BATMAN AND ROBIN #21

Review by: glwarm76

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Avg Rating: 3.8
 
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Written by PETER J. TOMASI
Art by PATRICK GLEASON & MICK GRAY
Cover by PATRICK GLEASON
Variant Cover by GENE HA

Size: 32 pages
Price: 2.99

Batman and Robin is an interesting series. The first arc of the series with Morrison and Quietly was an instant classic. Subsequent arcs proved less successful because of the rotating cast of artists that were polarizing to say the least. Despite the inconsistent art, Morrison’s ability to effectively write Dick, Damien, and their relationship kept the book on most reader’s pull-lists, my own included. Unfortunately, ever since Morrison left this book has been in a tail spin. The last arc was terribly written and drawn, and felt inconsequential. I was willing to look past Morrison leaving the series and the unbearable Cornell arc because Tomasi and Glearson were coming on board. Tomasi and Gleason were a top-tier creative team on GLC and Tomasi had a solid run on Nightwing before it was cancelled. Unfortunately, after the second issue of this arc, I’m dropping Batman and Robin. Why? Well, its not the art, which I admit is beautiful and continues to show that Gleason is an incredibly underappreciated artist, it is Tomasi’s inability to write these characters or tell an interesting story. Tomasi writes Dick as Nightwing, instead of Batman, and Damien as an annoying child, instead of a character that doesn’t know what it means to be a child. It’s as if Tomasi had this arc planned for Nightwing before its cancellation, and figured that he could use the arc here. Unfortunately, Tomasi is clearly mistaken. I’m not one to drop a book on a whim but after a slew of inconsistent artists kept Morrison’s run from reaching its full potential, enduring Cornell’s arc, I cannot justify reading this book anymore. I love Damien as a character and would love to continue reading more stories about him, but the Robin in this book is not Damien Wayne, so I’ll take my $2.99 and put it elsewhere.

Story: 1 - Poor
Art: 4 - Very Good

Comments

  1. If this series is gonna work it needs a solid foundation with a writer artist team for at least 12 issues. This just doesn’t read like the same characters that we’ve been following the last year or so in Batman and Robin. Especially compared to the first and last Morrison arc with Quietly and Irving it’s pretty weak. Damian here kind of reminds me of an adult comedian doing an impression of a teenager in a stand up comedy bit? ZOMG BATMAN STFU EYE TWEET U L8R K?

  2. Agreed, damien wouldn’t tweet.

  3. Dude, it’s DAMIAN.

    That’s a great way to put it, Damian was raised by the League of Assassins from birth, so yea, he really wouldn’t know what it means to be a child, I don’t think that’s been explored enuf in him, or writer’s have missed out on the opportunity to do so.

    Dick was a little off as well in this I agree, but I think it also could be argued that Dick is still Nightwing, but just in Batman’s cowl, and he too is still trying to learn the ropes and evolve as a character in his new role.  I think it isn’t just Tomasi’s failures to write Dick as Batman, but the inherent awkwardness us readers feel to see Dick as Batman, so it sets up any writer to fail from the start in a way.

    Gleason’s art in this will be enuf for me to stay on, and the storyline is entertaining enuf, but it pains me to see Damian being missused in this, might lead readers to misunderstand the character as he should be known as one of the most exciting new characters in comicdom now. 

  4. I don’t agree that a consistent artist team is nessary on this title.  A 3 issue arc from Cornell, followed by a 3 issue arc by Tomasi, followed by a 3 issue arc by Winick, ad infinitum, COULD work, if the characterization was consistent.  The major issue with Tomasi’s arc is his lack of understanding of Damian.  I agree with the reviewer that Tomasi is writing a Nightwing story, which fails to recognize the growth that Dick has experienced in the last year.  Honestly, I am glad that Tomasi’s run will only be three issues, as opposed to what I think was initially supposed to be a longer run.  I cannot wait for this run to end so that we can move onto something that will hopefully be better. 

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