It has been both a thrilling and frustrating ride for Peter J. Tomasi's Batman and Robin run. We had thirty-two issues so far which were then composed of seven story arcs (Born to Kill, Terminus, zombies, Death of the Family, Stages of Grief, Two-Face and McKinell, The Hunt for Robin).
Some have lived up to expectations and even became so much more while others were forgettable pieces that were better left not mentioning at all. Still, Tomasi has impressed us with his sheer insight on characterization and character interplay and his strongest stories to date are often those that I call 'emotionally resonant'. He was also responsible for the creation of the villains NoBody and Erin McKinell who truly come to their own; and, of course, the re-imagining of Harvey Dent's origin story as Two-Face which had more to offer than what was presented, and whose incomplete tale will probably be picked up soon enough.
In this final issue for The Hunt for Robin, we get the last confrontation between Batman and Ra's as they fight over Damian's corpse. Batman just wants to bury his son in peace but Ra's still has his eyes set on world domination and he needs Damian and his daughter Talia by his side to accomplish that goal. Frankenstein had accompanied Batman in the last issue and here we saw him being a very efficient and supportive partner (which actually makes me hope that he can appear in other stories after this because I really enjoy the compassion and understanding that he and Batman share in just a short span of pages last time). This was a great issue thought not something I would consider Tomasi's finest. The illustrations were beguiling, showcasing one of the most exciting fight sequence between Batman and Ra's, in my opinion, as they take turns brutally smashing each other on ice while Frankie and the league of assassins (and man-bats) look on, not daring to interrupt this epic battle.
While I was reading this, I wondered if Ra's is as selfish and calculating as he claims to be. For some reason, I feel like he is grieving in his own twisted way and that there is still that human part of him that misses his daughter and grandson and so reviving them is also his way of perhaps making up for the times he was less than admirable as a father and grandfather. But I could probably be just reading into it; but it would be great if there's that sympathetic aspect to Ra's, not that I mind him simply being just a relentless immortal with a one-track mind for world conquest. Unfortunately enough, the combat gets interrupted in the most timely fashion. Some jackass villain Apokolips (from the Supervillains storyline following the events of Forever Evil, I believe) appeared and it was really annoying because the story is said to be continuing on two separate issues: Red Dawn and Robin Rises Omega, the latter whose release on July 16 is something I look forward to.
This issue had great action and a serviceable conclusion (with a surprise cliffhanger).
RECOMMENDED: 7/10
Now this I like. If there was one character I would like to see again, it would be Frankenstein. I actually enjoyed his appearance in Batman and Red Robin issue #19 where he said one of my favorite lines in the Tomasi run ("I am watching a man racked with pain look for light in a world gone dark") which summarizes Batman any other given day, really. Understandably, when he crossed paths with Batman again for this story, he was not that pleased. After all, Batman did chop him into pieces in a failed attempt at resurrecting his son Damian. So clearly, no lost love between these two whatsoever. But I did find it quite endearing that all that Frankie (yup, calling him that in this review from now on) requires from Batman at this point is a simple apology which Batman was more than willing enough to provide.
So the team-up commences and it was so goddamn fun to see them interact, help each other and kick ass together.
There was something organic to this team-up too and definitely my absolute favorite (though I also liked Batman's association with Aquaman in the first installment). This second team-up should prove once and for all that the Dark Knight does and can play well with others especially if there is a common, personal goal shared. Frankie's own problem was very moving and his choice of isolation from people is something I know Batman can relate to very well especially the burden that comes along with that decision. There is enough compassion between these two that allowed them to work successfully together and that's the only thing that should matter in any superhero team-ups.
Though The Hunt for Robin is a pretty standard storyline, it does give readers an opportunity to see Batman work with other people and actually be a human being for once and share his feelings every now and then without Tomasi overdoing it. The confrontation with Ra's Al Ghul in the end is a cliffhanger, seeing as we have one issue left and that could only mean Ra's will not have a chance to escape at last and there needs to be a goddamn showdown between him and Bats. Yeah, you're a formidable badass who is also an immortal with a searing vision for what the world should be, but you don't just take a man's son like that and expect no serious repercussions coming your way.
The artist for this issue is Doug Mahnke and his action panels were quite entertaining. I like the definition and detail in his illustrations. I hardly even notice Gleason's absence because Mahnke was able to get comfortable in taking that mantle quite well. Overall, great issue and I can't wait for the conclusion!
RECOMMENDED: 8/10
Our caped crusader continues his pursuit of Ra's Al Ghul in the second installment of The Hunt for Robin and this time he was accompanied by no other than the princess of the Amazons, Wonder Woman, as they travel to Paradise Island. The other amazons were not very warm and hospitable on their reception--especially Aleka. Batman was not welcome because he is a man but Wonder Woman was quick to stand up for him, beseeching her sisters to allow him to navigate the island since he believes that Ra's himself has acquired the means to discover the secret location of the Amazons, and will use the island's well-kept secret for his nefarious plans.
This issue was almost like an echo of what happened in the previous story with Aquaman although this had the tendency of being self-advertising. Wonder Woman would go into some sort of expository dialogue every now and then in case the one who's reading this comic book will be interested in picking up her title. It didn't bother me because I was presently not enticed because I haven't heard that many great things about Brian Azzarello's run, especially the way he changed WW's origin story. But then again, Tomasi might be, er, "auditioning" since Azzarello is leaving the WW title soon. It's only slightly jarring to the story being told and I would've preferred Bruce and Diana being friendlier at least. I've always enjoyed their relationship in the cartoon version. I was hoping for something akin to that, but everything is very business-like with these two.
The more I think about it, the more I realize this is almost just like what went down on the Aquaman issue and it's a repetitive sequence of Batman pursuing Ra's with the help of a JLA member, they find him, fight scenes commence, but Ra's escape, so onto the next venture. I wished that kind of formulaic storytelling should be a one-time thing only so it didn't work the second time around for this issue which is disappointing. I did like the brief shared moment between Bruce and Diana at the end when they were discussing about shadows and light. That was really the only part of this comic book I connected with in an emotional level. Too bad.
With Aquaman, I got a glimpse of a possible team-up again in the future with Batman because they worked quite efficiently together--there could be a friendship and camaraderie between them (without the drama that Batman has with Superman sometimes) if given enough time someday. With Wonder Woman, it felt stiff and sort of one-note as if they had no relationship with each other whatsover (they had tension and arguments between them in the past so I don't know why they act in this issue as if they have only met the first time. These two have worked more than once together and it hasn't always been that pleasant but it didn't show here with the way Tomasi wrote them. It's really just like they shared a cab). However, perhaps Diana is walking on eggshells in respect to Bruce's loss of his son? We'll never really know.
In just a span of 32 issues plus an annual special, Batman and Robin New 52 writer Peter J. Tomasi has done it all. Some of his stories were quite excellent, some were fairly average while others could have and should have been better.
Now we have come to the last four issues of his run for now, a story arc entitled The Hunt for Robin. Since the loss of Damian Wayne, said Robin and the one and only son of Bruce himself, Batman has teamed up with other titular characters in the B&R run which became more of Batman And _______. This story arc is no exception. In the first installment of the Hunt, fellow Justice League-er Aquaman shares the pages with our Dark Knight. I quite enjoyed this issue because these two actually make a good team, who would've thought? Tomasi also wastes no time diving straight into the action. Batman is underwater with the dog Titus, having a conversation with Alfred which is also expository for the readers' benefit. He came across Aquaman who explained to him that there was also trouble in the ocean so the two decided to go together to see if there is a connection with what they were both after.
It's worth noting that this picked up after the events in Batman and Two-Face story arc so there was a mention of Two-Face's disappearance at the very first page but Batman was quick to say that his attention has now zeroed-in on Ra's Al Ghul who had desecrated Damian's grave and took the boy's corpse alongside his daughter Talia so he can find a way to resurrect both. It sounds like a solid plan but then again, this is Ra's and he not only wants to bring his relatives back to life; he also plans to get them under his complete control so they can all reinforce the Al Ghul legacy. Of course, Batman is not going to let this happen so he pursues Ra's with the expected relentlessness of a father who just wants his son to rest in peace now that he had finally grieved him properly.
Aquaman and Batman really got things done in this issue. They were very comfortable and supportive of each other every step of the way and it makes me wonder why they can't be better friends in the JLA run for New 52. Now I just want to see more of them together because there's a level of respect here that I have not encountered before.
This is a great issue. Nothing momentous but the story was evenly paced and the hunt to get Damian's body back for burial seems to be more than just that. Maybe it has something to do with the announcement pertaining to the possibility of bringing back Damian. As a fan of the boy, I wouldn't want anything else to happen but just that. And this is comics after all. Anyone can come back as long as the writing can make room for it. However, I think it's too soon. I think we should give it another year because his death did have an impact on the Batverse and the readers and they should live with that death for two more years before we get Damian back in what I hoped would be a legendary comeback story.
RECOMMENDED: 8/10
