Robin & Batman #2 – Jeff Lemire, Writer; Dustin Nguyen, Artist
Ray – 9.5/10
Ray: Is it any surprise that Lemire and Nguyen are putting out another masterpiece? Last issue cast the origin of Robin in a whole new light, portraying the trauma that both Dick and Bruce are carrying much more vividly than any past version. That carries over to the start of this issue, as Dick lashes out at bullies and gets in trouble at school, with Alfred bailing him out and trying to make peace between him and Bruce after Bruce’s intrusion last issue. Bruce himself seems to be improving, letting Dick come along on a Justice League mission for the first time on his birthday. While Dick will be staying behind at the tower while the team (minus a cranky Hawkman on monitor duty) heads out, that comes with its own perk—getting to meet the other sidekicks for the first time. This seems a bit of a retcon, as Dick was the first kid sidekick in most versions, but this is probably the best version of the original Teen Titans I’ve seen in a long time.
The characters are more famous for their iconic college-aged versions as brought to life by the inimitable Wolfman and Perez, but here they’re younger and still finding their footing. Roy convinces the kids to sneak out and take on their own missions, battling villains like the Royal Flush Gang while their mentors are in another galaxy. These splash pages of their mission are some of the best artwork Nguyen has done in a while. But just as we’re lulled into a false sense of security, Bruce reveals the true purpose of this little night out for Robin—and it’s a gut punch that continues to show that this version of Batman is a troubled man. The relationship between Bruce and Alfred is surprisingly caustic here at times as well, and Alfred’s frustration is palpable. The ongoing subplot of Killer Croc’s interest in the surviving Grayson is intriguing, as this three-part series continues to establish itself as a modern classic.
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GeekDad received this comic for review purposes.
