In Batman & Robin: Year One #3, Mark Waid and Chris Samnee continue to explore the emotional growing pains of the Dynamic Duo as their new family dynamic evolves. This issue not only tests Bruce and Dick’s patience with one another but also shifts focus to another key member of the family—Alfred. How does this expansion impact the loyal butler, and what happens when Dick Grayson finally loses his cool?
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I need to give a big shoutout to the lettering team, Clayton Cowles and Chris Samnee, as they work their magic in the opening scene. The way they place the credits takes this already noir series and gives it a feature that makes it feel like a crime caper movie. The credit letters, in my opinion, helped to provide the scene with a stern movement that helped to emphasize the seriousness and clocklike moment needed for the heist; what a creative addition elevates the scene. It’s a change from the previous issues, but it still fits nicely to help take us back to a movie-serial vibe that fits the old-fashioned era.
This issue is nicely divided into different parts, showing the crimes in action and the problems at home. I like that, as it helps show Bruce Wayne’s divided mind regarding the situations. The portions with the crime elements are wonderfully executed by Waid and Samnee, helping to emphasize the General’s plans and executions. The transition from crime to Bruce was seamless, keeping the flow forward. Once we’re with the Bat Family, it’s great to see how this affects Alfred and paints a wonderful picture of how different Bruce and Dick were and are. I like how Bruce is so unaware of how kids can be that he just took for granted that Dick would be an easy kid to raise.
DC
While Alfred and Bruce get some thought-provoking emotional beats, Dick Grayson’s hits the hardest. Waid plays Dick in a manner that shows this kid reacting to having a butler and forgetting to respect the person; Samnee paints a perfect picture of a kid being a kid in a mansion. There, the creative team establishes a situation that needs addressing, but the Dynamic Duo won’t get that chance as they need to get into action. I like how Two-Face was in this scene, and his moment to get under Robin’s skin was great, as it further drives a wedge into how different Batman and Robin are. The moment even got to me, so I could understand why Robin lost it and jumped the gun. The way the issue ended left me in suspense; I could hear the old “same bat-channel, same bat-time,” but the wait will be tough.
Before they were the Dynamic Duo, they had to learn to live together. Waid and Samnee create an issue that shows the problems behind the mask and how they come forward to make a huge snag in the partnership. Batman’s ignorance of understanding children could be an issue in the shaping of Dick Grayson into quite a terror. Robin’s inability to check himself causes the team to lose their stealth and develops into a problem that Bruce will have to learn how to deal with or change. “Growing Pains” hitting the Batcave is an entertaining issue worth exploring deeper.
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