Robin, New comics

New comics!

Captain Marvel 28

Really liking this series, even without Lee Garbett drawing it.  Might I need to start picking up back issues?

Nightwing 79

A great followup to the first issue of Tom Taylor and Bruno Redondo’s run.

Black Widow 1-5

Holy crap, these five issues blew me away.  When you can’t kill off the main character, this is how you really hurt them emotionally.  I can’t believe writer Kelly Thompson managed to do this in so few issues - usually, you have to kill someone who’s been around forever, like Gwen Stacy or Kitty Pryde.

Plus, the action is amazing.  Who the hell is Elena Casagrande, this is A+ stuff right here.  I’m instantly adding this to my pull list.

Robin Plus 1 

Here we go, starting my many boxes of Batman comics.  We begin with the ancillary titles and mini-series.

And...it’s a bummer of one.  You’d think Mark Waid would be able to write a decent teamup between Robin and Impulse, but this one doesn’t work at all.  It may have to do with John Royle’s very meh art, but the story itself is completely forgettable as well.  Cutting.

Regret buying: No

Would buy again: No

Would read again: No

Rating: Boring

World’s Finest Three 1

It seems like a no-brainer to have Tom Grummett draw a teamup between Superboy and Robin, in my mind the two titles that best showcase his wonderful style.  And while the art really is nice, the story by Karl Kesel (something involving Poison Ivy and Metallo) is just as unmemorable as Waid’s.  Past me didn’t bother to get the second issue, and I don’t blame him.  The art’s worth keeping around, though.

Regret buying: No

Would buy again: No

Would read again: Yes

Rating: Fine

Robin 1-5

The first Tim Drake miniseries, where he travels around the world to get the training that will prepare him to become a worthy Robin.  It’s generally not bad, but what makes it stand out is the appearance of Lady Shiva.  I love her as a character; The hook of “best martial artist in the world” is such a compelling one, and pairing her up with Tim makes for some fun dynamics.  

Says a lot about her.

The art by Tom Lyle is serviceable, nothing spectacular.

Regret buying: No

Would buy again: No

Would read again: Yes

Rating: Nice

Robin 0-2, 10

Tom Grummett is so the perfect Tim Drake artist.  He actually looks like a kid, the costume is the best in Robin’s long history, the art is great looking and clean.  One question, though: Why does the Redbird have an anus on the bumper?

Can't unsee it, but was I wrong?

Nope, there it is again.

So, so good.  Perfect Robin.

Regret buying: No

Would buy again: Yes

Would read again: Yes

Rating: Pretty good

Robin 148-156, 167

I think I got this because I wanted to see what One Year Later did with Robin.  Oh, writer Adam Beechen was the guy who did Hench.  (That’s the only other thing I have by him.)  It gets off to a rollicking start, where Robin’s framed for the murder of Batgirl (the Cassandra Cain version).  I really like how Beechen narrates Tim’s thought process as he’s getting his ass kicked.  

Things don’t live up to the promise of that first issue, but it doesn’t degrade all that much.  I do HATE the appearance of Dodge, a stupid kid out for glory who really deserves to die and isn’t worth the guilt that Tim feels.  I’d cut the issues with him if they didn’t lead to a pretty decent Very Special suicide prevention issue.

Regret buying: No

Would buy again: No

Would read again: Yes

Rating: Nice to Fine

Robin 157-158

An unfortunate team up with Klarion (couldn’t care less about him) with art by Frazer Irving (who did amazing work in Uncanny X-Men, but I’m really not a fan here).  Cutting.

The Patrick Gleason cover reminds me of Mike Mignola.

Regret buying: No

Would buy again: No

Would read again: No

Rating: Disliked

Batman Chronicles: The Gauntlet

The final exam Dick Grayson had to take in order to become Robin.  Not as good as I remember, it’s pretty cookie cutter, standard “get in the middle of some mafia matters.”  But it’s not bad.

Regret buying: No

Would buy again: No

Would read again: Yes

Rating: Nice