comics)
Red Robin is a name that has been used by several fictional characters in the DC Comics Universe.On the alternate world of Kingdom Come, a middle-aged Dick Grayson reclaims the Robin mantle and becomes Red Robin. His uniform is closer to Batman's in design, rather than any previous Robin uniform...
.
Initial history and family
A well-respected businessman and archeologist, Jack Drake could never stay down in one place for long lengths of time. He did stick around Gotham CityGotham City
Gotham City is a fictional U.S. city appearing in DC Comics, best known as the home of Batman. Batman's place of residence was first identified as Gotham City in Batman #4 . Gotham City is strongly inspired by Trenton, Ontario's history, location, atmosphere, and various architectural styles...
long enough to meet a young woman named Janet, who would later become his wife. The couple became a strong team in business, expanding their company far and wide.
As time passed, Janet gave birth to the Drake's first and only son, Timothy. Although the Drakes loved their son, business always seemed to take a higher priority; Tim was often left behind in a series of Gotham boarding schools while they traveled the world.
When Tim was a still a young child, his parents took him to Haly's Circus. Worried that her son might be afraid, Janet was somewhat reluctant to attend, until Jack suggested that they have their picture taken with some performers. At that point, the headliners of the circus, the Flying Graysons, were passing by, and happily agreed to the photo. The youngest performer, Dick Grayson
Dick Grayson
Dick Grayson is a fictional superhero that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. Created by Bob Kane and Bill Finger and illustrator Jerry Robinson, he first appeared in Detective Comics #38 in April 1940....
, who would later become the first Robin
Robin (comics)
Robin is the name of several fictional characters appearing in comic books published by DC Comics, originally created by Bob Kane, Bill Finger and Jerry Robinson, as a junior counterpart to DC Comics superhero Batman...
and later Nightwing
Nightwing
Nightwing is a name that has been used by several fictional characters in the DC Comics Universe. It was conceived as a Kryptonian analogue to the character of Batman, with Nightwing's frequent partner Flamebird based on Robin...
, held young Tim in his arms and dedicated his performance to the small boy.
Moments later, tragedy
Tragedy
Tragedy is a form of art based on human suffering that offers its audience pleasure. While most cultures have developed forms that provoke this paradoxical response, tragedy refers to a specific tradition of drama that has played a unique and important role historically in the self-definition of...
struck when the elder two members of the Flying Graysons were killed before the eyes of their son Dick, and an entire audience, including Bruce Wayne
Batman
Batman is a fictional character created by the artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger. A comic book superhero, Batman first appeared in Detective Comics #27 , and since then has appeared primarily in publications by DC Comics...
and the Drake Family. The Drakes immediately rushed their son out of the tent, but not before young Tim caught sight of Batman
Batman
Batman is a fictional character created by the artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger. A comic book superhero, Batman first appeared in Detective Comics #27 , and since then has appeared primarily in publications by DC Comics...
offering Dick Grayson comfort. The Drakes, feeling sorry for Dick, would later mail the boy the picture that they had taken.
Poisoned
Tim had discovered the identities of Batman and Robin when he was nine years old, after seeing Robin perform a trick only Dick Grayson could perform, on TV.As the Drakes continued their travels around the world, Tim continued to follow the lives and careers of Batman and Robin. As such Tim was aware of Dick Grayson becoming Nightwing and Jason Todd
Jason Todd
Jason Peter Todd is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. Jason first appeared in Batman #357 and became the second Robin, sidekick to the superhero Batman, when the previous Robin went on to star in The New Teen Titans under the moniker of Nightwing.Though...
becoming the second Robin. When Jason Todd was later murdered, Tim grew concerned that Batman was slowly getting out of control due to the absence of Robin. And so Tim would later approach Dick and Bruce, in the hopes of becoming the new Robin.
The Drakes' marriage began to sour at this point. During a trip over Haiti
Haiti
Haiti , officially the Republic of Haiti , is a Caribbean country. It occupies the western, smaller portion of the island of Hispaniola, in the Greater Antillean archipelago, which it shares with the Dominican Republic. Ayiti was the indigenous Taíno or Amerindian name for the island...
, the couple was captured by a psychotic holy man called the Obeah Man. The couple was held hostage for money, until the Batman came to save them. While Batman had arrested the Obeah Man, however, Jack and Janet were poisoned when they drank some of his voodoo man's water. Janet died instantly, while Jack was left in a coma
Coma
In medicine, a coma is a state of unconsciousness, lasting more than 6 hours in which a person cannot be awakened, fails to respond normally to painful stimuli, light or sound, lacks a normal sleep-wake cycle and does not initiate voluntary actions. A person in a state of coma is described as...
.
Batman brought Jack back to Gotham and cared for Tim. Some months after their return, Jack came out of his coma, but was left a paraplegic. This new handicap and the loss of his wife led Jack to desire to reconnect with Tim, who by now had become Robin. Tim's duties as the Boy Wonder and his close relationship with Bruce Wayne caused a greater rift with his father, although they did attempt to reconcile.
Second marriage
In time, Jack regained the use of his legs with the aid of physical therapist Dana Winters. Although Dana was considerably younger than Jack, the two immediately felt an attraction for one another and began dating. Dana's involvement in the Drakes' lives was a blessing, as she was able to curb Jack's anger at his son being so distant and help Tim feel more connected to his father. In time, the pair married.Soon afterward, however, Jack's company went bankrupt, and the family lost their mansion home. Jack fell into a deep depression
Clinical depression
Major depressive disorder is a mental disorder characterized by an all-encompassing low mood accompanied by low self-esteem, and by loss of interest or pleasure in normally enjoyable activities...
, during which he began thinking more and more about his late wife, Janet. Jack eventually recovered with the aid of what is believed to be a fabled Valkyrie
Valkyrie
In Norse mythology, a valkyrie is one of a host of female figures who decides who dies in battle. Selecting among half of those who die in battle , the valkyries bring their chosen to the afterlife hall of the slain, Valhalla, ruled over by the god Odin...
who came to him, urging him to move on.
Upon learning that Tim had lied to him about trying out for the school's football team, Jack began searching his son's room, until at last he found Tim's secret storage closet of Robin gear. Furious and hurt, Jack confronted Bruce Wayne with a gun. Although Bruce took the gun away, the damage was done; Jack knew the secret identities
Secret identity
A secret identity is an element of fiction wherein a character develops a separate persona , while keeping their true identity hidden. The character also may wear a disguise...
of Batman, Robin and Nightwing.
Not wishing to cause his father any more pain, Tim agreed that in exchange for his father's silence, he would give up the Robin mantle. This solution was short lived, however; when a massive gang war erupted in Gotham, and spilled over into Tim's school; where one of his classmates was the target of a rival mob family. Tim felt he had no alternative and returned to his life as the Boy Wonder. Although Jack disapproved, he realized that his son was too important to Gotham as Robin, and reluctantly allowed the boy to continue with his duties.
Death and aftermath
Jack died during the Identity Crisis storyline. Hired by the killer of Sue DibnySue Dibny
Susan "Sue" Dearbon Dibny is a fictional character from DC Comics associated with the Elongated Man. Created by John Broome and Carmine Infantino, the character first appeared in Flash vol. 1 #119...
, Captain Boomerang
Captain Boomerang
Captain Boomerang is a fictional character in the . A supervillain traditionally portrayed as an enemy of the Flash...
breaks into the Drake family household in order to kill him. Jack, meanwhile, had been sent a gun by the same killer, in the hopes that Jack would kill Boomerang and place him as the supposed murderer of Sue. Jack shot Boomerang, who had stabbed him in the heart with one of his boomerang
Boomerang
A boomerang is a flying tool with a curved shape used as a weapon or for sport.-Description:A boomerang is usually thought of as a wooden device, although historically boomerang-like devices have also been made from bones. Modern boomerangs used for sport are often made from carbon fibre-reinforced...
s. Following his father's death, Tim mourns painfully and becomes more dark and brooding. Dana, also grief stricken, is taken to a clinic in Blüdhaven
Blüdhaven
Blüdhaven is a fictional city in the . Created by Chuck Dixon and Scott McDaniel in 1996, it was originally intended to serve as a backdrop for the Nightwing comics series.-Fictional geography:...
for psychological treatment. She has not been seen or heard from since the destruction of that city. Following the One Year Later
One Year Later
"One Year Later" was a 2006 storyline event running through the DC Universe. As the title suggests, it involves a narrative jump exactly one year into the future of the DC Comics Universe following the events of the Infinite Crisis event, to explore major changes within the continuities of the many...
event, Bruce Wayne adopts Tim.
Blackest Night
During the Blackest Night event, Jack and Janet Drake are among the deceased raised from their graves by black power rings and recruited to the Black Lantern CorpsBlack Lantern Corps
The Black Lantern Corps is a fictional organization of revenants appearing in comic books published by DC Comics. The group is composed of deceased fictional characters that seek to eliminate all life from the DC Universe.-Publication history:...
. Dick Grayson
Dick Grayson
Dick Grayson is a fictional superhero that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. Created by Bob Kane and Bill Finger and illustrator Jerry Robinson, he first appeared in Detective Comics #38 in April 1940....
(now the new Batman) warns Tim (known as Red Robin
Red Robin (comics)
Red Robin is a name that has been used by several fictional characters in the DC Comics Universe.On the alternate world of Kingdom Come, a middle-aged Dick Grayson reclaims the Robin mantle and becomes Red Robin. His uniform is closer to Batman's in design, rather than any previous Robin uniform...
) and tells him to return to Gotham. After Tim's arrival, Jack and Janet are joined by John and Mary Grayson (the parents of Dick), who were also reanimated as Black Lanterns. The foursome then begin their attack on the city, including their respective sons, Damian Wayne
Damian Wayne
Damian Wayne is a fictional character in the . Damian is the child of Bruce Wayne and Talia al Ghul, and thus the grandson of Batman villain Ra's al Ghul....
(the new Robin), Commissioner James Gordon, and Oracle
Barbara Gordon
Barbara Gordon is a fictional character appearing in comic books published by DC Comics and in related media, created by Gardner Fox and Carmine Infantino...
. The Black Lantern Graysons, the Drakes, and also some of the original Dark Knight's reanimated rogue gallery, retreats after Dick and Tim cryogenically suspended themselves as the undead army are unable to read any sign of life from them in their frozen states. Deadman
Deadman
Deadman is a fictional character, a comic book superhero in the DC Comics universe. He first appeared in Strange Adventures #205 , and was created by Arnold Drake and Carmine Infantino.-Publication history:...
later revives the former Boy Wonders after they left.
Television
- In DC Animated UniverseDC animated universeThe DC Animated Universe is a fan term that refers to a series of popular animated television series and related spin-offs produced by Warner Bros. Animation which share the same continuity. Most of these series are adapted from DC Comics properties...
, this version of the character was a small-time criminal named Steven "Shifty" Drake, who began his criminal career as a teen, and working for Two-FaceTwo-FaceTwo-Face is a fictional comic book supervillain who appears in comic books published by DC Comics. and is an enemy of Batman. The character first appeared in Detective Comics #66 , and was created by Bob Kane and Bill Finger....
before leaving Gotham City. In the comic book tie-in The Batman Adventures: The Lost Years and animated series The New Batman AdventuresThe New Batman AdventuresThe New Batman Adventures is the successor to Batman: The Animated Series produced by Warner Bros. Animation. Although bearing different character designs and animation styles, both shows take place in the same continuity, with TNBA set two years after BTAS. The series aired on The WB from...
, after learning Two-Face's plot of holding Gotham in ransom with a chemical weapon, Drake stole the weapon from his employer because he couldn't go through with the plan and hoped to stop Two-Face. He left a note to his young son Tim with a key saying "Sorry, Timmy, the heat's on. I got to leave a while. Hang on to these for me. Dad." After finished writing it, he kissed his son goodbye, knowing that he will never see him again deep down, and commenting that he's seen something special within the boy that he didn't have. His body was found on Metropolis's Hobs Bay, leaving Tim as an orphan under the custody of Bruce Wayne.