SYNOPSIS: “Remember, you must die.” Long ago, a young Bruce Wayne first encountered the monstrous Memento in the winding streets of London and narrowly escaped with his life—but also with terrifying questions he never managed to answer. Now, with Gotham City in flames, will Batman finally find the key to stopping Memento once and for all? Or will his son suffer the fate he fled all those years ago? The Memento storyline comes to a thunderous conclusion!
Finale time! With Batman and Lautrec held captive in the Vestige by Memento, it’s up to Robin to save the day! The problem is that’s exactly what Memento wants, and he’s forcing Batman to relive the Wayne Murders as they wait for rescue!
The issue has an impeccable sense of grandeur as the mystery of who Memento is and why he is committing his crimes is revealed. It’s been a long time coming, and the answers deliver a strong sense of satisfaction for those who’ve been on the ride.
But as captivating as this existential threat is, the secret sauce here is Damian. I’ve said it before, but since his inception, Damian has come a long way in his characterization. From Morrison, to Tomasi, to Williamson, and now Johnson, a wonderful character arc has been slowly progressing throughout the years (decades?).
As it turns out, Damian is key to Memento’s plan succeeding, and the current Robin has been struggling with his identity, what it means to be a Wayne versus an al Ghul, and if he still even wants to be a caped crime fighter. He’s only ever had a binary choice of good and evil, and now Johnson, building off Williamson’s run, has opened up a few pathways for him, including following in Thomas Wayne’s footsteps or continuing with his comic book art.
Speaking of art, this has been a fantastic-looking run so far. While I typically balk at multiple artists on a book or storyline, each of them has been involved in a specific time frame or method of storytelling, and it works, providing a specific emphasis on certain elements. Even when we’ve had multiple artists working in the same setting, the styles have blended very well.
I can’t say one artist shines over the others here, either. Mendonca handles the bulk of the present day, with Di Giandomenico once again handling the pre-Batman flashbacks and Ba doing “Damian’s” comic book art at the end. Maiolo’s colors are the glue that unites it all, and he brings the hellish landscapes to demonic life. The crayon-like coloring of the comic at the end brings the right sense of playfulness, while carrying the weight of Damian’s decision.
This is such a phenomenal issue. By tying up all the loose ends since this story started, Johnson and Co. delivered a strong sense of closure, akin to a season finale. While the adventures continue next issue, I hope this isn’t the last we’ve seen of Lautrec, and I’m looking forward to hopefully seeing more of Damian in his private life as well.
Batman and Robin, under the stewardship of Johnson, is a perfect synthesis of the supernatural and the procedural. Batman deals with the evils of man day in and day out, but he also resides in a world with cosmic beings and hellish monsters. Johnson balances both halves of The Dark Knight’s world skillfully, setting a gritty and grounded tone, but allowing for the more fantastical elements of the DCU to permeate when applicable. Containing a great sense of continuity and thrilling visuals, this is a top-notch book from DC! – Javier E. Trujillo
GRADE: A+
