DCU Comic Book Reviews

ROBIN #179

Search For A Hero, Part 3:  Chaos In A Bottle

December 2008

Written by Fabian Nicieza

Pencils by Freddie E. Williams II

Inks by Freddie E. Williams II

Cover by Freddie E. Williams II

Synopsis

After Detectives Cavallo and Wise were arrested for corruption, protests have broken out all over the city.  Those protests have also generated interest from various assassins, including Scarab.  Yet, Scarab is using non-lethal bullets, which confuses Robin.  Then he realizes something….  The next day at school, Robin can’t find Stephanie Brown (aka The Spoiler).  Elsewhere, the Spoiler is receiving treatment from Ulysses Armstrong from the shot he fired at her.  Ulysses tells her that they have the same goal:  to make Robin better.  For Ulysses, it is so he will have a worthy opponent.  Spoiler, however, is unsure of her plans fits with Ulysses’ plans, so she makes her escape.  Meanwhile, Robin heads out to hopefully stop the gang violence from escalating, by using the Batmobile and hoping to convince everyone he is Batman.  Nearby, Scarab and Red Robin watch and wait before they attack, forcing Robin out into the open.  Just then Spoiler attacks Scarab, leaving Robin to fight against Red Robin. 

Review by Binkley (e-mail)

This was a very strong issue in this storyline, a much more focused story than last month.  This issue does not get sidetracked by all of the guest shots and manages to propel the plot forward.  I am still not sure if some of the guest shots are necessary (does Lynx add anything to the story or could that role have been played by a faceless gang member?), but they aren’t as distracting as last issue, so it doesn’t really bother me.  Really, Nicieza has focused the story on Robin, on his attempts to get the gang wars in control without the benefit of having anyone to help him, let alone having Batman to lead the way.  And it works.  Good stuff. 

So, in essence Spoiler equals Zoom from The Flash (and most recently seen in the Rogues’ Revenge mini-series).  Both test the heroes in attempts to make them better.  I am not sure I like or even agree with this characterization of the Spoiler, but at the very least she is not an outright villain or bad person, just misguided.  There is still the chance to turn her character around and revert her to her character before they decided to kill her.  Hell, it is even possible that she is the one in the Red Robin costume (because of her time as Robin or something like that).  I can’t recall if she was ever around when Tim saw Red Robin. 

The one thing I do like is the presentation of Ulysses as the potential to be the arch-nemesis for Robin.  Granted, it is a little too heavy-handed, but I like the idea and would like to see how the situation plays out.  Or at least I would like it if I didn’t know that Batman R.I.P. storyline is about to (possibly) change the Batman franchise in a way that will render any changes moot in a couple of months. 

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