Parents have the tendency to talk about how rebellious their child is. But ask yourself this parents, “Has my child ever ran away to be trained by an assassin who wants to teach him to harness his anger in a more destructive way?” No? I guess you don’t have it that bad then.
BATMAN AND ROBIN #6
Writer: Peter J. Tomasi
Penciller: Patrick Gleason
Inker: Mick Gray
Colorist: John Kalisz
Letterer: Pat Brosseau
Editor: Mike Marts
Publisher: DC
Cover Price: $2.99
Previously in Batman and Robin: Damian has decided to leave his father behind to train under the assassin Nobody. Realizing his failure as a father, the Dark Knight sets out to find his son and bring him back home. During his search through Gotham Bruce inwardly tells Damian about the Ducards pass and how they came to know each other.
NOT THE AVERAGE FATHER AND SON TALE
We pick up right where issue five left off with Damian pressing a gun to the head of a man, who according to Nobody, is running a human trafficking business. After Nobody prods at Damian’s emotions he pulls back the trigger and is met with an empty “klick”. Robin realizes he is just being manipulated and lashes out at the assassin, who simply reassures him that his doubts needed to be put to rest and that they can carry on.
Still trailing his son, Batman comes upon the scene Robin and Nobody left at the embassy, and believes that somebody “went the extra mile” to make sure the staff stayed alive. With even more determination to find his son, Bruce continues his tale of how he and Nobody are connected and why Ducard wants Bruce dead.
The flashback scenes, together with Ducard’s quick blurb about their shared past, gives enough back-story for us to understand why each is currently acting in the manner they are. Damian’s attempt to stop Nobody at the end doesn’t undermine the struggles between father and son but adds to the twisting nature of the boys inner struggle. The issue continues to draw out Bruce’s past and build the tension of the dynamic duo’s father/son relationship in a well-paced manner.
EMOTION FOR EVERYONE
With the story that is unfolding in Batman and Robin it should be top priority that the art gives a visual representation for the emotion struggles we are reading about. Thankfully Patrick Gleason and the gang continue to enhance the reading experience by nailling Damian’s arrogant demeanor and Bruce’s turmoil. There was only one issue I had and that was during Nobody and Damian’s fight. In one panel they used a digital effect in an attempt to show motion blur, but it so heavily contrasted from the surrounding panels it pulled me out of the story. But all in all the team’s art is great with a few top-notch panels.
BOTTOM LINE: SOLID CHARACTER BUILDING
The first six issues of this series have balanced action with dialogue, while both continue to build upon the less than perfect relationship between Bruce and Damian. Even with Batman’s tendency to display little emotion, you can feel his pain and franticness to have his son once again at his side. Batman and Robin #6 continues to build upon all the right parts and earns 4 out of 5 stars.
[rating:4/5]
5 Comments
This issue has the most misleading cover of all time.
Not of all time but it’s in the top 20. Bruce Wayne has enough built up guilt to start his own religion. Damian is like all of the dark aspects of Dick Grayson, Jason Todd and Tim Drake all rolled into one ten year old bundle of homicidal maniac. Despite Bruce Wayne and Dick Grayson’s efforts to lead Damien down the “Jedi Way” I still can’t shake the fact that one of the first things I “saw” Damien do when I first “met” him in the Batman series was cut the head off of one of Batman’s minor villians (The Spook). Granted that the kid is chronologically a juvenile and that his mom and granddaddy are stomp down loco but do you just keep giving passes to your kid offing people along the way?
You know, if you see this cover as more symbolic than literal – Robin and Batman ARE at odds with each other.
I mean, even when they are on the same side they’re pretty much opposed to each other.
I agree, but this issue was an exploration of Damian’s character and we discover that he’s not nearly as opposed to Batman or tempted by the dark side as he’s been letting on. And, meanwhile, Bruce is searching the city for him. A more accurate cover would have been them begrudgingly hugging each other — but they’re never even in the same room together in this book.
Personally, I would have preferred a cover that was composed of one of the panels in the book. Maybe when Robin has a gun to the guy’s head? These kinds of covers drive me nuts.
Maybe when Robin has a gun to the guy’s head?”
Awesome idea. That was my favorite panel in the book.