DCU Comic Book Reviews

ROBIN #161

Little White Lies

June 2007

Written by Adam Beechen

Pencils by Freddie E. Williams II

Inks by Freddie E. Williams II

Cover by Patrick Gleason & Wayne Faucher

Synopsis

Robin is on the trail of a gang members that are taking pharmaceutical drugs to become meta-humans.  In an alleyway, the gang corners Robin after he tries to bust up their drug deal.  They beat up Robin but when they learn their dealer is dead, the gang leaves, looking for their next fix.  Robin is able to get a phone number from the dealer’s body, but that only leads to Strader Pharmaceuticals.  Thanks to Zoanne’s father, Tim is able to get inside the company and locate the office from where the phone number originated so he can download information from the computer’s hardware.  The data shows that the drugs are potentially killing whoever takes it.  Meanwhile, an executive learns of Robin’s hack of the computers and calls someone else to take care of the situation.  Elsewhere, Michael Lasky (aka Dodge) hands over a package to Cassandra Cain (aka Batgirl), who plans to perfect the chemical process and create an army.  Later, Robin finds the gang’s hideout and finds them all dead or dying.  Robin also finds himself surrounded by gunmen aiming directly at him. 

Review by Binkley (e-mail)

There really is not much I can add to this storyline or to this book that I have not already said previously about Beechen’s run on this title.  These issues have been great and this issue is certainly more of the same goodness.  Beechen has a terrific sense of not only the character of Robin, but also the character of Tim Drake.  While it is one thing to write these two characters, Beechen adds an extra level of intrigue by having these two parts of his life interconnect with each other, adding an additional level of complexity.  His relationship with Zoanne has been a wonderful look at two kids trying to find the depth of their friendship. 

It will be intriguing seeing where Beechen takes the plot lien involving Cassandra Cain (assuming that’s her since she is not identified by name).  Beechen has taken a lot of flak for writing the story of her turn to the dark side, although in reality that decision was made by editorial and not him.  Although we know, based on the recent Teen Titans, that Cassie was being influenced by drugs (by Deathstroke who may be the person speaking in the shadows), but Beechen did not portray her that way.  It will be curious to see where this falls within continuity.  Will she be under control of the drugs and Deathstroke (pre-Titans East) or will she have kicked the habit (post-Titans East)?

At first, the shirt Tim is wearing when he visits Strader Pharmaceuticals reminded me of the uniforms they wore on Star Trek:  The Next Generation.  Then someone pointed out that Tim’s shirt is really similar to Robin’s uniform, which is dangerous if you want to maintain your secret identity.

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