• waz divx

The omens weren’t good. It’s unreasonable to expect any writer, no matter how experienced, to produce their best work when parachuted at the last minute into a long-running series. Especially when that series is just starting to feed into one of the most intricately prepared comics epics of the last few years. Despite these handicaps, Robin #175 is a slick piece of work from Fabian Nicieza. But there are still a number of weaknesses, in concept, if not execution. Nicieza appears to view the issue as a jumping-on point, both for the Robin series and Batman R.I.P. as a whole. The former is a perfectly logical assumption- many casual readers of the franchise will be picking up this book to gain an additional perspective on Grant Morrison’s dreamlike saga, and the writer is understandably trying to hook them into Tim Drake’s ongoing adventures. The second of these two missions, however, is rather questionable. It’s not that Nicieza’s work is defective, as he skilfully uses Robin’s state of mind as an excuse for flashbacks that emphasise the importance of Batman’s Thogol meditation exercise. He’s also able to re-introduce the Black Casebooks and isolation chamber experiment that have loomed large through Morrison’s run on Batman, providing a handy primer for those walking into the climax of the long-seeded tale.

The difficulty is that the pages of Robin are hardly the place to which casual readers will turn for such explanations. It’s far more likely that they will simply head straight for the core books, passing over the adjuncts to the line. The writer is correct in viewing R.I.P. as an opportunity to expand Robin’s readership, but seems to overlook the fact that the influx will predominantly be from those already versed in the Gotham status quo and looking to round out their understanding of R.I.P., rather than non comics readers intrigued by The Dark Knight (which does not feature a Robin). It’s also rather jarring that certain areas of Batman R.I.P. have been clearly listed as off-limits for the book. Morrison has suggested that the existence of Damian is the primary factor in the wedge between Tim and his mentor, and it feels distinctly odd that Drake’s thoughts never dwell on Bruce Wayne’s illegitimate son. It might be argued that Robin is deliberately ignoring this unwelcome presence in his life, but the copious first-person narration provides any number of opportunities for a retracted mention of the cuckoo in the nest.

The issue’s art is strong, with Joe Bennett proving his adeptness with facial expressions, and Guy Major’s colours help tie the chapter into its parent story. The central plot moves quickly, and Nicieza does a good job of solidifying Tim’s state of mind, although it’s hard to shake the impression that Morrison will cover similar ground in a couple of panels at some point. It’s a competent piece of storytelling, but it’s hard to imagine the Nicieza’s imagined audience getting as far as picking the book up.