Once rivals, now… friends? Damian Wayne and Howard have actually become really good friends, but something is still bothering Damian: Batman is still missing. And Howard is starting to sense something is off. Will they find the Caped Crusader? And will they get to the bottom of all the series of odd crimes involving the different schools and their sports facilities? Let’s find out if the final part of this reimagining of the Batman and Robin and Howard graphic novel sticks the landing.
The final issue starts off with Damian and Howard returning to school from break, and their fellow classmates are surprised to see that the two are actually friends now. The Gotham Metro soccer team then makes the playoffs, and Damian and Howard present their science project with the rest of their group in class. Damian is starting to get worried though because his dad is still missing, and Howard notices his odd behavior. Howard asks Damian what’s wrong, but Damian doesn’t know how to tell him what’s really going on (you know because the whole secret identity thing).
The two boys then go to Damian’s house to play video games, and Damian slowly reveals more information about his dad. Damian really wants to tell Howard about what’s going on, so he eventually just does. They go into the Batcave, and Damian tells Howard that his dad is Batman and he’s Robin. Howard is flabbergasted by the revelation, and Alfred shows up and can’t believe that Damian told Howard everything. They start investigating into Batman’s disappearance which leads them to finding him and setting him free. Without spoiling the ending, Batman figures out who was committing the unusual set of crimes and Damian and Howard’s friendship is solidified.
I have enjoyed this repurposed telling of Batman and Robin and Howard throughout the four parts. Jeffrey Brown’s writing was very charming and made me feel like a kid again. I obviously wasn’t the intended audience for this comic, but Brown did a great job in creating a story that anyone at any age could enjoy. There was silly humor, nostalgic moments, and it was just pure fun. The artwork was simple but gravitating with Silvana Brys’ colors elevating it. Part four wasn’t my favorite out of the series because the ending was kind of random, and I felt that there were multiple endings. And the resolution for the “villain” was a little anti-climactic but when I was finished, it really didn’t matter because I just had a good time.
Recommended if…
- You enjoyed the previous issues.
- You want to show your kids a light-hearted Batman story.
- You want to see how horrible Batman is at pretending to sleep.
Overall
Batman and Robin and Howard #4 was a satisfying conclusion to the four-part reimagining of the original graphic novel, and I’m so glad I was able to read the whole series. Jeffrey Brown is a really good writer, and it is awesome that these kind of stories are out there for everyone to enjoy. Both kids and adults will love it, and I definitely want to check out Brown’s other work!
Score: 8.5/10
DISCLAIMER: DC Comics provided Batman News with a copy of this comic for the purpose of this review.
