Hi-dee-ho there, comic book fans! Your favorite blogger here bringing you some fascinating news out of DC Comics. Who is the new Green Lantern? And is DC going to change the origin for Tim Drake, the third Robin? We’re going to find out the answer to both questions in September!

In September, the one-year anniversary of the New 52 reboot, DC will be publishing a #0 issue for each of their titles. These will be flashback and prequel issues, revealing a bit of the new backstory that came with the reboot. This is a fantastic idea, because DC have told us very little about large swaths of the back story. You can check out the full solicitations here, if you’re so inclined.

But of the solicitations, two really stuck out to me: Green Lantern #0 and Teen Titans #0.

First, in the Green Lantern issue, we’re finally going to be introduced to the new human Green Lantern who made his first appearance in DC’s Free Comic Book Day issue. Only in that issue, he seemed to be an antagonist against the Justice League. Yeahbuwha?

I’m excited to see a new Green Lantern. I’ve never particularly cared for any of the four previous human Green Lanterns, and so new blood is just what that franchise needs. The ring can go to anyone, after all. And we haven’t had a new Green Lantern since the early 90s. This guy is apparently Arabic, based on the tattoo on his arm, so that’s cool. Diversity is always a good thing. But I am a little worried about that antagonist thing. Hopefully it’ll get sorted out.

My guess is that this guy, whose name we don’t yet know, will be getting Hal Jordan’s old ring. Prior to the reboot, Hal was kicked out of the Green Lantern Corps and stripped of his ring. Meanwhile, Sinestro had been inducted back into the Corps for reasons that remain mysterious. Since the reboot started, Sinestro has used his Power Ring to give Hal temporary Green Lantern powers so that they can go on adventures together. So that still leaves open the fate of Hal’s ring – which I think this new guy is going to get!

Meanwhile, we have Teen Titan #0.

The solicitation says that we’re going to take a look at how Tim Drake became Robin.

“Focusing on the origin of Tim Drake; how a would be Olympic star and computer genius went on to become Batman’s third Robin.”

So yeah, would-be Olympic star? Computer genius? Neither one was ever part of Tim’s original origin. Granted he’s always been good with computers, but he was never a computer genius. And also, Olympic athlete and computer genius? Do those even go together?

Tim’s original origin had him as a youthful detective who correctly deduced the identities of Batman and Robin using only his smarts and some good detective work. Then after Jason Todd dies, Tim notices that Batman has become a lot more reckless without a Robin. Tim tries to convince Dick Grayson to return as Robin, but Dick won’t go for it. Then when Batman is really in danger, Tim decides that he must do something brave and impulsive, and so he goes to aid him wearing the Robin costume. It’s only later that Bruce finally comes around and accepts Tim as a new Robin.

When it comes to the New 52 timeline, DC really shot themselves in the foot by declaring that superheroes have only really been around for about 5 years…yet they kept all four Robins. So Batman had four different Robins over a 5 year span? How does that even work? Especially considering that Damian Wayne, the current Robin, is 10 years old. That would mean Bruce Wayne has been Batman for at leas t10 years to have met Ras al Ghul and Talia…I dunno, it’s all very confusing.

But making Tim a would-be Olympic athlete would cut down on the time needed to train him to be Robin, making him easier to squeeze into that 5 year span. But does this also mean they’re going to change everything else out about his origin?

I sure hope not. The idea that Tim decided on his own that Batman needs a Robin is key to the character, and to the mantle of Robin. I plan to write a lot more on this someday, but it never works out whenever Batman choose who will be his next Robin. The new kid has to come to him naturally through the story.  So I really hope DC doesn’t drastically alter Tim Drake’s origin.

Not that there’s anything I can do about it if they do…