DCU Comic Book Reviews

ROBIN #132

Fresh Blood Part One: Too Many Ghosts

January 2005

Written by Bill Willingham

Pencils by Damion Scott

Inks by Damion Scott

Cover by Damion Scott

Synopsis

In Blüdhaven, the heads of various crime families need a unified leader to run the underworld, one who can stand up to Black Mask if he decides to go after them once he solidifies his hold on Gotham.  At the Gotham Cemetery, services are being held for Stephanie Brown (aka The Spoiler).  Tim Drake (aka Robin) stands apart from the others; after the death of his father and Darla Aquista, Tim has no more tears.  But he will not let the losses turn him grim and vengeful like Bruce.  In fact, he wants to leave Gotham; there are too many ghosts.  Later, Robin has relocated to Blüdhaven.  With Alfred’s help, and Wayne Enterprises money, Robin gets his own headquarters (dubbed the Robin’s Nest) replete with the latest technology.  In Gotham, Alfred tells Bruce that his biggest fear has come true:  Robin is becoming more like Bruce.  In Blüdhaven, Robin is attacked by the assassin, Shrike.  Robin fights valiantly, but eventually Shrike defeats.  With Robin on his knees, Shrike withdraws his blade, ready for the final blow.  At the last minute Shrike loses his sword, thanks to…Batgirl!

Review

Let me get this out of the way:  I liked the issue; I thought Willingham delivered a good story of Robin moving to Blüdhaven.  Therein, however, lies the problem.  Why in the world does Robin have to move to another city?  What were the editorial people at DC thinking when this idea was pitched?  And how in the world could a teenager, one still in high school, get away with doing all that he does, living alone, not going to school, get away with all of this.  I suppose the power of Wayne Enterprises certainly helps, but as Tim was setting up the Robin’s Nest (cute name, by the way), I kept wondering, where was his step mother, why isn’t he in school?  The core of Tim Drake has always been the conflict between school and crimefigthing; now, that is gone.  Essentially at this point, Robin has gotten closer to Nightwing.  Forget the concerns that he is becoming more and more like Batman.  I am more concerned he is more like Nightwing.  Let’s see, he leaves Batman’s side and moves to Blüdhaven.  Yeah, just like Nightwing. 

I am also slightly annoyed that the death of his father is completely glossed over.  Hell, all of the deaths are completely forgotten in the next page or two.  Poor Stephanie doesn’t even get any tears shed.  It seems to me that there is so much after Identity Crisis and War Games that needs to be addressed (Dana’s reaction; how she and Tim relate to each other after Jack’s death), but all of that is brushed aside just to get Tim to Blüdhaven for this story with Batgirl. 

I am split on the art by Damion Scott.  The figures and the people look very cartoonish and childish which contrasts badly against the dark underlying tones of the story.  The degree of exaggeration, the size differential of some of the limbs to the rest of the body is distracting.  And the inks seems too dark and heavy for the pencils.  Yet, the action scenes, especially the fight with Shrike, were dynamic and burst off the page.-- Review by MRB

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