Comic Book Review – Batman and Robin #18

So, with the Boy Wonder shuffling (or rather being forcibly thrown) off this mortal coil at the conclusion of Batman Incorporated #8, we come now to the series that bears his name this one last time in Batman and Robin #18, with writer Peter J. Tomasi and artist Pat Gleason embarking upon the “silent issue” approach to pat tribute to young Damian in the latest tie-in to Robin’s “Requiem”.

A week has passed since Damian’s untimely death at the hands of The Heretic, and as you’d expect The Dark Knight is seething with rage. Sure, he’s been here before with Jason Todd, but this time it’s different; not only has Batman lost his partner, but Bruce Wayne has lost his son. So, while Alfred grieves for Damian in Wayne Manor, Bruce mourns the only way he knows how – by donning the cape and cowl and taking to the streets of Gotham – alone – to take out his pain and frustration on the city’s criminal element.

When done correctly, the silent issue can produce something special indeed (see Larry Hama’s “Silent Interlude” in G.I. Joe #21), but more often than not it comes off as little more than a gimmick, or – in a worst case scenario – like the publisher forget to add the lettering before sending the book to press. That’s not the case with Batman and Robin #18. This really is a top notch issue, with Tomasi leaving the talking to the brooding, atmospheric artwork of Gleason and Mick Gray, which manages to convey more story and emotion than any words could have accomplished. Tomasi’s contributions shouldn’t be overlooked though; despite being dialogue free, the writing is superb and the issue is filled with some fantastic little touches that really help to emphasise Bruce’s anguish and deep sense of loss.

From issue #19, Batman and Robin is set to become a ‘Batman and…” team-up book, and “…Robin” has gone out in style here with this final issue; it’s one of the best Batman comics I’ve read in a while, and I’d go as far as to say it surpasses anything we’ve seen from Scott Snyder’s main title. You really need to pick this one up.

Gary Collinson is a writer and lecturer from the North East of England. He is the editor-in-chief of FlickeringMyth.com and the author of Holy Franchise, Batman! Bringing the Caped Crusader to the Screen.