ALL-STAR BATMAN AND ROBIN Mishandled
Author: Cary Ashby
Monday, December 26, 2005

I don't know what's more disheartening: witnessing a legendary writer lose his grip on his craft or reading a story in which a literary icon is blatantly mishandled. That's the unfortunate case with the first several issues of "All-Star Batman and Robin, the Boy Wonder."

After reading several negative reviews posted on the Internet and one in THE PLAIN DEALER, I'm not alone in thinking "All-Star" leaves a bad taste in readers' brains, mouths, etc.

"All-Star" does nothing to live up to its name. DC Comics had hailed the limited series as not attempting to rewrite the characters' origins, but rather tell contemporary tales "that build on the histories of the respective characters, while remaining fresh and as timeless as possible."

Attaching the description "All-Star" to something means it is the best of the best. In pro football, that's easily the New England Patriots who have won three of the last four Super Bowls [EDITOR‘S NOTE: The Dallas Cowboys did the same thing between 1992-1995 ;)].

I was hoping that was the case here. Writer Frank Miller, however, seems to have lost any and all magic he had in his previous masterpieces, "The Dark Knight Returns" and "Batman: Year One." I hoped Miller would tell early, "instant classic" stories about the Dynamic Duo in the "Year One"-style.

Miller instead presents a psychotic Batman who kidnaps the suddenly orphaned Dick Grayson after seeing his parents killed at the circus. This is not the same hero most of us know who felt compassion for Dick and took him under his wing to fight injustices. Miller's "All-Star" Batman is at a loss for words about why the boy should become his protégé’ and demands Dick follow his counsel. In a scene in the second issue, his mind seizes up and Batman is visibly anguished at having to speak further.

Dick wants to know what's going on as he sees Batman blatantly disregard the safety of Gotham police officers by driving the Batmobile through their cruisers. Batman slaps Dick to keep him quiet. Batman never calls Dick by his name, only "boy."

This Batman sees the future Robin as a project, not the crimefighting partner and emotional foil that creator Bob Kane envisioned in 1940. Miller goes overboard in making Batman "brutal (and) a very stern teacher" -- phrases he used in a February interview with Newsarama, a comic book-based Web site.

Artist Jim Lee is the saving grace here. Vicki Vale has never been as sexy or the Batmobile as impressive. Everything about Batman screams Dark Knight. Dick Grayson's expressions embody the whirlwind of raw feelings he must have after witnessing his parents' murders and then being hustled away by Gotham City's gruesome, scary guardian through a police barricade.

Longtime fans of the Caped Crusader will have a hard time dealing with "All-Star."

Miller has said Batman's initiation of Robin is a "romp (that will) be a lot of fun." That's certainly not the case if you're a comic book reader familiar with the writings of Kane, Bill Finger, Dennis O'Neil, Chuck Dixon and Paul Dini -- much less Miller himself.