Brandon Borzelli's Geek Goggle Reviews
Batman #687
DC Comics
Winick, Benes & Hunter
I haven’t been this torn on an issue in a while. This issue delivers a lot of what I had as unanswered questions at the conclusion of Battle for the Cowl. However, it seems to be a bit of a mess when it comes to continuity with regard to the various comics it references. In breaking out the pluses and minuses for the issue the one thing that stands out the most for me is how Dick Grayson is handled and I found it to be done very well. Overall, I liked this issue, but it is not essential reading by any means.
This issue opens with an excellent flashback. Bruce Wayne aka Batman and Alfred are in the batcave when they are surprised by a trap set by Robin, the Dick Grayson incarnation. Dick is new on the job and was challenged by Bruce to catch him off guard. Bruce wasn’t expecting the trap be sprung within the batcave though. The interaction is terrific and the entire scene captures the early stories of Batman and Robin from the Silver Age very well. This could have come off corny or sappy but when I read it I couldn’t help but feel a sense that their duo was, in fact, timeless.
Back in the present time period we see Alfred mourning the loss of Bruce and Nightwing driving around Gotham pretending its Batman in the car. It seems, at this point, Dick is still not willing to take up the responsibility of being Batman.
Later on, Superman and Wonder Woman return the cape and cowl worn by Bruce when he died to Dick and Tim. The scene felt a little awkward but it got worse when Alfred said how he lost his son. It came across as whiney. Alfred is a rock. He was a rock for Bruce when his parents died and I would have expected him to be a rock for Dick and Tim when Bruce died. It wasn’t a terrible scene but it just didn’t fit completely right either.
As the issue winds down we see how Damian is accepted by Alfred and then how Dick realizes that Batman must continue but not the exact way as he had before. He is determined to make it different. This issue brings a believable rationalization of why Dick picks up the mantle of the bat.
The issue has some holes in it. For the most part Tim is still not addressed. He was largely ignored at the end of Battle for the Cowl and he really isn’t involved in this issue either. Another problem is Alfred (or anyone) doesn’t seem to convince Dick that Damian is needed in the fold and that Dick should mentor him. It’s almost like Damian is the unlikable pet that someone in the family has to take on after his master dies. The only problem is that Damian was never really involved with Bruce. It’s still a little strange to see him just appear as Robin and everyone seems to be cool with it.
Continuity will kill all your fun if you think too hard about stuff in comic books and this one is a buzz saw. I tried to ignore continuity and it worked for the most part. At the risk of ruining your reading fun I will just advise that you don’t try to fit this issue in nice and neat with Battle for the Cowl, Final Crisis and the first issue of Batman and Robin. Some of the emotions seem to come way, way too late for some things and too early for others.
The artwork has some real highlights. The new Robin is done very well as is the villain involvement at the end. Because the issue has a lot of crying and mourning there isn’t a ton for the art to showcase. However, the issue delivers a somber and dark mood more than adequately. At no point do you get the feeling people are happy in this issue.
The issue was a lot better than I expected, but it is really nothing to run out and purchase unless you are a huge Dick Grayson fan, especially for the $4 price tag. You do get a nice depiction of Dick and a strange one for Alfred. Although the emotional aspect isn’t a completely lost concept in the issue, it just seems to be framed oddly. I liked the issue and I felt it was a good bridge to get Dick into the costume. Personally I found the opening flashback to be among the better Batman and Robin interactions I’ve read in years. This one is a pretty good epilogue one-shot.
3.5 out of 5 geek goggles
