Batman & Robin: Batman Reborn

Batman & Robin Vol.1: Batman Reborn

Written by: Grant Morrison

Illustrated by: Frank Quitely & Philip Tan

Released by: DC

First he killed millions of mutants on the island of Genosha, then he decapitated Magneto, (who later turned out being a Xorn brother, but that’s just Marvel being Marvel).  He killed Superman, and gave Batman a son. Hell, he even weaponized house pets.  Of course I’m talking about none other than Grant Morrison.  Whether you think he’s the arm-waving, lobotomized, subway prophet of comics, or it’s techno-Buddha; it can’t be denied that his is one of the names associated with it’s “Renaissance era”.  Teamed with his usual partner in crime, and master illustrator (for the first 3 issues anyway) Frank Quitely, who is in my opinion one of the greatest illustrators around, and fresh off their All-Star Superman run, the duo have returned in what I consider to be one of their best projects.  If you know their work you’ll understand my excitement.  The dynamic duo who worked on All-Star-Superman, New X-Men, We3, &JLA Earth 2 are bringing a whole new dynamic duo to life in a pretty decent jumping-off point for any new readers. I thought that was something to get excited about.  The only required reading material, which is totally optional mind you, would be; Morrison’s Batman & Son and his Batman R.I.P. story arc’s; as well as the Battle for the Cowl 3 issue mini-series.

Picture Commissioner Gordon on a rooftop flashing the bat-signal over Gotham, but the dark knight never arrived.  After the disappearance (because nobody in either universe stays dead) of Bruce Wayne, after the Battle for the Cowl, Dick Grayson the boy wonder formerly known as NightWing returns to the cold, hard streets of Gotham to don the mask of the caped crusader.  Arguably; the true heir to the mask. Partnered with Damian Wayne (Batman’s ten year old, League-of-Assassin-trained, quasi-supervillain-ish son/otherwise known as Ra’s al Ghul’s grandson) who replaces Tim Drake as Robin; the two make sure that Batman, and his principles will never die.  Instead of the perhaps all-too-familiar line-up of Batman villains Grayson, as a new Batman, gets a whole new crop.  To some this may be a disappointment, but for me it was an absolute joy to see some fresh, psychotic faces!!  But Jason Todd (Grayson’s successor as Robin, who used to be dead, but that’s of course just DC being DC) as the new Red Hood, and his own homicidal teenage sidekick have a different, more violent brand of justice.  You wanna make crime stop, you gotta kill those who would commit it.  Kill them in the most grandiose, most visible way possible. But the more violent the hero… the more violent his foe.  Our story opens with a chase scene.  One involving a brand new modified Bat-hover-mobile, (A bat should fly right?), and a semi-adorable Mr. Toad.  Toad’s capture leads to Pyg (who melts people’s faces), and his army of zombified, doll-henchmen, and circus freaks coming to town. Meanwhile The Red Hood’s “Punisher-ish” version of justice attracts Flamingo, the cannibal assassin who snacks on women’s faces. (Notice an animal theme?).  So in essence what we have is; two ex-Robin’s, and what they’ve become as a result of having known Batman.  One a hero, and the other an anti-hero.

Now I know a lot of fans have deemed All-Star Superman as better than Batman & Robin, but I (a Batman fan) found this to be much more invigorating, and infinitely more exciting.  All-Star Superman while poetic, was a little too… wacky for my tastes.  I feel the new line-up of lunatics, and the relationship between Damian & Grayson elevated this above that series. (That’s just personal taste though) Grayson an old time hero, Wayne an innovative, head-strong, brat.  This unlike, let’s say for instance, Morrsion’s “The Filth” was grounded more in reality. I like his more accessible tales, where he doesn’t get too carried away. Quitely, on the other hand, is quite honestly fantastic!  He’s always fantastic!!  His art always comes across as friendly.  I love Grayson’s relaxed Batman look, and Robin’s black & red leather uniform complete with kick-arse boots; though he’s still wearing the yellow cape, which I imagine is terrible for fighting crime at night.  I love the new “animal villains” and their deranged new styles of crime & torture.  Every one could star in their own serial killer movie. They’ll all fit perfectly into Gotham, and help make it even darker than it already is. The Penguin is thrown in as well to kinda ease you into the transition (and… well… he fits the animal theme). Quitely seems to be able to make to most sense of Morrison.  I will say I was a little upset that he only penciled the first 3 issues, and was replaced by Philip Tan for the remainder of the story arc, with Quitely still onboard penciling the covers.  But Philip Tan is a solid enough replacement.  It could have been much worse.  Morrison gives us an all new everything.  An all new Batmobile, and all new dynamic duo with an all new shaky relationship, and all new villains. Still occurring in the DC universe (this isn’t an alternate take on Batman); if you ever wanted to get into the dark knight… if you ever wanted to read Morrison, and NOT get confused… if you ever wanted to experience the glory that is Frank Quitely’s art, this is a good place to dive in.  And for old fans this is something fresh for your palette to experience. Something wild, and new, but still very much Batman.  Because the caped crusader by any other name is still going to punch the bad guy dead in his face 10 times out of 10.

This arc is followed by  the “Batman vs. Robin” & the “Batman Must Die” story arcs.