As soon as I heard this book’s pitch during DC’s Round Robin contest, I felt sick. Not because I don’t like the idea, the Robins are my absolute favorite part of the Batman mythos, and a book of them just hanging out sounds absolutely wonderful, but because of where it was positioned in the bracket. Putting this book against something like JLQ in round one?!? Obviously someone wanted that book squashed. Now, we don’t have time to discuss how ridiculous the process was, or whether Paws off the Justice League was most DEFINITELY robbed or not (it was). What we do have is time to talk about this super solid opening issue.
Rockin’ Robin
The first five or so pages of this book were shown in a preview a while back, and they were what initially hooked me. That and Tim Seeley’s name on the cover. I’ll read anything from the guy who wrote Grayson, and he doesn’t disappoint here. The dialogue is solid, and no two Robins really feel the same, which I was a little worried about with a book featuring all 5. From the fight in the sewers, we’re taken to Dick Grayson’s apartment for a good old fashioned chat between all of the Robins. This, in my opinion, is where the book shines. Seeley is absolutely fantastic at creating conflict in the group, with just enough playful banter so you know that no one ACTUALLY hates anyone else (despite what Damian might say). There’s this amazing blend of comedy and drama that I think is almost perfectly conveyed by Baldemar Rivas’ art. The action scenes are really dynamic and fluid:
While the still panel convey emotion and comedy:
This book is funny, man. I keep harping on it, but Seeley and Rivas have absolutely nailed the little dynamics between the Robins. Dick is the chill oldest child who’s just doing his best to wrangle his younger siblings, Jason is the cool older brother who is very obviously a terrible influence on Damian, who continuously bullies the forever middle child Tim Drake, etc. And the best part is that you can see it. Their faces, their body language, everything. There’s just so much personality in this book, and it’s everything my little Robin fan heart could ever want. Not to mention the COLORS. Ever since Man-Bat, it’s always a pleasure to see Romulo Fajardo Jr. on a book. His work is always on point, and his light work is astounding. I’m glad he’s showing up in a bunch of my review content, and I hope to see more of him in the future.
That being said, I did have a couple issues.
A Couple Issues
My main problem with this mini so far, though it is a small one, is that Seeley, while great at the character stuff, feels the need to add a “LOOK AT THIS COOL AND MYSTERIOUS FIGURE WHO KNOWS EVERYTHING ABOUT THE ROBINS BUT YOU’VE NEVER SEEN THEM CAUSE UHHHHHHHHHHHHHH” plotline in the form of new character Jenny Wren. I’m not discounting the series quite yet, but it’s not really what this book was advertised as. I, and several of my friends, were hoping for this to be more of a character piece, not a Batman and Robin Eternal-esque life-changing mystery. Like I said, it’s not a huge problem, definitely not series-crippling, but it’ll be up to Seeley to make sure it doesn’t hijack the book from what it got voted in for.
The art isn’t without its flaws, either, and a lot of the crew looks a little funky out of costume, with a big case of same-face for more than a couple panels. It’s not bad by any means, and most of the book looks amazing, but definitely a little disappointing, considering how fantastic the crew looks when suited up.
See? It’s not bad, just same-y.
Recommended if…
- You like the Robins as much as I do.
- You’re looking for a pretty funny book that has the potential to deal with some heavy topics.
- You were a fan of Batman and Robin Eternal
Overall
I liked this issue. I’m excited to see where the rest of this series goes, even if I’m a little hesitant about the main plot. It’s a really charming look into how the Robins act when Batman’s not around (which happens to be my favorite type of story!) while still exploring their relationship with the Bat. If this review or issue #1 has hooked you, issue #2 is up on DC Universe Infinite right now for subscribers!
Score: 8/10
Disclaimer: DC Comics provided Batman News with a copy of this comic for the purpose of this review.
