Robin #15 – Joshua Williamson, Writer; Roger Cruz, Penciller; Norm Rapmund, Inker; Luis Guerrero, Colorist
Ray – 9/10
Ray: As Josh Williamson begins his final arc on Robin—the last of his current ongoing titles—it seems like most of the major plots have already been resolved. The League of Lazarus tournament is over, and the Shadow War has ended with casualties on both sides. Talia Al Ghul is in DEO custody, being interrogated by Cameron Chase—who makes the mistake of pushing the wrong buttons—and Damian returns home to Gotham to try to fit back into his family. These segments are a lot of fun, particularly an extended action segment where he fights against an army of criminal circus clowns who are very offended at the implication that they might be affiliated with the Joker. The banter between the various Bat-kids is a lot of fun—and one line by Cass will get a lot of people agreeing. But when they get word that Talia has broken out of custody, Batman and Robin have to spring back into action as partners.
The complex relationship between Damian and both his parents has been a big part of this series, and it’s good to see him finally get to address it. While it’s clear Bruce is the healthier parent for him, he also doesn’t seem to get that Damian is trying to unite the two sides of his heritage. There’s a twist this issue with Talia that is really promising and will likely play out in Dark Crisis down the line, and by the end of the issue Damian has returned back to Lazarus Island to work with Hawke on transforming the island into a new sort of retreat. It’s a great idea, and one that makes me think the characters from this title could be the anchors of a great new Teen Titans-like book. But one more story is coming, and it’s focusing on Flatline—whose mentor shows up at the end of the issue with a shocking reveal. From the start, this has been one of the most entertaining books in the DC lineup, and it looks like it’s ending with a bang.
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GeekDad received this comic for review purposes.
