Batman and Robin Vol. 1 (Review)
BATMAN AND ROBIN VOL.1
Writer: Peter J. Tomasi
Penciller: Patrick Gleason
Inkers: Mick Grey and Guy Major
Colorist: John Kalisz
Letterer: Patrick Brosseau
Publisher: DC Comics
Rating: 7/ 10 Titus's
I am a big fan of all things BatFam. I love all of Bruce’s kids and even though Damian Wayne isn’t necessarily a fan favorite, I still have a ton of adoration for that wild child. I was in the mood to read up on some of their early days of crime-fighting. So, I picked up Batman and Robin V.1 Born to Kill from Peter Tomasi, Patrick Gleason, Mick Grey, Guy Major, John Kalisz, and Patrick Brosseau.
I had an absolute blast reading this short trade paperback. It collects the first 8 issues of this run and since Tomasi did such a great job with pacing, it never misses a beat and you will fly through it. Peter effectively combined family drama between Bruce and Damian while creating an interesting new villain and mystery. The interactions we read illustrated just how disconnected Batman makes Bruce Wayne as a father. Damian, his biological son, has been trained from birth by Talia Al Ghul to be a ruthless assassin. At the age of 10, not only is he full of adolescent snark but he’s also filled with rage. Bruce is just trying to control Damian in a way that he believes is safest for everyone. To no one’s surprise, Bruce fails miserably. Tomasi greatly indulges in the theatrics of a masked vigilante not knowing how to open up to his completely angry killer 10-year-old. Bruce even gets Damian a dog, who he named Titus, and we get to start seeing them warm up to one another. It works so brilliantly while also being able to sprinkle in some humor.
Gleason, Gray, and Kalisz work together to bring some magic to the artwork. While this depiction of Bruce isn’t my favorite, this Batman is top-notch. I love the scenes where Bats is slightly hunched over while standing atop a perch. His cape is folding in on itself as it shrouds him in an air of danger. His eyes are blacked out and the panel is colored in burnt orange and rust red. The art so clearly helps define this particular version of Batman. I, also, thought that the character design for the book's villain, NoBody, was so cool. He’s got this helmet that features six red eyes down the middle and two to each side. He looks mysterious and alien-like. It’s very high-tech and sleek. The color scheme was extremely consistent throughout. I loved the blues, greys, blacks, oranges, and reds that made up the story. Whenever Damian was in a panel, your eyes couldn’t help but focus on him seeing as he’s green, yellow, and red outfit sticks out amongst the aforementioned colors.
Batman and Robin V.1 Born to Kill was a fun Bat book. It was exactly what I wanted. Its conflict was interesting. The color scheme was right up my alley. I thoroughly enjoyed the well-written familial drama between Bruce and Damian. Check this one out if you’re a fan of Damian Wayne like I am!