This series is quickly becoming the best book at DC right now. It’s not hard to see why thanks to the wonderful writing by Peter Tomasi and the absolutely gorgeous artwork by Patrick Gleason. It took a while early on but now this series is my most anticipated comic to read each month it comes out. The last issue ended on a pretty violent note and memorable for being extremely violent all together. Does this end of the first arc bring about even more blood and gore?

Well maybe early on but for the most part this is a sweet, father-son bonding issue for Bruce and Damian. Before I get to the sweetness I will say Tomasi can write himself a good escape scene. The fighting is over but the tension as Batman tries to escape with Damian is very well done. Once we get back to Wayne Manor it’s all sap as Bruce explains to Damian why killing is wrong. This entire series has been all about the bond between these two characters and Tomasi writes it just as great as the seven issues before. I don’t think Tomasi has superhero element to his relationship with his family, but I’d like to think he’s just as sweet to his children as he is here. You also got Titan, the newly name family pet, bringing about even more sweetness if you weren’t already drowning in your own tears.

I really don’t know what to say about Gleason’s art that you don’t already know. It’s absolutely phenomenal as always with an insane level of detail and the layouts are superb. Actually I do have something to add! The widescreen, double page spread at the beginning was very well done. In fact this had a cinematic feel to it at a couple of points. That opening and then the end with the Bat signal in the distance by the graveyard was also very well done. I could hear the Hans Zimmer music swelling as Damian runs off in the distance, getting ready to suit up. It’s nice when an artist can put some creativity in a mainstream book like this. (Also that he could plan it out in a monthly schedule is very impressive)

So this arc started strong, paced a little too slowly, and then ends on three amazing issues. Maybe eight issues are a bit much for an opening act but what a hell of an act it was. This issue sums up my entire feeling of the creative team and in this book: It’s in perfect hands. Finally, Batman and Robin is a title I can look forward to thanks to Peter Tomasi and Patrick Gleason.