The Lazarus Tournament is underway and the champions are dropping like flies save for Robin. Robin entered the tournament last issue, but we’re coming out of that issue with some new information. In Robin #7 out this week, it’s about new info but also the fight we’ve been anticipating since Flatline ripped Robin’s heart out. Yep, the two characters must fight to the death!
Before any characters fight, Robin discovers something about the woman running the tournament that changes everything. Or at the very least, it shows writer Josh Williamson is adding a new player to Damian’s understanding of his mother and her father. I’ll say no more to avoid spoilers, but it’s a character reveal that instantly adds new context to the story arc. It’s also quite exciting and you’ll be running your imagination wondering how this character might be used later.
Outside of this, Gleb Melnikov and Max Dunbar show off some impressive fight choreography between a few different characters. The art feels larger than life thanks to some very close-up shots of character reactions. There’s an edge to Robin that gives him a slightly older feel than we’ve typically seen over the years, which suits the life or death situation he’s in. What sells Robin very well in this series is how calm and collected he is even with a dagger in his back. The art keeps his cool and collected personality elevated over the dangers, which are depicted well throughout the issue.
Hmmm, who could he be?
Credit: DC Comics
That cool-as-a-cucumber demeanor works well in the big matchup between Robin and Flatline. This fight closes out the book. Armed with new information, Robin fights a little differently, although his naivety shows when he attempts to talk Flatline out of killing him. This all builds to a final one-on-one showdown for the next issue that feels elevated thanks to what Robin learned in the book he snagged in the last issue.
Colors by Luis Guerrero add depth and texture to the sky, grass, and the forests on the island. A bit of volume in Flatline’s face is added thanks to the subtle colorwork, for instance, and it’s in these color choices that the characters come to life. Guerrero adds a pink complexion to Robin and no one else, which sets him apart as young, but also more alive than most of these other characters.
ALW’s Troy Peteri keeps the dialogue moving with solid word balloons and plenty of emphasis in different ways. A “Ravager” all in orange inside a word balloon adds a bit of extra emphasis than a bolded word, for instance, and the choice to color words here or there doesn’t go unmissed.
Robin #7 offers up an earth-shattering surprise character reveal and a showdown between Robin and his new crush Flatline. What more could you want? This issue is a good example of how Robin is delivering an excellent adventure only Damian could undertake.
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