DC Is Finally Fixing Batman’s Worst Supporting Character

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Batman is a long-standing and incredibly popular DC superhero, which means he’s developed a large group of supporting characters over time. It’s natural that DC would continue to introduce new characters for both Bruce Wayne and Batman to interact with, considering how Bruce’s personality changes depending on the circumstances. While not every character remains popular for long, the best way to ensure a character’s longevity is to connect them closely to Batman or another core character through a significant, defining moment.

Tim Drake’s boyfriend, Bernard, was present when Tim came out as bisexual, which was a significant moment for such a well-known character like Robin. However, Bernard was a problem because he lacked any real personality or development. For years, he was simply a boring character, but that’s starting to change with issue #3 of Matt Fraction’s Batman (2025).

An Unfortunate Pattern Is Noticed

Bernard first appeared in issue #3, visiting Tim in the hospital after Tim was seriously injured. In the previous issue, Tim had been captured by crooked police officers, shot, and beaten while in handcuffs. Bernard hovered over Tim, providing a lot of attentive care. Bruce arrived with flowers for Tim, but Bernard quickly pulled Bruce aside into the waiting room, wanting to speak with Tim’s father privately.

Bernard was harsh with his accusations towards Bruce. He didn’t directly say he doubted Tim’s skiing accident story, but he pointed out that Tim consistently got hurt whenever Bruce and he were alone together. Angrily taking the flowers Bruce offered, Tim stormed off, clearly indicating Bruce wasn’t welcome to visit while he was present. Although Bernard only appeared briefly in this issue, his scenes dramatically changed his character, giving him a compelling new direction that the story should pursue.

A Suspicious But Caring Antagonistic Force

Previously, Bernard was only defined by his relationship with Tim, but now he’s developing his own story and becoming a central figure. He doesn’t realize Tim is actually Robin, which is why he’s confronting Bruce with these accusations. Bernard is rightfully worried about Tim, believing he’s in a dangerous, abusive relationship, and he might try to help him escape. This puts him at odds with Bruce, creating conflict and making the story more engaging – something Bernard hadn’t contributed before. If Bernard finds more proof of this perceived “abuse,” he could involve the police, which would cause serious problems for both Batman and Robin.

This development could bring back a classic element that’s been missing from Batman and superhero comics for a while: the tension and intrigue of keeping a secret identity. For decades, most heroes have largely stopped hiding their identities from those closest to them – often, everyone in their inner circle knows who they really are. This makes it feel like they don’t truly have a secret life. This new character, Bernard, offers a great opportunity to reintroduce that kind of personal conflict and drama into the world of Batman and Robin.

As a critic, I have to say, what really struck me here was Bernard. It’s a role only he could pull off – he’s the only one with the authority to really challenge Tim and Bruce like that. It’s given his character a much-needed purpose, a reason to be involved, and a chance to grow. Seeing such a strong transformation in just a couple of pages makes me incredibly hopeful for a future issue focusing on him, even if it’s a shared spotlight with Tim. Honestly, this is exactly what Bernard needed, and for the first time, I’m genuinely excited to see where they take his story next.

Batman #3 is on sale now!

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2025-11-08 21:12