Double-Sized Issue Comic Blog!

*This article contains spoilers for Batman and Robin #1 (2023)*

The dynamic duo are back at it! Batman and Robin begin a new chapter in Gotham City—a chapter away from the mansion and away from bat-family conventions. But what is in store for the caped crusader and his right-hand man?

Batman and Robin have both been through much—the death of Alfred, the Lazarus rains, the knight terrors—and Bruce Wayne recognizes the toll this has taken on Damian. Even more importantly, Bruce wants Damian to have the childhood he never had, the childhood full of friends and teenage experiences. And so, Bruce wants Damian to attend Gotham City school. But before that, he and Batman show off their perfectly balanced partnership in a brawl with some criminals. 

This book shows the perfect coordination between Batman and Robin, and while those two are perfect, Bruce and Damian are still learning how to be father and son. But things are changing. Bruce’s paranoia towards Damian is dwindling—he doesn’t even check his tea for poison. It also pays a nice tribute to Alfred by Damian fixing food in Alfred’s fashion. And the story ends with Batman being dosed with some kind of fear toxin or some other drug which affects his perception of reality. 

As Batman became vulnerable to a drug, it reminded me of a few other times when Batman fell vulnerable. Batman: Hush (2002), where someone cut Batman’s line as he traveled from rooftop to rooftop. He fell from above and landed with broken bones. A common Bat trope is exposing the Batman’s vulnerability. The classic because he’s Batman argument is nullified. Some moments when Batman fell vulnerable began some of the great bat epics; Batman: Hush (2002), Batman: Knightfall (1993), Final Crisis (2008), not to mention Grant Morrison’s Batman of Zur En Arrh—all of which started with the Batman being compromised, with his closest confidants filling his shoes. Does this mean Damian will become a Batman? Will this change the future Batman of Bethlehem timeline? Will this be the next great epic? It remains to be seen!

Overall, it was an explosive first issue! Highly recommend this book for Bat fans and the casual reader trying to get into Batman.

4 out of 5 stars

Recommended reading: Batman: Hush (2002), get ready for a new epic by reviewing an old one!

…also Robin has a new car!