I was a massive fan of the first volume Batman Reborn because those six issues are probably the most insanely crafted storylines I have ever read in a Batman series, and yet they were also able to impart something resonant when it comes to characterizations and thematic conflicts. I originally intended to only read the first volume this year but since I have a week to spare before I get started on my December list, I decided to just jump right into the next six issues and I was glad I did because it was the most fun I had, particularly when everything about the stories just clicks with me easily.
There wasn't anything of notable depth for this volume. In fact, most of the plot ideas are plain silly but it's the kind of silly that entertains. Morrison was not pretentious in delivering these action-packed tales which I quite appreciated because it kept everything light-hearted and exciting for me to follow. I don't even notice that it's not Bruce Wayne underneath that cowl but Dick Grayson.
This is set after the events of Final Crisis where Bruce Wayne was presumed dead. It's in this volume when it was revealed that he is very much alive and was merely transported by Darkseid to some alternate dimension, and it's up to Dick, Damian and Alfred to find and retrieve him, but not without complications and the other more important missions to face as the Dynamic Duo.
The inarguable bonus for me in picking up this series was the fact that I'm able to enjoy Damian Wayne as Robin again after the months of heartache I experienced when he was tragically killed by Morrison himself (something I'm slowly forgiving him for these days) in Batman Incorporated. Due to his year-long absence and death in the New 52 continuity, I tried my best to avoid any material that included him for a while. Choosing to read him again in the comic book pages is honestly an act of courage, and a step towards accepting him back in my life as a beloved favorite character. I know this all sounds laughable to you, but I love Damian Wayne in a way I never thought was possible (because it was unexpected!) so losing him was like losing my own family. That's not an exaggerated sentiment. That's how it felt like when I watched him die. I had to grieve him alongside Batman and the rest of his friends as I read and reviewed Tomasi issues as dutifully as I could six months ago. That wasn't an easy task to do. It was a very masochistic endeavor. I even cried a lot.
Now I was absolutely torn about him coming back in Tomasi's run but reading him here in Morrison's own version has made me realize how much I've missed him after all, and that I do look forward to reading him again in New 52. This volume's last issue (#12) provided a very insightful and brutally honest look at Damian's relationship wit his mother Talia al Ghul. I've talked about it in this review, so I won't repeat myself. You can just read it by clicking the link. Overall, if you are a Damian Wayne fan yourself, then I recommend Morrison's Batman and Robin. It's fun, comedic and surprisingly sweet in some ways. This one was illustrated by two artists, Cameron Stewart and Andy Clarke for the respective two story arcs. There is a lot of dynamic and tantalizing panels and action sequences in their artwork which I guarantee will keep you engrossed as you turn the pages.
I am ready for more Batman and Robin stories both from the old and new continuity!
RECOMMENDED: 8/10
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