Batman and Robin Eternal #1 Review

The sequel to the oft-lauded weekly series Batman Eternal is here: Batman and Robin Eternal.

The writers on board consist of Scott Snyder, Tim Seeley, Genevieve Valentine, Steve Orlando, Jackson Lanzing, Collin Kelly and Ed Brisson while James Tynion IV serves as the head writer. That’s a big cast of writers — will too many cooks spoil the broth?

Is it good?

Batman and Robin Eternal #1 (DC Comics)

The first issue of Batman and Robin Eternal sees lead writer James Tynion IV putting all his ducks in a row; he sets up the main players in the story, builds a mystery that connects the past to present involving the Robins, throws in some new surprises and twists and introduces us to our dangerous antagonist figure for the series. The whole issue is all about the characterization, establishment, and setup priming the audience for the storm that is rolling into Gotham.

The opening pages feature a very enjoyable sequence with cuts of all of the sidekicks working together or off doing their own thing. It’s an opening that’s both nice for longtime fans of the characters and a solid introduction for newcomers. After this, Tynion ramps up the action with a big conspiracy involving two characters called Mother and the Orphan, before introducing you to Cassandra Cain (who whips some ass in her ass introduction). Finally, the issue wraps up with a big and rather shocking cliffhanger that is sure to get peoples’ attention (though whether it be positive or negative will vary).

The only minor quibble I have with the writing is that there seems to be some character shilling going on, like with Harper Row or Cassandra Cain (though in the latter’s case, her ability to easily trounce Grayson makes sense given her abilities), but it’s nothing that dampens the story too much by any means.

Tony Daniel provides the artwork for Batman and Robin Eternal #1 and his work looks decent overall. While some of the male characters look similar at points with their facial structure and hairstyle, everyone looks good and there’s no odd musculature or awkward movement. I like his redesign and depiction of Cassandra Cain and her new outfit, which looks both practical and not overly complicated. The action is depicted well and flows well from each panel and it’s nice seeing backgrounds in most of the panels, even during the action bits. Batman and Robin Eternal #1 is a fine looking issue and I hope the series keeps that in check as it rotates through its future artists.

Is It Good?

Batman and Robin Eternal #1 is a solid start to this new weekly. Though the issue focuses mostly on setting up the overall plot and introducing the characters, the writing and execution are solid and it’s easy to get invested. Recommended, but only if you are for sure you can handle a new weekly book.