Batman and Robin #1 (DC Comics)
Writer: Peter J. Tomasi; Penciller: Patrick Gleason; Inker: Mick Gray; Colorist: John Kalisz; Letterer: Patrick Brosseau; Assistant Editor: Katie Kubert; Associate Editor: Harvey Richards; Editor: Mike Marts
DC’s “New 52” had been touted as new starting points, where someone who was absolutely clueless about the DCU could jump on. The reality is, however, that although that may be true for many books, the Batman titles seem exempt. The Grant Morrison-carved nature of Batman and his henchlings continues on, without explanation. Of particular note is the fact that Robin is not only the fourth to hold the title (Dick, Jason and Tim are mentioned), he is Bruce Wayne’s ten-year-old psychopathic son. And no reference is made to Damian’s origins, other than Bruce acknowledging him as a son. Good luck to newbies figuring that out without reference to supposedly abandoned continuity. (Obviously, it isn’t abandoned, but there you go with that “New 52” on the front.)
Anyway, in “Born to Kill” we are given a new direction on Batman’s character, at least to a certain degree. Crime Alley, where Bruce’s parents died is about to be bulldozed. Bruce has decided this will be the last time he memorializes the date of his parents’ deaths, and that after this he will honor their wedding day instead. (Now, that change I can get on board with!) Bruce takes DAmian to Crime Alley for this last memorial, Damian complaining all the way. (Why does no one strangle this kid?)
Now, here’s something that bothers me a lot — both are in costume, yet both babble about their relationship, address Alfred on radio by his name while they are out on the streets, where anyone might hear them! How is it that they maintain secret identities? It is one of the sloppiest things about the Bat-verse and it makes me crazy. Of all characters in the world who protect their identities, Batman ought to be the best. He and his henchlings ought to refer to each other only by their noms de guerre when they are in costume, and their relationships shouldn’t be specified. (Yeah, I’m a cranky fan.)
Anyway, Batman and his bratty Robin interrupt a team stealing radioactive material from a university laboratory reactor. A reactor, which for some reason is built right under an upper story swimming pool which children use. Yeah. I’m not buying this. This bizarre bit of architecture is necessary for purely plot reasons – the bad guys punch a hole in the reactor wall, draining core water. Batman plugs the hole and then blows out the bottom of the pool in the story above in order to fill the reactor cooler. I don’t want to know what the potential chemical reactions might be to chlorinated water suddenly exposed to fissionable material. At least Batman deployed a net to catch the swimmers before they fell into the reactor.
Generally, I like Tomasi’s writing, but … where the heck did this idiocy come from? It’s like the return of “Oh, it’s comics, who cares if it doesn’t make sense!” Well, I care. I’d like at least a little bit of what C.S. Lewis calls “realism of presentation” to carry along the fantastical elements of the story.
In other news, Damian-Robin doesn’t listen to orders, goes off, does what he’s told not to do, and the escaping bad guys (with radioactive material) explode in the city tunnels. At least it seems that way, although there’s no sign of the bodies and Batman says nothing of radiation levels. (Wouldn’t that be a primary concern? I mean, I want to know if there’s now a “hot spot” under the streets of Gotham!)
Yeah. We’ve got some story problems here. And there’s also a wacko killer on the loose using the name “Nobody” (shades of The Odyssey! — the Homeric one). What can I say? I’m a dyed-in-the-wool Batman fan. I’m stuck for now.
