RED ROBIN #22

Review by: CaseyJustice

What did the
iFanboy
community think?

449
Pulls
Avg Rating: 3.4
 
Users who pulled this comic:
Users who reviewed this comic:
Written by FABIAN NICIEZA
Art by FREDDIE WILLIAMS II
Cover by GUILLEM MARCH

Size: 32 pages
Price: 2.99

I really enjoyed this issue, naming it my Pick of the Week. That said, I can totally understand why someone wouldn’t like it.

As part 2 of yet another Bat-crossover, this book drops us smack-dab in the middle of a story already in progress, with Batman, Catwoman and Red Robin being tested by an Omega-Level fundamentalist for the fate of Gotham. It’s a single chapter of a bigger arc, pushing Tim’s storyline out of his own book to make way for, some might say, an uninspired plot with uninteresting characters.

I, however, found this to be extremely compelling. The storyline, while not terribly groundbreaking, has an interesting angle, and the fact that everyone seems to recognize that these “tests” are merely a formality before Crusader destroys Gotham lends a sense of frustration and panic to the already frantic action of the issue.

What really worked for me, however, was Tim’s introspective narration throughout. We get to see Tim’s tactical thought process, hear his inner-quips and bemusings and we’re treated to more of the interesting character traits that Yost and Nicieza have brought to the character.

Beyond that, however, we get a very interesting look into the darker portions of Tim’s mind, analyzing that most ancient of philosophical questions: Is there a God? Against the backdrop of a challenge from a religious zealot, Tim must confront his own feelings about faith, as well as the curse of possessing such a powerful analytical mind. I think many of us can relate to Tim’s lament, wishing that we could believe so devoutly, as others do, but unable to take that leap in the face of the evidence before us.

Tim’s choice at the end, while seemingly foolish to some, establishes him as even more of a hero than I’d considered him before. Sometimes we forget that integrity and knowledge of self can be potent and realistic motivations in stories, without the need to fall into the cliched traps that so many writers fall into.

This book helped me get to know a character that I already loved in a very interesting and thought-provoking way, leaving me with questions of my own to ponder long after I’d put it down. And honestly, I can’t ask for more than that from any story.

Story: 5 - Excellent
Art: 4 - Very Good

Comments

  1. Great review.  Thanks, CaseyJustice!

Leave a Comment