REVIEW :: Red Robin #4

September 16, 2009 at 1:56 pm By:

red-robin_04-fc_thumbI read the first issue of Red Robin a few months ago, and I was mildly entertained — but not intrigued enough to keep picking it up.

I guess I was too caught up in some of the other new Bat titles — specifically Batman and Robin and Streets of Gotham — to really consume RR on a monthly basis.

Or maybe I wasn’t enthralled by the book, which focuses on Tim Drake’s search for the very-alive Bruce Wayne, because out of all the revamped Bat-centric books, this one seemed the most finite. I mean, I KNOW that all titles will drastically change when Bruce comes back from the “dead,” but only RR has a definite end: the return of the original Batman. Everything until then is just smoke and mirrors, right? So whenever I thought of picking up the book, my inner comic geek said, “Call me when it’s over.”
Luckily, I ignored that voice and grabbed the latest issue — No. 4 — because now it seems like the book is getting good.

This month’s edition worked for me partly due to a guest appearance by the Dick Grayson version of Batman. His presence added a good deal of emotional resonance to the proceedings and helped to move the pair’s relationship in a more positive direction … well, you know, since their “breakup.”

I also enjoyed Drake’s inner dialogue this issue — the exposition did wonders to transform what sometimes appears to be a bitter, jilted sidekick into a driven, focused hero … who’s actually smarter than everybody else.

On top of that, the violent ending — replete with blood-red finality (or as much as you can get in a superhero comic) — caught me by surprise. And I loooovvve surprises.

All in all, good stuff; I think I’ll come back for No. 5.

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