Review: Robin: Son of Batman #1
The first issue of Robin: Son of Batman came out Wednesday, and the issue sets the series up for some interesting themes involving the cycle of revenge, family, guilt, and atonement. Patrick Gleason, who was previously just on art for Batman and Robin, has taken over the story and art in this new book.
So far, he is doing a good job carrying Damian’s previous characterization from Batman and Robin over to the new book. He’s becoming compassionate and really taking to Bruce’s morals. The book opens with Damian feeling the need to for atone for all the blood shed at his hands, while showing more of the nightmares he has been having since he’s been revived. Gleason definitely knows how to write Damian and show him as the scared child he is!
Gleason gives us a peek into Damian’s childhood in this first issue. We learn about the Year of Blood and a haunted ship with all of Damian’s prizes from that year. The prizes — trophies, as Damian calls them — were earned during the year he was groomed to be the heir to the League of Assassins. He completed a task a day to prove himself, which shows just how much this poor kid had to go through while being groomed.
The art, just like with Batman and Robin vol. 2, manages to capture Damian in a way to show that he’s a child struggling to forgive himself for his past mistakes. Gleason has a way with drawing Damian that brings out the little piece of him that is a child.
The best part of the entire issue has to be Goliath. Damian’s new pet Man-Bat is a giant, red beast that comes when he hears the call from a whistle. He’s protective of Damian and has a fierce appetite. Goliath is the perfect companion for our little animal lover in his new solo title.
I’m looking forward to see what Gleason does with Talia and Maya, since he introduced both in the comic. Maya — the daughter of Nobody — seems to be out for revenge, since Damian killed her father. Talia, on the other hand, still has no memory of who she is or who her family is since her revival. Her introduction at the end of Robin: Son of Batman may bode well for her, assuming Gleason goes in a redemptive direction with her, the way he is with Damian.
