Are you ready for Batman and Robin? The World’s Greatest Detective and The World’s Second Greatest Detective? The Dynamic Duo? I sure as heck am! After an emotional first issue, Batman #2 continues the trend and delivers another captivating story full of action, nostalgia, and dynamic art. During a recent interview, Matt Fraction stated readers should expect both Tim Drake and Damian Wayne to appear in the series. Sure enough, the two Robins appear here to remind readers how incredible they are. That said, this issue is about Tim first and foremost. Well, and Bruce, but that’s a given. But what this issue does is reinforce why Batman will always need a Robin. And why is that? Because we got to see Tim drive a manual transmission!
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We last left off with Tim Drake cornered by the Gotham City Police Department. While I’m not caught up with Hush 2 and its alleged impact on the Bat Family, I think it’s safe to assume that the GCPD is still rather corrupt and isn’t here to help Robin in his current situation. Writer Matt Fraction uses this issue to show how much time has passed in universe since Tim began his journey as Robin. No longer the timid sidekick, Tim is able to stand on his own. Even when the odds are stacked against him, he’s more than earned being one of the most prominent members of the Bat Family.
Fraction uses the conflict both Batman and Robin face to turn the story into a reminder of how great a team Batman and Robin are together. While things start by showing how capable Tim is at holding his own when his back is pushed against the wall, things morph into how important he has become to Bruce and his safety. The pair are and always have been meant to complement one another’s strengths to offset their weaknesses. In this issue, we see that teamwork better than we have in a long time.
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Jorge Jiménez. What can I say that hasn’t already been said? The dynamic art in this story helped make action sequences feel electric. Every punch thrown, bullet shot, and Batarang used feels full of life and just as animated as if it were a movie. Jiménez has always strived at making characters’ emotions more realistic, from their facial expressions, body language, and expressive nature, and this issue is a perfect example of that. The sheer rage we see Robin feel towards corruption all but ripples off the page, and a huge part of that is thanks to Jiménez’s brilliant line work and shading.
Tomeu Morey’s vibrant colors only add to the story’s brilliance. Using various shades of red during Robin’s epic showdown helps reinforce how this issue focuses on Robin more than Batman. The various colors used in this issue were a nice touch that helped push the story’s intensity, emotional weight, or even to just accentuate character’s costumes to make a more enjoyable story. This issue is a perfect example of how much weight things like line work, paneling, thorough shading, intentional colors, and perfect collaboration can push the story to new heights.
Batman #2 continues to be another strong entry by Fraction, Jiménez, and the entire team involved. Fraction has once again delivered an issue with a fun script that makes for an exciting story that’s truly hard to put down. The artwork by Jiménez and Morey is nothing short of spectacular, and turns Fraction’s script into something I desperately want made into an animated short film. It’s worth noting that Clayton Cowles’ lettering helps the story to feel more intense and helps make more intense moments really pop. This is another fantastic issue that I have nothing to complain about except that I have to wait another month after that shocking cliffhanger to find out what will happen next!
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