What does Batman’s Robin mean to us?

Robin’s First Appearance

Introduced a short time after Batman exploded on the comic book page, Robin the Boy Wonder was once a wildly popular character, someone that the young reader could identify with. Since comics had grown in popularity among soldiers in the field during WWII, readership included an older demographic but after wartime youngsters were becoming interested. An older bachelor fighting crime from atop a mansion was too far removed for a kid, so someone closer to the background of a feisty (yet respectful) boy was introduced. It created an atmosphere of comraderie and lightened the Batman’s somber attitude.

With a partner, Batman had someone to talk to, creating new possibilities for the creative team and more options for the reader. But… some say that Batman works better alone as a dark vigilante and that a brightly colored kid in pixie boots ruins his spectre of the night credibility.

When the decision was made to allow Dick Grayson to wear pants and leave the Batcave, it left a void alongside the caped crusader and started a trend of replacement Robins that has lasted to this day. There have been many Robins over the decades and (in most cases) each one has grown into his/her own characters. This week, the latest Robin Damian Wayne met his grisly end, a story that has had the media abuzz and many non-comic fans confused. Which Robin died? And what does it mean?

Four Robins: Dick Grayson, Jason Todd, Tim Drake and Damian Wayne

For myself, the most popular of the Robins isn’t just Dick Grayson, but Dick Grayson as played by Burt Ward in the 1966 TV series. An absurd vision of comic book sensibilities, comedy and mock-drama, the TV Robin spoke in the weirdest diction and seemed to view plots against the free world as seriously dangerous as jaywalking. In a state of constant surprise and bewilderment, it seemed that Ward had a live wire running through him, keeping his performance energized at all times.

Burt Ward, Robin on TV in 1966

The 1960’s comic book followed suit and replicated this version of Batman and Robin to an extent, but grew tired of it in time and developed a more sophisticated take on the dynamic duo; moving Dick into college and Bruce into a Gotham City penthouse. Robin earned a strong following, became an astute detective, a companion to Batgirl and even the leader of a group of former sidekicks, the Teen Titans. Robin was outgrowing his nest and becoming a man. In this way, he mirrored the maturing demographic of the readers who were becoming accustomed to more many-faceted characters.

This clever, youthful and resourceful version of Robin has populated the modern animated world in cartoons such as The Batman, Teen Titans and Young Justice. Not a junior version of Batman, Robin is brilliant and shrewd but not tragically bent toward vengeance and revenge. He is driven toward perfection, perhaps a reflection of is training on the trapeze. He also relied on a his own set of gadgets and weaponry, including fighting sticks and a staff, cribbed from Grayson’s time as Nightwing and the second Robin, Jason Todd.

An animated version of Robin

In the 1980’s, it was decided that a new Robin was needed and a kind of ersatz Dick Grayson named Jason Todd was the solution. This didn’t sit well with readers and when the opportunity arose to revamp the character with a new origin in 1985, he became a street punk caught trying to rob the Batmobile. This new Jason Todd was a devil-may-care hooligan with an edge that would appeal to the rebellious 80’s teen reader.

However, there was backlash against this new Robin. He was different from Grayson, but so anti-establishment that he challenged readers to accept him. Finally it was decided to make a bold move that would challenge the working relationship between Batman and Robin. Jason’s long-lost mother was discovered which split Todd from his mentor in a mad search for her. When he found her, he also found the Joker and was beaten to pulp with a crowbar before being blown to pieces by an explosion.

Batman was too late to save his young ward, too late to rescue him from what might have been his fateful end.

More recently, a third Robin was created, Tim Drake. Rather than having Drake be someone who stumbled into Batman’s life, Drake forced his way in through study, training, and deep research. The most intelligent of the Robins, Drake became a runaway hit and enjoyed a long-lasting solo series along with a place among the Teen Titans (called Young Justice). He has gradually moved away from his role as Robin as he can see the shadow of the Batman as something that could envelope him. Instead he has become his own person, much as Grayson had before him. Renamed Red Robin (no relation to the restaurant chain), Drake is a member of another version of the Teen Titans.

In many ways, Drake was a step back toward the more traditional Grayson-Robin and a mirror to the reader. But some tweaking in his fighting style and costume made him 100 times more modern and cooler than his predecessor. He was also far more cunning and resourceful than the others, leaving his mark as possibly one of the best Robins of all. In print, his solo adventures were extremely popular (thanks in no small part to Chuck Dixon who wrote Batman, Birds of Prey, Nightwing and Robin).

Tim Drake, Robin

When Drake split from Batman, his teenage girlfriend and daughter of the villainous Cluemaster was graduated into the red/green outfit. Stephanie Brown was Robin so briefly before dying that she barely gets any recognition in the comic, let alone a monument in the Batcave. Because of the restarts and revisions of DC timelines, Stephanie’s death has been undone, but her role in the Batverse is nebulous, making her yet another member of the costumed crime fighting Bat-family rather than having her own persona. It’s a shame because Brown was very popular as Spoiler and a female Robin is a great visual (as had been seen in Frank Miller’s Dark Knight series).

The fact that she briefly appeared in Batman Incorporated (since said to be set in the recent past) but in no other DC Comic is something of a puzzler (no pun intended) and I have to wonder if DC is thinking of bringing her back as Robin given that there is now an opening.

The role of Robin quickly became that of a conscience for the dark knight, a reality check in the form of a fragile young hero daring danger in a brightly colored outfit while the hero lurked in the shadows.

Stephanie Brown, the ‘forgotten’ Robin

In other modern media, Robin has been a more risky undertaking. Director Tim Burton had modernized and darkened the image of the caped crusader, making the introduction of a colorful sidekick an absurdity (though storyboards of Robin’s intro in the 1989 film exist and a Robin action figure was released for Batman Returns using a passing likeness to Marlon Wayans who was almost cast in the part). Michael Keaton’s tortured and brooding figure just did not gel with the notion of a spritely companion.

But after Burton was off the Batman films, all that changed and Chris O’Donnell played the ‘boy’ wonder in Batman Forever and Batman and Robin. The actor was clearly too old to play the traditional part of youthful acrobat, making his ‘adoption’ by a man not even a decade older than him appear strange at best. But I do have to say that in my opinion, O’Donnell did a serviceable job in the role, even with the dreadful material he had to work with. Against Kilmer and Clooney, O’Donnell served the purpose of being a sounding board, giving the films a little more diversity and the audience members another inlet to the story… in theory, anyway. In practice he was another action figure for the ‘toyetic’ franchise designed to sell tie-in merchandise.

Chris O’Donnell played Robin on the big screen in two films

In 1987, Batman and Talia (daughter of the arch foe Ra’s Al Ghul) had a child. Ra’s Al Ghul had been hoping that Batman would take up his mantle as ruler of the world, rescuing it from its own excesses, but when the two failed to come to an agreement, another avenue presented itself. If not Bruce Wayne, then his child would be the ideal replacement. In 2006, Damian Wayne was introduced into the Batman universe. A smart-mouthed reckless punk, he grew intp the perfect 21st century version of Robin.

When Bruce Wayne died (twice, so it would seem) and was dispersed through time, Dick Grayson became Batman in his mentor’s stead and also inherited the troublesome youth, Damian, as his sidekick. The two resented each other but in time found a kind of equal footing. Even in his final moments, Damian remarked that they were a great team. The new Robin was a reactionary, a dark shadow on the legacy of Batman. Not just a protege, Damian was the once and future Batman, and as he continually pointed out to Grayson, Todd and Drake, he was the only real Robin due to his blood relation while they were pretenders.

Batman reborn (Dick Grayson) and Robin (Damian)

When Grant Morrison started his long journey as the writer of Batman, he offered readers a vision of a possible hell-on-Earth future Gotham City in which Damian Wayne continued his father’s war on crime. That will of course never happen now that Damian has died, but it was interesting nonetheless to see the protege use a fusion of his father’s teaching and the brutal tactics of the League of Shadows in order to defeat the enemies of his city.

Batman of the dark future (Damian Wayne)

There have been many deaths in comic books and they are generally regarded as temporary since heroes seem to not so much go toward a graceful end but more through a revolving door that sees them come back in short order. One such instance is the death of Jason Todd, the successor to Dick Grayson. Todd was reckless and headstrong which led to his predicament at the hands of the Joker where not Batman but the readers themselves were granted the privilege of saving the youth. At a cost per call, Todd was voted out of the series and into oblivion.

Many years later, Jason Todd resurfaced as ‘The Red Hood,’ a tough and ruthless vigilante using any means necessary to defeat his enemies. One of the few deaths in comics that stood the test of time, bringing Todd back to life always struck me as cheap at worst and awkward at best. As a Robin, Todd was an interesting reaction to Grayson’s straight-laced hero. As a dead Robin, Todd served as a harsh reminder of the consequences of Batman’s war on crime. As far as I can see, he serves no real purpose in the current DCU other than a leather-jacketed bad-ass.

Jason Todd’s death by election in Batman: A Death in the Family

So, just what is the point of Robin, anyway? And why is his death ‘important’?

There is a valid opinion that Batman works better alone and that Robin is an antiquated idea from a simpler age when youngsters were the target audience. However there have been so many different and successful approaches to the character of the dark knight’s sidekick that I think those naysayers are merely lacking the proper exposure to the character.

Over the following weeks, the Batman monthly books will be paying homage to the death of Damian Wayne in an interlinked series of covers bearing the legend ‘Requiem’ adding the stylized R from Robin’s tunic. It is expected that Batman will not be a loner for long, leading some to to wonder if a previous Robin will once more take up the mantle or if a new acrobatic orphan will be donning the red and green togs.

Quick reviews: Batman, Detective and Batman and Robin #0

This month DC Comics is celebrating their first anniversary of relaunching their entire comic book line with a series of special issues that explores the origins of each character. Its a confusing notion in my opinion, especially given that some of these zero issues mark the end of a comic and others are the first.

Given that the origin of Batman has been told so many times, the creative teams had quite a challenge set before them to make their stories interesting despite the material being so over-told. Given that Batman Earth One, released around the same time, does the exact same thing is… unfortunate. Thankfully these three are quite good, due in large part to the talent behind each story.

Batman #0

By Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo
Grant Morrison may get the most credit for the success of the modern Batman comic book, but in truth its Snyder, Capullo and Daniel who have done a bulk of the heavy lifting amid the Death and Return of Bruce Wayne and of course the complete reboot of the Bat-verse proper. Throughout all that madness, these creators have not only crafted some exciting stories but have also developed a sophisticated backdrop of Gotham City. In Snyder’s case, the history and legacy of the Gotham became just as much of a character as Batman, Alfred and the rest of the regular cast.

In returning to the early era of Batman, Snyder’s script shows the early flawed side of the great crime fighter. Pitted against the Red Hood gang, he is sloppy, over-confident and despite extensive research, a failure in his attempt to stop the gang’s bank robbery. Capullo reigns in his usual gory style with a more traditional visual, allowing this issue to feel simpler and more innocent rather than raw and gritty as it could have.

Even Alfred seems unsure of just what his master could be hoping to accomplish as he helps Bruce set up a complex crime fighting lab outfitted with high tech weaponry and vehicles when he was almost killed by the police in his recent mission. While Wayne is still learning from his mistakes, he is determined to make his one man war on crime a success. When James Gordon drops by for an unexpected visit, we learn that their is a level of corruption that extends into the corporate realm, a world where Bruce Wayne could be more helpful than Batman.

As a glimpse into the early days of this new Batman, I found this to be a success. Given the common trait of Snyder to develop large scale stories, I am also looking forward to seeing how the Red Hood Gang story connects up to next year’s storyline. I suspect that it will dovetail into the Death of the Family story coming soon.

Detective Comics #0

By Gregg Hurwitz and Tony Daniel

The early days of Batman are rife with tales of education as young Bruce Wayne travels the world learning the very skills he would need to grow into the world’s greatest crime fighter. Many of these stories have of course been told before, significantly in the Legends of the Dark Knight series (sadly no longer with us). Gregg Hurwitz’s story explores young Bruce Wayne’s journey to Tibet where he seeks out the Zen-Buddhist monk Shihan Matsuda. He must first endure the shame of waiting to be worthy of Matsuda’s disgust. Throughout the issue, the master repeatedly informs Wayne that he is less than nothing throughout his instruction in fighting and meditation techniques. It reminded me of grade school only all I learned was D&D.

Wayne feels that the loss of his family makes him special, but Matsuda insists that it does not. The path that Wayne has set himself on requires a complete loss of self, the dissolution of his wants and desires. As he attempts to embrace this, he is offered a completely opposite opportunity after meeting the shop girl Mio. He yearns for companionship and despite the hardening of his heart, he still hopes to find someone to share his life with. This inner conflict creates a schism in his training, widened by master Matsuda’s wife who compels Wayne to seek out the one he loves and desires.

Of course the whole situation is a ruse, one that allows Mio access to Matsuda’s impenetrable fortress for a late night meeting with Bruce. Unfortunately, Mio is not a simple shop girl but an expert assassin working with Matsuda’s wife. In the ensuing conflict, both husband and wife murder each other while Bruce deals with Mio. In his death throes, Matsuda completes his lesson by saying ‘this is what closeness brings you.’

It’s a marvelous issue that in another age would have earned a graphic novel status or at least a prestige format release. An emotionally-charged and moving adventure, this is a great sign of things to come as Hurtwitz becomes another member of the Bat-bullpen.

Batman and Robin #0

By Peter J. Tomasi and Patrick Gleason

I learned early on that Batman and Robin was not a popular series due to the inclusion of snot-nosed brat Damian. I think that’s an unfair disrespect as he makes the comic worth reading. The friction and between father and son is what brings the strength of this comic to the fore, along with the outstanding artwork of Patrick Gleason. Despite all that, my interest in this series has waned in recent months due to guest artists and a few less than impressive issues following the War of the Robins storyline.

Nevertheless, this issue saved the comic by filling in a number of details on Damian’s upbringing and the hatred imbued in him by his mother. The over the top martial arts action that pervades this series makes it very distinctive (what other comic has bat-ninja carnage as gory as this??) but Peter J. Tomasi’s writing is so soulful that it is also a very edgy emotional series as well.

The daughter of Ra’s al Ghul, Talia used her relationship with her father’s intended heir to create the perfect successor to her Ra’s empire. Damian is the ideal killer, the most brilliant tactician and the cruelest of adversaries, but in this issue we see an innocent side to him that is heartbreaking in its simplicity. Curious about the contents of a chest in his mother’s room, Damian breaks into it only to find a funny costume that he of course puts on:

Damian’s path seems to be chosen for him as he was genetically bred to rule the world. Yet when he decides to make his own path, the consequences are dire. Talia al Ghul becomes Leviathan, a destructive force that is in opposition of her father’s dream to rule the planet for its own good. Scarred and hurt from neglect, Talia is a demonic threat far more dangerous than anyone could have imagined.

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These issues could have been a complete waste of time and paper, but I found them to be very enjoyable and also an extension of the further development of the Batman universe.

Batman & Robin (1997)

I have held off on reviewing this, the last of my reviews of the 80’s/90’s Batman flicks for some time. My review of Batman (1989) was attacked by fans while Batman Returns (1992) attracted almost no interest. Batman Forever (1995) remains the most popular of these reviews, which confuses me.

Tim Burton’s Batman movie showed beyond the shadow of a doubt that a deeply complex and sophisticated film could be made based on a character popularized to most by the William Dozer TV program starring Adam West. The three sequels rode the success of that movie and the final outing was like a dying gasp of an idea that had run its course. This is due in part to the involvement of corporate executives and the glaringly obvious opportunity to make lots of money.

It’s a living.

The movie isn’t really a movie at all, but a very long and painful commercial for other products. After Batman Forever was a roaring hit with moviegoers, Warner Bros. rushed a sequel into production. As Joel Schumacher worked on making one of the most spectacular films of that period, he was visited daily by representatives from every conceivable vendor or marketer who would take numerous photos of Batman and Robin, the Batmobile and whatever else was around in order to create replicas and collectibles. In fact, Schumacher was advised to craft the movie so that it was ‘toy-etic’ in vision and it really shows.

Batman & Robin trailer

Val Kilmer had intended to reprise his role as Bruce Wayne/Batman, but given that the studio wanted to rush into production, he was tied up with other projects and missed the chance. This led to George Clooney taking up the part. While he may be (to date) the most unpopular Batman ever, it impressive to learn that he was working on TV and on film straight through Batman & Robin. It’s just a shame that he is smirking throughout the whole movie, completely devoid of any emotion other than being amused by how bad it all is.

‘Hello paycheck…’

Why is he trying not to laugh!? Alfred is DYING!

By sharp contrast, O’Donnell reluctantly came back to play Robin. His career was taking off at the time and he viewed another Batman movie as a project with not much to offer, but money and his agent were both very persuasive. Possibly the best actor of the bunch in this or the last film, O’Donnell clearly has reservations about being in this kind of thing, but he gave it his best shot. The character of Robin is given a surprising amount of development and even gets his own arsenal of weapons and gadgets. His redesigned costume closely resembles the one worn by Nightwing in the comic books, which is almost interesting.

Guest-starring with Chris and George is Alicia Silverstone who is so obviously out of her depth it’s hilarious. She is crammed into an unflattering rubber outfit and her chubby face is pursed at the viewer throughout… and I’m really not sure what to make of it. Is she meant to be sexy? She’s more of a wholesome character, so why is her ass all but spray-painted black and her bust pushed up? This is due to a major misconception of the film and one that makes it such a disaster.

The costume designers and Schumacher were of the opinion that the superheroes were sexually expressive abstractions of the human form (hence the nipples on Batman and Robin’s costumes). The outfits were designed to be incredibly erotic, yet on set Schumacher began each scene by shouting through a bullhorn, ‘Remember! We are making a cartoon!’ which begs the question… does he really understand what that means? Even though no one involved with the film saw anything wrong with the bulging cod pieces and nipples on Batman and Robin’s costume (‘Since when is the male nipple so taboo?’ Schumacher asked), when Silverstone’s Batgirl came to be made a bra was designed over her breasts and her uniform made less erotic.

So… make of that what you will.

As far as stunt casting, this movie suffers more than any of the previous one. Nicholson and DeVito are strong actors, so giving them a monstrous villain to play prompted them to rise to the challenge. That said, it was obviously the studios intent to draw in viewers with the big names on the marquee. Tommy Lee Jones obviously had no idea what movie he was in when cast in Batman Forever and Jim Carey made the best of it by rocketing into stardom as the Riddler. This time around, Uma Thurman and Arnold Schwarzenegger were brought in to recapture the ‘magic’ of Batman Forever and it was a total backfire.

“I like my ham ICE COLD!”

Story goes that Schumacher was so intent on Arnold Schwarzenegger playing Mr. Freeze that he claimed there was no movie without him. Seeing that he would be killing the film if he declined, Arnold accepted, but the strange fact is that he is barely even in the movie. Co-star Chris O’Donnell has said that he never did a single scene with Arnold and that most of the time Mr. Freeze is on camera, it is a stunt double. When he is on screen, Schwarzenegger mugs to the camera, camps it up and plays a buffoon. He could care less. Yet we are told that he is doing all of his nefarious deeds out of love for his wife, forever preserved in a floating tank. I wonder why, then, he chortles with laughter through the entire picture and makes ice/cold-related puns.

Additionally, Uma Thurman has little to nothing to do in this movie and once again, Batman and Robin look like man-shaped Popsicles, she is instead at her unsexiest. Don’t believe me? Her first ‘sexy’ appearance as Poison Ivy is done while performing a strip tease through a massive gorilla costume. All of the characters get several costume changes (for no real reason) and hers at one point includes a pair of what look like bulky gardening gloves with red tips painted on the fingers simulating nails. At the time, she was a major sex symbol, but you’d never know it from this flick. Her every move is accompanied by a cartoon-like jazz tune signifying sex which… is not sexy.

The entirety of Batman & Robin is slapstick and stunt spectacle, reminding me of a live show performed at an amusement park rather than an actual movie. The plot is paper thin, characters announce themselves with hardly any impact, ‘Hi, I’m Batman.’ ‘I’m Poison… Poison Ivy.’ etc… The script seems more rushed than any other part of the production which is telling as the movie looks insanely expensive.

During production, security took up most of the attention of the crew who were busy running everyone through a metal detector to confiscate hidden cameras. Each scene, from the opening fight in the frozen museum to the slugfest in the Turkish bath is an enormous set piece that bleeds money onto the screen, but it is so poorly performed and set up with absolutely no drama that it doesn’t matter. Added to this the tragic story of Alfred’s dying from a rare disease which coincidentally only Mr. Freeze can cure and I’m left throwing my hands up into the air with cluelessness.

Michael Uslan, the godfather of the Batman movies, has said that each of the 80’s/90’s Batman movies reflects a particular period of the comic book (Batman 1989 is a vision of the 1930’s Batman, Batman Returns 1992 is the 1990’s version, Batman Forever 1995 is an ode to the 1950’s and that leaves the 1960’s for Batman & Robin. I can see why he would say that s the movie is very camp, but it never really goes far enough into the realm of the absurd and silly to fully qualify. It’s mired in dark, poorly lit scenes, lousy special effects and uninspired acting. It’s clear that no one knew exactly what Schumacher wanted and just did their best to say their lines, collect their checks and scrub the stain of Batman & Robin from their souls.

The Batmobile, Robin Cycle, and whatever the hell else people ride in this movie are very well designed and stagger the imagination… but they also look like what they are, large scale toys. I give full appreciation to the designers for making these fanciful vehicles, but this one just looked far too silly.

I’d love to see the success of Batman & Robin, as I’m a big fan of this series. I saw the movie in England and nursed a scotch right beforehand which helped ease the impact… a little. There are so many places one can point a finger at here as to why this film is so poor, but for me the fault lies with the studio itself which pressured the crew to make a movie far too quickly and cash in while they could.

The less said about Bane, who sounds and acts like Cookie Monster, the better.

The sad truth is that a fifth Batman film, Batman Triumphant, was planned by Schumacher. This could have starred Nic Cage as the Scarecrow and seen Nicholson return as the Joker. It would be many years before a Batman movie would once again surface in the shape of Chris Nolan’s Batman Begins. A journey that ends tonight… so sad.

Yes, I am attending a midnight showing of Batman The Dark Knight Rises. Expect a full report soon.

Quick reviews: Secret Avengers, Batman and Robin

Cover by Arthur Adams

Secret Avengers #25

By Rick Remender and Gabriel Hardman
Secret Avengers has been the on again/off again hit or miss series of the Avengers family. Shifting creative teams and a rotating roster of heroes has made the book difficult to identify with. Under Ed Brubaker and Mike Deodato, the series read like a love letter to the wild and explosive Roy Thomas/Neal Adams run. Ever since that period ended, the book has staggered to finds new footing. That’s not to say I didn’t enjoy Nick Spencer’s brief stint, but the Warren Ellis issues tried far too hard to be cool and innovative in my opinion. There’s still good stuff in there, but overall it fell flat for me.

Thankfully Rick Remender is on hand to snap the series into place with a solid roster, somewhat new direction and lots of action. Hawkeye has reluctantly taken the reigns from Captain America, with Beast, Valkyrie, Ant-Man and Black Widow remaining from the initial team. The unusual additions of Captain Britain and Agent Venom make the series unique (something that each Avengers book desperately needs). Along with the new team members and writer is the breathtaking artwork of Gabriel Hardman, the artist behind Agents of Atlas and the (Red) Hulk comic with Jeff Parker.

The latest story line involves a secret society of synthezoids called the Descendants living beneath the Earth’s crust in a massive sprawling cityscape that wouldn’t look out of place in Fritz Lang’s Metropolis. The team has followed a band of Adaptoids (able to mimic the abilities of anyone they encounter) to retrieve a kidnapped child. Ant-Man smuggled himself along for the ride but appeared to be destroyed as soon as he arrived in their sanctum. Accompanying the team in a rescue mission is Jim Hammond, the original Human Torch (the first synthetic being and hero of the Marvel Universe).

The previous issue’s action was a bloodbath with the Avengers taking the brunt of it. Facing robotic replicas of loved ones and comrades, the team was put off their game and beaten to a pulp. To add to the trouble, there is a barrier in the city that is interfering with communication and Captain Britain’s magic-powered armored suit.

Hawkeye and the Beast are captured and find that the Descendants hold a special grudge against the Avengers, as if all of this violence is somehow justified. A motley assembly of robotic representatives convenes to discuss the future of their people, headed by a man known only as Father, the head of the Canadian Weapon Plus program.

While battling one of the Descendants built to resemble one of his WWII compatriots, the Human Torch discovers that he is regarded as ‘Grandfather’ and a savior to the entire robotic race. Created by Phineas Horton as a state of the art android, Hammond’s life has been a disaster from the moment he burst into flames after being exposed to the air. He has no family, no connections in the world and struggles to retain his identity. To find that he not only has a place in this civilization but is heralded as their leader into a new age challenges his self understanding. It’s a great moment.

This has been the most impressive Avengers series for the past few issues. Remender has taken a confused series and given it some texture by assembling one of the most random group of heroes in one team. They work together with clock-like precision, just as an Avengers team should. There’s plenty of friction in the book without it dragging into the dead end of bickering which is nice. The dialog feels natural and the ideas are not only amazing but they are well used narratively.

When Master Mold rises from the cityscape just as Hawkeye and Beast come up to the surface, it’s a big WOW moment, but it also folds into the story of Jim Hammond’s place in the world and the tragedy of his life. Likewise when Agent Venom unexpectedly appears, it’s a cool visual, but he also vindicates himself to Hawkeye who refused to have him on the team. And who cannot love it when Agent Venom holds multiple weapons at an enemy with his tentacles?

With all the Avengers hooplah this Summer, there are lots of books out there with the signature logo vying for attention. Unfortunately, most of them bring with them years of back story and are difficult to jump into. This is not the case with Secret Avengers, a rollicking adventure book with more bang for your buck than anywhere else.

Agent Venom arrives while the Black Widow stealthily leaps from rooftop to rooftop

Hawkeye realizes that things aren't just bad... they're really bad

Batman and Robin #8

By Peter J. Tomasi and Patrick Gleason
I have praised this series a few times, but the latest issue is especially worthy of attention.

As I had mentioned in my last summary, Batman has encountered an enemy from his past, the son of one of Bruce Wayne’s first teachers Henri Ducard. Dubbed NoBofy, Ducard’s son has a personal vendetta against Wayne and uses Bruce’s son Damian to get at him, insisting that a line must be crossed in order to maintain justice. Raised by The League of Assassins, this is nothing new to Damian, but he had sworn to uphold the morals and traditions of his father in their fight against crime.

In the previous issues it appeared that Damian had succumbed to Ducard’s point of view and was prepared to betray everything that his father stood for. Taking up NoBody’s creed of street justice, Damian tore the Robin emblem from his tunic and began his tutelage in the dark arts… or so it seemed. NoBody uncovered Damian’s ruse to bide time and lead his father to NoBody’s lair and was full of rage. Batman arrived just in time to save his on and battle NoBody head-on, but the tide was turning against him.

When it seemed like NoBody was about to defeat his father, Damian struck a killing blow, a signature move that NoBody had taught him, and drilled his fingers into a soft spot in his foe’s forehead. Having killed the villain, Damian froze, then collapsed in fatigue.

The latest issue is a (much needed) respite from the non-stop action) as father and son connect to to each other over their stubborn inability to communicate and finally connect. This issue should have been far too sappy and trite, but it was written with solid sincerity and a healthy dose of Wayne’s practical stoicism. When Damian worries how he will get past his deed, Batman gravely assures him that he never will, Damian will live with it forever.

The bond between Batman and Robin is one of the most important cornerstones in the superhero mythos. As father and son, the two characters are even more closely tied together. Bruce and Damian Wayne are very similar in temperament which makes their friction that much stronger. When Bruce found that he had a son and that Damian had been raised as the successor to R’As al Ghul, he could have abandoned him to his fate as a super villain, but instead he took the boy in as his own and has dutifully attempted to raise him.

The issue features Bruce opening up a room in the Wayne Mansion that had been his father’s office in order to fully play the role of father and it seems to help. This isn’t one of those ‘this is where everything changes’ issues, more of a wonderfully crafted comic that hits all the right marks.

 

Quick reviews: Spider-Man, Batman and Robin, Avengers and Nightwing

Amazing Spider-Man #582

By: Dan Slott and Stefano Caselli
Dan Slott has been making Spider-Man fans happy since he came on board as series writer with ‘Big Time.’ Peter Parker is no longer the awkward loser of the Marvel Universe, he’s a recognized genius and has saved the population of Manhattan from a spider-infestation. Of course he still has girl trouble and the bad guys just seem to be getting crazier. One of the most interesting innovations of the Slott Spider-Man run has been the many inventions that Parker has developed at Horizon Labs, a kind of brain trust for research and development. From a suit that reduces sound to invisibility and special spider-bombs for any occasion, Spidey is ready for anything.

The Ends of the Earth has been billed as the major Spider-Man event of the summer, much like last year’s Spider-Island story. Doctor Octopus is dying (as seen from his appearances in both Spider-Man and Iron Man books). His body is rapidly decaying as more of it is replaced with tentacled armor. But he will not go silently into his eternal sleep, he’s taking half the world with him. He’s also allied himself with the rest of the Sinister Six for security.

Using a satellite hovering above the planet, Doc Ock gives one half of the planet a taste of death by global warning and then claims that he can solve it… for a price. The result is surprising as everyone from the average person on the street to the Avengers debates cooperating with a person that Spider-Man knows as a super-villain. Outraged and annoyed, Spider-Man dons a unique suit of armor designed to defeat each member of the Sinister Six.

Spider-Man is one of those monthly books that has consistently impressed me with its high quality stories and usually solid art (with a few exceptions). Guest artist Stefano Caselli (of Secret Warriors) is a good fit for this adventure and as it gives him the chance to draw some of the Avengers, I’m really looking forward to seeing the next issue.

With the feature film reboot and new animated series, you may be bitten by the Spider-Man bug (as it were) and start looking for a comic to read. This is a great time to jump on and enjoy the ride.

Batman and Robin #7

By: Peter J. Tomasi and Patrick Gleason

One thing almost everyone can agree on is that there are far too many Batman books on the shelves. Unfortunately, most of them are very good. Batman and Robin has been a solid series since its rebirth with the new 52 as it has focused on the relationship between Bruce and Damian Wayne. Raised by his mother Talia Al Ghul, Damian is master assassin and expert gymnast. He’s also just a child and has not gotten the opportunity to have anything close to a normal childhood. Being reunited with Bruce and later taking on the mantle of Robin, Damian has proven his loyalty to the war against crime and to his father, but he’s still shifty enough to keep readers guessing.

In the first story arch, Peter Tomasi has created a new villain NoBody, the child of Henri Ducard, the man who trained Bruce during his formative years. A character created by Batman (1989) writer Sam Hamm, Ducard walks a thin line bordering the role of a master criminal. His son has no such trouble crossing that line and claims that it makes him a greater man than Bruce. Armed with a unique throwing blade and wearing state of the art stealth tech, NoBody makes a claim to replace Batman, a challenge that the dark knight is reluctant to honor.

The previous issues have seen the rich back story of NoBody unfold as Bruce vainly attempts to protect Damian from him by keeping his son in the dark. The plan backfires and Damian ends becoming involved, as NoBody’s apprentice. In the latest issue, Batman and NoBody finally face off while Damian’s life hangs in the balance.

Not everyone likes Robin. I get it. But he can provide a good foil for Batman when used well (as he is here). Damian is in a way, the dark brooding killing machine that Bruce could be if he lets his war against crime get the better of him. But there is so much potential in training Damian to be a better man for Batman to just give up on him. The series is full of great action, superb art and some impressive new ideas. It’s always tough to introduce a new villain (look at the trouble the Dark Knight monthly book is having with the White Rabbit), but NoBody is a great addition to the rogue’s gallery. If you haven’t been reading this series, you really should give it a look.

Avengers #24.1

By: Brian Michael Bendis and Brandon Peterson

It’s Bendis’ last Summer with Marvel, so it’s his last dance with the Avengers. I have had mixed feelings on his run, but in recent years he has raised his game with some of the most impressive stories crossing through both Avengers and New Avengers (note to Marvel, come up with a snappier title for one of these…. please!). The final curtain will fall on AVX as the Avengers and X-Men cross swords with the fate of humanity in the balance… but before that can happen, Bendis has thrown in this odd character study of the Vision, a hero that is very popular with fans.

An android created by Ultron (who was in turn created by Hank Pym), the Vision is a synthetic being on what seems to be a never-ending journey to find himself. It’s funny that around the same time that the Vision popped up, Red Tornado appeared over at DC Comics with a similar situation. Probably just a coincidence. After marrying the Scarlet Witch, the Vision had two magical children who later turned out to not be real at all, driving the Scarlet Witch into a fit of madness that caused the worst cataclysm to ever strike the Avengers. In the uproar of violence, She-Hulk went into a berserker rage and split the Vision in half, after Ultron bombs spat from his mouth.

The latest issue sees the Vision attempting to reconnect with the world and put the past behind him. While I enjoyed this issue, I have to say that his soulful talk with She-Hulk was undercut by her thong. It’s hard to be angry at a voluptuous woman in a costume that revealing.

This Point One issue isn’t going to fly to the top of anyone’s read pile, but it makes for a change of pace from the madness that has filled the Avengers family of comics and will surely do so again throughout the Summer. I expect many things from an Avengers comic by Bendis, but subtlety isn’t one of them. I was pleasantly surprised to find that here.

Nightwing #7

By Kyle Higgins and Eddy Barrows
In sharp contrast to the negative reaction to Robin, Nightwing has a very dedicated fanbase and has been a much beloved hero since he was introduced many moons ago (back when he wore a dickey). Rising from Batman’s shadow, Dick Grayson carved a name out for himself and led the Teen Titans into battle. He’s definitely his own man, but editorial interference has made his path more than a little bumpy in recent years. After escaping death by DiDio, Nightwing floundered about and was finally given the mantle of Batman.

The Dick Grayson Batman issues (collected in Black Mirror and Eye of the Beholder) are superb and well worth a read. They are so good that I was more than a little disappointed to see Bruce return to form and Dick re-appear in the 52-verse as Nightwing. However, his stories are still worth reading and for the first time in ages, Nightwing feels like a book with a solid direction.

In the new Nightwing series, Grayson has come back into contact with his old friends from his circus days. It was a brilliant move dramatically to place Dick as the new manager of Haley’s Traveling Circus and it opened up the possibilities for new locales and new adventures. The villain Saiko (not to be confused with the precision wristwatch) has been only so-so as a threat (he looks like a character who dropped off the drawing board from Marvel in the 1990’s), but the mystery surrounding Haley’s Circus has been more than enough to keep things interesting.

The latest issue wraps up the Saiko/Haley’s Circus story and dovetails into the Nite of the Owls. Dick discovers some dark secrets from his past and things get a little more dangerous for him as he realizes, just as Batman has, that nothing is what it seems. I don’t want to give too much away, but the reveal was a bit of a head scratcher. I do have high hopes that the Nite of the Owls will deliver on what is frankly an awkward turnabout involving a hidden tooth and a well-placed right hook.

Life is complicated in comics…

The artwork by Eddy Barrows has been solid and remains one of the big attractions for me to this series (not to downplay the script). If you are a fan and have been waiting on a good Nightwing series, this could be your lucky day.

The fifth Batman film that never was, Batman Triumphant

(image from http://www.batmantriumphant.com/)
It’s easy to shrug off these demons today, but back in the 1990’s, being a Batman fan was a gruesome pass time. What started as a celebration of the pulp comic book hero in Tim Burton’s 1989 film quickly became an exercise in marketing and merchandising. I’m no fool (I guess) so I realize that these films are released in the Summer so that families looking to escape the heat can cram into an air-conditioned cinema gulping on Coke-filled cups bearing Batman fighting a super villain and escape the world for an hour or two. I greatly appreciated Batman Returns when it was released but as a moody teenager I was the target audience so it worked. The Siouxsie and the Banshees song helped too. The third film was massively successful by continuing the trend of pitting Batman against two villains played by major film super stars and also upped the ante by including Robin the boy wonder. A glitzy glam homage to comic books, it was almost passable… almost.

However, little can excuse the debacle that is Batman and Robin (the only 90’s Batman movie that I have yet to review). Star-flooded and nonsensical, Batman and Robin was a travesty. Ticket sales soared but the reviews were damning. As Joel Schumacher is a respected filmmaker and had delivered the goods for some fans and the studio in his previous effort, this was especially surprising. A smirking George Clooney, pun-dropping Arnold Schwarzenegger and foam rubber Bane ruined the franchise for fans… but Warner Bros. still cleaned up. No matter what anyone may think, this film was a major success raking in over $42 million in its opening weekend and $238 million total worldwide.

So it should come as no real surprise that a fifth Batman film was planned with Schumacher again at the helm. What is a surprise is that the director was determined to redeem himself with fans by producing a darker, moodier film than the circus extravaganza that was Batman and Robin. The loose plot of Batman Triumphant involved a split between Bruce Wayne and Dick Grayson as Wayne turned his back on a crime-fighting career. It would feature Harley Quinn as the vengeful daughter of the Joker, Man-Bat and the Scarecrow. Batman would be blamed for a series of crimes perpetrated by the Man-Bat, prompted him to return to the cowl and deliver some justice to the monster.

One of the proposed villains of the fifth Batman film, Man-Bat

I recall at the time hearing rumors of an adaptation of Grant Morrison’s Arkham Asylum in which an older Batman confronts the criminals of his career in a massive gauntlet of nerves. Clooney had openly stated that he was not happy with his performance as Batman and that any return to the role would be a further disservice to fans, so the fifth Batman film would have featured a fourth actor in the cowl (I shudder to think who that may have been).

I’m still not sure where the Arkham Asylum rumor came from (my imagination? possibly) but when the studio execs saw the daily rushes they asked Schumacher to start planning his next Bat-film. Thinking that the Scarecrow would make for a formidable foe, the director began to sculpt his movie around fear but was cut short when Warner Bros. had a re-think and decided to start over with a fresh start.

Details are starting to come out regarding the planned ‘Batman Triumphant’ which are interesting and terrifying at the same time.

Via MovieHole:

“I was supposed to do a fifth one,” Schumacher says. “I was talking to Nic Cage about playing the Scarecrow. I had begged the studio for [the Frank Miller comic] ‘The Dark Knight [Returns],’ but they wanted a family friendly, toyetic thing.” Eventually, “Batman And Robin” came along, souring everyone on the franchise, and, just like that, Schumacher’s relationship with Warner Bros. dissolved, leaving behind both the “Batman” series and a third John Grisham adaptation, “Runaway Jury” (later made over at 20th Century Fox by Gary Fleder). However, Schumacher got his man soon after, as he and Cage teamed for “8MM,” which Schumacher figured, “would be the furthest thing from a summer movie.”

He ruefully adds, “And I gave up a lot of money, but, no regrets.” Not that he’s hurting for cash, as he notes, “I have awards for selling more Batman toys than anyone in the world.” In regards to “Batman and Robin,” he was convinced he made “the wrong choice” but says, “I did my job. It was more family friendly and it sold a lot of toys, and it supported the Warner Bros. stores. But I did disappoint a lot of fans.”

Regarding the possible Darren Aronofsky Batman Year One film, Joel Schumacher had some sobering advice:

I remember my friend Darren Aronofsky called me– I think he was toying with them about making a Batman movie, which I would have loved to have seen. And he called me and asked me what it would be like, and I said “I don’t know Darren, I can’t advise you. I was supporting the Warner Bros. studio, the toy manufacturers. My goal was to get a family friendly movie that kids could be taken to that would sell a lot of merchandise. The movies make hundreds of millions, but the toys make billions. I was in that business, and I said “Darren, my job was to offer merchandising.”

For all the flack he received for Batman and Robin (even the Bruce Timm animated series took a jab at him on screen), it’s interesting that Schumacher realizes the purpose of the movie, something to keep in mind as further comic book films come our way and the sequels of Batman, Thor, Iron Man and Captain America draw ever closer to the situation that Schumacher was in when directing Batman and Robin. In the end it’s all about merchandising… and that can be scary.

Quick review- Batman & Robin #1

Batman & Robin #1

By Peter Tomasi and Patrick Gleason

Partnered with his son and crime-fighting partner Robin, Batman wages a never-ending war on crime while a mysterious criminal assassinates members of his global effort to defeat the criminal element.

I have been very behind the pack with my coverage of DC Comics’ New 52, but after reading some positive reception decided to dip in and sample a few titles. Like most members of my generation, I am a big fan of the Batman. From the comics to the cartoons, TV programs and feature films, the character of the brilliant caped crusader remains a part of my general consciousness. Numerous times I have attempted to take part in the collection of the monthly Batman series with varied results. I tried out the monthly book just before a recurring series of cross-overs took control of the character (from No Man’s Land to the Resurrection of Ra’s al Ghul) and was frustrated by the wildly fluctuating quality of material. Much like Action Comics and Superman, you just never knew what to expect from a Batman book.

As a first issue, Batman & Robin has little ramp up aside from the interaction between Bruce Wayne and his evil son. Borne from the union of Batman and the daughter of his enemy Talia al Ghul, Damian is an unruly and rebellious punk who was is not only a self-appointed authority on everything but was also trained by an international league of assassins. The interplay between the Waynes is the real sell for this book in my opinion aside from the astounding artwork. In other books, Batman is an egocentric isolationist dick, but in this series he is a father and must therefore be a bit more sensitive in offering a good role model for his son to live up to.

The book opens with the murder of a Russian member of Batman Inc, a franchised adaptation of the Batman ideal. A killer is on the loose, destroying the brotherhood of crime fighters that Batman has worked so hard to establish. It’s an interesting idea and one that I frankly share. The concept makes little sense to me. Tomasi juggles the continuation of established continuity with the added responsibility of introducing new readers with exemplary skill. The issues hardly reads like a welcome mat to new readers but it is also side-steps the slow process of producing excessive exposition for one of the most well-known characters in modern fiction. I dreaded sloughing my way through yet another origin story with this one and was pleased to find that it briskly cut to the chase.

Using the remembrance of Bruce Wayne’s parents’ deaths in Crime Alley as the establishing scene of our heroes, Tomasi was able to exhibit the sharp differences in Damian and Bruce’s behaviors. Bruce is turning over a new leaf by no longer recognizing their deaths and instead celebrating their wedding anniversary while young Damian sees no point in wasting time over the dusty past. There’s a war on crime to win, after all, and there are always casualties.

Traveling in a vehicle designed to travel through the Gotham City sewer system, Batman and Robin are called to action as a crime takes place in the nuclear reactor of a nearby university. The crime-fighting scenes are well drafted but show the distinctly different styles that each hero uses. Batman is controlled and methodical while Robin cruelly causes the violent death of a few criminals foolish enough to attempt to steal Batman’s ride.

The series features the amazing artist Patrick Gleason who I had followed from Aquaman to Green Lantern Corps and such. Gleason’s art shines in Batman & Robin, adding character and action to each page. When interviewed by Newsarama back in the 2010 about this ongoing gig, Gleason showed excitement about drawing a Batman book and a reaction similar to most readers to the Damian/Robin:

I’m sure I’m like most people — I kind of hated Damian at first. But the little twerp has really grown on me. And now he’s such a cool little twerp!

There are a handful of those great characters that an artist gets to draw that really keep things fun and fresh. Plus I think there’s just something interesting to all of us about that guy in the room that struts a little too much or carries himself differently. We all like to keep an eye on them.

So when I think about approaching Damian, I think it could be a lot like my approach to Guy Gardner. I have a longer leash artistically on things like attitude, and facial expressions. There are a lot of similarities that I can see in them. So there’s some real fun to be had with Damian.

I will say that the ‘five year theory’ that DC is obsessed with is a bit silly. In this issue it is established that within that time Batman not only began his crime fighting career but also burned through three Robins and sired a child. That’s a LOT to go through in such a short period of time. I wish that DC editorial had decided to leave time as a vague notion or just start from scratch, but what can you do? It’s only annoying when the script recognizes it.

Batman and Robin charge into action

A fun and entertaining read well constructed and illustrated, I can recommend this series to Batman fans looking for a new monthly without the daunting ties to continuity… while it lasts. I am late to this party but have copies of Action, Batman and Detective en route and will provide more reviews as I find copies of DC’s sold out #1’s.

Batman: The Brave and the Bold – “The Color of Revenge!”

Batman: The Brave and the Bold
Episode 18: “The Color of Revenge!”

The Dynamic Duo (all growed up)

The moment has finally arrived when Robin is co-starring on Brave and the Bold. As is fitting, the story tells the tale of how awkward their partnership is. The teaser adventure features Batman and Robin in the early days foiling one of Crazy Quilt’s crimes. The team is coordinated and cheerful in their banter (much like the 1966 TV series that is paid homage to throughout the entire episode).

The main adventure is a follow up to the first, taking place years later after Robin has grown up and taken on the role of defender of his own city, Blüdhaven. Respected by the police and locals, Robin enters the fray in a redesigned costume (comic book fans will notice that it’s the Wally Wood designed Earth-2 costume) against Solomon Grundy. When Batman arrives, the pair unexpectedly clash as Robin is far from happy to see his former mentor. Robin’s resentment is only rivaled by Batman’s obliviousness to it, making Robin’s frustration rather pointless but more justified at the same time.

To be fair, once your boss makes you wear little pixie boots and underwear without pants as a uniform there is no way you can regain your dignity, is there?

Jeffrey Tambor does a brilliant job voicing the villain Crazy Quilt who is an ironic callback to the 66 TV program (ironic in that he was never in the show yet personifies the type of super villain seen in the series). Crazy Quilt’s plot to steal the exact same device he failed to nab years ago is hardly inventive, but the episode is really about the relationship between Batman and Robin, so… that’s fair.

I can’t get over the fact that throughout the adventure Robin keeps trying to get Batman to recognize that he is a grown man and no longer a sidekick yet Batman refuses to see him as anything else. In fact, Batman sees nothing wrong with it, really. The moment where he offers Robin a ride in the Bat cycle’s sidecar is just a key definition of their relationship and Batman’s inability to see that his ward has grown up… albeit awkwardly.

Batman is messed up… in many ways.

Another fantastic episode in the Brave and the Bold series, “The Color of Revenge!” is sure to please purists and newbies alike.

Well done!

I hate to sound like a broken record but it really is a crime that DC Comics is so convoluted that anyone who either enjoys this episode or is wistful for Batman comics has no real outlet in the monthly comics unless they want to buy the series targeting kids… that no one will likely read. With Batman absent from all current DC Comics and Robin kicked out of his own series and in some kind of contest to take over the mantle of the bat, the bat-verse is strictly for the fans who have weathered the Batman R.I.P. storm and that’s really unfortunate.