THIS WEEK: The Dynamic Duo rides together again in the debut issue of a new Batman and Robin ongoing series.
Note: the review below contains spoilers. If you want a quick, spoiler-free buy/pass recommendation on the comics in question, check out the bottom of the article for our final verdict.
Batman and Robin #1
Writer: Joshua Williamson
Artist/Colorist: Simone Di Meo
Letterer: Steve Wands
Cover Artist: Simone Di Meo
The relationship between Bruce and Damian Wayne has been a fraught one for some time now. Damian’s lack of qualms around killing villains led to an estrangement between the father and son, and they’ve faced off a number of times recently in the pages of the “Shadow War” storyline and in Batman vs. Robin. Now the family has apparently made amends, and the dynamic duo is ready to take on whatever Gotham throws at it in the pages of a new Batman and Robin series. Writer Joshua Williamson and artist Simone Di Meo have teamed for the series, which picks up threads from previous stories while blazing its own trail from the very beginning.
Batman and Robin is a continuation of Williamson’s work on both Damian Wayne’s Robin solo series and the aforementioned “Shadow War” storyline that spun out of it. The writer has a solid take on the evolution of the character, and the offbeat dynamic between him and Bruce is the strongest selling point of this debut issue. This is a Bruce who has a better handle on how to be a father than we’ve ever seen before, though it’s clear Damian’s not going to make anything easy on him.
In the field, though, they’re a well-oiled machine, a fact displayed beautifully in Simone Di Meo’s cool, kinetic action sequences. Di Meo’s artwork is hyper-stylized and dynamic, with manga-esque characters moving fluidly across pages whose layouts visually pop while still being easy to follow from a storytelling perspective. His coloring work in particular is absolutely incredible, bringing the visuals to life in a way that feels wholly unique among superhero comics. Di Meo’s visual style gives Batman and Robin #1 a distinctive feel you’re not going to get from any other DC title.
Make no mistake, though: this series is set firmly in the DC Universe, and reflects the events of the many other Bat-titles on the shelves. Batman and Robin seems to present a post-Gotham War status quo, with Bruce and Damian apparently isolated from the other members of the Bat-family. How they ended up there or what the ultimate outcome of that other storyline is are still a mystery, though. The issue threads the needle between fealty to other titles and doing its own thing expertly, and it’s a testament to the strength of Williamson’s ability to tell stories within a shared universe.
I’ve long been a proponent of more stories featuring a classic Batman and Robin team. Mark Waid and Dan Mora’s Batman/Superman: World’s Finest has been a ton of fun telling past-set stories featuring Bruce and Dick, and Chip Zdarsky has done a lot lately to reestablish the relationship between Bruce and Tim. With Batman and Robin now in the mix, it’s an exciting time to be a fan of the dynamic duo. These iconic characters are in the best hands possible, and I’m excited to see what Williamson and Di Meo have in store for Bruce and Damian.
Final Verdict: BUY.
Round-Up
- After a brief Knight Terrors detour, Green Lantern #3 picks up as Hal Jordan continues to rebuild his life on Earth and figure out what’s going on with his new power ring. Jeremy Adams and Xermanico restore some classic GL abilities, have Hal butt heads with Carol Ferris, and bring him face-to-face with his greatest nemesis. This book just won’t stop winning me over and I’d be annoyed if I wasn’t enjoying it so much.
- Elsewhere in time, World’s Finest: Teen Titans #3 takes DC’s premier teen team to a convention in their honor, and it goes…about as well as one would expect. Mark Waid and Emanuela Lupaccino are just knocking it out of the park on this book, which thrives on the strength of Waid’s banter and Lupaccino’s expressive and physical characters. We’re at the halfway point and I already don’t want it to end.
- And finally, pour one out for The Batman and Scooby-Doo Mysteries, which wraps its twelve-issue run this week with a story in which Mystery Inc. meets Batman Beyond. This series has been a delight from the start, teaming different iterations of Scoob and the gang with different takes on the Caped Crusader and his extended family. It’s a highly-entertaining exercise in the pliability of both concepts while still sticking true to their core component – the mystery of it all – and it will be sorely missed.
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