It may be the most exciting time in some years to be a Damian and Bruce Wayne fan. The father-and-son relationship between the two is being tested in the main Batman book, while Joshua Williamson and Simone Di Meo are putting in the time to show their bond exclusively. The new series is tapping into Robin’s past and sending him to high school. What’s more dangerous, fighting the White Rabbit or making it through second period? That’s a question you’ll ask yourself when reading Batman and Robin #2.
This issue opens with Robin getting a lesson some years ago. It’s about emotion, which is intriguing right off the bat since he’s typically been so unemotional. Given the lesson learned, one can imagine he may be on a path to redeem bad teachings of his past.
Things smash cut to Batman being attacked by bats, with his blood acting as a beacon. A new threat, masked in bandages—seemingly some kind of Husk homage—is forcing the two to escape and find shelter. Something Williamson manages to capture very well is the familial bond between the two, who have historically been cold with each other, especially in the field. There’s a sense that Damian truly loves his father and vice versa. This scene leads to further information surrounding the animal-based villains.
A fun sequence in high school reminds readers Damian is probably too cool for school. In a fun cut-away, we see what he’d do to a bully if he let loose. Di Meo captures Damian well in this scene, with a sleek ninja feel to his body and movement and killer sunglasses. The use of color in this scene helps create a warm morning feel, contrasting well against Damian, who isn’t usually active at this hour. It’s a nice contrast to the scenes set at night, as they’re caked in purples and blues.
Harsh!
Credit: DC Comics
Speaking of purple and blue, an absolutely fabulous reveal of Batman drenched in purple light and blue myst is a great surprise to the reader and Damian. The use of these bright colors allows the story to feel dark yet neon-drenched and unique for a Batman book. Di Meo is quite good at slanting panels to create a sense of chaos and movement as well.
As far as plotting, this issue does leave a bit to be desired. All in all, it’s a bit of a slow burn, even with cuts to flashbacks and school. The plot doesn’t move forward very much by the end, and a scene with the villains conferring is heavy on exposition. It jumps around, but each scene doesn’t add much to the larger story.
Batman and Robin #2 is another fantastic-looking issue that blends the father/son dynamic into the action and intrigue. This issue feels a bit short on plot progression, leaving you wanting.
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