Art: Andy Clarke, Lee Garbett, John Kalisz
Publisher: DC Comics
Thus far, it’s seems like the function of the Night of the Owls tie-ins found in the various bat books are there to illustrate just what a chaotic night this is turning out to be. All fine and good, but whereas that made Detective Comics a little more interesting, it makes Batman and Robin a little less so. Thus far, at the core of this series has been the relationship between Batman and Robin, between father and son. That disappears in Batman and Robin #9, and what we get instead is a Robin solo adventure. It’s a good solo adventure, but it lacks what has made this series special.
Setting aside that we’re missing the dynamic between this duo (see what I did there?), we do get some interesting insights into Robin’s character. We learn that he’s smart, he knows how to take charge and be in command, that he’s never really had a childhood, that he’s far more capable than just about any Robin who preceded him, and he’s willing to do what’s necessary to get the job done. We probably knew most of that already, but it’s still interesting to see it all in action. As for the Court of Owls and their unfolding plan, well, while this particular target has some interesting history, I never got much of a sense why he was such an important target. We were told that the Talons are out to kill the people who helped shape Gotham, but I don’t get what role this guy plays in all of that, aside from running Gotham’s military arm in the National Guard (which, I suppose, is pretty important).
Batman and Robin #9 doesn’t have anything wrong with it perse, it’s just that after so many months of delving deep into what makes Bruce and Damien tick not only under the masks, but as a father and son, this “run and gun” episode just seems a bit shallow in comparison. There’s some nifty action, a few insights into the character of Robin, but mostly it’s just another “stop the Talon before he gets the target” story.
Score: 4 of 7
A BIG thanks to Astro-Zombies for providing the material for this review. Learn more about them at astrozombies.com.
