“Broken”
Writers: J.M. DeMatteis
Artist: Rick Leonardi
Color Artist: Rico Renzi
Letterer: Taylor Esposito
Review by James Attias
From the DC Vault: Death in the Family – Robin Lives #1 takes us back to a time when comics had consequences. Death was death. But in this instance… Death was averted – Let’s swing in!
The Mourning After
So this book was originally meant to be reviewed by my mentor and dear friend Steve J Ray, but he has been undergoing trials to become the New Head of the Demon, so will be back next issue after fighting topless in the desert.
For now you’ve got me! And I couldn’t be happier to be telling you, my dear readers, that Robin Lives! This elseworld/what if/from the vault story shows us what would have happened if at the end of the original Death in the Family comic, instead of Jason Todd dying at the hands of the Joker (and the fans) he would have survived.
Now when I was imagining this story before reading it, I always had Jason and Bruce reunited, a son saved, a father’s guilt expunged.
But we rarely get happy endings in Batman comics. After such a close call and brush with death, Jason is not ok. Over the last two decades, we fans have grown to love Jason as the Red Hood, his dry wit and broody humor. Dying made him the character we love. This Jason is the same polarizing teen who the fans voted to kill, except now he has PTSD and doesn’t know how to go on living.
We Need to Talk About Robin
The writers here do a wonderful job of painting the lack of experience in Bruce as a father, he does what he thinks is right, with Jason not knowing what HE needs as a son and a survivor. This story is giving me vibes that tears will be shed.
The art is wonderfully retro and the cameos make this issue feel like a real blast from the past. One of the best Batman/SPOILER interactions I’ve read in recent years.
Conclusion
From the DC Vault: Death in the Family – Robin Lives #1 is a journey into new old territory. And I can’t wait to see what happens next!
Images Courtesy of DC Entertainment
