DCU Comic Book Reviews

ROBIN #134

Always Starting Over

March 2005

Written by Bill Willingham

Pencils by Damion Scott

Inks by Damion Scott & Sandra Hope

Cover by Damion Scott

Synopsis

After Tim Drake visits his stepmother Dana in the hospital, he gets a visit from Batman and Alfred.  Since the death of Tim’s father, Tim does not have a legal guardian, so Batman wants to adopt Tim as his son.  Tim is thrilled, but tells Batman he wants to think about it.  The next day, at John Wayne High School, Tim gets noticed by the students because he was at “Alamo High” during the infamous shootout from War Games.  Tim tells everyone to leave him alone.  Later, at the reading of his dad’s will, Tim learns that his father at a brother.  So, Uncle Edward will become Tim’s guardian, as soon as they can find him.  That night, Robin breaks up a bunch of local thieves attempting to break into a local warehouse.  Afterwards, Robin declares he is ready for anything, just moments before he gets shot in the chest by three arrows. 

Review

This is the issue we should have gotten a couple of months ago rather than that stupid cross over story about Robin and Batgirl arriving in Blüdhaven and battling the Penguin.  I liked the issue and it had some good things about it, unfortunately, this may be a case of too little, too late.   Plus, the issue is marred by the flashback of Robin’s career, a seemingly unnecessary addition for people who are already intimately familiar with all of the details.  It seemed liked padding, filler, mostly because it concentrated on Robin’s career.  Thinking about it now, the issue might have benefited from a flashback to Tim’s relationship with Batman and how their partnership and friendship as evolved over the years.  This is the core of the issue:  Bruce and Tim.  Yet, I don’t get the sense of the relationship.  Of course, that might be the point, that beyond being Batman and Robin, Bruce and Tim don’t really have much of a relationship.

Wasn’t it just an issue or two ago when Tim shrugged off Bruce’s attempt to call him “son” with a retort that he didn’t deserve to call him that?  Now, Tim is suddenly happy that Bruce wants to adopt him.  Yet, he keeps putting him off until the reading of the will and the bombshell of Jack’s younger brother, essentially absolving him from giving an answer.  Or did it?  After reading it a second time, I get the feeling that “Edward” may have been something that Tim created.  The narration hints that he was up to something, so we’ll have to wait and see....-- Review by MRB

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