BATMAN & ROBIN: YEAR ONE #4 Review

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SYNOPSIS: Things are heating up in Gotham as the General works to tighten his grip on the criminal underbelly of the city. But when he and Batman come face-to-face, will the Dark Knight strike fear in this new threat’s heart, or is this the end of Batman’s fight for Gotham City? Meanwhile, a meeting with Dick’s caseworker sets the young Boy Wonder on a path he absolutely dreads!

I think it’s fair to say this issue is Chris Samnee’s.

Picking up from the last issue’s cliffhanger, readers are treated to a four-page resolution in which not a word is spoken until the end. As such, this opening is a showcase and testament to Samnee’s talent, where tension is built without a single word of dialogue. Waid lets the art tell the story, and the reader is not short-changed because of it.

There’s a great back-and-forth between action and character work this issue. We get more insight into what makes The General tick in a scene as he and his father overlook Gotham from the rooftops. Later, his threat almost gets undercut by Batman, but, well, he’s Batman. He should be this prepared and intimidating against this new villain. However, I think this interaction is going to make Grimaldi more dangerous when we see him next.

The scene where Ms. Lyn the social worker drops in for an impromptu inspection is a lot of fun, particularly as Waid lightly plays the comedy aspects of it. This is not a smooth machine at Wayne Manor yet between Alfred, Bruce, and Dick and it is a blast seeing them work out the kinks of their alibi. You could only get this in a Year One type of story and everyone’s expressions in the art really makes the whole thing work as well as it does. Dick’s exasperation at returning to school is a highlight and makes for an emotional cliffhanger for him at the end.

Waid’s writing is top-notch (no shocker there) but I have to return to Samnee again, particularly how colorist Matheus Lopes aids him. There is such life to every page, be it the canyons of Gotham or the icy blue waters of her harbor. Wayne Manor feels warm and inviting, in stark contrast to the noirish vibes of The General’s office. I straight-up love Batman’s confrontation there, feeling very much inspired by Batman: Year One, but not being derivative. This is storytelling at its finest!

If you’re not reading this title, you don’t love Batman comics! This is a classically told tale reinvigorating all the iconic elements people love about the original Batman and Robin. Don’t miss it! Javier E. Trujillo

GRADE: A+

 

 

 

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Javier Trujillo
Javier E. Trujillo was a Batman fan long before the 1989 blockbuster opened on his 12th birthday. After following BATMAN-ON-FILM.COM -- the "Dad-Gum Original" -- since its inception, he started to write for BoF in 2019, covering Batman's 80th anniversary. He's a lover of all eras and aspects of The Dark Knight, but artist Jim Aparo will always be how he pictures him. When on the internet, odds are it's because he's talking about Batman or James Bond (or MAYBE Wally West). He resides in the "Live Music Capital of the World" (and also the genesis of Adam West's Bat-Boat), Austin, TX. You can follow him on Twitter @JaviTru or on Instagram @TheBondIsNotEnough.