SYNOPSIS: Years ago, Bane killed Alfred Pennyworth right in front of Damian. And now, on Dinosaur Island, nothing is stopping Robin from getting his revenge! Except his father, Batman! And the giant dinosaurs, of course.
Now that’s more like it, Mr. Williamson!
Opening with a flashback to before “City of Bane”, we see a vulnerable moment between Alfred and Damian. This continues throughout “To The Death” as Robin’s confrontation with Bane reveals key moments between what is basically grandfather and grandson at specific eras in Bat-History. These flashbacks are beautifully illustrated by Juan Ferreyra, who also does his own coloring, setting these moments apart by making them awash in gray and red.
In the present day, the action is brutal between Bane and Robin as they go toe-to-toe. Under Ferreyra’s pencil, it’s a bit like David vs Goliath…if David was trained by the League of Assassins!
While the action packs a punch and has plenty of thrills, Williamson gives it all weight and meaning, peeling behind the layers and showing how similar Bane and Damian are, or at least how similar Bane thinks they are. That’s the beauty of the flashbacks — we see what sets Damian apart and what has made him the character he is today. Damian’s arc from 2006 to now has been about choosing a path — will he take after his mother, an assassin, or his father, a hero? Damian makes a crucial decision here before it gets taken away from him.
While the main focus is on young Master Damian, his father is here, too, having a confrontation with Vengeance, a female clone of Bane, who sees the villain as her father. It’s a cool juxtaposition to have the pairings we get in this comic, as the two different generations swap who you think would be their antagonists. Vengeance may not have the body mass of her “father”, but she is still a threat to the Dark Knight and a handy exposition provider. Thankfully, it doesn’t feel forced under Williamson, who keeps things exciting as key plot points are revealed.
Outsider continues to be here, as well as various dinosaurs on the island, but the main spotlight is Robin rending his revenge. Bane and Robin seem to come to a level of acceptance about their respective stations in life and the cliffhanger is going to make for an interesting resolution next month!
I’ve been lukewarm at best on this volume of Batman and Robin, but this is easily the greatest issue of this title since its Dawn of DC relaunch! Ferreyra is providing jaw-dropping art that sells not just the action, but the emotion, and Williamson is getting right to the heart of Damian Wayne and what has been driving him. This issue is not to be missed! – Javier E. Trujillo
GRADE: A+
