DCU Comic Book Reviews

RED ROBIN #24

7 Days of Death, Part Two:  It's Not Paranoia

August 2011

Written by Fabian Nicieza

Pencils by Marcos To

Inks by Ray McCarthy

Cover by Marcos To

Synopsis

In Cairo, Tim Drake (aka Red Robin) has been target for assassination by the original scarab and her cohorts.  Red Robin manages to keep himself alive, but Scarab escapes.  Later, Red Robin visits Viktor Mikalek, who was shot as part of the assassination “tournament” that targeted Red Robin.  Viktor reveals the assassin was Promise, the Russian woman who had helped Red Robin some time ago.  Afterwards, Red Robin searches for a likely assassination spot.  He finds it, but he also finds trouble as he is attacked.  He is saved my Promise.  She then attacks Red Robin, knocking him unconscious.  When he comes to, he finds himself chained.  Promise tells him that she needs to fulfill a family debt and hands him over to her sister, who says that his flesh may die, but his spirit will live on through the child he will give her.

Review by Binkley (e-mail)

“What a way to go” indeed!

Ahem.

Anyway, I thought this was an average issue, typical of the work that Nicieza has been doing on this title for some time.  In essence, there is a short fight scene, a complicated relationship that becomes even more so, and mysterious machinations performed by Red Robin as he tries to remain one step ahead of everyone else.  It is a good formula, with lots of potential for conflict.  However, Nicieza sticks to it pretty much each time out and, as you can probably tell, now that I am kinda aware of what is going on, the story is starting to lose some of its punch.  We keep going round and round, revisiting plots and ideas and characters and conflicts without actually getting somewhere.  At some point, we need a story that is a little more direct and resolves some of the situations, and maybe firmly deals with one of the characters (Mikalek or Promise or Tam or whatever).  I am tired of going round in circles; I need a new view. 

I am a little confused as to the reasoning behind the so-called assassination tournament.  They were targeting CEOs, but that turned out to be a ruse in order to kill Mikalek.  So, that means heroes are being targeted.  where does Tim’s assassination fit into it?  Will we see anyone else being targeted?  If it is a tournament, there needs to be some deaths.  Actually, that would make a pretty good mini-series or even Event series, providing, of course, you are willing to live with a few deaths.

One the cover, Promise (I am assuming since she is the one who attacks Tim) is shown with red hair, but inside she has blonde hair.  Make up your mind. 

Why bother with the charade with Lucius’ non-death?  I mean, we the readers know that he is not dead, yet Nicieza is playing coy, not quite explaining to the reader (“There is a good a reason”) why Tam can’t see her father.  We know the reason.  He is not really dead.  Why not just say it, at least to the readers who should be smart enough to understand what is going on?

 

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Last updated: 08/06/11.