SYNOPSIS: A NEW ARC BEGINS HERE! With Memento’s reign of terror at an end, Damian is more committed than ever, both as Robin and as a Wayne of Gotham. But when an unassuming hitman known only as “the Quiet Man” arrives in Gotham on a mysterious mission of revenge, one of Batman’s deadliest enemies thought to be dead returns! A brand new art team, the first appearance of a brand-new villain, and the return of a fan favorite!
Another issue of the other great book with “Batman and Robin” in the title!
Writer Phillip Kennedy Johnson is joined by artist Fico Ossio for the start of a new arc, “The Quiet Man”! A mysterious inmate is released from Allegheny State Penitentiary, and after he visits a grave, he treks towards Gotham.
The next day at the Gotham Pier, we bear witness to the final battle in a war between The Penguin and Tiger Shark. Batman and Robin swoop in, bringing a swift conclusion to the skirmish. All is well in Gotham City, right?
Batman reflects on this, taking Robin to a special spot of the Gotham rooftops, gazing out on the city as it gleams before them. Father and son have a well-deserved heart-to-heart. Johnson is having Bruce make the effort to be a better man, and it shows in scenes like this.
Given how things have been in their life, and with the city seemingly giving them the rest of the night off, Bruce decides it’s time for a little father/son bonding at a late-night movie! Wondering what’s playing at The Monarch? A little independent film called “The Night Witches”. I’m sure nothing will happen in the city while they visit the cinema…certainly not an attack on the Iceberg Lounge that ends in a massive conflagration!
There is plenty of action in this issue. As this is set in a post-Batman, vol. 4, #1 world, the Dark Knight is adorned in his latest costume, and Ossio renders it magnificently! Ossio gives it a spectacular introduction as Batman swoops out of the Batplane and in the fight sequence that follows. While the suit has returned to a light shade of blue, expertly colored by Marcelo Maiolo, the creative team still keeps the “dark” in “Dark Knight”. Batman has not lost his edge or started making campy quips just because of a wardrobe change.
However, this is a Bruce Wayne who is trying to be more emotionally available to his son, attempting to rectify his past mistakes with his prior “kids”, like Dick or Jason. Not only is it sweet (without being saccharine) to hear him say how proud he is of his son, but he reinforces Damian’s decision to embrace his heritage as Robin and a Wayne of Gotham.
Perhaps the biggest moment is Bruce, who other writers have characterized as being unable to go to the movies since that night, suggesting he and Damian go catch a movie. Not only is this a breakthrough for him, but it’s the theater near where his parents were killed! It’s very chilling (uh, no pun intended) to see that street lamp cast a light down upon that fateful corner where lives were changed irrevocably. Regardless of what happens next, this was a significant moment for Bruce and the growth of his character. Alfred would be proud of him for making this effort. I would expect nothing less from Phillip Kennedy Johnson.
This is a solid start to a new arc. Perhaps it doesn’t feel ground-breaking or flashy, and we know next to nothing about this new villain beyond his commanding respect and being an army of one, seemingly, but that doesn’t detract from this being a well-told comic. The art is glitzy, the action thrilling, and the character moments remind you of why you’re here in the first place. It’s no wonder that I look forward to reading this every month! –Javier E. Trujillo
GRADE: A
