Just like Nightwing from last week, another of the Bat family books walks off into the sunset.  And what a walk off it was.  I commented in my Nightwing review from last week that the issue had some excellent emotional moments that showed the hero reflecting on his life, and his place in the new situation.  This issue of Robin was no different, but the true brilliance of the issue comes from the different approach to the self reflection.  While Nightwing did more of a self assessment while paying homage to the place that created Batman, Robin finds that a death threat from Lady Shiva brings him to terms with everything in his life.  There’s some great characterization going on in this issue, and Nicieza is able to really show just how strong a character that Tim Drake is.  A lot happens in the short amount of time the story is told, and its akin to Tim wiping the slate clean.  There is potential for more plot threads when the series inevitably starts again, and it gives the issue a sense of closure without feeling like its completely the end.  What really won me over was the final showdown between Robin and Lady Shiva.  It’s a nice touch and adds an exclimation point to not only Bruce’s training, but also to just how much of a badass Tim Drake is.

The art by Freddie Williams is fantastic, and I enjoyed each and every panel in the issue.  This kinetic style lends itself well to the restlessness that Tim Drake feels as he is constantly on the move.  One of my more favorite panels in the issue is a sublte one, showing Jason Todd watching the video will of Bruce Wayne.  It’s a mostly blank panel, but Jason’s expression so well drawn, and highlights the emotion of Bruce’s death, even for him.

To close out the issue, the final pages are dedicated to an Origins and Omens story, which is pretty good.  It’s not as great as the few others that I’ve had chance to read, but I found the art very intersting.  Freddie Williams drew the back-up and colored it himself, which gave the art a completely different look.  It was interesting to see, and I enjoyed the visual contrast immensely.