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BATMAN AND ROBIN #12

All is revealed in this final installment of “Batman vs. Robin” – the identity of the Domino Killer, the terrifying secret of the dominoes, and the shocking truth behind El Penitente! All of this, plus the surprising return of a fan favorite character!

Written by GRANT MORRISON
Art by ANDY CLARKE and SCOTT HANNA
Cover by FRANK QUITELY
Variant cover by ANDY CLARKE

Price: $2.99
iFanboy Community Pick of the Week Percentage: 20.8%
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Avg Rating: 4.4
 
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Comments

  1. Avatar photo TheNextChampion says:
    May 3, 2010 at 2:14 pm

    The reveal at the last issue really knocked me out. Did not see the surprise ‘guest’ come in.

    This is going to be a lot of fun to read. I can just feel it. 

  2. Avatar photo HuntresSThompson says:
    May 3, 2010 at 2:27 pm

    I feel it too 🙂 It’s like when you pick a piece of chocolate from a box and you know it’s gonna be good. And it is because that box is Grant Morrison’s brain. 

  3. Avatar photo Slockhart says:
    May 3, 2010 at 2:32 pm

    Last issue of the flagship Batman book before The Return of Bruce Wayne #1 comes out?  Shit is going down in this comic.

  4. Avatar photo AmirCat says:
    May 3, 2010 at 2:41 pm

    Variant Cover looks good.

  5. Avatar photo thebouv says:
    May 3, 2010 at 2:42 pm

    WTF is up with Batman’s leg on this cover?

  6. Avatar photo DarkKnightJared says:
    May 3, 2010 at 2:44 pm

    Man, I am TOTALLY hyped for this issue. So far the only thing I don’t like is the regular cover. Not one of Quitely’s best. Clarke’s variant doesn’t look too bad, though.

  7. Avatar photo misterckent says:
    May 3, 2010 at 3:36 pm

    This is the stuff, right here.  Always a good week with B&R.  

  8. Avatar photo ctrosejr says:
    May 3, 2010 at 3:49 pm

    I agree about the cover.  If Batman’s leg were drawn correctly, it would end in the middle of Robin’s face.  It’s possible that Quitely got half-way done and went "D’oh!"

  9. Avatar photo WinTheWonderboy says:
    May 3, 2010 at 4:55 pm

    I wish this come out weekly.

  10. edward says:
    May 3, 2010 at 6:19 pm

    I can’t feel it but i smell something

  11. Avatar photo NawidA says:
    May 3, 2010 at 6:36 pm

    I’ve been saying it for a while now, but I believe Joker to be Oberon Sexton. Let’s see if it’s true.

  12. Avatar photo stuclach says:
    May 3, 2010 at 6:43 pm

    @NawidA – That would certainly be interesting.

  13. Avatar photo wallythegreenmonster says:
    May 3, 2010 at 6:43 pm

    so in this issue, does batman completely screw up his knee by trying to kick robin in the face and wind up on the injured reserve?

  14. Avatar photo JimBilly4 says:
    May 3, 2010 at 7:14 pm

    It is revealed that Dick Grayson is actually Ralph Dibney, that they switched places years ago, and Dick is the one that has been dead the whole time. I wouldn’t put it past Morrison.

  15. Avatar photo PraxJarvin says:
    May 3, 2010 at 7:31 pm

    I can’t believe no one pointed out the cove background is Deathstroke’s mask with Dick’s cape making the eye-hole. I’m really excited for this issue. I can only imagine how awesome it is.

  16. Avatar photo NawidA says:
    May 3, 2010 at 7:57 pm

        @Prax

    That’s because we’re too busy thinking of the implications of Bruce going back in time and impregnating his own grandmothers so he would be born in future times ahead of his universe derived due date thus breaking the space time continuum of the DCU only to go back in time in Return of Bruce Wayne to kill himself from doing it so he can repair it while still existing in the current world. Then he removes his cowl to the public, reveals his true name to be Alfred and has babies with Sexton’s dead wife.  

  17. Avatar photo TheNextChampion says:
    May 3, 2010 at 8:37 pm

    @Prax: Oooohhhh!!!!

    You are dead on there! Now the cover makes much more sense.

    Still, Quitely did draw Grayson a bit awkwardly. Not his ‘worst’ cover ever but not my favorite. Definitely appreciate it more if that was the intent though.

  18. edward says:
    May 3, 2010 at 9:09 pm

    @prax: I am ashamed

  19. Avatar photo RocketRacoon says:
    May 4, 2010 at 1:13 am

    Awesome cover!

  20. incredibledave says:
    May 4, 2010 at 8:00 am

    Aparently Quietly has been having some back problems.

    Might explain how the leg in this cover is kinda wonky and how the cover to #11 was really simple :/

  21. Avatar photo forestjwp says:
    May 4, 2010 at 1:02 pm

    My question to the iFanbase is does this work get the Absolute treatment in a few years?  While not universally praised like All Star Superman it definately had an impact on the Batverse.  If this was all Quietly all the time it would have been a no brainer, but with the change in artists does it diminish the overall impact the book has?

  22. Avatar photo TheNextChampion says:
    May 4, 2010 at 4:05 pm

    @forest: It should and I think it will. Quitely, Tan, Stewart, Clarke, and Irving? That’s more then enough for me to see an absolute of this.

    Other then the wonky 5th-6th issue of this series, it’s been a blast for me.

  23. Avatar photo NawidA says:
    May 4, 2010 at 4:06 pm

    @forest

    Doubt it. I mean really you’d have to start with the Kubert stuff. 

  24. Avatar photo kennyg says:
    May 4, 2010 at 4:53 pm

    @ forestjwp

    "All Star Superman" was universally praised? I missed that. Nobody I know personally that reads comics liked it.

     I’m also not a big Quietly fan. Everyone he draws has the same facial features. Have you ever seen a photo of him? They all look like him! It’s creepy!

     

  25. Avatar photo NawidA says:
    May 4, 2010 at 5:12 pm

    @kennyg

    All Star Superman is indeed universally praised and held as one of the best Superman tales ever. 

  26. Avatar photo dneufeld says:
    May 4, 2010 at 5:53 pm

    I’m reading it right now and it’s fantastic.  It has tons of Superman lore, but is also very accessible.

  27. Avatar photo JimBilly4 says:
    May 4, 2010 at 6:12 pm

    Well, clearly not universally praised as that would imply no detractors and kennyg is detracting right in front of us. Nothing is ever universally praised, especially among the strongly opinioned comic reading public. But it was praised by almost every reviewer who read it and won mutiple Eisners a couple of years running. It is a complete story with a beginning and an ending, and has a very distinctive look that 9 out of 10 people love (the other ten hate the wrinkles and the wierd faces). This comic has actually just been a chapter (3?) in Morrison’s Batman Opus, and has had multiple artists creating a range of looks. Whether his fault or not, Tan was bashed a great deal, and each new artist always left somebod behind who just didn’t get it. I wouldn’t rule out Absolute’ing it, it is Morrison and Batman, two bid draws, but it doesn’t say Absolute addition to me.

  28. edward says:
    May 4, 2010 at 7:18 pm

    @Forrestjwp: the Mighty

  29. Avatar photo wallythegreenmonster says:
    May 4, 2010 at 7:40 pm

    All Star Superman was a pretty great read. I’ve never met anyone who didn’t like it, although for me personally the Bizarro section gave me a headache. I literally know people who have called it the greatest Superman story ever. I don’t agree with that, but its pretty enjoyable and complete. 

    As far as Quitely’s work on it, I was a bit indifferent on his art until I had a chance to see original pencils from that series. They were amazing works of art. If anything they were a bit ruined by the coloring and some of the cheesy lettering that was in that book which was really unfortunate. 

  30. Avatar photo JesTr says:
    May 4, 2010 at 9:25 pm

    I can’t wait to see how this arc ends.  This series has had it’s ups and downs but overall has been pretty solid.

    @Prax: Good eye about the cover.

  31. Avatar photo robbydzwonar says:
    May 4, 2010 at 10:36 pm

    Well this is definitely going to be on the top of my stack, and probably the bottom too (cuz I’m gonna read it a lot…)

  32. Avatar photo NathanNicdao says:
    May 5, 2010 at 5:09 am

    Avg rating = 2?

    OHH NOO!

  33. incredibledave says:
    May 5, 2010 at 8:44 am

    Is there an Absolute for Morrison on JLA?

  34. Avatar photo forestjwp says:
    May 5, 2010 at 12:58 pm

    When I said universally praised I meant just about 95% of everything I read about All Star Superman was that it was that it was great, probably not the best adjective usage there.

    @incredibledave:  They are releasing them in over sized hardcovers right now.  No Absolute plans that I know of.

  35. Avatar photo leesweinberg says:
    May 5, 2010 at 2:49 pm

    Damn, that was a FUN read.  Things are really ramping up now…

  36. Avatar photo NawidA says:
    May 5, 2010 at 3:15 pm

    I FUCKING CALLED IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!

     

  37. Avatar photo WheelHands says:
    May 5, 2010 at 3:45 pm

    I fucking love this book! Finished this issue an hour ago and I’m still giddy about it. I’m not gonna spoil anything but the reveal got me so excited that I cheered out loud. It wasn’t entirely unpredictable, but the effect it will have on the future of the Bat family is feast for thought. This book makes me feel like a kid again. And considering how jaded and cynical I can be sometimes, I think that’s pretty special.

  38. Avatar photo comicBOOKchris says:
    May 5, 2010 at 4:14 pm

    …so THAT’S where he was!

  39. Avatar photo TheNextChampion says:
    May 5, 2010 at 6:13 pm

    Jesus Christ!

    Was not expecting that reveal in the end. Irving is going to make this confrontation look amazing!

    Issue was my POTW as a whole for everything in this. Deathstroke getting and out of body ass kicking, Damien finally being a likeable hero, and more revelations for the Return of Bruce Wayne. Oh and I’m pretty sure that man on the train (El Penitente) is 110% Black Mask. That last panel kinda confirmed it. Plus, did anyone notice Dustin Nguyen did the art for the final 10 pages? I noticed it in the credits page but Hanna did such a great job inking I didn’t even notice. Although the jawline for Batman gives it away.

  40. Avatar photo AmirCat says:
    May 5, 2010 at 7:01 pm

    @TNC – wow! I did not know that Nguyen did the last 10 pages! wow!

  41. Avatar photo stuclach says:
    May 5, 2010 at 7:03 pm

    It’s too bad the art was all over the place in this issue (unavoidable with multiple artists).  

    NawidA did actually call it.  Nice one.

  42. Avatar photo WheelHands says:
    May 5, 2010 at 7:25 pm

    @TheNextChampion: I’m 120% sure the guy on the train is NOT Black Mask. The current Black Mask is in Arkham, and the Black Mask before him had his head blown off by Catwoman. My money remains on Dr. Hurt being El Penitente. Whoever it is, he’s obviously wearing Dr. Thomas Wayne’s old Halloween costume (which we saw Hurt wear during RIP), and Black Mask never knew Batman’s true identity.

  43. Avatar photo PraxJarvin says:
    May 5, 2010 at 7:29 pm

    Pretty good all around. I didn’t notice the the art chance, Scott Hana deserves a lot of credit for keeping the look consistent. I’ve got to be honest, Stu, I don’t really see the art as being all over the place. Certainly some of the faces of are different in Nguyen’s sections, but they’re quite similar throughout. They at least tried to match the artists’ base styles and, again, Hana did a great job matching them with his inks.

    I didn’t think this was the greatest issue ever, but it was solid and moved at a fair clip. I’m giving this a slightly generous 5/5 and making it my POTW.  

  44. Avatar photo TheNextChampion says:
    May 5, 2010 at 7:34 pm

    @Wheel: Ah thanks for making me notice the typo.

    I ment to say Black ‘Hand’, not Mask….Black Hand.

    Sorry.

  45. Avatar photo WheelHands says:
    May 5, 2010 at 7:43 pm

    @TheNextChampion: Hahaha. I was confused because I’m pretty sure you and I have discussed Dr. Hurt being El Penitente in the past. A typo that would only work in the Bat Universe. So many "Black Something" villains in Gotham.

  46. Avatar photo stuclach says:
    May 5, 2010 at 9:41 pm

    @PraxJarvin – It’s possible I am exaggerating.  I don’t mean to imply that the art problem was exclusively due to the artist change.  The first place I noticed a problem was Talia’s face on the page after the insert.  The page just after the first Brightest Day ad is also pretty rough.  The last few pages are solid.  It isn’t that the art is bad, just inconsistent (in my humble opinion).

  47. Avatar photo drakedangerz says:
    May 5, 2010 at 10:51 pm

    A 5/5 for sure. Great read and I love how everything came together. The art change bugged me, but wasn’t enough to ruin the issue for me.

  48. Avatar photo JaqueNargg says:
    May 5, 2010 at 11:37 pm

    Question: what did youall make of the "pattern" dick is talking about toward the end in the batcave. So the weird antler/cowl thing turns into a giant bat? How does that connect with his "suspicions about sexton"? Not sure if i’m missing something, or if we arent realyl supposed to know what he’s talking about here.

    Oh, and that reveal…incredible

  49. Avatar photo CronyC says:
    May 6, 2010 at 12:00 am

    @NawidA 

    Okay spill it. How the hell did you see that comming?

  50. Avatar photo NawidA says:
    May 6, 2010 at 12:39 am

    @CronyC

    Two reasons:

    One, I read the series again after issue #9. The Sexton stuff during the Red Hood arc had Jokerish hints. They seemed right. Also, Sexton displayed intelligence and athleticism similar to Wayne. So who’s Wayne’s equivalent. The Joker, of course!

    The second reason was just from a writing point of view. Morrison has kept the Joker under wraps for a very long time so eventually we were going to get a big reveal. Since we’re almost done with the first season of Batman and Robin, I figured now would be the appropriate time to do it. Also the Joker knowing Bruce and the gang’s identity completely (not just hinted at like previous) in RIP led me into the idea.

    As for where it goes, I have no fucking idea. 

  51. Avatar photo Gloomy says:
    May 6, 2010 at 2:33 am

    Man, so many contenders for Panel of the Week.  I’m split between the reveal page, and Dick getting rough with the IV stand.  The latter was so friggin’ satisfying to see.

  52. Avatar photo NathanNicdao says:
    May 6, 2010 at 4:32 am

    First of all, what’s up with the Iron Man ad on a Bat-book?

    Secondly, why does the beginning of the return of bruce wayne in every cover? It starts over and over?

    @NawidA: Cheers, bro.

  53. Avatar photo JesTr says:
    May 6, 2010 at 7:36 am

    After reading this I gathered that the Joker knows that the current Dynamic Duo is a new incarnation but does he know that Bruce was ever Batman? After NawidA was going off about Sexton being the Joker I was less surprised but it’s still cool. I was expecting him to pull of his mask to reveal "bruce Wayne" only to have Dick realize it was Hush but Joker is cool too.

  54. Avatar photo WadeWilson says:
    May 6, 2010 at 12:25 pm

    I don’t buy that the Joker could pull off acting that normal/sane for such a long time (because I’ve never seen it happen before), & I’m surprised this didn’t bother anyone else (?) … but apart from that, I liked the issue.

  55. Avatar photo cromulent says:
    May 6, 2010 at 12:38 pm

    I totally figured it out!…right before I turned to the last page.

  56. Avatar photo NawidA says:
    May 6, 2010 at 12:47 pm

    @Jestr

    It’s been hinted  that Joker has always known Bruce’s identity but even if he didn’t, everyone pretty much found out in RIP when they capture him and put him on camera.

    @WadeWilson

    Why couldn’t he play sane? It works well with the theory of supersanity that Morrison has developed since Arkham Asylum with the Joker.

  57. Avatar photo Alexferrer says:
    May 6, 2010 at 3:28 pm

    It’s a shame we won’t be reading people refer to him as OBERON SEXTON, THE GRAVEDIGGER anymore.

    Fantastic way to introduce yourself to people.

  58. Avatar photo TheNextChampion says:
    May 6, 2010 at 3:53 pm

    Joker doesn’t give a shit about identities at this point. Maybe back in the old days, Silver/Bronze age. But in Morrison’s world? He’s way to insane to even blink an eye at the indentity anymore.

    Although, maybe Joker does care who is under the cowl. Maybe (as some pointed out already), Joker wants to bring Bruce back so he can go back to having ‘fun’ with him. Who knows? All I know is the next issue has to start with Grayson punching Joker right in the nose. (ala Seige)

  59. Avatar photo Truthseeker says:
    May 6, 2010 at 9:56 pm

    Holy. Crap. I knew Sexton wasn’t Bruce Wayne but I never expected that. Awesome.

  60. Avatar photo OliverTwist says:
    May 6, 2010 at 11:27 pm

    PraxJarvin nice call on the cover. The cover really had me stumped. The series still continues to be a fun read.

  61. Cedric says:
    May 7, 2010 at 12:02 pm

    Didn’t see that coming. Great issue as always.

  62. Avatar photo sendrius says:
    May 7, 2010 at 1:26 pm

    It has been quite awhile since I was gunuinely taken aback by a reveal in a comic book. I was totally taken in by the feint that Oberon was Bruce Wayne. It seemed to easy, but comic books don’t usually have great mystery for me. But that return was great becasue it means another return will be here very soon. Now if we only get to know where this villian was while his arch enemy was away.

  63. Avatar photo WheelHands says:
    May 7, 2010 at 4:42 pm

    What if Joker teams up with the boys in the effort to find Bruce? I know how crazy that sounds, but let’s keep in mind how crazy everything up to this point has been. Could anyone have predicted anything that’s happened since Batman and Son (easy now NawidA, we all give you credit for calling the Joker reveal)? At this particular juncture, I think it’s pretty safe to say that anything goes.

  64. Avatar photo cutty says:
    May 7, 2010 at 8:53 pm

    @wheelhands – I could definately buy that.  Afterall, the Joker loves having Batman around.  In Morrison’s hands, that could be a great story

  65. Just4Jolly says:
    May 8, 2010 at 11:21 am

    Simply stated the art is bad in this issue.

  66. Avatar photo WadeWilson says:
    May 8, 2010 at 2:20 pm

    @Nawida- Supersanity? Is that one of those G-Mo style, pretentious made-up words people use to make something sound real and/or important? 

    Only reason I said he couldn’t act sane … is because I’ve never seen it before. It’s like … asking a cyclone to not be windy. 

  67. Avatar photo PraxJarvin says:
    May 8, 2010 at 4:24 pm

    @wadewilson The idea presented in Arkham Asylum is that Joker is so insane he’s a genius, or so genius he’s insane, he just chooses to pt his insanity to maiming and killing. As well, I seem to recall a thread in the book that the Joker has no inherent personality, but rather just decides on one "in the moment" based how it would benefit him. (This was a deft way to explain away the various characterizations of the Jokers since the 30s). It comes up again in Morrison’s JLA where Martian Manhunter shapeshifts his brain to be like Jokers’. It’s not different than the way Joker "pretends" to be normal in BATMAN or the few scenes where Joker is less of a nihilist in DARK KNIGHT. 

  68. Avatar photo NathanNicdao says:
    May 8, 2010 at 9:28 pm

    example of that TDK scene is before he shot Gordon. He acted very normally within the other guards.

    He’s nuts because he’s an intrepid, not because he is not aware of himself

  69. Avatar photo TheNextChampion says:
    May 8, 2010 at 9:55 pm

    Plus what drives his entire motivation to acting this way? Batman.

    More accurately, the REAL Batman. So yeah….the idea of him joining forces with the Bat-Family to bring back Bruce might not be such a crazy idea.

  70. Avatar photo RoiVampire says:
    May 10, 2010 at 10:34 am

    I can totally buy the Joker acting normal around everyone just for the sheer thrill of the performance

    thats what he lives for

  71. Avatar photo kennyg says:
    May 11, 2010 at 8:12 pm

    I hereby promise to quit bitching about other books and concerntrate on the one on the page. SO – I loved the Damian parts of this issue. His confrontation with his mother was perfect. He’s sort of like, "Well, OK, see ya"! Great character. I definitely think the guy on the train is Dr. Hurt aka El Penitente. That could be interesting if it’s handled well. Oberon Sexton is the Joker. Well, OK, not shocking but I didn’t really see if coming. I need to re-read this and see what the clues were leading to this. I liked Sexton as an amatuer detective/author, so I am kind of disappointed he won’t be around more.

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