Review: Batman & Red Robin #19

Just two months ago, Batman & Robin was “in need of a direction.” Little did anyone know that events in Batman, Incorporated would serve as a springboard for that eventual mission. Following a stellar silent issue, Peter Tomasi and Pat Gleason’s Batman & Red Robin #19 kicks off an arc structured around the five stages of grief. The first part, “Denial,” is superb.

Batman is a man who has been pushed well over the edge. The loss of Damian is proving to be too much for him, as evidenced in last month’s Batman #18. This month Bruce becomes even more unhinged as he searches for a way to bring his son back from the dead. That search leads him to a creature whose very existence is built around reanimation – Frankenstein, agent of S.H.A.D.E. Meanwhile, Alfred turns to Red Robin for assistance in dealing with Batman’s erratic behavior, leading to a final explosive confrontation between Batman, Red Robin, and Frankenstein.

Oh, and Bruce meets Carrie Kelly, too. That’s probably the part that most people have heard about the most, but that’s only a small portion of the issue. The way she’s introduced is superb, and it ties her to Damian in a way that no one could have seen coming. It also illuminates a small item from issue 18 that, while it had an impact based on implication in that issue, is even more interesting now that the reader knows more of the story. Carrie has only a brief interaction with Bruce in this issue, but it’s one that leaves an impression on him, and that shows him that he didn’t know everything he thought he knew about his son.

Tomasi fits a lot of story into one issue, and he does it expertly. His Batman is clearly not in his right mind, while still possessing the keen intellect that the dark knight is known for. Likewise, his Frankenstein captures the mixture of old-school righteousness and compassion that makes the character unique. The interaction between the two characters is wonderful, a patchwork man attempting to reason with a man who is falling apart. Gleason’s art brings it all home, particularly when Red Robin ultimately intervenes.

This book may not be what people are expecting from Carrie Kelly’s first appearance in the DCU proper. All the hype aside, though, this is still a damn good comic. Now that Tomasi and Gleason have a chance to stretch their legs and tell the story they want to, this series has become a must-read.

Related posts: