Thanks to “BATMAN, R.I.P.” and
FINAL CRISIS, it’s been a while since I’ve written a comic book review. But with this “New Era of Batman” -- AKA “BATMAN: REBORN” -- upon us, I’m back at it.
Yet it's a bittersweet back at it.
As you regular readers of BOF know, I’ve been HIGHLY critical of the direction DC has taken my favorite fictional character. I think all of this is an unnecessary stunt that reeks of “Been there, done that.”
You know what I mean y'all?
For me -- and MANY others -- once you remove Bruce Wayne from the Bat-equation, there is no Batman. But hey, I’m just a guy who runs a little ‘ol Batman website, what the hell do I know?
Regardless of my personal feelings about all this, this is just they way it’s going to be for the next year or so and there’s absolutely nothing I can do about it. I also promised myself that despite my very “Meh” attitude towards the "New Era," I would read these new/revamped Bat-Comics and give 'em a fair shake.
So...
I read BATMAN AND ROBIN #1 [Check out BOF's first review of this title by Kris Tapley HERE - Jett] last week and, well….Is there a word to describe turning your nose up at something like there’s a bad smell around? Oh yeah, it’s “Meh.”
Sorry boys (and girls), this is just not my cup of tea when it comes to Batman.
Next up, RED ROBIN -- which I personally will be reviewing monthly -- starring Tim Wayne as, um, Red Robin. Now this one just may be right up my alley since me the former Robin have something in common: WE BOTH WANT BRUCE WAYNE TO RETURN DAMMIT!
The premise of RED ROBIN is that Tim is pissed that “New Batman” Dick Grayson has given the Robin mantle to the tremendously irritating Damien Wayne. That, combined with the fact that he believes that Bruce is still alive, causes Tim to bolt the country in search for his adoptive father.
Oh yeah, he kicks a little non-U.S. criminal ass along the way.
RED ROBIN #1 is basically an “answer unanswered questions and set up the title and the first story arc” issue. And that’s cool with me because we find out…
Why and how Tim left Gotham -- and Dick…
Why he chose the Red Robin persona…
That Tim speaks fluent Spanish.
As I said, this issue’s sole purpose was to answer questions and lay the foundation for this new title, and it does this quite well. Apparently, there will be a lot of international intrigue with RED ROBIN and if you like that sort of thing, you’re going to be happy with this comic book. Plus, a classic Batman villain related to these sort of storylines shows up at the very end and seemingly will play a role in this inaugural four-part storyline.
I quite liked this issue and I’m looking forward to not only this first story arc, but the entire run of RED ROBIN. Which is sort of ironic and a tad hypocritical because I'm not a Robin fan! But like I said, Tim and I have a lot in common and a crisis in the Bat-World makes for strange bedfellows.
Question: How in the hell does one get from Spain, France, and the rest of Europe to the damn Stone Age?
I guess we’ll find out….maybe.
