This is an oldie but a goodie! With DC Comics launching Matt Fraction and Jorge Jiménez's new Batman series on September 3rd, it's the perfect time to take this look back in time.
Batman & Robin: Year One #1 Review
Plot: Mark Waid & Chris Samnee
Writer: Mark Waid
Artist: Chris Samnee
Colorist: Matheus Lopes
Letterers: Clayton Cowles with Chris Samnee
Cover Artists: Chris Samnee & Matheus Lopes; Mikel Janín; Matteo Scalera & Matheus Lopes; Karl Kerschl; Lee Weeks & Dave Stewart
Publisher: DC Comics
Price: $3.99
Release Date: October 16, 2024
Three weeks ago, Dick Grayson had a loving family. He enjoyed fame and could look forward to a bright future. Now, Dick is an orphan. Bruce Wayne knows what that’s like. So, he took the boy in. But what does the bachelor know about raising a child? And how will Dick’s life change in Bruce Wayne’s household? Let’s leap into Batman & Robin: Year One #1 and see!
Story
Dick Grayson is bored. He doesn't want to read books about criminology. When the Bat-Signal appears in the sky, he rejoices. Much to Alfred's chagrin, Bruce takes him for a ride. Dick can barely contain himself as he rides alongside his new guardian in the Batmobile. But like Alfred, Commissioner Jim Gordon worries about teen crimefighters. Gotham City is a warzone. Only adult vigilantes need apply.
In Batman & Robin Year One #1, Mark Waid & Chris Samnee revisit the early days of Dick Grayson's crimefighting career. After growing up in the circus, Robin flamboyantly greets the Commissioner. Having made the big top ring with applause, the young acrobat expects instant respect. But Jim Gordon sees a kid unprepared for a warzone. And criminals can only roll their eyes. "What is this, Batman? Bring Your Kid To Work Day?"
While Batman & Robin Year One #1 highlights Dick Grayson's exuberance, it also shows Batman's journey into responsibility. Bruce is used to tackling crime alone. His years of experience help him react instinctively to whatever comes his way. But now he must undertake the role of teacher while placing them in life-and-death situations. Bruce learns quickly that he must moderate his desire to teach by letting Dick find his way. If Bruce focuses too much on his role as a teacher, he’ll distract them both. And despite the best preparations, in a warzone, distractions can get you killed.
Art
Chris Samnee begins with a dramatic upshot of Wayne Manor. But as passersby gaze up in wonder at the mansion, Bruce and Alfred look concerned as Dick slumps before a desk piled high with books. When the Bat-Signal brightens the view from his window, Dick smiles and races from the room. Bruce shrugs and raises his hands as he follows his young charge, leaving Alfred staring down at the tray in his hands.
Matheus Lopes applies a limited palette to this look back in time. While yellow shines in the night sky, it links Batman's eyes with the blazing headlights and the fire roaring from the racing Batmobile. Batman's face often emerges from a silhouette. Yet the yellow utility belt on his black and gray uniform links him with Robin's belt and cape. Robin's green gloves and boots may signal his newness to crimefighting, but they also help him merge with the blue-green night. Orange, pink, and red fill the air as the Batmobile roars into Gotham to retrieve what Commissioner Gordon lost. Yet the red fire and intense sound effects highlight Robin’s red uniform, suggesting the fiery intensity he will summon to bring justice to the world that robbed him of his parents.
Clayton Cowles and Chris Samnee fill white dialogue balloons with uppercase letters that grow bold for intonation, swell for raised voices, and shrink as Bruce and Alfred muse on Dick’s future. Bruce’s thoughts appear as small lowercase cursive letters on scraps of white paper. Sound effects enhance gunfire, explosions, and Robin making a mistake that could nip his crimefighting career in the bud in Batman & Robin Year One #1. Thanks to DC Comics for sharing this fun and exciting all-ages look back in time.
Final Thoughts
The balance of the underworld is shifting. When Commissioner Jim Gordon calls Gotham a warzone, he doesn't realize that the fighting is about to intensify. As alliances shift and criminals vie for control over their territories, Batman mentors a sidekick. When Bruce Wayne pays it forward by adopting a young orphan, he discovers the joys and terrors of becoming responsible for someone else’s life in Batman & Robin Year One #1.
Rating 9.6/10
To look inside, see the preview at Comic Book Dispatch.
For the latest on Batman and all things DC, see the October Solicitations at Comic Book Dispatch.
No comments:
Post a Comment