Batman and Robin #12 – Joshua Williamson, Writer; Juan Ferreyra, Artist
Ray – 9/10
Ray: As Joshua Williamson prepares to wrap up his run on this title and make way for Phillip Kennedy Johnson, he rips back open the biggest wound between father and son – the death of Alfred Pennyworth at the hands of Bane. Batman and Robin have headed to Dinosaur Island where Bane has holed up, and have met up with Nobody – one of Damian’s first allies from way back in Patrick Gleason’s run. But Bane isn’t alone on the island – he’s joined by Vengeance, the “daughter”/clone who was introduced in the Joker series a few years back and has now reunited with her father – and wants to protect him as much as Damian wants him dead. Damian is starting to backslide in a way we haven’t seen in a while, driven by his grief and guilt, and it’s clear that this is something Bruce isn’t exactly ready to deal with. Even amid the over-the-top action scenes, it’s a great way to ground the issue emotionally.
The best part of this issue, by far, is the flashback segments to the key moments of Damian and Alfred’s relationship. They’re told in reverse, starting with the last time Damian and Alfred spoke before his death, followed by Damian joining the Teen Titans in Rebirth, the two of them discussing Bruce’s “death” in Batman RIP, and finally, their first interaction when Damian was a prickly child assassin who saw no value in this new family. It’s a great way to set the emotional stakes for this story high, by showing exactly how much Alfred meant to a kid who rarely opened up to anyone, and it makes Damian’s choice at the end of the issue much more impactful. But things are never as simple as that, and an unexpected character makes a move at the end of the issue that sets up a huge battle – as well as a very disturbing visual. This should be a great finale next issue as Williamson delivers his swan song.
To find reviews of all the DC issues, visit DC This Week.
GeekDad received this comic for review purposes.
