Batman and Robin (comic book)
Encyclopedia
Batman and Robin is an American
comic book
ongoing series
, created by Grant Morrison
and featuring Batman
and Robin
. The debut of the series followed the events of "Batman R.I.P.
", Final Crisis
, and "Battle for the Cowl
" in which the original Batman, Bruce Wayne, apparently died
at the hands of DC Comics villain Darkseid
and features the winner of the Battle for the Cowl as the new Batman. The conclusion of Battle for the Cowl shows Dick Grayson
ascending to the role of Batman, while Damian Wayne
becomes the new Robin.
Morrison returned to writing the characters after being the ongoing writer on Batman
from issues #655–658
and #663–683
. While writing for this title, Morrison simultaneously wrote the miniseries The Return of Bruce Wayne
and finished his run on the title with issue #16, before moving onto the next phase of his narrative in Batman Incorporated Paul Cornell
and Scott McDaniel
created a three-issue arc before the new ongoing creative team, the former Green Lantern Corps
duo of writer Peter Tomasi
and artist Patrick Gleason
, began their run with February 2011's issue #20.
before the release of the first issue, Morrison detailed that the tone of the series would be a "reverse" of the normal dynamic between Batman and Robin, with, "a more light-hearted and spontaneous Batman and a scowling, bad ass Robin." Morrison also divulged that this is a continuation of his previous work on the Batman character, although this is a different title than what he wrote previously. "This is the next book in what will be a 5-volume series beginning [with] Batman & Son, but it can be read on its own too. Batman and Robin welcomes new readers!" Morrison also said that even though the series deals with familiar identities, the series features all new villains and situations, but also revealed that some villains were glimpsed in Batman #666.
When asked if the series would deal with the new Batman being unable to fill Bruce Wayne's proverbial shoes, Morrison answered, "When I started out I had that in mind, and I thought we'd finally prove that nobody else could be Batman. But I do believe certain aspects of RIP were about how nobody but this guy could be Batman. I think with this, it's fun to start by seeing what happens when someone else tries. Sometimes it goes wrong, and sometimes it goes really well. Some of the things these guys do are things that Bruce Wayne would never have thought to do." In regards to using Frank Quitely
as the opening artist, Morrison described the difference between this particular collaboration with previous ones, specifically on JLA Earth-2 and All-Star Superman. For instance, Morrison asked Quitely to choreograph the flow of the action in his own way, rather than through Morrison's normally heavily detailed scripts.
In regards to the style, Morrison said, "I've asked [Quitely] to re-introduce the much-maligned sound effects to superhero comics, but in a way that integrates them more closely with the art." He also described Batman and Robin as, "a shorter, pacier collaboration so we've tried to keep it looser and more open than All-Star Superman.
Morrison confirmed that following Quitely's run on the first three issues, Philip Tan would be the artist for the next three issues, an arc entitled "Revenge of the Red Hood," with Cameron Stewart
as the artist for "Blackest Knight," the third arc, followed by Andy Clarke drawing the fourth arc titled "Batman vs. Robin" and Quitely coming back to the book sometime after. Frazer Irving
took over for the fifth arc "Batman Must Die" starting in issue #13.
In an interview with USA Today
, Morrison outlined the future of the titles, saying "I'm doing at least another year of stories with Dick Grayson and Damian Wayne in the Batman and Robin book before that book starts to dovetail with Return
and we rush headlong and screaming into the next big, earth-shattering, game-changing twist in the life of Batman."
It was announced Peter Tomasi
and Patrick Gleason
would take over the title after Grant Morrison, while Morrison will go onto a different title. Dick Grayson will continue his role as Batman concurrently with Bruce Wayne, and remain the star of Batman and Robin.
work: "With the collections out, we’ve got "Batman & Son
",' we’ve got The Black Glove, we’ve got "Batman R.I.P.
", and then we’ve got this one, Batman and Robin, and then, hopefully, there will be a final volume, a fifth volume."
In regards to the fate of Bruce Wayne, Morrison stated that he would be dealing with that in the future. "Bruce is still out there. Final Crisis
revealed Bruce is still out there and he’s got to make his way back in some way." Morrison also made the case for fans that disapprove of having a Batman that is not Bruce Wayne. "We’re not really entertaining the notion that Bruce won’t be back at some time. This isn’t like Captain America
with the Winter Soldier
story and Cap’s really gone. This is an ongoing story, another chapter in the life of Batman, so I think even people who are fans of Bruce and who think no one else can be Batman will be entertained by this. And be intrigued to see who it is."
Morrison eventually brought Wayne back in a mini-series in which the title promised the character's return
, and as promised, dovetailed the conclusion of that series with his final issue of the Batman and Robin title, seeing Bruce Wayne create Batman Incorporated
.
for this series is Dick Grayson
, the first Robin and former Nightwing, who, after the events of Battle for the Cowl
, has taken the mantle of the Bat.
Damian Wayne, Bruce Wayne's son by Talia al Ghul, takes on the role of Robin
(replacing an eighteen-year old Tim Drake
, who has since become Red Robin
). Trained by the League of Assassins
prior to becoming the new Boy Wonder, Damian has shown signs of willing to kill if necessary, something that Dick Grayson wishes to guide Damian against.
. The second arc, "Revenge of the Red Hood," was penciled by Philip Tan. The third arc, "Blackest Knight," is penciled by Cameron Stewart
on issues #7-9 of Batman & Robin (2010).The fourth arc, "Batman vs. Robin," is penciled by Andy Clarke and contains issues #10-12. The fifth and current arc,penciled by Frazer Irving
, is titled, "Batman and Robin Must Die!," it is the start of Batman: The Return of Bruce Wayne and the end of the arc started by Batman: Reborn. After Paul Cornell's run on issues 17-19, the next arc, to be written by Peter Tomasi and pencilled by Patrick Gleason, will be entitled "Dark Knight, White Knight".
and deliver him to the police. Batman and Robin then set out to the police department after meeting up with Alfred to answer the Bat-Signal. Professor Pyg
, a psychotic mutilation enthusiast in the guise of a pig, then tortures one of Toad's men, fixing him with a Dollotron mask. Pyg then expresses interest to doing the same to the man's daughter. Dick and Damian then fight the Circus of Strange, Dick fails Damian who leaves to beat Pyg alone afterward. Damian then sees the man's daughter, promising to save her and her father, before being knocked out. Eventually Dick and Damian stop the gang while the girl is saved by the Red Hood
in a new uniform.
. The girl Red Hood saved, fixed with an imperfectly placed Dollotron mask, has now assumed the vigilante guise of Scarlet and acts as Red Hood's sidekick. Red Hood and Scarlet tear through the streets of Gotham, killing criminals. Various crime lords of Gotham, fearing the recent escalation in crime fighting by Jason and Scarlet, approach a new villain named The Flamingo to help defeat them. The Flamingo arrives, and shoots Jason twice. The Flamingo begins to overpower Jason, even when Batman and Robin assist, paralyzing Robin in the process. Scarlet manages to cut Flamingo's face open allowing Jason to kill him. Batman arrives to see that Damian is paralyzed from the waist down, but will recover due to his mother's influence and ability to replace Damian's damaged organs with harvested ones and Commissioner Gordon arrives and arrests Jason, who asks why Talia had not put Bruce in the Lazarus Pit. Scarlet's Dollotron mask falls off, and she repents her actions, fleeing Gotham for greener pastures. Oberon Sexton receives a call from a man who tells him that their group is everywhere while Dick enters a mysterious tunnel in the heart of the Batcave. Saying the password "zur...en...arrh," it is revealed that Dick, after the conclusion of the Blackest Night, moved the body of Bruce Wayne into the more secure location. Dick thinks about what Jason said to him about the Lazarus Pit.
It is revealed by flashback that the body of "Batman" is that of a perfect clone of Bruce Wayne that was created by Darkseid
during the Final Crisis
. Most of the clones were euthanized due to them being driven insane from the genetically inherited trauma of Bruce Wayne, but Darkseid claimed one dead perfect clone of Batman could be useful to him. The dead clone is in fact the body recovered by Superman in the climax of Final Crisis after Darkseid sent the real Bruce Wayne, alive and well, into the distant past with his Omega Sanction.
Outside, King Coal sets off explosions that cause the cave to implode around everyone. "Batman" escapes and flies to Gotham City while Dick and a severely injured Batwoman are separated from Knight and Squire. Injured and paralyzed, Batwoman realizes that Dick is the new Batman and tells him that she is dying, but has a plan. Knight and Squire finally get to them but Dick claims that Batwoman has died. Meanwhile in Gotham, Alfred visits the vault in which "Bruce's" body was kept, finding it was taken by Dick. Extremely worried, he meets a wheelchair bound Damian, returning from his spinal reconstruction. Alfred informs Damian that Dick has taken the body. Damian looks into Dick's files and finds the plan for resurrecting his "father" by use of a Lazarus Pit. At that moment, the door opens and "Batman" throws Alfred into the room, and confronts Damian. Being unsure of who he was seeing, Damian simply asks, "Father...?"
Dick explains that due to the serious trauma Batwoman has suffered, they decided they should let her die, then resurrect her in the Lazarus Pit. Batwoman overdoses on the morphine in Dick's medkit, and after being placed in the pit is revived healthy. The Clone Batman is fended off by Alfred and an injured Damian, who is convinced it is not, in fact, his father. Damian lures the clone onto a patch of gasoline and ignites it, but the clone continues his attack.
Dick takes a plane suborbital, and is able to make it to Gotham in 25 minutes—just in time to catch Damian, who has been cast off the top of Wayne Towers by the Cloned Batman. The cloned Batman is decaying, and Batwoman and Dick defeat it. Back in the Batcave, Dick apologizes for taking the mission on his own, stating that he did not want to get anyone's hopes up. He then states that Tim Drake was right, Bruce Wayne must still be alive.
had recovered in Final Crisis
and which was later used in Blackest Night is not the corpse of Bruce Wayne, and that Bruce may truly be alive. Dick Grayson
obtains knowledge from the Justice League of America that the "Omega Effect" Darkseid
used on Batman may have sent him back through time, and Tim Drake
is convinced Bruce is using clues in the past to help his proteges and Alfred recover him. Talia is upset that Damian wants to stay with Dick and Alfred. Oberon Sexton is chased by hitmen and narrowly manages to escape.
Alfred discovers a new lair in the BatCave, while dismantling booby traps set up by The Black Glove, and discovers portraits of Bruce's patrilineage. A "Bat" theme is recurring in many of these portraits, causing Damian Wayne
to suspect that if his father is truly in the past, one of the ancestors in the portrait may be Bruce himself.
Later, not knowing what he is doing, Damian attempts to slice Dick's head off. He then runs into a cemetery only to be grabbed by Oberon Sexton, who is still being chased by hitmen.
Damian is revealed to be controlled by Talia al Ghul, using a device attached to his spine after the Flamingo's attack. Oberon Sexton single handedly defeats all the assassins. Upon his interrogation of one of the assassins, Damian notes that Oberon Sexton's British accent is fake. After grouping that fact with his incredible battle skills, detective abilities, and stealth, asks if he is Bruce Wayne, the real Batman. Damian's question is ignored, and he is taken control by Deathstroke, who is using Talia's device to attack Dick.
Although he in under the control of Slade Wilson, Damian manages to warn Dick Grayson that Deathstroke controls him. Dick incapacitates Damian and uses an electrical charge to shock Slade out of Damian's body. Dick and Damian make a trip to Talia's secret fortress. Talia threatens to disown Damian if he does not leave being Robin and come back to her. To back up her threat, she shows Damian a clone that she has made of him. The clone is an exact duplicate - except for the fact that the clone is ten years younger than Damian. Damian, though hurt, refuses to go along with his mother and leaves with Dick, who was confronting Slade while Damian was with his mother. Back in the cave, Dick, Damian, and Alfred find a Bat-totem that seems to confirm that Bruce is stuck in the past. With this information, Dick goes to confront Oberon Sexton, who is under police protection. Sexton then reveals himself to really be The Joker
.
A flashback of the events leading to this begins when Robin arrives at Oberon's apartment where Dick has apprehended the Joker. As they begin questioning him, the Joker reveals that since the death of "his Batman" he is no longer the "clown prince" he once was and took on the identity of Oberon to gain the new Batman's trust. Joker warns Batman that everyone will die unless Dick Grayson's Batman is as good as the last one.
Batman brings Gordon to the Batcave, where Batman theorizes that Pyg's virus might have been carried throughout a common cold as a Trojan virus. As Gordon shows signs of being infected, they receive an alert that Joker has asked to see Robin alone. Batman and Gordon then rush to return to GCPD headquarters. Meanwhile, Robin (using a crowbar) is attempting to torture information out o the Joker.As Dick and Gordon race to stop Damian from killing the Joker, they are shot down mid-air by the Black Glove and Dick is knocked unconscious leaving Gordon surrounded by an army of Dollotrons. At the same time, Professor Pyg is freed from Arkham by El Penitente's men.
Joker then manages to escape GCPD headquarters by scratching Damian with Joker Venom. Meanwhile, Batman and Commissioner Gordon are separated by the swarm of Dollotrons who deliver Gordon to Professor Pyg and Doctor Hurt. Dick barely escapes when the new Batmobile self-destructs and wakes up in the Bat-Bunker. Dick attempts to contact Damian but his com-link is answered by the Joker, who reveals his endgame: Batman and Robin, working for the Joker. Throughout the city, Pyg's infection has turned Gotham into a city of drug addicts, who are shown throwing the city into chaos.
Gordon is then showcased by Hurt to a group of crime lords, with Hurt declaring Gotham 'the new Capital of Crime'. Batman and Joker attack the event by poisoning the audience and taking down Pyg's men, respectively. Dick, however, is taken prisoner by Dr. Hurt after an addicted Gordon knocks him out. Joker (wearing his Oberon Sexton get-up, sans mask) is then seen preparing another attack on the Black Glove, implying that he intends to use a trussed-up Robin.
After sending Batman out after Dr. Hurt, Joker prepares to send Robin. Robin obeys in order to save Batman, whom Joker claims is in 'the Devil's chopping block'. Meanwhile, Dr. Hurt (disguised as Thomas Wayne) returns and takes over Wayne Manor, addressing that he will save the city. Robin, meanwhile, manages to attack Professor Pyg, and frees a now-cured Gordon from the virus. Damian then advises the Commissioner (who guesses that enough rage can counter the virus) to take back the city, refusing Gordon's help. Robin, however, proves no match for Hurt's thugs, and is captured and delivered to Hurt, along with Batman. The story continues in Batman: The Return of Bruce Wayne
.
The story then shifts to the present, with Hurt revealing that the shot to Batman's head is not fatal, but in twelve hours would result in a hematoma that would leave Dick incapacitated for life. In exchange for saving Dick, Hurt makes Robin promise to give up his soul, and assist him in resurrecting Barbatos through the box Bruce Wayne encounters in Batman: The Return of Bruce Wayne. However, before Robin can pledge his soul to Hurt, someone whistles the tune that opens the box, revealing a note with the word "Gotcha." Batman and Robin (who were actually stalling all the time) take down Hurt together. The Dynamic Duo then points Hurt out to someone behind the villain. The shadowed figure is revealed to be none other than Bruce Wayne himself, who simply says, "It's all over."
Black Mass also serves as the conclusion of Grant Morrison's run on the series.
Batman and Robin are shot down from their hiding place by the Absence, who orders her people to restrain the two. She then proceeds to relate her origin story, beginning with her break-up with Bruce Wayne, which hurts her terribly. During a cruise with her friend, Terri, a group of thugs hold up the ship. After seeing Terri shot dead, Una attempts to cut one of the thugs with her wine glass, only to be shot in the head and fall in the water.
Waking near the beach, she manages to return home and discovers she has Dandy Walker syndrome, which has allowed her to survive despite the gaping hole in her head. Disguising herself to attend her own funeral, she finds that none of the mourners cared for her very much, despite her status as a successful and kind businesswoman. The breaking point comes when she sees Bruce Wayne failed to attend, and Una removes her bandages, her obsession with absence forged.
After telling her story to Batman and Robin, The Absence leaves, setting off an explosion in the church, saying "Until [Bruce] notices I'm gone...I'll keep reminding him." Batman and Robin manage to escape the conflagration, and regroup in the Batbunker, where Damian muses on his father's habit of pretending to like women as a disguise. After discussing the matter, Alfred decides to call Bruce, who talks with Dick about the matter. Bruce says that he is sorry, and warns Batman about what they both think The Absence will do next.
Meanwhile, Vicki Vale is attempting to write an article in her new apartment when she is confronted by The Absence, wielding a scissor and a bag of body parts belonging to Bruce's old girlfriends.Although the Absence manages to capture Batman and Robin, trapping them into a device that is set to drill holes in the middle of their heads, the drill bits prove to be fake. The escape the trap, but the Absence escapes.
Introducing themselves as the Menagerie (a group of mercenaries whom Batman and the Red Hood identify as working in South America), the team was assigned to deliver Red Hood to a mysterious woman acting as their financier. Red Hood attempts to fight the Menagerie off but remains on the verge of defeat until Batman and Robin arrive. A sarcastic Jason sighs, "Thank God. It's Batman and Robin." Batman and Robin take out the mercenaries and attempt to recapture Todd, who, during the fight, uses one of the Menagerie as a hostage against both parties. At that moment, the mysterious person who orchestrated Todd's escape tells the Red Hood she holds his previous sidekick, Scarlet, in a similar predicament.
Todd is then forced to work with Batman and Robin in an attempt to free Scarlet. He sets up a meeting with the woman, pretending to have gone off Batman and Robin's radar. The two crash the meeting thanks to the Batmobile's stealth mode and a tracer swallowed by the Todd, after which Batman, Robin and Red Hood fight off their opponents together. The Red Hood once again flees during the battle with Scarlet by his side, hijacking a helicopter and preventing Batman and Robin from taking chase by setting off a series of charges throughout Gotham, with the promise to set off more. Batman and Robin reluctantly take off to defuse the bombs, while Jason Todd and Scarlet head towards an unknown destination.
The Id (an empathic manipulator), Sister Crystal (who possesses a hand that can turn anything into glass), Skin Talker (a man who makes hypnotic suggestions through the skin), and Ray Man (an illusion caster) initially cause trouble for all three. They eventually appear to splice Batman in half, turn Robin into glass, and Nightrunner into a cloth-like boneless structure. After a moment, Batman shakes off what is revealed as an illusion and rallies his allies, enabling them to take down the inmates. The three realize that the entire fight was being watched by the Son of Man. Bursting into the Son of Man's headquarters, Batman, Robin and Nightrunner watch as the Son of Man presents his story through a giant screen. Moments after his birth and his mother's subsequent death, the Son of Man's father decided to turn his son into a work of art. It is revealed that the father mutilates his infant son's face, taking his inspiration from Victor Hugo's 'The Man Who Laughs'.
The Son of Man (whose face is not shown throughout the course of the issue) reveals himself to be a red-haired lookalike of the Joker, after which he attempts to blow up the heroes using a remote-control device. Batman manages to stop him by using a riot foam dispenser he used against Sister Crystal. After his arrest, another surprise is revealed: the Son of Man, obsessed with the surreal, has managed to keep his father alive eternally by taking apart his body, encasing each part(including the organs) in a glass case. His father,now dismembered and arranged to form an art sculpture, is forced to watch the same sepia-colored home videos of his infant child in a continuous loop. The Son of Man's real name (Norman S. Rotrig) is a reference to the original writer
of the series.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
comic book
Comic book
A comic book or comicbook is a magazine made up of comics, narrative artwork in the form of separate panels that represent individual scenes, often accompanied by dialog as well as including...
ongoing series
Ongoing series
The term "ongoing series" is used in contrast to limited series , a one shot , a graphic novel, or a trade paperback...
, created by Grant Morrison
Grant Morrison
Grant Morrison is a Scottish comic book writer, playwright and occultist. He is known for his nonlinear narratives and counter-cultural leanings, as well as his successful runs on titles like Animal Man, Doom Patrol, JLA, The Invisibles, New X-Men, Fantastic Four, All-Star Superman, and...
and featuring Batman
Batman (set index)
Batman is the alias of a number of DC Comics characters, the original and best-known being Bruce Wayne but others have adopted the role when he has been indisposed.-Bruce Wayne:Bruce Wayne is the main character associated with the Batman alias....
and Robin
Robin (comics)
Robin is the name of several fictional characters appearing in comic books published by DC Comics, originally created by Bob Kane, Bill Finger and Jerry Robinson, as a junior counterpart to DC Comics superhero Batman...
. The debut of the series followed the events of "Batman R.I.P.
Batman R.I.P.
Batman R.I.P. is a comic book story arc published in Batman #676-681 by DC Comics. Written by Grant Morrison, penciled by Tony Daniel, and with covers by Alex Ross, the story pits the superhero Batman against the Black Glove organization as they attempt to destroy everything for which he stands...
", Final Crisis
Final Crisis
Final Crisis is a crossover storyline that appeared in comic books published by DC Comics in 2008, primarily the seven-issue miniseries of the same name written by Grant Morrison. Originally DC announced the project as being illustrated solely by J. G. Jones; artists Carlos Pacheco, Marco Rudy and...
, and "Battle for the Cowl
Batman: Battle for the Cowl
Batman: Battle for the Cowl is a 2009 comic book storyline published by DC Comics, consisting of an eponymous, three issue miniseries written and penciled by Tony Daniel, as well as a number of tie-in books. The central story details the chaos in Gotham City following the "Batman R.I.P." and "Final...
" in which the original Batman, Bruce Wayne, apparently died
Comic book death
In the comic book fan community, the apparent death and subsequent return of a long-running character is often called a comic book death. While death is a serious subject, a comic book death is generally not taken seriously and is rarely permanent or meaningful...
at the hands of DC Comics villain Darkseid
Darkseid
Darkseid is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. The character first appeared in Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen #134 and was created by writer-artist Jack Kirby....
and features the winner of the Battle for the Cowl as the new Batman. The conclusion of Battle for the Cowl shows Dick Grayson
Dick Grayson
Dick Grayson is a fictional superhero that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. Created by Bob Kane and Bill Finger and illustrator Jerry Robinson, he first appeared in Detective Comics #38 in April 1940....
ascending to the role of Batman, while Damian Wayne
Damian Wayne
Damian Wayne is a fictional character in the . Damian is the child of Bruce Wayne and Talia al Ghul, and thus the grandson of Batman villain Ra's al Ghul....
becomes the new Robin.
Morrison returned to writing the characters after being the ongoing writer on Batman
Batman (comic book)
Batman is an ongoing comic book series featuring the DC Comics hero of the same name. The character first appeared in Detective Comics #27, published in May 1939. Batman proved to be so popular that a self-titled ongoing comic book series began publication in the spring of 1940...
from issues #655–658
Batman & Son
"Batman & Son" is a comic book story arc from DC Comics by Grant Morrison and Andy Kubert, featuring Batman in the monthly title of the same name. It ran from September to December 2006....
and #663–683
Batman R.I.P.
Batman R.I.P. is a comic book story arc published in Batman #676-681 by DC Comics. Written by Grant Morrison, penciled by Tony Daniel, and with covers by Alex Ross, the story pits the superhero Batman against the Black Glove organization as they attempt to destroy everything for which he stands...
. While writing for this title, Morrison simultaneously wrote the miniseries The Return of Bruce Wayne
Batman: The Return of Bruce Wayne
Batman: The Return of Bruce Wayne is a 6-issue American comic book limited series published by DC Comics beginning in May 2010 to November 2010, written by Grant Morrison and featuring a team of rotating artists starting with Chris Sprouse and Frazer Irving.The series picks up from Batman and Robin...
and finished his run on the title with issue #16, before moving onto the next phase of his narrative in Batman Incorporated Paul Cornell
Paul Cornell
Paul Cornell is a British writer best known for his work in television drama as well as Doctor Who fiction, and as the creator of one of the Doctor's spin-off companions, Bernice Summerfield....
and Scott McDaniel
Scott McDaniel
Scott McDaniel is an American comics artist who has drawn numerous books, including Marvel Comics' "Fall from Grace" storyline for the Daredevil series...
created a three-issue arc before the new ongoing creative team, the former Green Lantern Corps
Green Lantern Corps
The Green Lantern Corps is the name of a fictional intergalactic military/police force appearing in comics published by DC Comics. They patrol the farthest reaches of the DC Universe at the behest of the Guardians, a race of immortals residing on the planet Oa...
duo of writer Peter Tomasi
Peter Tomasi
Peter J. Tomasi is an American comic book editor and writer, best known for his work for DC Comics. As an editor, he oversaw numerous books featuring the Justice League, including books starring various members of that team, such as Batman, Aquaman, Martian Manhunter, Green Lantern and the Flash...
and artist Patrick Gleason
Patrick Gleason (artist)
Patrick Gleason is a comic book artist. He has worked for DC Comics, Marvel Comics, and Image Comics.- DC :*Green Lantern Corps: Recharge*Green Lantern Corps*Aquaman*JLA: Welcome to the Working Week*JSA*H-E-R-O*Robin...
, began their run with February 2011's issue #20.
Style and tone
In an interview with IGNIGN
IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
before the release of the first issue, Morrison detailed that the tone of the series would be a "reverse" of the normal dynamic between Batman and Robin, with, "a more light-hearted and spontaneous Batman and a scowling, bad ass Robin." Morrison also divulged that this is a continuation of his previous work on the Batman character, although this is a different title than what he wrote previously. "This is the next book in what will be a 5-volume series beginning [with] Batman & Son, but it can be read on its own too. Batman and Robin welcomes new readers!" Morrison also said that even though the series deals with familiar identities, the series features all new villains and situations, but also revealed that some villains were glimpsed in Batman #666.
When asked if the series would deal with the new Batman being unable to fill Bruce Wayne's proverbial shoes, Morrison answered, "When I started out I had that in mind, and I thought we'd finally prove that nobody else could be Batman. But I do believe certain aspects of RIP were about how nobody but this guy could be Batman. I think with this, it's fun to start by seeing what happens when someone else tries. Sometimes it goes wrong, and sometimes it goes really well. Some of the things these guys do are things that Bruce Wayne would never have thought to do." In regards to using Frank Quitely
Frank Quitely
Vincent Deighan, better known by the pen name Frank Quitely, is a Scottish comic book artist. He is best known for his frequent collaborations with Grant Morrison on titles such as New X-Men, We3, All-Star Superman, and Batman and Robin, as well as his work with Mark Millar on The...
as the opening artist, Morrison described the difference between this particular collaboration with previous ones, specifically on JLA Earth-2 and All-Star Superman. For instance, Morrison asked Quitely to choreograph the flow of the action in his own way, rather than through Morrison's normally heavily detailed scripts.
In regards to the style, Morrison said, "I've asked [Quitely] to re-introduce the much-maligned sound effects to superhero comics, but in a way that integrates them more closely with the art." He also described Batman and Robin as, "a shorter, pacier collaboration so we've tried to keep it looser and more open than All-Star Superman.
Morrison confirmed that following Quitely's run on the first three issues, Philip Tan would be the artist for the next three issues, an arc entitled "Revenge of the Red Hood," with Cameron Stewart
Cameron Stewart
Cameron Stewart is an Eisner Award and Shuster Award-winning and Eagle Award and Harvey Award-nominated Canadian comic book artist who has worked for DC, Marvel, and Dark Horse Comics.-Biography:...
as the artist for "Blackest Knight," the third arc, followed by Andy Clarke drawing the fourth arc titled "Batman vs. Robin" and Quitely coming back to the book sometime after. Frazer Irving
Frazer Irving
Frazer Irving is a British comic book artist known for the 2000 AD series Necronauts. Irving studied art at the University of Portsmouth, England, after which he took various temporary jobs in London...
took over for the fifth arc "Batman Must Die" starting in issue #13.
In an interview with USA Today
USA Today
USA Today is a national American daily newspaper published by the Gannett Company. It was founded by Al Neuharth. The newspaper vies with The Wall Street Journal for the position of having the widest circulation of any newspaper in the United States, something it previously held since 2003...
, Morrison outlined the future of the titles, saying "I'm doing at least another year of stories with Dick Grayson and Damian Wayne in the Batman and Robin book before that book starts to dovetail with Return
Batman: The Return of Bruce Wayne
Batman: The Return of Bruce Wayne is a 6-issue American comic book limited series published by DC Comics beginning in May 2010 to November 2010, written by Grant Morrison and featuring a team of rotating artists starting with Chris Sprouse and Frazer Irving.The series picks up from Batman and Robin...
and we rush headlong and screaming into the next big, earth-shattering, game-changing twist in the life of Batman."
It was announced Peter Tomasi
Peter Tomasi
Peter J. Tomasi is an American comic book editor and writer, best known for his work for DC Comics. As an editor, he oversaw numerous books featuring the Justice League, including books starring various members of that team, such as Batman, Aquaman, Martian Manhunter, Green Lantern and the Flash...
and Patrick Gleason
Patrick Gleason (artist)
Patrick Gleason is a comic book artist. He has worked for DC Comics, Marvel Comics, and Image Comics.- DC :*Green Lantern Corps: Recharge*Green Lantern Corps*Aquaman*JLA: Welcome to the Working Week*JSA*H-E-R-O*Robin...
would take over the title after Grant Morrison, while Morrison will go onto a different title. Dick Grayson will continue his role as Batman concurrently with Bruce Wayne, and remain the star of Batman and Robin.
Continuity with R.I.P., Bruce Wayne
With this title being Morrison's primary work in the Batman world for nearly two years, the writer has stated that this is a direct continuation of his BatmanBatman (comic book)
Batman is an ongoing comic book series featuring the DC Comics hero of the same name. The character first appeared in Detective Comics #27, published in May 1939. Batman proved to be so popular that a self-titled ongoing comic book series began publication in the spring of 1940...
work: "With the collections out, we’ve got "Batman & Son
Batman & Son
"Batman & Son" is a comic book story arc from DC Comics by Grant Morrison and Andy Kubert, featuring Batman in the monthly title of the same name. It ran from September to December 2006....
",' we’ve got The Black Glove, we’ve got "Batman R.I.P.
Batman R.I.P.
Batman R.I.P. is a comic book story arc published in Batman #676-681 by DC Comics. Written by Grant Morrison, penciled by Tony Daniel, and with covers by Alex Ross, the story pits the superhero Batman against the Black Glove organization as they attempt to destroy everything for which he stands...
", and then we’ve got this one, Batman and Robin, and then, hopefully, there will be a final volume, a fifth volume."
In regards to the fate of Bruce Wayne, Morrison stated that he would be dealing with that in the future. "Bruce is still out there. Final Crisis
Final Crisis
Final Crisis is a crossover storyline that appeared in comic books published by DC Comics in 2008, primarily the seven-issue miniseries of the same name written by Grant Morrison. Originally DC announced the project as being illustrated solely by J. G. Jones; artists Carlos Pacheco, Marco Rudy and...
revealed Bruce is still out there and he’s got to make his way back in some way." Morrison also made the case for fans that disapprove of having a Batman that is not Bruce Wayne. "We’re not really entertaining the notion that Bruce won’t be back at some time. This isn’t like Captain America
Captain America
Captain America is a fictional character, a superhero that appears in comic books published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in Captain America Comics #1 , from Marvel Comics' 1940s predecessor, Timely Comics, and was created by Joe Simon and Jack Kirby...
with the Winter Soldier
Bucky
Bucky is the name of several fictional characters, masked superheroes in the Marvel Comics universe. The original, James Buchanan "Bucky" Barnes was created by Joe Simon and Jack Kirby as a sidekick character in Captain America Comics #1 , published by Marvel's 1940s predecessor, Timely Comics...
story and Cap’s really gone. This is an ongoing story, another chapter in the life of Batman, so I think even people who are fans of Bruce and who think no one else can be Batman will be entertained by this. And be intrigued to see who it is."
Morrison eventually brought Wayne back in a mini-series in which the title promised the character's return
Batman: The Return of Bruce Wayne
Batman: The Return of Bruce Wayne is a 6-issue American comic book limited series published by DC Comics beginning in May 2010 to November 2010, written by Grant Morrison and featuring a team of rotating artists starting with Chris Sprouse and Frazer Irving.The series picks up from Batman and Robin...
, and as promised, dovetailed the conclusion of that series with his final issue of the Batman and Robin title, seeing Bruce Wayne create Batman Incorporated
Batman, Inc.
Batman Incorporated was a 2010-2011 American comic book ongoing series, written by Grant Morrison and featuring Batman...
.
Setting
Like most Batman stories majority of the series takes place in Gotham City. Aside from introducing new locations such as Red Hood's mobile hideout and Professor Pyg's carnival, Batman and Robin also follows Batman into places beyond Gotham, such as Talia Al Ghul's fortress and London, the home of Knight and Squire. The story also replaces the Batcave underneath Wayne Manor with the Bat Bunker underneath Wayne Tower in the heart of the city.Characters
Batman and Robin features a wide range of characters from new to old. The first three issue arc introduced the Circus of the Strange, a new gang with all new villains. The BatmanBatman (set index)
Batman is the alias of a number of DC Comics characters, the original and best-known being Bruce Wayne but others have adopted the role when he has been indisposed.-Bruce Wayne:Bruce Wayne is the main character associated with the Batman alias....
for this series is Dick Grayson
Dick Grayson
Dick Grayson is a fictional superhero that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. Created by Bob Kane and Bill Finger and illustrator Jerry Robinson, he first appeared in Detective Comics #38 in April 1940....
, the first Robin and former Nightwing, who, after the events of Battle for the Cowl
Batman: Battle for the Cowl
Batman: Battle for the Cowl is a 2009 comic book storyline published by DC Comics, consisting of an eponymous, three issue miniseries written and penciled by Tony Daniel, as well as a number of tie-in books. The central story details the chaos in Gotham City following the "Batman R.I.P." and "Final...
, has taken the mantle of the Bat.
Damian Wayne, Bruce Wayne's son by Talia al Ghul, takes on the role of Robin
Robin (comics)
Robin is the name of several fictional characters appearing in comic books published by DC Comics, originally created by Bob Kane, Bill Finger and Jerry Robinson, as a junior counterpart to DC Comics superhero Batman...
(replacing an eighteen-year old Tim Drake
Tim Drake
Timothy "Tim" Drake is a superhero who appears in comic books published by DC Comics and in related media. The character was created by Marv Wolfman and Pat Broderick. From 1989 to 2009, he was known as Robin in the Batman comics, becoming the third character to take up the identity...
, who has since become Red Robin
Red Robin (comic book)
Red Robin is an American comic book ongoing series, written by Chris Yost with art by Ramon Bachs, featuring former Robin Tim Drake under the identity of Red Robin. The debut of the series follows the events of Batman R.I.P., Final Crisis, and Battle for the Cowl in which the original Batman, Bruce...
). Trained by the League of Assassins
League of Assassins
The League of Assassins is a group of fictional comic book villains, an organization of killers formerly led by Ra's al Ghul, an enemy of Batman in the DC Comics Universe.-Doctor Ebeneezer Darrk:...
prior to becoming the new Boy Wonder, Damian has shown signs of willing to kill if necessary, something that Dick Grayson wishes to guide Damian against.
Story
The main story of the comic series is going to be made up of a series of three-issue story arcs. The first one, "Batman: Reborn," was penciled by Frank QuitelyFrank Quitely
Vincent Deighan, better known by the pen name Frank Quitely, is a Scottish comic book artist. He is best known for his frequent collaborations with Grant Morrison on titles such as New X-Men, We3, All-Star Superman, and Batman and Robin, as well as his work with Mark Millar on The...
. The second arc, "Revenge of the Red Hood," was penciled by Philip Tan. The third arc, "Blackest Knight," is penciled by Cameron Stewart
Cameron Stewart
Cameron Stewart is an Eisner Award and Shuster Award-winning and Eagle Award and Harvey Award-nominated Canadian comic book artist who has worked for DC, Marvel, and Dark Horse Comics.-Biography:...
on issues #7-9 of Batman & Robin (2010).The fourth arc, "Batman vs. Robin," is penciled by Andy Clarke and contains issues #10-12. The fifth and current arc,penciled by Frazer Irving
Frazer Irving
Frazer Irving is a British comic book artist known for the 2000 AD series Necronauts. Irving studied art at the University of Portsmouth, England, after which he took various temporary jobs in London...
, is titled, "Batman and Robin Must Die!," it is the start of Batman: The Return of Bruce Wayne and the end of the arc started by Batman: Reborn. After Paul Cornell's run on issues 17-19, the next arc, to be written by Peter Tomasi and pencilled by Patrick Gleason, will be entitled "Dark Knight, White Knight".
Batman Reborn (Issues 1-3)
The new Batman and Robin take down a villain named Mr. ToadMr. Toad
Mr. Toad, Esq., of Toad Hall, is one of the main characters in the novel The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame and also the title character of the A. A. Milne play Toad of Toad Hall based on the book.-Character:...
and deliver him to the police. Batman and Robin then set out to the police department after meeting up with Alfred to answer the Bat-Signal. Professor Pyg
Professor Pyg
Professor Pyg is a fictional character in DC Comics and an enemy of Batman and Robin. He was created by Grant Morrison and first appeared in a cameo in Batman #666 . He is a regular character in the Batman and Robin series...
, a psychotic mutilation enthusiast in the guise of a pig, then tortures one of Toad's men, fixing him with a Dollotron mask. Pyg then expresses interest to doing the same to the man's daughter. Dick and Damian then fight the Circus of Strange, Dick fails Damian who leaves to beat Pyg alone afterward. Damian then sees the man's daughter, promising to save her and her father, before being knocked out. Eventually Dick and Damian stop the gang while the girl is saved by the Red Hood
Red Hood
Red Hood is the alias used by several fictional characters, usually antagonists for Batman in the DC Universe.-Joker:The Red Hood first appeared in Detective Comics #168 "The Man Behind the Red Hood" . In the original continuity, the man later known as the Joker was a master criminal going by the...
in a new uniform.
Revenge of the Red Hood (Issues 4-6)
Dick assumes correctly that the new Red Hood is Jason ToddJason Todd
Jason Peter Todd is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. Jason first appeared in Batman #357 and became the second Robin, sidekick to the superhero Batman, when the previous Robin went on to star in The New Teen Titans under the moniker of Nightwing.Though...
. The girl Red Hood saved, fixed with an imperfectly placed Dollotron mask, has now assumed the vigilante guise of Scarlet and acts as Red Hood's sidekick. Red Hood and Scarlet tear through the streets of Gotham, killing criminals. Various crime lords of Gotham, fearing the recent escalation in crime fighting by Jason and Scarlet, approach a new villain named The Flamingo to help defeat them. The Flamingo arrives, and shoots Jason twice. The Flamingo begins to overpower Jason, even when Batman and Robin assist, paralyzing Robin in the process. Scarlet manages to cut Flamingo's face open allowing Jason to kill him. Batman arrives to see that Damian is paralyzed from the waist down, but will recover due to his mother's influence and ability to replace Damian's damaged organs with harvested ones and Commissioner Gordon arrives and arrests Jason, who asks why Talia had not put Bruce in the Lazarus Pit. Scarlet's Dollotron mask falls off, and she repents her actions, fleeing Gotham for greener pastures. Oberon Sexton receives a call from a man who tells him that their group is everywhere while Dick enters a mysterious tunnel in the heart of the Batcave. Saying the password "zur...en...arrh," it is revealed that Dick, after the conclusion of the Blackest Night, moved the body of Bruce Wayne into the more secure location. Dick thinks about what Jason said to him about the Lazarus Pit.
Blackest Knight (Issues 7-9)
Taking Jason's suggestion into consideration, Dick enlists the aid of England's Squire and Knight to help him locate the last existing Lazarus Pit. After saving the Pearly Prince from destroying London, Dick believes that the Pearly King can give him information on the location of the Lazarus Pit. Pearly refuses to, however Knight has already found the pit. After arriving in the Pit they fight King Coal's men, who were already taken down by Knight. They encounter Batwoman who is alerted that Dick is the new Batman and she tells them Coal's men planned to sacrifice her to a new God of crime that is supposed to rise on that night. Dick remarks that there is no god of evil in the Pit, only the "real" Batman. The body is reanimated and rises from the Pit, but is unable to speak and begins attacking all that he sees. Dick sees that this being's rage is murderous, which conclusively proves that the body could not be Bruce Wayne's.It is revealed by flashback that the body of "Batman" is that of a perfect clone of Bruce Wayne that was created by Darkseid
Darkseid
Darkseid is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. The character first appeared in Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen #134 and was created by writer-artist Jack Kirby....
during the Final Crisis
Final Crisis
Final Crisis is a crossover storyline that appeared in comic books published by DC Comics in 2008, primarily the seven-issue miniseries of the same name written by Grant Morrison. Originally DC announced the project as being illustrated solely by J. G. Jones; artists Carlos Pacheco, Marco Rudy and...
. Most of the clones were euthanized due to them being driven insane from the genetically inherited trauma of Bruce Wayne, but Darkseid claimed one dead perfect clone of Batman could be useful to him. The dead clone is in fact the body recovered by Superman in the climax of Final Crisis after Darkseid sent the real Bruce Wayne, alive and well, into the distant past with his Omega Sanction.
Outside, King Coal sets off explosions that cause the cave to implode around everyone. "Batman" escapes and flies to Gotham City while Dick and a severely injured Batwoman are separated from Knight and Squire. Injured and paralyzed, Batwoman realizes that Dick is the new Batman and tells him that she is dying, but has a plan. Knight and Squire finally get to them but Dick claims that Batwoman has died. Meanwhile in Gotham, Alfred visits the vault in which "Bruce's" body was kept, finding it was taken by Dick. Extremely worried, he meets a wheelchair bound Damian, returning from his spinal reconstruction. Alfred informs Damian that Dick has taken the body. Damian looks into Dick's files and finds the plan for resurrecting his "father" by use of a Lazarus Pit. At that moment, the door opens and "Batman" throws Alfred into the room, and confronts Damian. Being unsure of who he was seeing, Damian simply asks, "Father...?"
Dick explains that due to the serious trauma Batwoman has suffered, they decided they should let her die, then resurrect her in the Lazarus Pit. Batwoman overdoses on the morphine in Dick's medkit, and after being placed in the pit is revived healthy. The Clone Batman is fended off by Alfred and an injured Damian, who is convinced it is not, in fact, his father. Damian lures the clone onto a patch of gasoline and ignites it, but the clone continues his attack.
Dick takes a plane suborbital, and is able to make it to Gotham in 25 minutes—just in time to catch Damian, who has been cast off the top of Wayne Towers by the Cloned Batman. The cloned Batman is decaying, and Batwoman and Dick defeat it. Back in the Batcave, Dick apologizes for taking the mission on his own, stating that he did not want to get anyone's hopes up. He then states that Tim Drake was right, Bruce Wayne must still be alive.
Batman vs Robin (Issues 10-12)
There are strange troubles in Thomas Wayne's funds that Damian deals with. With the newfound knowledge that the corpse that SupermanSuperman
Superman is a fictional comic book superhero appearing in publications by DC Comics, widely considered to be an American cultural icon. Created by American writer Jerry Siegel and Canadian-born American artist Joe Shuster in 1932 while both were living in Cleveland, Ohio, and sold to Detective...
had recovered in Final Crisis
Final Crisis
Final Crisis is a crossover storyline that appeared in comic books published by DC Comics in 2008, primarily the seven-issue miniseries of the same name written by Grant Morrison. Originally DC announced the project as being illustrated solely by J. G. Jones; artists Carlos Pacheco, Marco Rudy and...
and which was later used in Blackest Night is not the corpse of Bruce Wayne, and that Bruce may truly be alive. Dick Grayson
Dick Grayson
Dick Grayson is a fictional superhero that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. Created by Bob Kane and Bill Finger and illustrator Jerry Robinson, he first appeared in Detective Comics #38 in April 1940....
obtains knowledge from the Justice League of America that the "Omega Effect" Darkseid
Darkseid
Darkseid is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. The character first appeared in Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen #134 and was created by writer-artist Jack Kirby....
used on Batman may have sent him back through time, and Tim Drake
Tim Drake
Timothy "Tim" Drake is a superhero who appears in comic books published by DC Comics and in related media. The character was created by Marv Wolfman and Pat Broderick. From 1989 to 2009, he was known as Robin in the Batman comics, becoming the third character to take up the identity...
is convinced Bruce is using clues in the past to help his proteges and Alfred recover him. Talia is upset that Damian wants to stay with Dick and Alfred. Oberon Sexton is chased by hitmen and narrowly manages to escape.
Alfred discovers a new lair in the BatCave, while dismantling booby traps set up by The Black Glove, and discovers portraits of Bruce's patrilineage. A "Bat" theme is recurring in many of these portraits, causing Damian Wayne
Damian Wayne
Damian Wayne is a fictional character in the . Damian is the child of Bruce Wayne and Talia al Ghul, and thus the grandson of Batman villain Ra's al Ghul....
to suspect that if his father is truly in the past, one of the ancestors in the portrait may be Bruce himself.
Later, not knowing what he is doing, Damian attempts to slice Dick's head off. He then runs into a cemetery only to be grabbed by Oberon Sexton, who is still being chased by hitmen.
Damian is revealed to be controlled by Talia al Ghul, using a device attached to his spine after the Flamingo's attack. Oberon Sexton single handedly defeats all the assassins. Upon his interrogation of one of the assassins, Damian notes that Oberon Sexton's British accent is fake. After grouping that fact with his incredible battle skills, detective abilities, and stealth, asks if he is Bruce Wayne, the real Batman. Damian's question is ignored, and he is taken control by Deathstroke, who is using Talia's device to attack Dick.
Although he in under the control of Slade Wilson, Damian manages to warn Dick Grayson that Deathstroke controls him. Dick incapacitates Damian and uses an electrical charge to shock Slade out of Damian's body. Dick and Damian make a trip to Talia's secret fortress. Talia threatens to disown Damian if he does not leave being Robin and come back to her. To back up her threat, she shows Damian a clone that she has made of him. The clone is an exact duplicate - except for the fact that the clone is ten years younger than Damian. Damian, though hurt, refuses to go along with his mother and leaves with Dick, who was confronting Slade while Damian was with his mother. Back in the cave, Dick, Damian, and Alfred find a Bat-totem that seems to confirm that Bruce is stuck in the past. With this information, Dick goes to confront Oberon Sexton, who is under police protection. Sexton then reveals himself to really be The Joker
Joker (comics)
The Joker is a fictional character, a comic book supervillain published by DC Comics. He is the archenemy of Batman, having been directly responsible for numerous tragedies in Batman's life, including the paralysis of Barbara Gordon and the death of Jason Todd, the second Robin...
.
Batman and Robin Must Die (Issues 13-15)
The new story arc, "Batman and Robin must Die!" begins with Simon Hurt holding Batman and Robin hostage. As Dick Grayson is beaten down and unmasked by Hurt's men, Dr. Hurt taunts him, asking whether Batman believes a Grayson is superior to a Wayne. As Dick claims that Hurt has already been beaten, Hurt then shoots Dick in the back of the head, while Robin watches.A flashback of the events leading to this begins when Robin arrives at Oberon's apartment where Dick has apprehended the Joker. As they begin questioning him, the Joker reveals that since the death of "his Batman" he is no longer the "clown prince" he once was and took on the identity of Oberon to gain the new Batman's trust. Joker warns Batman that everyone will die unless Dick Grayson's Batman is as good as the last one.
Batman brings Gordon to the Batcave, where Batman theorizes that Pyg's virus might have been carried throughout a common cold as a Trojan virus. As Gordon shows signs of being infected, they receive an alert that Joker has asked to see Robin alone. Batman and Gordon then rush to return to GCPD headquarters. Meanwhile, Robin (using a crowbar) is attempting to torture information out o the Joker.As Dick and Gordon race to stop Damian from killing the Joker, they are shot down mid-air by the Black Glove and Dick is knocked unconscious leaving Gordon surrounded by an army of Dollotrons. At the same time, Professor Pyg is freed from Arkham by El Penitente's men.
Joker then manages to escape GCPD headquarters by scratching Damian with Joker Venom. Meanwhile, Batman and Commissioner Gordon are separated by the swarm of Dollotrons who deliver Gordon to Professor Pyg and Doctor Hurt. Dick barely escapes when the new Batmobile self-destructs and wakes up in the Bat-Bunker. Dick attempts to contact Damian but his com-link is answered by the Joker, who reveals his endgame: Batman and Robin, working for the Joker. Throughout the city, Pyg's infection has turned Gotham into a city of drug addicts, who are shown throwing the city into chaos.
Gordon is then showcased by Hurt to a group of crime lords, with Hurt declaring Gotham 'the new Capital of Crime'. Batman and Joker attack the event by poisoning the audience and taking down Pyg's men, respectively. Dick, however, is taken prisoner by Dr. Hurt after an addicted Gordon knocks him out. Joker (wearing his Oberon Sexton get-up, sans mask) is then seen preparing another attack on the Black Glove, implying that he intends to use a trussed-up Robin.
After sending Batman out after Dr. Hurt, Joker prepares to send Robin. Robin obeys in order to save Batman, whom Joker claims is in 'the Devil's chopping block'. Meanwhile, Dr. Hurt (disguised as Thomas Wayne) returns and takes over Wayne Manor, addressing that he will save the city. Robin, meanwhile, manages to attack Professor Pyg, and frees a now-cured Gordon from the virus. Damian then advises the Commissioner (who guesses that enough rage can counter the virus) to take back the city, refusing Gordon's help. Robin, however, proves no match for Hurt's thugs, and is captured and delivered to Hurt, along with Batman. The story continues in Batman: The Return of Bruce Wayne
Batman: The Return of Bruce Wayne
Batman: The Return of Bruce Wayne is a 6-issue American comic book limited series published by DC Comics beginning in May 2010 to November 2010, written by Grant Morrison and featuring a team of rotating artists starting with Chris Sprouse and Frazer Irving.The series picks up from Batman and Robin...
.
The story then shifts to the present, with Hurt revealing that the shot to Batman's head is not fatal, but in twelve hours would result in a hematoma that would leave Dick incapacitated for life. In exchange for saving Dick, Hurt makes Robin promise to give up his soul, and assist him in resurrecting Barbatos through the box Bruce Wayne encounters in Batman: The Return of Bruce Wayne. However, before Robin can pledge his soul to Hurt, someone whistles the tune that opens the box, revealing a note with the word "Gotcha." Batman and Robin (who were actually stalling all the time) take down Hurt together. The Dynamic Duo then points Hurt out to someone behind the villain. The shadowed figure is revealed to be none other than Bruce Wayne himself, who simply says, "It's all over."
Black Mass (Issue 16)
Serving as the conclusion of 'Batman and Robin Must Die', the issue deals with Bruce Wayne, Dick Grayson, and Damian Wayne's fight against Simon Hurt. It features Batman confronting Dr. Hurt, who escapes, only to be caught, poisoned, and buried alive by The Joker. It also shows Professor Pyg's defeat at the hands of Batman and Robin, Bruce's sanctioning of Damian as the Boy Wonder, and Bruce Wayne's announcement that he is behind the financing of Batman, as well as the beginning of a new venture for The Dark Knight: Batman Incorporated.Black Mass also serves as the conclusion of Grant Morrison's run on the series.
The Sum of Her Parts (Issues 17-19)
Batman and Robin investigate the disappearance the corpse of Una Nemo, one of Bruce Wayne's former girlfriends who was shot in the head during Wayne's disappearance. After following a trail of clues involving the woman's empty grave, the return of Nemo's fake corpse, and an exploding fingernail serving as a trap, the Dynamic Duo head out to a church, where they find a seemingly brainwashed crowd playing out a fake wedding, with a kidnapped technician. Fighting off the crowd, Batman and Robin rescue the technician, only to be trapped in the balcony above the church. Moments later, the technician flings himself down the crowd, removing the disguise to reveal Una Nemo, now calling herself The Absence.Batman and Robin are shot down from their hiding place by the Absence, who orders her people to restrain the two. She then proceeds to relate her origin story, beginning with her break-up with Bruce Wayne, which hurts her terribly. During a cruise with her friend, Terri, a group of thugs hold up the ship. After seeing Terri shot dead, Una attempts to cut one of the thugs with her wine glass, only to be shot in the head and fall in the water.
Waking near the beach, she manages to return home and discovers she has Dandy Walker syndrome, which has allowed her to survive despite the gaping hole in her head. Disguising herself to attend her own funeral, she finds that none of the mourners cared for her very much, despite her status as a successful and kind businesswoman. The breaking point comes when she sees Bruce Wayne failed to attend, and Una removes her bandages, her obsession with absence forged.
After telling her story to Batman and Robin, The Absence leaves, setting off an explosion in the church, saying "Until [Bruce] notices I'm gone...I'll keep reminding him." Batman and Robin manage to escape the conflagration, and regroup in the Batbunker, where Damian muses on his father's habit of pretending to like women as a disguise. After discussing the matter, Alfred decides to call Bruce, who talks with Dick about the matter. Bruce says that he is sorry, and warns Batman about what they both think The Absence will do next.
Meanwhile, Vicki Vale is attempting to write an article in her new apartment when she is confronted by The Absence, wielding a scissor and a bag of body parts belonging to Bruce's old girlfriends.Although the Absence manages to capture Batman and Robin, trapping them into a device that is set to drill holes in the middle of their heads, the drill bits prove to be fake. The escape the trap, but the Absence escapes.
Tree of Blood (Issues 20-22)
Batman and Robin deal with the White Knight, a luminous villain whose modus operandi is to force family members of Arkham inmates to commit suicide in order to cut off their bloodlines, thus ending what he believes to be the insanity running through their veins. The White Knight possesses a tree containing totems of famous Arkham inmates (such as Victor Zsasz, The Mad Hatter, and Man-Bat), with the names of their relations written on each totem. Dick, Damian and Alfred discuss Damian's choice to be Robin. After a showdown with in an illuminated Arkham Asylum, the White Knight's mechanical wings explode, fusing them to his body. It is revealed that Batman and Robin's new rogue is named Lewis Bayard, the son of a murdered Arkham guard. At his own Arkham cell, the White Knight begins a new Tree of Blood from a bonsai tree, hanging Batman and Robin's emblems from the limbs as the light goes out.The Streets Run Red (Issues 23-25)
After a conversation with Bruce Wayne, it is revealed that Jason Todd, the Red Hood, has requested for a transfer from Arkham Asylum. Bruce warns Batman and Robin to keep a close eye on Red Hood; meanwhile, Jason proceeds to cause havoc on the minimal prison he is incarcerated in. After a spree which ends with many people poisoned in the cafeteria, the warden of the prison returns Red Hood to Arkham. Before Batman and Robin can arrive at the scene, the convoy transporting Jason is ambushed, and he is sprung free by a group of mercenaries with features like that of animals.Introducing themselves as the Menagerie (a group of mercenaries whom Batman and the Red Hood identify as working in South America), the team was assigned to deliver Red Hood to a mysterious woman acting as their financier. Red Hood attempts to fight the Menagerie off but remains on the verge of defeat until Batman and Robin arrive. A sarcastic Jason sighs, "Thank God. It's Batman and Robin." Batman and Robin take out the mercenaries and attempt to recapture Todd, who, during the fight, uses one of the Menagerie as a hostage against both parties. At that moment, the mysterious person who orchestrated Todd's escape tells the Red Hood she holds his previous sidekick, Scarlet, in a similar predicament.
Todd is then forced to work with Batman and Robin in an attempt to free Scarlet. He sets up a meeting with the woman, pretending to have gone off Batman and Robin's radar. The two crash the meeting thanks to the Batmobile's stealth mode and a tracer swallowed by the Todd, after which Batman, Robin and Red Hood fight off their opponents together. The Red Hood once again flees during the battle with Scarlet by his side, hijacking a helicopter and preventing Batman and Robin from taking chase by setting off a series of charges throughout Gotham, with the promise to set off more. Batman and Robin reluctantly take off to defuse the bombs, while Jason Todd and Scarlet head towards an unknown destination.
Earthly Delights: Scenes From A Work in Progress (Issue 26)
In the last issue of Batman and Robin before the the DC Comics relaunch, the main story is intercut with sepia-like pages of the main villain's origin. In it, Dick Grayson and Damian Wayne team up with Batman Incorporated representative Nightrunner to stop a breakout in Le Jardin Noir (The Black Garden), which acts as the Parisian equivalent of Arkham Asylum. The three attempt to quell a riot at the Louvre, which was incited by four Black Garden inmates, led by the mysterious Son of Man (garbed after the famous Magritte painting). The Son of Man appears to be obsessed with surrealist themes, which the Black Garden inmates apply to the famous museum.The Id (an empathic manipulator), Sister Crystal (who possesses a hand that can turn anything into glass), Skin Talker (a man who makes hypnotic suggestions through the skin), and Ray Man (an illusion caster) initially cause trouble for all three. They eventually appear to splice Batman in half, turn Robin into glass, and Nightrunner into a cloth-like boneless structure. After a moment, Batman shakes off what is revealed as an illusion and rallies his allies, enabling them to take down the inmates. The three realize that the entire fight was being watched by the Son of Man. Bursting into the Son of Man's headquarters, Batman, Robin and Nightrunner watch as the Son of Man presents his story through a giant screen. Moments after his birth and his mother's subsequent death, the Son of Man's father decided to turn his son into a work of art. It is revealed that the father mutilates his infant son's face, taking his inspiration from Victor Hugo's 'The Man Who Laughs'.
The Son of Man (whose face is not shown throughout the course of the issue) reveals himself to be a red-haired lookalike of the Joker, after which he attempts to blow up the heroes using a remote-control device. Batman manages to stop him by using a riot foam dispenser he used against Sister Crystal. After his arrest, another surprise is revealed: the Son of Man, obsessed with the surreal, has managed to keep his father alive eternally by taking apart his body, encasing each part(including the organs) in a glass case. His father,now dismembered and arranged to form an art sculpture, is forced to watch the same sepia-colored home videos of his infant child in a continuous loop. The Son of Man's real name (Norman S. Rotrig) is a reference to the original writer
Grant Morrison
Grant Morrison is a Scottish comic book writer, playwright and occultist. He is known for his nonlinear narratives and counter-cultural leanings, as well as his successful runs on titles like Animal Man, Doom Patrol, JLA, The Invisibles, New X-Men, Fantastic Four, All-Star Superman, and...
of the series.
Relaunch
DC Comics is planning to relaunch Batman and Robin with #1 in Fall 2011 with Bruce Wayne returning to his place as Batman.Collected editions
| Title | Material Collected | ISBN | Release |
|---|---|---|---|
| Batman and Robin, Vol. 1: Batman Reborn | Batman and Robin #1-6 | Deluxe HC: ISBN 1-4012-2566-7 | April 2010 |
| Batman and Robin, Vol. 2: Batman vs. Robin | Batman and Robin #7-12 | Deluxe HC: ISBN 1-4012-2833-X | November 2010 |
| Batman and Robin, Vol. 3: Batman Must Die | Batman and Robin #13-16; Batman: The Return #1 | Deluxe HC: ISBN 1-4012-3091-1 | May 2011 |
| Batman and Robin, Vol. 4: Dark Knight, White Knight | Batman and Robin #17-25 | Deluxe HC: ISBN 1-4012-3373-2 | January 2012 |
External links
- Morrison & Quitely on "Batman & Robin". Comic Book ResourcesComic Book ResourcesComic Book Resources, also known as CBR is a website dedicated to the coverage of comic book-related news and discussion.-History:Comic Book Resources was founded by Jonah Weiland in 1996 as a development of the Kingdom Come Message Board, a message forum that Weiland had created to discuss DC...
. March 10, 2009 - Frank Quitely on Batman and Robin, NewsaramaNewsaramaNewsarama is an American website that publishes news, interviews and essays about the American comic book industry.-History:Newsarama began in Summer 1995 as a series of Internet forum postings on the Prodigy comic-book message boards by fan Mike Doran. In these short messages. Doran shared...
. March 10, 2009