The Revolution is new to Robin. I picked up this title with the beginning of the One Year Later storyline. I was pleasantly surprised. Robin is a fun little title. At first, I had a hard time reconciling the Robin I knew over in Teen Titans who is drawn and written like a college student with the Robin in his solo title who is drawn and written like a 16 year old. However, I have just decided to let it go and not worry about and simply enjoy the story and art in this solo title. I expect Robin #152 to be exciting since we will be treated to a showdown between Boomerang and Robin. I have a full pot of Café Bustelo brewing here at the Bunker and I am ready for this review.
Creative Team
Writer: Adam Beechen
Artist: Freddie E. Williams, II
Art Rating: 8 Night Girls out of 10
Story Rating: 7 Night Girls out of 10
Overall Rating: 7.5 Night Girls out of 10
Synopsis: This issue starts with Robin beating the hell out of a bunch of thugs. Robin is purposely trying to make a scene in order to make it easy for Boomerang to find him. However, Boomerang doesn’t show.
We then shift to Tim arriving at Zoanne’s house. Zoanne is Tim’s student-tutor at his new high school. Tim thanks Zoanne and tells her that he was on track for a Dumeer Scholarship back at Bludhaven. Zoanne is impressed that Tim is actually intelligent and tells him that he doesn’t need her help. They agree to treat the tutoring sessions as a study hall where they can get their work done. When Tim leaves, Zoanne’s mom makes the comment that he is polite and cute. Zoanne is embarrassed.
We cut to Wayne Manor where Tim is unpacking. Tim is annoying Alfred by playing the Clash. Bruce enters the room and he and Tim discuss what Cassandra said about Robin being nothing more than a distraction to enable Batman to do his job. Bruce said he would never do such a thing. Tim said he knows that and that he just had to ask. Suddenly, Tim is contacted by his Gotham Police contact and heads out to the Police HQ.
We see Robin meeting with Officer Harper. Harper tells Robin about the former henchman for the Joker ranting and raving about some doomsday threat. We shift to Robin talking with the old henchman named Rollie. Rollie swears that Joker had a dirty bomb built and stored in a boiler room of a condemned tenement.
We cut to Robin checking out the boiler room of the aforementioned condemned tenement. Robin makes his way through several of Joker’s booby traps protecting his old hideout. Robin finds the toolbox that Rollie said the dirty bomb was stored in. The toolbox is now empty. Robin’s mini-Geiger goes nuts over the tool box. Robin takes the tool box and heads out of the tenement and up to the roof.
There he runs into Boomerang. Boomerang says that he wants to talk. Robin says that he is too busy to talk now, but they will definitely talk later. Robin knocks down Boomerang. Then Boomerang knocks down Robin. Robin then tells Boomerang that he is chasing an armed nuke stolen from one of Joker’s old hangouts. Boomerang says he is about the only person who can help Robin out with something like that. Boomerang offers his hand to help Robin up and says that it is time for a team up. End of issue.
Comments
The Good: Robin #152 was another entertaining issue. I thought the scene with Zoanne and Tim was nicely done. Zoanne’s embarrassment over her parents introducing themselves to Tim like he was a date was perfect. And her continued embarrassment over her mom’s comments about Tim was great. I remember how amazingly embarrassing your parents can be when you are that age. Plus, it is nice to see Tim being able to relate with someone else who is his age and isn’t a superhero. Could this be a budding romance? Possibly.
The scene with Tim and Bruce was nicely done. I like that Beechen is spending some time trying to flesh out the relationship between Bruce and Tim.
I think Officer Harper is a good choice for Tim’s Gotham PD contact. And it is a good idea that Robin has his own contact rather than constantly using Batman’s contacts. The dirty bomb storyline is your standard villainous plan plotline. Nothing terribly original. However, the real point of this plotline is to bring together Robin and Boomerang and have them work out their differences.
I didn’t expect the ending that we got in this issue. I thought that Boomerang and Robin were both going to be fueled with mutual hatred for each other and really lock horns. I am interested to see Robin and Boomerang work as a team. That should be highly interesting. Both characters have been traumatized with the loss of their fathers. I think that we are going to see the two characters work out their differences and come away as friends. Or at least some form of mutual respect. Either way, this is going to make for a fun story to read.
Beechen does a great job writing Robin’s character. The dialogue is well done and has a natural flow to it. Beechen’s story moves at a good pace. Beechen mixes enough action in with the dialogue heavy scenes to make this issue a balanced read.
I like Freddie Williams’ art. His cartoonish style fits the tone and mood of Beechen’s story. Williams’ draws very youthful characters and is a nice match for this title.
The Bad: I have no serious complaints with this issue. I don’t particularly like how Beechen writes Batman. Bruce comes off more like the character from the current Batman cartoon. Bruce is too nice, friendly and relaxed. That just isn’t Batman.
Overall: Robin #152 was a good issue. This comic is fun. Just pure entertainment. This comic isn’t trying to be anything universe altering, serious or innovative. No, it is just pure entertainment. And there is something to be said for that. I don’t need all of my comics to be like the Watchmen. Sometimes I want just some good old fashioned fun. And that is what Robin delivers. Solid writing and solid artwork. Robin has earned its spot onto the Revolution’s permanent pull list.