So Glad I Didn't Completely Disregard This Series
The Good: Wow, that cover is absolutely AMAZING. There's so much going on in ways that works incredibly well. It's so surreal, and represents everything that's going on in the issue in a simple way with so much depth and chaos. It's a visual masterpiece.
Patrick Gleason continues to be a fantastic artist for this series. He does an amazing job with all the sprawling abstract shadows, and it sets an incredible tone for a Batman series. I also have to note just how amazingly insane he draws the Arkham innmates in the first page.
Alfred buddy, you a badass, bro. Seriously. BEST. BUTLER. EVER. If there's one character Peter J. Tomasi writes best in this series, it's definitely Alfred.
Oh wow, NoBody's quite the badaass himself. Though his motivations are dull, his performance as an adversary is nothing short of awesome. Plus his costume is epic and creepy as hell. And the way he moves only enhances that effect, and there's something too be said about a comic where I can say things about the way he moves when he doesn't just move in a stupidly bizarre way.
Although the whole 'Kill vs. Not Kill' debate is yawn worthy, the issue does get to the heart of the idea of the conflict between Batman and Robin. It's all about Trust, as the issue title says. Trust and Respect. THe two things go hand in hand, and Batman and Robin aren't feeling it fully from each other. Batman can handle it, and vents in commands, but Damian, poor ten year old Damian who just wants his father's affection; he can't handle it. And NoBody has given him the answer to his frustrations.
This issue has some amazing writing for Damian. Things got so absolutely deep and intense with this kid. He's so different, and it's hurting him deep down inside. He doesn't know how to be a kid, and he doesn't know how to be a son, much less Batman's son. And frankly it's tearing this poor kid's heart up. I just want to reach in and give the little guy a big hug and tell him everything's going to be ok. His emotions are just so POWERFUL, and they really shouldn't be for someone his age, which makes him such a great tagic character.
The Bad: The entire issue, and verily the entire story arc, is all about a Batman debate that's gotten so stale its almost a rock. Should Batman kill criminals. YAWN. We've been over this debate so many times that.... I can't come up with a good analogy for how many times we've been over this debate. Plus I thought Damian was basically past this issue in his development. And really, NoBody doesn't add any new meat to this argument, just kind of uses the sake of itself as a debate point, and Damien really hasn't seemed too swayed by him. I think if Damien does go with NoBody, it'll be more about the act of rebelling itself rather than the debate. Just a cry for attention, but I'm not sure if they'll paint it that way considering how they're forcing this debate down our throats so hamhandedly in this issue.
In Conclusion: 4/5
The first two issues had a weird balance of absolutely amazing things, and absolutely horrendous things. The next two issues have been utterly stellar. Peter J. Tomasi is one of the best writers for Damian. He gets as deep as possible into this kid's heart, and makes a careful incision. My heart bleeds for this hurting child. Because that's what Damian really is. He's a child. He's not even a teenager. Nobody that young should be internalizing such intsense inner turmoil. But that's what his father did when he was a child, so oddly enough, he's on the right path to becoming a True Batman.
