Reviewer: Ian Mintz
Publisher: DC Comics
Writer: Grant Morrison
Artists: Cameron Stewart, Andy Clarke, Scott Hanna, Dustin Nguyen and Frank Quitely (Cover Art)
Genre: Graphic Novel (Hardcover)
MSRP: $24.99 U.S.
Release Date: Available Now
What are you willing to risk to bring back the person who is not only important to you but to the world?
This is a question that Dick Grayson, the once partner to the Dark Knight, has asked himself and quickly answered. He is willing to race across the world to bring back the man who had taken him in and raised him as his own to eventually share with him the crime fighter life. This is exactly what he does in The Deluxe Edition of Batman & Robin: Batman Vs. Robin … a fresh and unforgettable addition to the Batman saga.
Bruce Wayne is dead … or so those close to the original Batman think since Superman brought back the corpse of the Caped Crusader after Batman sacrificed himself during a mission. Since then, Dick Grayson (AKA the original Robin and Nightwing) has taken up the costume to become the new Batman and is now on a quest to bring back the man that meant so much to him. Having taken a partner who has assumed the role of Robin, the heir to the Wayne fortune as well as the crime syndicate of Al Ghul is out of commission thanks to a spinal cord injury that is being treated by his mother with the help of Wayne Manor butler, Alfred Pennyworth.
Having discovered the location of a Lazarus pit – that is said to contain a mysterious power that is able to bring the dead back to life – in England, the new Batman finds himself bringing his mentor’s remains to a coal mine that is territory to a villain who calls himself King Coal and his chimney sweep minions. Thankfully, Batman has the aid of the British heroes Knight and his sidekick named Squire. What they encounter in the mines is henchmen and their prisoner … Batwoman. Unfortunately, the Lazarus pit has a most troublesome effect on the body of the old Batman and what surfaces is an out-of-control freak. During the scuffle, something happens to Batwoman that has Batman using the Lazarus pit once again but this time it’s a success.
Returning back to Wayne manor after surgery, Damian returns to his father’s home only to find that the insane creature that was once a corpse attack him and Alfred. It’s clear to Damian that this is not his father, a fact that is startling considering the fact that Superman himself had confirmed the identity. Grayson and Batwoman arrive on time to save Damian but it’s clear that Damian doesn’t think very highly of the man that has replaced his father as Batman.
If the thing they thought was Bruce Wayne isn’t the real deal then surely Bruce must still be alive, right? So Both Batman and Robin start digging deeper and following clues that suggest that Bruce might have been transported back in time somehow. As Damian tends to his father’s business affairs by taking full control of Wayne Enterprises, Batman turns to the mysterious gravedigger known as Oberon Sexton who has a list of unusual murders of members of an exclusive club that Bruce Wayne’s parents may or may not have a connection.
The only way to find out the truth is by taking a trip to the Wayne cemetery and the complex that holds the Wayne family history that spans generations of Waynes. If Bruce is alive he might have left a message via a painting but as Batman is digging through the clues, Robin cannot control his anger towards his partner. On top of that, masked agents of the organization connected to the murders show up and Robin fights the effects of a device his mother might have implanted in his new spinal cord. Along with the aid of Oberon Sexton, Robin is able to fight off the intruders but not after Robin – controlled like a puppet by a man that Dick Grayson knows – attacks Batman.
Losing the only clue they have, both Batman and Robin confront Talia Al Ghul, Damien’s mother, and she reveals exactly what she did to her son. In a powerful scene, the son wants his mother to understand that path he chose but she had bigger plans for him. In the end, her shocking and heartbreaking response will change Damien’s life forever as the quest to find Bruce Wayne continues.
Leave it to Grant Morrison, one of comic’s most cherished and respected comic book authors, to tell a story that will make you see the Dark Knight and the Boy Wonder in a different light. The story has no shortage of surprises (including the surprising identity of Oberon Sexton) and exciting team ups (Batwoman definitely needs a series of her own by Mr. Morrison as does Knight and Squire). The art is also a highlight thanks to Cameron Stewart who made Seaguy so awesome.
Batman fans, if The Deluxe Edition of Batman & Robin: Batman Vs. Robin is not among your collection then there is something seriously wrong with you. It is proof undeniable that now matter how many different Batman stories you’ve read over the past few years there is still room for the saga to expand in exciting ways that will make you glad you fell in love with comics in the first place. A Must Have for comic fans, period.
COMIC REVOLUTION RATING BREAKDOWN
STORY: A
Determined to bring Bruce Wayne back to life, Dick Grayson takes up the cowl as the new Batman and takes the remains of his mentor to England where a chance to resurrect him leads to an unfortunate mishap that will lead Batman and the new Robin to investigate the Wayne bloodline. Meanwhile, Robin discovers something about his mother that is connected to him.
ART: A+
The art is simply stunning and that is thanks to Cameron Stewart as well as the contributions of Andy Clarke, Scott Hanna and Dustin Nguyen that make this a visually stunning series. Add some really striking cover art from Frank Quitely as well as some sketches and variant covers and you have yourself a good-looking hardcover graphic novel.
OVERALL: A
The Deluxe Edition of Batman & Robin: Batman Vs. Robin is nothing short of brilliant, mesmerizing and beautifully told. There is just something powerfully emotional about Dick Grayson willing to do whatever it takes to bring back his mentor and Damian fighting for control of his life. This is a series that should not be missed by anyone, especially if you’re a Batman fan.
Review copy provided by DC Comics
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