If you’ve got an hour or so and want to listen to four nerds sit down and talk about The Dark Knight Rises, well, here’s your chance. Spoiler free, but with plenty of opinions about Christopher Nolan‘s final Bat-film, it’s time for the Four Color Freak-Out.
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Dark Knight Freak-Out Read More »
While Damian pays Jason Todd an unexpected visit to teach him a lesson about who the best Robin really is, Terminus has his sidekicks (the unfortunately named Scallop and Bootface) branding citizens of Gotham with the bat-symbol to get Batman‘s attention.
Whether intentional or not the branding the city definitely makes you think Christopher Nolan’s second Bat-film (especially when buildings of Gotham start having burning bat-symbols in them – just like the posters for The Dark Knight). I doubt it’s a coincidence this comic hit the stands one week before The Dark Knight Rises opens in theaters.
As to Damian, who appears to be back in full on spoiled little-shit mode despite the tease that he might grow up a bit after the failure with Nobody, it’s an interesting choice for him to view Todd (the Robin he’s most like) with such contempt. I’ll be interested to see what action the Red Hood might take in retaliation. Although the crowbar sequence is in bad taste, it certainly fits this version of the character. Hit-and-Miss.
[DC, $2.99]
Batman and Robin #11 Read More »
The “Court of Owls” storyline mercifully comes to an end here as Batman faces off against the head of the Court of Owls, a mad man who believes himself to be Bruce Wayne’s brother. Although Snyder backtracks a bit from last month’s reveal of the real identity of Lincoln March as Thomas Wayne, Jr. things are left far from settled as the issue, and arc, come to a close.
Most of the issue is little more than Batman and March (in some knock-off Iron Man armor the Court must have just had laying around) fighting around the rooftops of Gotham as March endlessly drones on about his right to the Wayne name, fortune and legacy.
Not surprisingly, the issue ends with Batman knowing that March was likely lying but unable to prove for certain. We also get scene between Bruce and Dick to smooth over the whole Batman cold cocking him thing and another chapter in the truly awful back-up story involving Alfred‘s father. Pass.
[DC, $3.99]
“War of the Robins” begins as Damian assembles all of Batman‘s former sidekicks together (minus, of course, a still un-rebooted Stephanie Brown) and announces his plans to defeat each of them proving himself to be the best Robin. He begins, not surprisingly with his most heated rival, Tim Drake.
The story certainly fits the character who has a need to live up to the legacy and prove himself worthy of the mantle (which, in Damian’s dickish mind means showing up each of the previous Boy Wonders). I’m also glad to see, at least in one of the other Bat-titles (other than Red Hood and the Outlaws), Jason Todd is sticking around for at least an issue or two.
The comic’s other storyline introduces a new villain named Terminus who prepares to kill the Batman before his own demise. Nothing special here, and Terminus is certainly overshadowed by all the Robins appearing in the same panel together for the first time in the New 52 (although we still haven’t gotten Batman and Red Hood together, yet). Worth a look.
[DC, 2.99]
Batman and Robin #10 Read More »
Um… what? Writer Scott Snyder joins Jeph Loeb (who invented Bruce Wayne’s childhood friend turned super-villain) and Grant Morrison (who basically has carte blanche to do whatever the hell he wants concerning Batman and his history including turning him into 1970’s Tony Stark) in writing a major departure for the character that gives Bruce Wayne… a brother?
Batman (and several more victims than initially believed) have survived the “Night of the Owls.” Batman tracks the Court of Owls back to their base where he discovers they have apparently taken their own lives to escape justice.
However, Batman learns the truth as he discovers Lincoln March is alive and responsible… and claims he is Bruce Wayne’s brother?? And, given the back-up story (which appears to support his claim) it might even be true. Stop the merry-go-round, I want to get off. Snyder better have one hell of a twist up his sleeve to try and salvage what, apparently, this whole arc was leading up to. Pass.
[DC, $3.99]
