Comic Books

BATMAN AND ROBIN #21

The new regular creative team of writer Peter J. Tomasi and artist Patrick Gleason continue their run with “Dark Knight, White Knight” part 2 of 3!

Batman and Robin find themselves in the middle of a deadly crusade as “angels” continue falling from the skies! The White Knight is shining his heavenly light into the dark corners of Gotham City in his quest to vanquish the shadows of the soul…

Written by PETER J. TOMASI
Art by PATRICK GLEASON & MICK GRAY
Cover by PATRICK GLEASON
Variant Cover by GENE HA

Price: $2.99
iFanboy Community Pick of the Week Percentage: 8.4%

Reviews

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djchangchild03/12/11YesRead Review
glwarm7603/12/11NoRead Review
TheNextChampion03/09/11NoRead Review
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Comments

  1. Loved last issue, hope it keeps it up this issue.

  2. I didn’t really like the last issue, but I have to give it one more shot.

  3. After this arc isn’t Judd Winick coming on to do a Red Hood story? Are Tomasi and Gleason coming back after that? Just throwing these questions out there, I like both writers so it’s win/ win either way for me.

  4. I haven’t heard anything about Winick coming onto this book.  Any links or additional info would be appreciated.  

  5. Dropped. The last issue did nothing for me.

  6. I like the idea of a White Knight.  Dick and Damien are certainly getting their own rogues gallery.  Digging it.

  7. For the record peeps, cus this happened way too many times on last ish’s discussion:  it’s Damian, not Damien.

    Love Gleason on this.  Was surprised to see DAMIAN allow the Commish to twist his arm like that in the last ish, thought Tomasi got that wrong. 

  8. @ctrosejr  Here’s the solicit for May:
    http://www.dccomics.com/dccomics/comics/?cm=17837

    Not sure if DC has confirmed that Tomasi/Gleason are gone for good or will be back at a later date. I, for one, enjoyed last issue but was very disappointed to see another change in creative team for this book.

  9. The new regular creative team…..that is until two months from now when a NEW regular creative team jumps on.

    Last issue was pretty fucking amazing for me. I can’t wait to see what these two are gonna bring this week.

  10. I got rather annoyed at the last issue when Gordon turned around to find Dick vanished (as though we needed to see that for the millionth time). In Detective comics Scott Snider and Jock established Dick as the Batman that sticks around. He’s much more cordial and joyful than Bruce Wayne. Representing more of how Batman was a few decades ago. Dick Grayson as Batman has worked very well for me. So far many writers have been good at making him unique despite wearing a heavy cowl. Dick and Damien’s relationship is also one the most unique and interesting thing in mainstream comics today. I’m still onboard in the hopes that Tomasi can maintain that charm, but my expectations for these characters i’ve grown to adore are very high.

  11. D-A-M-I-A-N

  12. A L-I-T-T-L-E W-E-I-R-D

  13. Apologize, just think he’d pe pissed if he knew his name was being spelled wrong all the time.  He’d kill you for it actually:P

  14. @WaltKellysGhost  In my head the only reason dick vanished in the last issue is because damian was with him. in snyders book dick is on his own but damian is just like his dad and probably jumped out the window forcing dick to leave as well.

  15. @RoiVampire I accept this reasoning. Now, why did they spend pages talking about the default settings on a giant tv? (Just kidding)

  16. He can operate a DNA ID machine but not a DVR. Tim the master hacker can also not operate it. Also Batman can destroy Prometheus with a computer disc, but not operate it. 

  17. @Franktiger  I’m going to have to disagree with you on the whole Gordon and the arm twisting. He has his additude and hes still just a child. I know that Damian was probbly thinking I should take him down but lets admit it. He’s to much like Bruce.

    I’m also going to disagree with you all on not liking the last issue because frankly for me it seems to be turning into a great story line. Now I know I could be proven wrong but The art is amazing in my opinion and the writer may not get how to write perfectly for Damian but when its comes to Grayson its very well done.

  18. BATMAN!

  19. @FoeApple  I don’t know, I wouldn’t call Damian just a child at this point, maybe a kid, but not a like a toddler child or anything.  And I consider Damian a hybrid of an Al Ghul and Bruce, and his nasty disposition and League of Assassins mentality is what makes him unique from just being like Bruce.  I think Damian’s training alone wouldn’t have allowed him to even be touched like that, cus let’s face it, the Commish ain’t no ninja or anything, although he is a green beret.

    Despite all that, I loved last issue, esp cus of Gleason.

  20. I really liked last issue- I’m confused as to why Tomasi/Gleason are being called the “new creative team” if it’s so temporary. I know that I’m taking a B+R break in a few months when Winnick comes back in with more Red Hood nonsense.

  21. Lookin forward to this. I really enjoyed last issue. Nothing really seemed out of character IMO. Gordon twisting Robin’s arm was a little unusual, but he’s Gordon. He’s into tough love. Plus they were examining a body. He takes that very seriously. If Batman hasn’t bothered to teach the kid any manners, Gordon sure as hell is gonna.

    I think Tomasi belongs with the handful of creators who really gets the current Batfamily (especially Dick). In fact, the only others that come to mind at the moment are Morrison, Winick, and Nicieza. Maybe Dixon? Or Loeb circa 2000?

  22. Have not read yet however; the last issue was ok enough to keep me around and intrested.

  23. I’m gonna make another Bold Statement (Two in a row? You madman!!):

    This is so close to topping what Morrison and Quitely did for their first three issues.

    Now before you all freak out and type away how wrong I am (wouldn’t be the first time), let me explain. In two issues now, Tomasi and Gleason deliver a pitch perfect issue. There is not a single thing wrong here, for me anyways, with the storytelling, characterization, or art. Definitely the art is fucking gorgeous and Gleason needs to win some type of award right now. I’m not saying that what Morrison/Quitely did is no slouch, and I’d say it’s the the best arc so far of this series. But his new run for Tomasi/Gleason, if the last issue before they leave is just as perfect, will top over what the first ever arc did. It makes me even more mad that this is going to be replaced by Winick and March soon.

    5/5 (POTW) 

  24. @WheelHands  it wasn’t unusual that the Commish would twist his arm, that Damian allowed it to happen was what was off to me.  Dini and Frank Miller are my fave Bat-authors.

    I still think Tomasi is off on Damian after this ish, and I’m still not entirely used to Dick being in the cowl, still wish he took up his own mantle as someone else.  To me, Damian wouldn’t be so brat-ish like he is in this, and Dick wouldn’t call him ‘stupid.’  That to me is more like how harsh Bruce was always to Dick.

    Sorta weak costume for the White Knight, maybe there’ll be a reveal later.

    Some of the art in this could be framed though.

  25. I’d agree that Tomasi is doing a decent job of the character dynamics but beyond that I am just not seeing much here so far. Nothing going on in this issue really grabbed me. This should be the fast paced, high adventure book in the Bat line-up and instead it felt more like procedural.

    I have to admit I might think a little better of it if we weren’t getting much better Batman comics elsewhere at the moment.

    I’m not sure this series should have outlived Morrison’s run. Unless  it has big ideas and big action I am not sure why we need this book, especially with Damian showing up all over the place now.

  26. liking this book, in fact i am liking this a  lot more the batman INC.

  27. That one page was great.

  28. @TheNextChampion  Bold one! Those first few issues were in their own league. But I will agree that these first two issues are better than the Morrison run AFTER the first mini-arc.

  29. I thought this issue was just okay in the beggining but after hearing the killer’s motive I really started to get interested. A very good issue overall but tomasi needs to work on Damian’s voice a bit.( the son of the bat does not tweet)

  30. @HailScott: Yeah, in the end it will probably never top the perfectness that was the first arc with Quitely. But if I can say it comes close to it AND add it’s the most perfect arc since the first storyarc then I think it’s not too out there to have that opinion.

  31. @monkeypaw787  exactly, and when your trained from birth by the League of Assassins, you don’t act like a little spoiled brat.

  32. @TheNextChampion  I agree, and I would go even further and say it’s as good or maybe better. Heresy, I know, but I’m not a Quietly fan anyway! The story is great and the art on this issue KILLED. Really beautiful stuff. This definitely has the potential to top Morrison and Quietly on this title. Yes, it’s that good. It’s up to Tomasi, really, I don’t see the art suffering.

    Man, hard to pick between this, Punisher Max, and Generation Lost. All were 5 stars IMHO.

  33. I think I’m just not a Batman fan at this time. I’m off.

  34. @RoiVampire  I just read this current issue and am very pleased. No character contradictions that I could find. I’m back on board again. 

  35. I normally love tomasi but he has absolutely no grasp on Damien as a character, and writes Dick as if he’s still Nightwing. The art is the only thing that saves this issue. I was excited for this series but not anymore. 

  36. Well, I think the idea is that Dick would still be Nightwing if it wasn’t for Bruce’s “death,” but yea, I agree, Tomasi is off on both, but moreso with DamiAn.

    I don’t think any writer has gotten Dick as Batman down perfectly, think Dini has done the best at it, but maybe it’s because it is so inherently awkward for Dick to be Batman.  Ever since he decided to adopt his own persona as Nightwing, he started to separate himself from Bruce’s influence and take up his own identity.  Always felt like as Dick was growing as a character, he never was really meant to be Batman.

  37. i would say that the first issue of this run was pretty bad. The bat-boys hanging out and making milk shakes is stupid, camp and close to something adam west would do. Plus teh rest of that issue was poorly structured and made little sense.

    however, this issue was a huge leap forword in quality. the issue had a strong direction, some demented ideas. It was actually pretty good

    Alfred knows a lot about special K too.

  38. I enjoyed the movie nite scene from last issue, just like a lot of peeps liked the dining room scene in a recent issue of the New Avengers, it showed a different, more casual side of the Bat-fam.

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