DCU Comic Book Reviews

ROBIN #163

Twelve Angry Men

August 2007

Written by Adam Beechen

Pencils by Freddie E. Williams II

Inks by Freddie E. Williams II

Cover by Patrick Gleason & Wayne Faucher

Synopsis

After purchasing a Father’s Day gift for Bruce Wayne, Tim Drake spots a purse snatcher.  He quickly changes into his Robin costume and gives chase.  The purse snatcher, however, is hit with a mortar shell and killed by the Jury.  When Robin questions the Jury’s use of deadly force on the purse snatcher, the Jury claims obstruction of justice and attack him.  Tim fights back and is able to dispatch of all 12 members of the Jury.  Meanwhile, at Wayne Manor, Bruce gets tired of waiting for Tim and decides to go out on patrol, assuring Alfred he is not looking for Tim.  Just then Tim returns and offers the Father’s Day gift to Bruce, only to learn that it was broken in the fight with the Jury.  Bruce, however, doesn’t mind as long as Tim is safe and he got the bad guys.

Review by Binkley (e-mail)

This story, and the month in which it came out, was perfect timing.  This one-and-done story provides Beechen with the chance for a breather between storylines while at the same to examine the new status quo with Tim, his adoption by Bruce.  Since this comic was released in June, a couple days after Father’s day, the background for the story makes perfect sense.  Of course, I would have preferred a little less fighting and a little more bonding between father and adopted son, but what Beechen provided was done well enough.  At the very least, the story continues to show the softer side of Batman, amusingly seen through the eyes of Alfred.

It was also nice to see the return of the Jury, first seen in before Infinite Crisis as more or less one of the throwaway villains that Willingham during his run on the title.  The actual identity of Robin’s sparring partner is immaterial to the issue and it could’ve been anyone, but credit goes to Beechen for dusting off not only an older villain, but whose first appearance (as far as I know) is actually tied to Robin the character and Robin the book.  It is the small touches like these that help to strengthen the idea of a living, breathing DCU.  Besides, Jury member 4 has a point; he really should be foreman!

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