Robin: Son of Batman is a very brave book for DC to roll out post new 52. Damian Wayne is loved and hated by many fans and to have his own series is a brave move. I have to say, the book on its introduction has been great.
Patrick Gleason takes over writing in addition to drawing this comic. The book kicks off with a storyline named “Year of Blood.” Robin is given a large introduction, making this a perfect book for new fans to jump on to his character.
Gleason packs in a huge amount of information on Damian, giving readers information on him being the heir to Bruce Wayne and the Al Ghuls. Damian is also given a sidekick of sorts in the form of Goliath: a huge hulking bat-like creature who is one of Damian’s forms of transportation.
The art style is great at showing Damian’s personality. The anger and ferocity seemingly jumps off the page at you. The adult characters, however, are often much bigger than Damian, making him look like a sort of caricature of previous Robins. It oddly works though and really shows that Damian is just a child, but with the anger and skill level of a warrior and that this child isn’t afraid to take on the world and win.
Goliath is a great character to see on the page. He is a hulking creature who is reminiscent of Kilowog from the Green Lantern series. Gleason has drawn some excellent panels with Goliath in full action, which is great for comic readers who love extreme amounts of action.
Robin: Son of Batman #1 is a well-written and drawn. The writers and artists are clearly in a kind of sync with one another and really understand what each is trying to achieve. It is a solid read.
I’m excited for the next one and to find out more of “The Year of Blood,” which is what Damian is trying to atone for, while also trying to honor his father Bruce Wayne and live up to his example.
I would rate this book 8 out of 10.
