Dick Grayson on Tim Drake as Robin

Recently, Tom Taylor and Bruno Redondo's Nightwing #80 made waves in DC fandom when Taylor had Dick call Tim Drake the best Robin. 

Nightwing vol. 4 #80

Now, I personally don't think you can really rank the Robins. They all bring something new and unique to the table. That said, it is not out of character for Dick Grayson to think that Tim is the best Robin. There are several instances throughout their history together of Dick praising Tim, and I'd like to explore those instances and their context compared to Taylor/Redondo's issue.

The first major instance comes from Dick and Tim's rooftop discussion from Nightwing vol. 2 #6, released in 1997. This was early on in Nightwing's first ongoing, and Dick was feeling a little insecure in his position. He and Bruce's relationship had been rocky following Bruce's pick of Jean Paul Valley to be the new Batman after his back was broken in Knightfall. Dick felt as if this meant Bruce didn't trust him or his skills enough to be his successor. Now, Nightwing vol. 2 takes place after Dick wore the cowl in Batman: Prodigal after Azrael was kicked out, but he's still feeling a little raw, and that's a contributing factor to him taking a dangerous mission in Blüdhaven.

Nightwing vol. 2 #2

In issue number 6, Tim Drake comes to Blüdhaven to visit Dick, and they have a heart to heart on a rooftop stakeout. Tim is still early in his career as Robin, and for a lot of the time he's been Robin he has worked with Dick. Dick provided him with training in an issue of Teen Titans, they partnered up a lot after Bruce's back was broken, and Dick was the Batman to his Robin during Batman: Prodigal. At this point, Tim and Dick are much closer than Tim and Bruce, and a visit is not abnormal, especially with Dick in a new town. Tim seeking advice from Dick is a pattern of behavior. Dick, however, is suspicious at first, due to the insecurities that he's feeling.

Nightwing vol. 2 #6

After his initial attitude, Dick tables his issues and he and Tim go on a stakeout. It's here that they have a heart to heart. It's important to know that at this stage, Tim's feelings about Dick aren't one sided. Dick has grown to view Tim like a brother, he adores the kid and wants him to do well and feel supported.

Nightwing vol. 2 #6

Now, on to their conversation. Tim voices that he feels he wouldn't be up to the mission Dick is on, handling a city on his own. Dick picks up on Tim's insecurity and pries. Tim is basically comparing himself to the idea of Dick in a way that paints him as not good enough. Dick, being a great brother, points out that Tim is cerebral, and great with computers. This often gets used to justify Tim being a "techy" Robin, but it's worth noting this issue came out in the 90s, when home computers and the internet were becoming a thing, and that at this time, Dick would be Gen X, while Tim was a Millennial. Tim would simply be more familiar with newer computers. That's not to say Dick is technologically illiterate, and in modern tellings of Dick's time as Robin, he is technologically savvy because he has to be.

Regardless, we see in this conversation that Dick's brotherly feelings towards Tim combined with his hang-ups about Bruce and his own feelings of inadequacy leading to him thinking that Tim is a better fit with Bruce than he ever was. Tim, being the smart kid that he is, points out that Dick is only focusing on recent history, and forgetting the years that Dick and Bruce were a finely tuned machine.

Nightwing vol. 2 #6

Another major instance of Dick thinking Tim is a better Robin than him comes in Trevor McCarthy, Kyle Higgins and Scott Snyder's Batman: Gates of Gotham. At this point, Dick has become Batman again, and Tim is Red Robin. In this story, The Architect, a new villain, has blown up several Gotham bridges, and the case has been difficult for Dick and the others to solve. Bruce has come back from the dead at this point and asked Dick to watch over Gotham, and Dick is feeling as if he's failing Bruce, and the people of the city. 

Batman: Gates of Gotham #3

It is shortly after this scene that Dick returns to base, and Tim has discovered a lead. Dick sees how much he's grown and how well he's doing and reflects, thinking to himself that Tim was a better Robin, and will probably be a better Batman. Dick has a guilt complex, and tends not to think too highly of himself, but he's always supported Tim.

Batman: Gates of Gotham #3

After Gates of Gotham, the New 52 happened, followed by DCYou, and then Rebirth. Dick and Tim didn't interact a TON during this period, but Tim was overall characterized in these years as getting more tech based and cerebral. In the Robin 80th Anniversary 100 Page Spectacular story "Boy Wonders" by James Tynion IV and Javier Fernandez, Tim is grappling with a decision about whether to put being Red Robin on hold to go to college, or keep fighting in Gotham, so he visits the other Robins. His first stop is Dick. Tim is worried about disappointing Batman, and he's unsure where his path will lead him. Dick, being the great leader and brother that he is, knows what to say to motivate Tim, which includes saying Tim is smarter than him, a fantastic leader, and role model for future heroes. He's giving Tim the confidence boost he needs, cause Tim is getting caught up in self doubt (something Dick is all too familiar with). Tim thinks to himself that it's just like Dick to "offer you the role that everyone and their mother knows belongs to him."

Robin 80th Anniversary 100 Page Spectacular

And that brings us up to speed with Taylor and Redondo's Nightwing run. Dick calls Tim in for help in his current mission in issue #80, but not much time has passed since issue #78. It's important to remember that these issues have continuity with past issues, they don't exist in a vacuum. Over the past few months in-universe (2 years in reality), Dick has been amnesiac from a gunshot wound to the head. In that time, Gotham has been taken over and terrorized by Bane, Alfred has been murdered, Dick has been brainwashed into fighting his friends, the Joker has taken over the city, and the crime in Blüdhaven has increased in his absence. Dick, with his massive guilt complex, feels responsible, even if it isn't his fault all of these things happened. The way he frames the past few months, he "went away" or "was someone else."

Nightwing vol. 4 #78

Not only that, Dick learns that a madman has been cutting the hearts out of homeless people in his absence, and he's been gone long enough that he's perceived as a threat by the people he's trying to help. He's not in a good headspace at this point. He feels guilty, and wants to do as much as he can to help the city.

Nightwing vol. 4 #79

Nightwing vol. 4 #80

With all this in mind, it's easy to see Dick as something of an unreliable narrator when it comes to claims about his own skill, particularly compared to other Robins. Dick is making up for being gone for so long, and feeling like he's failed. Tim is a kid he's always thought highly of. Him thinking "Tim's the best Robin, I get it." isn't out of character in the slightest.

Was Dick the best Robin? Is Tim? Nobody could measure that. Being Robin means something different for each person who's held the role, and Batman has been different with each Robin. What can be said is that they're all highly skilled superheroes, and Dick probably needs to stop beating himself up so much.