| Title | : | Batman Robin, Vol. 1: Batman Reborn |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | 1401225667 |
| ISBN-10 | : | 9781401225667 |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Hardcover |
| Number of Pages | : | 168 |
| Publication | : | First published April 13, 2010 |
| Awards | : | Goodreads Choice Award Graphic Novels & Comics (2010) |
Collecting: Batman & Robin 1-6
Batman Robin, Vol. 1: Batman Reborn Reviews
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(A-) 80% | Very Good
Notes: A buddy-cop horror show in pulpy technicolor, it finds voice in freakish foes, bloody violence and twisted reflection. -
Beware villains! Here comes Batman & Robin!
This TPB edition collects "Batman & Robin" #1-6 featuring two storylines: "Batman Reborn" and "Revenge of the Red Hood".
Creative Team:
Writer: Grant Morrison
Illustrators: Frank Quitely & Philip Tan
LEGACY AND SYNERGY
I enjoyed comic book runs where the "status quo" is challenged, therefore I knew that I will like a lot this title where Dick Grayson now is Batman and Damian Wayne became the new Robin.
So, it's Batman & Robin, but not the usual crimefighter partners that people used to think when they hear those names.
Batman was "dead" (due the events in Final Crisis), so, after the Battle for the Cowl event in the Batman titles,...
...Dick Grayson took the mantle of Batman, becoming the new protector of Gotham City and taking Damian Wayne as his Robin.
Even having a flying Batmobile!
Bruce Wayne (before his "death") had been dealing with Damian Wayne as a potential Robin in the Batman and Son storyline, but tensions were too explosive and they weren't able to work together, however, while Dick/Damian synergy wasn't peaches and cakes, they were developing a better dynamics (pun intended) in its own version of the caped crusaders, since while Bruce/Damian was a clear father/son relationship that never it's something easy to deal with, in the case of Dick/Damian, while they didn't share blood, they were indeed like "brothers" and that was the key change in this new Dynamic Duo, to make them a better crime fighting formula.
Dick Grayson isn't Bruce Wayne, so while he is taking the mantle, certainly you can't expect him to behave just like good ol' Brucie, since Dick has different ways to deal with stuff, so it's good to have a fresh new kind of Batman not so grimm, still with a detective brilliant mind, but not so tortured, and while Commisioner Gordon and the GCPD officers didn't tell it aloud, they know that this is a different Batman...
...and they are receiving him with pleasantness.
Also, I was quite glad of reading this run, since I knew Batman through the 1966 TV series and Superfriends (along with both Filmation cartoon series too!) so, to me, it wasn't just Batman (like he was doing in the comic books at those times) but it was Batman AND Robin, the Dynamic Duo! So, while nowadays I have no problem to read stories with Batman going solo, I always think that it was cool to have both of them in the action.
QUITELY FINALLY GOT IT
I saw sad that Frank Quitely only did the inner art of the first three issues (while he kept doing more covers in the run), since while in some previous works I had been too critical of his tendency to make everybody too chubby, here, in Batman & Robin, Quitely seemed like finally understood that people have different body types.
It was a gorgeous artwork!
NEW VILLAINS, OLD RELATIVES
This exciting run of Batman & Robin introduces us to several new villains (along the run) and in this first TPB, you'll meet the insane Professor Pyg and his twisted experiments, that certainly he is one of the best new additions to the Batman's Rogue Gallery in the recent years.
Also, you'll meet The Flamingo, that while he is indeed a dangerous killer...
...sorry, I can't take seriously a professional hitman...
...wearing pink. Sorry. Nope.
And about old "relatives" of the Bat-Family...
...you can bet that if Dick Grayson is wearing the mantle of Batman, you won't have Jason Todd far away, in fact, Red Hood (Jason Todd) is back, doing what he considers that Bruce and Dick never had the stomach to do, to keep safe Gotham City's streets...
...and now he is having a sidekick!!!
Batman & Robin vs Red Hood & Scarlet!!!
Bring it on!!! -
The Dynamic Duo are back – Batman and Robin? No, Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely - ‘ray!
Batman’s “dead”! I know, I know, le sigh, cue eye-rolling, etc. But after his “death” in Final Crisis, a lot of great comics followed: The Return of Bruce Wayne, this great series as well as Scott Snyder’s The Black Mirror, culminating with Batman Incorporated. While Bruce is temporarily away, Dick Grayson steps up to don the cowl and become the new Batman with surly sidekick Damian Wayne as his Robin.
Grant Morrison gives Dick a suitable first adventure as Batman by sending him against a disturbing new adversary: Professor Pyg and his Circus of Strange. Remember Dick grew up in the circus? Nice touch. It’s like a circle, reminding the man he is now (Batman) of the boy he once was (Robin).
Pyg is a very sinister villain. Morrison warps the traditionally campy nature of Batman’s villains – an overweight guy in a pig mask calling himself Professor Pyg - with some dark twists. Pyg fuses plastic masks onto peoples’ faces, wiping out their identity and turning them into his Dollotrons, mindless slaves to do his bidding. Morrison has him do this horrible (and kinda funny) striptease with power drills to sexy disco music as he worships his “mummy made of nails” (who only he can hear). When the GCPD catch up with him, he starts screaming for them to hit him some more – very fucked up and creepy!
Identity is the theme of this book. Dick is wary about stepping into Bruce’s boots, not least because he never wanted to be Batman anyway (“The cape was the first thing I ditched when I got out on my own. I’m way off balance!”). But he does his duty because he’s the right choice and to honour Bruce’s memory. Morrison wrote a great Bruce and an even better Damian – who’s difficult towards Dick at first but gradually respects him as Batman (“Did you just save my life?”) – but he also wrote a terrific Dick Grayson.
Despite all the shit Damian gives him, he says to a sympathetic Alfred in the cave, “Who’s gonna save him if we don’t?” What a great guy – that’s why he was the best Robin! Also, after being partnered to Damian’s stoic father for so many years, he’s bound to be more patient than most to the standoffish brat.
Morrison’s Alfred continues to be the best. Not only does he rustle up some amazing snacks (chicken and jalapeno sandwiches - recipe, now!) for his boys but the scenes between him and Dick were brilliant. He’s there to dispel Dick’s doubts about Damian (“If anyone can bring out the best in the boy, it will be you, I have no doubt,”) and the pep talk he gives Dick to help make him feel better about his new role as Batman is wonderful.
A new character called Sasha continues the identity theme. She’s one of Pyg’s victims who has a Dollotron mask put on her – Damian is unable to save her when he attempts stopping Pyg solo, another sign that he needs Batman, Robin’s other half – and she ends up adopting the new name of Scarlet. Like Dick and Batman’s cowl, a mask is forced upon her and she must deal with this unwanted new identity.
Scarlet is one of the few parts of the book that aren’t great. Sure she underlines the book’s theme but, when she becomes Red Hood’s new sidekick, she too quickly becomes a capable fighter. She’s just an ordinary Russian girl but suddenly she can hold her own against the likes of Damian, a kid who’s been trained to be a ninja from birth?!
Speaking of Red Hood, Morrison’s Jason Todd (aka the second Robin) is far more vicious than the less intense character he is these days. Back then he was still pretty much an evil bastard, guns blazing, knives out, killing criminals – he’s a bit jarring here if you’re used to the more mellow guy he is now.
But he’s a fine inclusion, not just because this is a book about the Robins but because Jason serves as a counterpoint to Dick, showing Damian what happens when you step over the line and begin taking lives. Jason’s a cautionary tale of Batman gone wrong.
Frank Quitely is one of my favourite artists so of course I loved his work on this title. Besides drawing the brilliant covers, he draws the first arc of the series, the Pyg storyline, and everything looks perfect. The new Batmobile is an amazing design, switching from road driving to flying, oh, why can’t these exist in real life?! I love his Damian’s tight-lipped scowl when he’s talking with Dick (a smiling Batman, I love it!), who’s kind of forced into the role of stepfather trying to get his stepson to like him. It’s all very cute, especially when you see Dick acting like Bruce as Batman in the Gordon scenes (who immediately knows it’s not the usual Batman).
It’s a shame Quitely doesn’t draw the whole book. Philip Tan takes over in the second half and it’s a little too much, a bit too busy – the pages look especially crazy frenetic compared to the Zen-like space of Quitely’s layouts – but it’s superficial flashiness sort of fits Jason Todd’s trying-too-hard approach to a T.
Flamingo is a bit of a crap villain. He’s the obligatory unifying one-note bad guy that Dick, Jason and Damian have to beat at the end of the book. He wears pink, he doesn’t talk, and he’s apparently super-tough. Hmm. He was a quirky addition in Batman #666 but proves to be just as insubstantial in a longer story as a short.
Despite Scarlet/Flamingo/Philip Tan’s art, I really enjoyed re-reading this book of Dick Grayson Batman stories – he was an outstanding Batman. He’s a perfect fit with Damian too, a younger man than Bruce, closer in age to Damian, a surrogate big brother, and you can see they’ve got great chemistry together. Even though I knew it wouldn’t last, I still found it disappointing when Bruce returned to become Batman again – that’s how well Morrison writes Grayson’s Batman!
Batman & Robin Reborn is a fantastic book – a fresh, exciting, modern take on a classic title full of great stories and fully-realised memorable characters. -
If Grant Morrison has ever written a crappy comic, I don’t want to know about it. *
This volume is about Robins, past and present. The current Batman is Dick Grayson, Robin #1, who is taking over for the dead/missing Bruce Wayne. His Robin is Damian, Batman’s son with Tahlia al Ghul. He’s a ten year old raised by assassins. He’s a mechanical genius and an adept crime fighter. He’s also violent, surly, uncooperative and contemptuous. Good luck, Dick.
The other Robin is Jason Todd, now the Red Hood. Jason was the second Robin, who met an untimely end by getting (repeatedly) smacked in the noggin by the Joker and then blown up. He came back when Superboy punched a wall (don’t ask). He has issues. He’s become the vigilante that more than half of Gotham wants (they took a poll) with his motto being “The punishment should fit the crime” or something.
The art here is excellent. Frank Quietly, who worked with Morrison on All Star Superman and Phillip Tan share the chores on this volume.
* (*sigh*) This review was written before I read Action Comics, Volume 2 (and other less than stellar Morrison penned works) so, um, hindsight and all that. -
Updated@22/03/2019:
Hello everyone, I'd just managed to tear myself from Batman online fanfics to read actual Batman comic...this time it's a re-reading here is my finding:
(1) Love the character design and the artwork!!! Everyone looks awesome! They are all very cool looking!
(2) By 'everyone' I mean........everyone excepts Jason Todd/Red Hood because his design is just awful, perhaps it's supposed to be awful, or perhaps the comic artist hates him or perhaps it's just me, but still. As a Red Hood fangirl, I'm entirely NOT happy with him being the worst Joker cosplayer out there!!!
Okay...Red Hood and Scarlet have managed to do so damn great despite Hood's terrible outlook, therefore they are still totally cool. XD
(3) Talking about Jason, during the re-reading I'm shocked to see him actually blaming Dick (currently Batman) for not bringing Bruce back from death when he might have the method for it(*coughs*...the Lazarus Pit...*coughs*). Well...I am sure that clearly is Jason showing his love for Bruce..........what I can see is some really in-depth daddy issue here. LOL
(4) I'm looking forward to more of this series!
(5) Last but not least, I feel a bit sorry for Dick because taking up the job as Batman means he too has to deal with the 'underpants on the outside' thingy...
The original review: I really like Dick Grayson as Batman and Damian Wayne as Robin the Boy Wonder! They make a great and lively crime-fighting duo (despite Dick being uncertain of himself and Damian constantly being a brat)! Not to mention...Red Hood and Scarlet! I just.......like Red Hood so much even since I heard about his story from Under the Hood!
*fangirl's screams*
After Batman R.I.P, Grant Morrison continues to prove himself a great storyteller for Batman's tales, this guy really knows what he is doing although I don't always agree with his version of Batman and the Bat-Family. And goodness! The artwork is so, so very awesome and adorable!
And...the villains! They are also great! Especially the super creepy Professor Pyg and his army of mind-controlled living dolls! Prof. Pyg is an expert of doing really creepy stuff while acting like a total creep (e.g. doing weird dance moves while tying Robin on a chair and wanting to cut him up) and I LOVE IT!
Batman and Robin by Peter Tomasi & Patrick Gleason Omnibus
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Review for Batman R. I. P.:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Review for Batman: Battle For the Cowl:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Review: Batman: Life After Death:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Review: Red Hood: Outlaw vol. 1
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Review: Batman: The Long Halloween (
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...)
Review: The Greatest Batman Stories Ever Told Vol. 1 (
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...) -
Grant Morrison took his medicines (more probably drugs...) and gives us two new, original and badass dynamic duos at the price of one: Dick & Damian / Red Hood & Scarlet. Just imagine David Lynch under hallucinogens directing Adam West's Batman tv series to make yourself an idea of what is waiting for you between these pages... just beware: this is not the Dark Knight you used to read. And the cast of freakshow Gotham villains was just much more bloodthirsty and disturbing than usual.
A good (and weird) read, but if you are looking for a funny and relaxing one, just stay away from here.
You've been warned.
-
Batman Reborn: In their first case as Batman & Robin, Dick Grayson and Damian Wayne take on Professor Pyg and the Circus of the Strange.
I'll be honest, despite reading comics off and on for the last 30-ish years, I haven't read all that many Batman comics. When I heard Grant Morrison was doing the Batman monthly, that's when I got on board. Batman and Robin is Morrison at his best.
Remember when Bane broke Batman's back and they replaced him with someone who wasn't Dick Grayson? Well, Morrison didn't make that mistake. I love the dynamic between Dick and Damian. Damian saying "That will be all, Pennyworth" made me laugh when I read it, even the second time. For once, Batman is the lighthearted member of the dynamic duo. Professor Pyg is pretty creepy and made a good first foe for Batman and Robin. Other things I liked: the flying Batmobile and the paracapes.
Revenge of the Red Hood: While looking for the man behind Professor Pyg, Batman & Robin run up against a different dynamic duo, The Red Hood and Scarlet.
I didn't like this one as much as the first story. Batman and Robin were made to look like chumps, which is no way to get the fan boys behind them this early in their run. On the plus side, Flamingo seemed like a very credible threat in his first outing. Jason Todd chewed the scenery as always but he and Scarlet contrasted well with Dick and Damian.
The sketches in the back provided an interesting look behind the scenes.
So what gripes did I have? Only that I know all of this will be nullified when whomever follows Morrison on the title hits the reset button on everything so no one will ever have to read interesting Batman stories again. -
The Batman is dead. Long live the Batman.
Grant Morrison and frequent artistic collaborator Frank Quitely gives us the first arc of entirely new take on the Dark Knight.
Morrison has charted Batman’s adventures the past few years and along the way gave the Caped Crusader a son, a league of Batmen and a super secret identity called the Batman of Zur-en-arrh. This led to his fateful encounter with dark god Darkseid in Final Crisis which resulted in Bruce Wayne trapped in the time stream. This gave former sidekick and ward Dick Grayson the chance to don the cape and cowl of his fallen mentor.
Dick Grayson as Batman is definitely a more lighthearted Batman than his brooding and intense mentor ever was. For Grayson, Batman is a mask, as much as the Bruce Wayne persona was to the original Batman. It is once said the Robin was a counterpoint to the darker Batman, with his colorful costume, youthful athleticism and high flying act. That is known as the original Batman and Robin dynamic. With Grayson as Batman, this relationship takes on a polar shift, with Damien the aforementioned son of the Bat, taking on the role of a Robin that takes himself too seriously and a reflex for violence.
This is a promising take on the Batman mythos. The new Dynamic Duo has opened up possibilities of new stories for the odd couple, This is the Batman I am most excited about. -
I’m not a member of the cult of Grant Morrison. I liked what he did with the X-Men a few years back, but I didn't make it through the last giant re-boot of the DC Universe that he played a huge role in. His All-Star Superman left me scratching my head, and his previous Batman stories left me cold. Part of that was due to my lack of patience with a comic publisher ‘killing’ a major character. Anyone who thought that Bruce Wayne was actually going to stay dead should email me your credit card numbers immediately for a once-in-a-lifetime investment opportunity.
So this version of Batman & Robin had a lot of strikes against it before I even started. I actually thought the idea of the original Robin, Dick Grayson, having to fill Batman’s cape could be an interesting story, but since I knew it just marking time until the return of Bruce Wayne, it’s hard to get emotionally engaged in it.
(I’ve come around to a new way of thinking when it comes to the messy issue of comic book continuity. I’m renouncing my fanboy ways that demanded slavishly sticking to a character’s past. It just leads to problems when aging makes a re-boot necessary, and it also means that a comic company will always return to a baseline version of the character no matter what stunts they pull. These days, I think we’d be better served to embrace a notion of multiple versions of characters that don’t have to stick to what’s gone before.
I’d be more interested in this story if Bruce Wayne was really dead. The Dark Knight Returns comic and The Dark Knight movie were powerful and interesting stories precisely because they gave us new chapters in the Batman mythos without having to one day return to the ‘normal’ Batman. Marvel used their Ultimate line of comics for a similar effect by giving us an updated version of the characters while leaving the older stuff in place in the original books. So if this was a spin-off story of some sort that told the story of Grayson trying to carry on the Batman name, it’d resonate better than knowing that Bruce is going to crawl out of the grave and take the keys to the Batmobile back at some point.)
Back to the book, it’s actually a decent story. The new Robin is Bruce Wayne’s illegitimate son Damian whose mother is Talia, the daughter of Batman’s old enemy Ra’s Al-Ghul. Apparently Batman forgot to load up the ultitily belt with a supply of bat-condoms one night and Damian was the result.
Damian is an arrogant brat who was raised by a league of killers and groomed to think that he’s entitled to take a priviliged place as Bruce Wayne’s kid. He’s angry that circumstances have forced him to play sidekick to Grayson, who he thinks is a piss-poor Batman. Plus, the rumors about Batman’s death have been circulating so both the cops and Gotham’s criminal community aren’t sure what to make of the new Dynamic Duo.
It's good writing with solid artwork. I like the concept of Dick Grayson and Alfred struggling to continue Bruce Wayne’s legacy while dealing with his spoiled bastard. But knowing that it’s all for nothing once the original Batman returns makes it seem kind of pointless. -
"Whatever happened to you, it helped make you special, understand?"
Following the events of Batman R.I.P. and Final Crisis, Bruce is "gone" (I'll leave it at that). Dick Grayson and Damian Wayne take up the mantle of Batman and Robin to replace Bruce Wayne and Tim Drake, who's become Red Robin. While no duo is as classic as Bruce and Dick, this one is a close second for me.
As you probably know, Damian was my least favorite Robin, until this book. (He's now tied with Jason.) He's still kind of a mean, headstrong little shit of only ten years old. Who wouldn't be if you were raised by killer assassins? But he's slowly getting better. He's somewhat kinder to Dick and Alfred. He's good at mechanics, having figured out the coolest Batmobile so far. He's beginning to learn from his mistakes and takes needed advice from Dick.
Dick himself struggles with the cape and cowl, aware that he's accidentally impersonating Bruce with his "Batman growl" and military slogans. Alfred suggests that he needs to be his own Batman, with more theatrics and less grit. And although more even tempered and less broody, Dick makes a great Batman with his athleticism and sharp wit.
As far as plot goes, it's pretty solid, and Morrison slowly weaves a grand web of criminal complexity that involves the Circus of Strange, Professor Pyg and his Dollotrons, The Black Glove, The Gravedigger, The Red Hood and Scarlet, The Penguin, and Flamingo. There are definitely questions left unanswered at the end of Volume 1, but knowing Morrison they should be answered shortly.
I really admire Frank Quitely's artwork. It's generally very clean, modern, and atypical, like his psychedelic covers. Reading the extras about the very involved redesign of Batman and Robin for this series, I think Quitely's illustrations with Philip Tan's colors work great. I love the new costumes and gadgets, the new Batmobile and Bat-Quad, that Wayne Tower is their new high tech headquarters. I'll say, though, having read all three volumes before, I wish Quitely would have stuck with this series. But overall a great reread and start to the series. Let's hope the other volumes hold up better with a second read. -
So Bruce Wayne aka Batman has died and Richard "Dick" Grayson has picked up the mantle of the Dark Knight. Grayson is the original Robin and Damian Wayne, Bruce's son has now picked up the Robin's identity.
They both pick up the work Batman did do but are faced with new challenges that the original Batman never has. Even Jason Todd returns making this first installment more the war of the Robins.
Former Nightwing makes a lesser dark Batman while Damian makes for a darker Robin. Interesting times.
While I enjoyed the art and storytelling somehow the fact that Bruce Wayne is dead spoils all the Batman fun with me. Batman without Bruce is somehow incomplete but that is just me. -
I thought Morrison did a pretty good job with this story. I was fully engaged it the plot, and I loved seeing Jason again. My biggest complaint would have to be the weirdo pig-guy as a villain. He was almost too strange...even for a comic book. Then again, it is Morrison, so what did I expect?
-
Ok, superheroes are new to me, so I have a little less patience with them. Batman here, very interesting, bad guys in this series SUPER AWESOME. Robin: Kick this kid in the head. SHEESH.
-
This was so good omg!
We see the new duo working together and well its fun seeing the ward of Bruce with his biological son and their dynamics and its funny and then we get to see them go against some new villains like Professor Pyg whose so fun and dangerous here and then the coming of Red hood (Jason) and his new partner Scarlet and also some new mysterious villain called Flamingo and its crazy seeing how it all ties together meanwhile more villains in the background and how it tests the new dynamic duo!
Its so fun honestly I love it and its crazy in a good way and I like that aspect of it, also seeing Damian's evolution and I love that for him. Plus new threats and status quo which is so awesome but its the art which keeps you coming back here and its so awesome! I highly recommend it! -
I adore Dick Grayson and I have a fondness for Damian even though he's usually being a little shit. He has heart and he's overcome who he was raised by for 9 years of his life so cut him some slack?
I loved their dynamic. Bruce, their father (and boy did it sting when people solely refer to Damian as Bruce's son. Dick is just as much Bruce's son even if he's not blood) is gone and they're trying to keep the legacy of Batman alive. Dick, being the older brother and the only one close to being tall enough has taken over the mantle and, at first, that burns Damian. Dick is doing his best but he moves differently, he's a little less rough and intimidating and Gordon can tell the difference.
At first, there's a feeling everyone's felt whether they're the older sibling or in charge of babysitting younger relatives. They're total assholes to you because you're not that much older than them and they hate that they're being forced to obey you when not that long ago, you had the same status.
Damian refuses to listen to Dick's orders and goes solo Robin for a little bit. Eventually, he gets in trouble and Dick comes to his rescue. The scene where he's a bit stunned that Dick saved his life was adorable. He begrudgingly comes to respect Dick and his authority and I can't wait for the next book.
Dick struggles with feeling inadequate and talks about how he became Nightwing because he knew he'd never live up to Bruce's standards. They have a complicated relationship but one that reminds me off the typical "That's your dream, Dad, not mine" thing from every movie about a teenager.
Bruce's sons are doing their best and I'm enjoying reading about it.
The villains were okay. Pyg and the Circus d'Etrange were horrifying. I didn't need to see a twerking pig try to seduce Damian. Red Hood and Scarlet were a bit better, at least story wise.
Jason also has a complicated relationship eith Bruce but he takes it out of Dick and Damian for trying to stop his work killing criminals in Gotham. Scarlet was just sad. Because of the art, I'm still not sure what happened to her at the end.
Now the art, I hate Quitely's art. I hate that Grant Morrison always works with him. It almost ruined Ultimate New X-Men, it hurt All Star Superman and it hurt this book for me. He can't seem to draw women in a good way and I hate hate HATE the way he drew Dick. The one issue with art by Tan was better than the others because I hate Quitely's art.
In rereading, I don’t love Flamingo’s existence. It felt like he was created with the intent to have a flamboyant character to make fun of. -
Originally reviewed at
Bookwraiths Reviews
Bruce Wayne is dead! So get ready folks, ‘cause there is a new Batman and Robin in town and things are about to heat up!
Now, since we all know Bruce Wayne won’t stay in the hereafter for long, we can sit back without any angst or sorrow and enjoy the brief tenure of the new Batman: Dick Grayson (a.k.a. Nightwing and the first Robin) who has donned the caped crusaders’ cowl. Joining him as Robin is none other than Bruce Wayne's own ten year old son, Damian Wayne (son of Talia and grandson of Ra's al Ghul). It's a new team with new vibes and new problems to work through. So pop some popcorn and get ready for some fun.
Right off the bat (Yeah, I went there) our Dynamic Duo has issues. Damian is an arrogant brat, who has been raised with an attitude of entitlement - not to mention the fact his care givers ran a a league of killers, and honestly, he is pissed that he has been relegated to being Grayson’s sidekick when it is obvious that he could do a much better job as Batman. As for Dick, he feels a bit overwhelmed by the responsibility thrust upon him and struggles to live up to Bruce’s legacy while still being true to his own self. So naturally, the two go through some growing pain together.
But they just don’t have time to find their grove, because right out of the gate they are confronted by some bloodthirsty new villains, which gives the book a fresh feel. On one side of the spectrum, we have a new Red Hood and his sidekick Scarlet, who are enforcing their own brand of justice in Gotham and tweeting that the Dynamic Duo are yesterdays news, while on the other, Mr. Toad, Professor Pyg and the monstrous Flamingo are spreading death and disfigurement across Gotham City indiscriminately.
Needless to say, there is solid writing and artwork in this series. Grant Morrison does his usual good work, giving us a bit of characterization while infusing the tale with loads of mayhem and gore. While the artwork by Frank Quitely (artist) and Philip Tan (artist) is edgier than usual Batman fare, loaded with lots of colors, modernist in tone and very action oriented. All in all, the two compliment each other well.
The only criticism I have of this book is that it is needlessly violent. Criminals cut of people’s faces and eat them, while others use saws to “create” a new body for people. It all seems a bit over the top to me and not really superhero-ish to me, but I am no longer a comic aficionado, as I was a decade or so ago. With that in mind, I suppose it is an entertaining enough Batman book, but for me, nothing more than and not worthy of a re-read. -
This new series is right after three previous graphic novels: “Batman R.I.P.”, “Final Crisis” and “Fight for the Cowl”. People who follow the many graphic novels probably have an idea of things but spoilers are below.
A new Batman and Robin are in town. The new Batman is none other than Dick Grayson (a la Nightwing and before that the first Robin) and Bruce Wayne's ten year old son, Damian Wayne (who is the grandson of Ra's al ghul and the son of the villain's daughter, Talia). It's a new team that has kinks to work out and the duo start out with some resentment towards each other and Damian thinks he can do a better job. There are also mistakes that the original Batman wouldn't make but you have to wonder if the first Batman made such mistakes when he was first starting out as a superhero.
There are new villains in the tale right off the bat which gives it a fresh feel. Some of those villains are a new Red Hood, Pyg and Mr. Toad.
The artwork has a less formal quality to it. The Batman outfit doesn't fit Dick Grayson quite as well as his predecessor and I believe that was intentionally presented as such. Robin has a lot of yellow in his outfit which is something I don't recall since the first Robin came into play but I'm not a Batman “expert”, per se. Grant Morrison (the writer) and Frank Quitely (artist) and Philip Tan (artist) spoke about a “linear, modernist approach”. One will note the colors are edgier and the action is “twisty and physical” as remarked in the back comments.
Pictures of the original covers are in the back with notes. There is also not surprisingly a full page devoted to each new outfit of the heroes and some of the villains. Most have the earlier drawings to the original decisions. Note that this is the first novel in the series. The next immediate ones are: “Vol 2: Batman vs. Robin”, “Vol 3: Batman Must Die” and “Vol 4: Dark Knight, White Knight”.
ARTWORK PRESENTATION: B plus; STORY/PLOTTING: B to B plus; CHARACTERS/DIALOGUE: B; ACTION SCENES: B plus to A minus; OVERALL GRADE: B plus; WHEN READ: mid July 2012. -
In Grant Morrison's re-imagining of Batman and Robin , Batman Reborn features Nightwing Dick Grayson and former first Robin as the new Batman, taking up the mantle from Bruce Wayne after the events that followed Final Crisis, Batman RIP and Battle for the Cowl. This first volume collects six issues comprising of two story arcs that are sure to tantalize and excite readers, both long-time Bat-fans and novices alike.
Morrison, collaborating with artists Frank Quitely and Philip Tan, has offered a varied scope of narrative and visual style in said arcs. I have never enjoyed a Batman and Robin volume as much as I did with this one and it could even rival my undying love for Peter J. Tomasi's own first B&R volume for New 52, Born To Kill.
It's hardly surprising that both volumes feature Damian Wayne as the Boy Wonder (MY Robin now and forever) though I would ascertain at this point that Tomasi's characterization of Damian was more nuanced, sympathetic and relatable than that of original creator Morrison's. Still, Damian's headstrong and arrogant personality is perfectly befitting for the stories Morrison has told for this volume, particularly on the budding partnership between him and new Batman Dick Grayson. But this relationship is not exactly the major drive or dramatic focal point of the series as of yet, at least for the first two story arcs in this volume. I originally intended to read only this first volume but seeing as I'm intrigued and now heavily invested on the promising series as a whole, I plan to continue and finish at least the sixteen issues written by Morrison before the year ends.
The first arc Batman Reborn ran for three issues with a story that was simple yet entertaining enough, and features one of the most messed-up villains to ever grace comic book pages: Professor Pyg, a thoroughly enthusiastic fetishist of body parts who created his army of Dollotrons not for any grand evil scheme to take over Gotham (though he did have enough egomania and wits to attempt said kind of takeover) but mostly because he considers people as imperfect mechanisms that need to be tweaked and fixed to serve a higher, twisted purpose of his own making. I loathed him but he had enough cartoonish villainy to keep me engrossed whenever he's on the page. I always enjoy a Bat-villain when he's not always so broody or gritty. It helps to be reminded the campier aspects of being an antagonist in a Batman story and Morrison has readily established that with Pyg. Being a Damian fan firstly, I was always gripped whenever a conflict involves him, and this arc offered us a glimpse of Dick's struggle to make Damian follow commands and actually work with him as a partner.
Though he begrudgingly accepts Dick as the new Batman, Damian still believes he is better off working alone--which was something Morrison was quick enough to nip on the bud, giving Damian a rather humbling moment when he realized that there's a reason why it's Batman and Robin against crime to begin with. Still, Damian has a long way to go and develop and I am hoping that the traits that I adored most about him in Tomasi's own run will at least surface here in this title.
It is the second arc Revenge of the Red Hood that defined this volume, however. It was another three-issued story that explored the dangers of living behind a mask which was epitomized with Jason Todd (second Robin) as Red Hood and his freshly recruit sidekick Scarlet (a victim who survived Professor Pyg from the earlier issues). It's notable that Red Hood and Scarlet are also the darker reflections of Batman and Robin themselves if they crossed the line and extinguished crime by any violent means necessary. I had so much blissful fun reading this story because the pacing and plot together was definitely one of the most well-balanced combinations I have ever seen in a while. I maintain that there was no dull moment in place; each scene felt meaningful and necessary while the action sequences are brisk, dynamic and immensely gripping. There are also great character moments for Jason Todd and secondary character Scarlet herself who unexpectedly took over the pages with her heartfelt struggle to overcome her victimization by finally claiming back her face in a literal and symbolic display of courage and tenacity.
As for Jason Todd, he is clearly more damaged about Bruce Wayne's demise than he himself realized. He just absolutely loses his shit and starts killing off criminals in a pitiful attempt to show Dick Grayson that it should have been him who took the Bat-cowl, while also blaming Dick for imagined failures such as not being good enough as the second Robin. I've always been conflicted about Jason Todd as a character. I don't consider him a favorite but he is definitely interesting to read especially his fractured relationship with Bruce and the consequential identity crisis that came from it. I've heard comparisons between Jason and Damian before and it was only in this story arc that I began to see them. I hope that Jason/Red Hood comes back in the next issues for this run because I definitely want to see him interact/fight Dick and Damian. I love my Bat-boys that much.
Everything about Grant Morrison's Batman Reborn was full of energy and vibrancy with a few touches of poignancy and character insight to keep its story dimensional and afloat. It's been a while since I've been excited about a Batman series besides my favorite Snyder and Tomasi ones, and I very much look forward to continuing the next issues soon! Now be a good Bat-fan and pick up this volume and experience the magic yourself!
RECOMMENDED: 10/10
DO READ MY BATMAN COMICS REVIEWS AT:
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Holy Smokes Batman! A Grant Morrison Batman story I Like? Wait, no...LOVE? What in the fucking world?
Listen I don't like most of Grant's stories. I believe he took too many drugs when younger and creates "deep" stories that aren't really that "deep" but just try to be "confusing" and people think that's "deep". Kind of how people still think Man of Steel has a deeper message when in reality it just throws it in your face, and it's shit.
Anyway why is Batman and Robin good? Well for multiple reasons. We got a new team, it's Dick and Damien. We also got a new villain, who is downright fucking creepy in this. We also got great art, which is a huge plus. Then we also have a cohesive fucking story, which is a miracle for Morrison.
So why not a 5? Well the Red Hood storyline got a little silly at times and Scarlet seems like a weird waste of a character. Still, that's about the only negative, that the Red Hood storyline wasn't that great.
The rest was really fun, exciting, and page turning awesomeness. Hope the rest of the run is as good. -
Not a fan of Professor Pyg and his "lovely dolls" as the villains of the story. (I have similar distaste for the original Ventriloquist and his dummy Scarface.) The appearance of Red Hood, and then the crazy Flamingo, in the latter half is better.
This edition was stronger when focusing on the growing pains of Dick and Damien's working relationship.
A particularly good scene early-on was a heated disagreement between the two, with Damien storming out of the Batcave. The resulting conversation between Dick (who, in a very human moment, expresses his frustration and doubts about assuming the responsibilities of the cowl) and Alfred (who responds / prods with the simple and gentle wisdom of Solomon) is very well written. -
I do love a bit of Grayson as Batman, he definitely lightens the tone of Batman, he's not as brooding and he is 100% nicer to Alfred, and i'm all about that. Plus the contrast between Grayson and the little shit bag that is Damian works really well together. I liked the villains in this who all seem to have a face fetish with Flamingo eating them and Pyg gluing some creepy ass cabbage patch doll face to people it's just the stuff of nightmares. I'm not sure about Jason Todd in this he just reminded me of Rorschach and i couldn't move past it, he adopts this sidekick with a stuck on face to help on his killing criminal spree (Which sounds oddly familiar to Lobdell's current Red Hood/Arsenal volume where Jason Todd has adopted a new sidekick with a stuck on face, so yeah Lobdell how did you come up with that original storyline?)
The artwork is awesome it's quite light and colourful to contrast how horrific Pyg is and it works well with the story. Definitely worth picking up especially if you need more Grayson as Batman, he could give Bruce a run for his money.
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I didn't really like this as much as I expected to. For some reason, I prefer Tim Drake to all other Robins and he's the only one not in this, so that's not helping anything.
The character dynamics were interesting. I liked seeing what Dick, Jason, and Damian go through without Bruce. The villains weren't really compelling, but the tension between Batman/Robin and Red Hood/Scarlet was a highlight, their conflicting views of justice being one of the major plot points.
The artwork was good, but there was this one panel where the shading made Damian look like a small, incredibly old man. I wasn't blown away by the artwork, but it was fine.
When I picked this book up, I thought it was going to be Bruce and Damian, but I read the back cover and found out it wasn't Bruce. Bit of a disappointment. And I also just don't like Damian. I have tried, but I just can't help it. I don't like him. And it didn't help that he made a slightly homophobic comment about Flamingo in the final issue, which I found very off-putting of an already unimpressive volume (from my point of view). -
What a gruesome and disturbing outing this is. While I enjoy Dick Grayson as Batman, this one fell a bit flat. For one thing, how many new villains do they want to introduce in one comic book? For another, how obnoxious must Damian become before Dick Grayson just caves his despicable little skull in. The change in art midway though the book was a bit jarring, even though I much preferred the second artist's work. And did I mention that this book is gruesome and disturbing? If you want to read a graphic novel with Dick Grayson as the caped crusader, may I suggest
Batman: Long Shadows. -
This was one of the first Batman comics I ever read several years ago, so I didn’t have a lot of context for it the first time around. I recently came into the possession of a copy though, so I decided to give it a reread.
As I’ve read more and more comics over the years, I’ve come to understand that I am simply not a Grant Morrison fan. I’ve always gotten the impression when reading Morrison’s work that they don’t want you to forget you’re reading a comic book, and for better or worse, that holds true in this book. Their comics are campy, and while I usually really enjoy some camp in my comics-related media, Morrison’s brand of camp veers too sharply into the grotesque for my taste. It’s not enough to have a flamboyant hot-pink enforcer called Flamingo—no, he must also be a serial murderer and cannibal who eats people’s faces. It’s not enough to have a deranged villain who permanently mind-controls his victims—no, he must also believe his “art” is melting a second face onto his victims and disfiguring them. Despite the bright colors and unbelievably ridiculous situations, this comic contains some of the more disturbing content I’ve come up against in my Batman reading. Perhaps it is the tone clash of the bright colors and campiness that makes it so disturbing to me.
More aggravating to me, however, is how Morrison always seems to be bragging about how much comics history they know, and nowhere is that more apparent than in their treatment of Red Hood—bringing up Jason’s long-since retconned red hair and altering the Red Hood costume to harken back to Joker’s original Red Hood outfit. They’re details that are frankly a little irrelevant, and it feels like Morrison is fishing around the bottom of the toy chest for the weirdest bits and pieces they can find, just for the pleasure of being able to say they knew they were there.
In its favor, though, the book has some excellent character moments on many fronts. Dick’s struggles with taking up the mantle, Alfred’s loyalty and his analogy to the theater, Jim’s skepticism but ultimate support, and Damian’s whole attitude all ring true. Even Jason—despite his ridiculous wardrobe—his vendetta against crime, his feud with Dick, and even his constant references to Paradise Lost all seem to fit his character.
The art, too, is usually lovely to look at, even if what it depicts is often some disturbing content.
In my experience, comics usually land somewhere on a sliding scale of “dark and gritty” to “ridiculous and campy,” but this comic attempts to have it all—the villains are styled incredibly campily, but they are gruesome in a way that to my mind can only be classified as dark. Professor Pyg and his dollotrons are nightmarish and disturbing (at least to me). I’m not sure if this comic fails or succeeds in straddling the two tones, but regardless, it doesn’t really work for me personally. -
I really like Dick Grayson as Batman. He brings a very different feel to the cowl. Bruce's son, Damian, makes a good Robin for Dick's Batman. He's not quite the infuriating little brat he was when he first showed up, though he's still a brat. They're great characters, with a great dynamic, and their first two storylines make total sense. Of course Dick Grayson would have to face a killer carnival. Of course Jason Todd would show up again. In fact, everything is going great, and then Professor Pyg shows up. One of Morrison's new villains, (he's apparently come up with a lot of them he hasn't even used yet...) Pyg is strange and creepy and threatening, but can probably be best summed up with "???"
The art is serviceable. But the covers are so wildly stylish that I can't help but love them. I also love that the trade includes a fairly sizeable section at the end of Grant Morrison talking about the artistic choices made for both the covers and character designs, complete with roughs. It's a great presentation. -
Good writing - check. Good art - check. Something's missing tho - sense of Batman's menace or superhuman strategies? Morrison's trademark weirdness or sense of humour? A story with real balls or anything other than "plotline of the week"? Feel kinda disappointed by the book, don't know why.
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Second reading a few months later and I *do* like the menacing villains that Morrison/Quitely came up with. That makes me feel more charitable towards the book, but still wondering what's missing. -
In "Batman Reborn", Grant Morrison continues the landmark run that he started on the main Batman title. Picking up after
Final Crisis and
Batman: Battle for the Cowl, we find Richard Grayson (the original Robin) taking up the mantle of Batman after the presumed death of Bruce Wayne. He's joined by an all-new Robin, Damian Wayne (Batman's son from his affair with Talia Al-Ghul - see
Batman: Son of the Demon). If you're up-to-date on all these developments, then you will get the most out of this book. If not, this may not be the best jumping-on point.
Once again, Grant Morrison comes up with weird, new villains and clever dialogue. Since this is a mainstream book (and not a creator-owned one), the weirdness factor is kept to an acceptable level². Just like on his "Batman" run, this book is made up of short, self-contained story arcs that are themselves part of a larger, series-spanning arc. That means you get quite a few mysteries and plot lines being set up, but that also means you get little (if any) resolution by the time you're done reading it. Having read what came before, and reading what comes after, will greatly affect what you will get out of this book. What may seem unclear or strange on the first read-thru will become clear once you've read the subsequent books. That's what I like about Morrison's writing: it's layered and has a great re-read value. He leaves some clues but he doesn't spell out everything for the readers, who have to figure things out by themselves. And since no two readers are alike, everyone gets something different out of the book.
Where the book suffers a bit is in the ART department: 2 artists, Frank Quitely and Philip Tan, each provide the art for a 3-part story arc. I'm usually a big fan of Quitely, but here I found his pencils scratchier than usual - still nice, but a bit over-done. Philip Tan's art worsened from issue to issue, starting with "okay" in part 1 and feeling rushed in part 3. These inconsistencies really make the book suffer. What could've easily gotten 4 stars now has to settle for 3.
Bottom line: Fans of Grant Morrison's "Batman" run will feel right at home with this book, finding in it all the elements that made the previous volumes such satisfying reads. Don't miss the NEXT book, to see how the current storylines (and the cliffhanger at the end) pan out.
²: For those of you interested in experiencing "Morrison Weirdness" at its extreme, check out
The Filth. -
Here's the thing: when it comes to the main Bat-characters, Morrison interacts with canon in really interesting ways. There are a lot of fascinating discussions in here between Dick and Alfred, Dick and Damian, Dick and Jason. Morrison, one could say, gives good Dick.
I JEST -- and yet that is precisely the problem. Good god, the treatment of women in this book is gross. Morrison is apparently obsessed with body horror, and with destroying women's faces: this is a theme in both of the storylines in this volume. I could really do without ever having to look at a mangled face atop a highly sexualized body ever again. Morrison also throws some transphobia and homophobia in there, as a fun bonus! THESE COMICS ARE FROM 2009 -- in case, like me, you have a moment of temporal confusion and start to think you're reading about something from the '90s. This feels to me like Morrison read the collected works of Frank "Whores Whores Whores" Miller, and was like, TWO CAN PLAY AT THIS GAME, FRANKIE BOY.
Yuck. This is the type of comic that makes women not want to read comics. -
I didnt love this one. Not quite buying this new Batman.
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*Spoilers, read at your own discretion*
Disappointingly rubbish. Had so much potential and it started out well with some good parts in between but then dissolved into pathetic, disjointed mush.
Good aspects:
- Batman and Robin but not as you know them. The dynamic between Dick and Damian is intriguing, amusing and refreshing.
- Dick as Batman is great. He’s uncertain, he’s angry, he’s scared and reluctant. He’s the kind of Batman you’re not used to. He can’t handle Damian and Damian does not care about him in return. But as their relationship grows it becomes more interesting to see them work together.
- Jason Todd! Just Jason being there is a big tick from me. I love an old reunion.
- Jason and Scarlet’s relationship. I like how he builds her up and makes her feel better about herself when she is very uncertain about herself.
- Robin vs Doctor Pyg. That was fun. Exciting to see Robin in his element and also doing his thing without Batman. Plus it’s very subtle but he’s fighting not only for fighting’s sake, but also to save Sasha, and it’s always nice to see Damian is still a good guy no matter how annoying he is and how much he doesn’t like to show it.
- Character development for Scarlet was spot on. Personally I didn’t like her character and I found the way she was drawn to be really creepy but I think that was the point so that’s not really a bad aspect of the volume.
- Every scene with Alfred and Dick. I swear Dick as Batman was a huge positive in this volume and Alfred and Dick’s discussions about everything from Damian to being Batman was enjoyable and I much preferred these scenes over the majority of the action scenes.
Bad aspects:
- Disorientating action. Found it hard to follow at times. This could just be me and if it is then ok but the action was just not easy to follow.
- Disjointed storytelling in some parts. Too many things where happening at once that it just got a bit confusing.
- No consequences after Batman, Robin, Red Hood and Scarlet battle it out. Robin was absent for one issue and then he was better again. He broke his back! And where did Talia’s medics even come from? How did they know that Damian was hurt so quickly? Doesn’t make sense.
- Too many bad guys coming and going. It’s just a mess and completely unnecessary. There’s Scarlet and Red Hood, Oberon Sexton, Flamingo, Dr Pyg, Penguin, Toad and all the other circus freaks, and even more too. It’s like they brainstormed which villain to include in this volume and decided on not 1 or 2 but ALL of them. It’s ridiculous, it’s clunky and seems like a waste of some perfectly good villains that could have been given more focus and fleshed out better.
- Change in art style half way through the volume. I get that they’re all published as separate issues. But when they’re all collected into one volume it looks strange when the art style changes halfway through.
- ADS. Oh my goooosh. 2009 comics had so many ads in their issues. It completely ruined so many action scenes because an ad was inserted every 2 or 3 pages. It ruined the flow of the story, it usually had me confused and it made the reading uncomfortable as I kept forgetting what had happened in previous scenes that were already filled with confusing action.
