The newly minted Robin meets the Justice League… and their sidekicks! Your Major Spoilers review of Robin and Batman #2 from DC Comics awaits!
ROBIN AND BATMAN #2
Writer: Jeff Lemire
Artist: Dustin Nguyen
Colorist: Dustin Nguyen
Letterer: Steve Wands
Editor: Ben Abernathy
Publisher: DC Comics
Cover Price: $3.99
Release Date: December 15, 2021
Previously in Robin & Batman: Dick Grayson is struggling in his training to be Robin, and the Batman decides the young man needs a break… and takes him to meet the Justice League! In an awe-inspiring moment, he meets the World’s Greatest Heroes… and their sidekicks!
Will these teen titans get along?
I HATE JOKES ABOUT DICK’S NAME
Robin and Batman #2 opens with young Dick Grayson trying to distract himself with facts about Robins. It quickly becomes clear that he’s trying to ignore a group of bullies who are harassing him, but when the matter turns physical, he quickly beats down all four of his tormentors in moments. Unfortunately, the headmaster doesn’t believe his story of being bullied, as he is unharmed and the other boys are injured, leading Alfred to deal with the matter, including the insulting implication that Bruce only adopted the boy to look good for the media. Alfred, on the other hand, believes our young Robin, and takes him home for a birthday dinner, only to have Batman inform them that they have a mission. Robin and Batman teleport up to the Justice League satellite, where they meet not only the team (the full League of the satellite-era, no less, including Firestorm) but their sidekicks, the children who would be Titans. Left behind while their parents and guardians go on a mission, the five sidekicks are bored, until Robin tells the others that he has a way that they could NOT be bored…
WONDERFUL ART AND COLORING
First and foremost, we have to mention this issue’s art: It is STUNNING. Nguyen’s watercolor stylings manage to be classical and interesting, but never muddy or dark. Even the parts with a certain Killer Croc in the shadows are layered and full of life and color. The sequence wherein the Titans teleport off the satellite and fight crime together are the best Teen Titans comics DC has put out since about 2011, and a full-page shot of Bronze Age Hawkman and Hawkwoman is just breathtaking. The story is also nicely handled, especially what happens when we find out what Batman was REALLY up to. (No spoilers, but… Alfred calls him a bastard, so you know it’s serious.) Lemire’s take on Robin is truly impressive, making it clear that this is a Dick Grayson who could/will grow up to be his own man, but also making it clear the kind of affect Batman is having on the young boy. His leadership role among the Titans is nice, as well as his first impressions of the JLA and his future teammates. Add in an ominous ending involving the Calculator, and you’ve got a very good issue.
BOTTOM LINE: IT’LL MAKE YOU HATE BATMAN
Honestly, the only thing keeping this from being note-perfect is how cold and calculating Batman is, as Robin and Batman #2 makes me hate him, and even though that’s the point of it all, it’s still grating, but Nguyen’s visuals and the strong story still rate 4.5 out of 5 stars overall. It’s a really good book and while there’s no such thing as continuity any longer, it’d be nice if this were the definitive tale of Robin’s early days in the Batcave.
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ROBIN & BATMAN #2
The timeline is confounding, but the characterization is wonderful, and the swerve(s) at the end are unexpected. Add in beautiful art, and you've got yourself a winner.
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Writing7
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Art10
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Coloring10
Once upon a time, there was a young nerd from the Midwest, who loved Matter-Eater Lad and the McKenzie Brothers... If pop culture were a maze, Matthew would be the Minotaur at its center. Were it a mall, he'd be the Food Court. Were it a parking lot, he’d be the distant Cart Corral where the weird kids gather to smoke, but that’s not important right now... Matthew enjoys body surfing (so long as the bodies are fresh), writing in the third person, and dark-eyed women. Amongst his weaponry are such diverse elements as: Fear! Surprise! Ruthless efficiency! An almost fanatical devotion to pop culture! And a nice red uniform.