Batman and Robin #8 breaks the flow of the previous issues a little, with both main characters not sharing the same page in the entire issue. By splitting up Batman and Robin, neither the father and son nor the hero and sidekick dynamic get much room to play here. However, this gets replaced with a fun story carried by Robin and Flatline, and a less interesting one about Batman and Shush. The issue begins with Robin and Flatline getting ambushed by her sister. It does a fine job of catching readers up on who she is but without going into too much depth. And this intercuts with Shush leading Batman into Man-Bat’s base. One story definitely has more interesting things going on than the other.
The art by Nikola Čižmešija noticeably gives a different atmosphere than Simone Di Meo’s, but it keeps the almost manga style intact. They are both expressive in different ways, and this by no means diminishes the reading experience, but it does take some getting used to when reading the issues in succession. Yet what is lost in continuity is gained in clarity. The fights have clear choreography and the impacts hit hard. The colors aren’t as vibrant, but it fits the needs of a more traditional paneling, which benefits the slick panel-to-panel action. What’s disappointing is only that the action leaves you wanting more, making one hope that Čižmešija gets more room to show off his skills in future issues.
A new dynamic duo?
Credit: DC Comics
In this issue, Damian Wayne experiences some stirring development as his Robin gets more to do, tangoing with his peers. His vulnerability is shown by his interaction with Flatline and their chemistry, a side we don’t often see. This Robin seems to be a far cry from the original rash and overly confident one from years ago. Williamson further develops him, showing a softer side to the boy wonder, one that will be interesting to see in the future with Flatline as the school stuff here is limited to set up the next issue.
While there is a fun twist on Batman and Catwoman’s playful dynamic with Robin and Flatline, Batman’s separate adventure leaves more to be desired. He asks Shush for what feels like the umpteenth time if she has anything to do with Hush and she evades the question again. The good thing is readers are kept on their toes, as the allegiances and true motives of characters like Flatline and Shush are always in question. Man-Bat’s presence is also a welcome sight as part of the lesser-utilized characters of Batman’s rogues gallery. Though it remains to be seen, this might just be one of the highlights of Man-Bat’s career in villainy.
Batman and Robin #8 is an interesting break for the dynamic duo, showing these characters on individual adventures. But while this issue gives something interesting to Robin’s character development, as Flatline melts his usually confident mask, it adds nothing new to Batman nor Shush. In the end, there are more questions than answers. We’ll just have to wait and see if the payoff is satisfying enough for the journey.
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