It’s not looking good for Batman in Batman and Robin #20. He’s hallucinating, Damian has been kidnapped, and the Memento killer is still on the loose. This latest issue gets highly emotional as we delve into the personal diaries of Thomas Wayne and Damian while Batman is powerless to help his son.
First and foremost, Batman and Robin #20 is a visual spectacle, with three artists contributing completely different styles. They each bring something important to the story while lifting up the emotional element. Hugo Petrus draws Thomas Wayne’s journal, Miguel Mendonca draws the present-day visuals, and Juni Ba takes over Damian’s comic book journal. The visuals are striking and give this single issue a special feel. It’s not often you get so many artists doing so many different things in a single issue.
The story opens in Thomas Wayne’s journal, with handwritten notes from Thomas detailing a time he let Bruce down. Petrus draws excellent illustrations of Alfred and elements from the mansion that further prove he was a great artist. This section feels deeply personal and real.
Beautiful illustrations.
Credit: DC Comics
From there, Mendonca takes over, and Batman is in a bad way. His hallucinations send him vast distances to different locations as he sees firsthand deaths from Gotham’s past. A double-page layout that opens this section up is beautiful, featuring many of Batman’s vigilante family members. Mendonca does a good job with the trippy elements, like a man being hung by a mob, and a classic Batman character giving Batman a tip.
Once Batman holds Damian’s comic, Juni Ba takes over with his fun and freeing cartooning work. There’s a sketchy, unfinished look that helps convey the art is by Damian. The colors aren’t filled in, for instance, and some cool, creative choices are unconventional for superhero comics. It’s also interesting to think about Damian drawing these things as if he’s the hero of his own story, but there are also diary elements to it. This section is also a nice refresher on key characters and elements.
Outside of the great use of artists, this issue does limp forward from a plot progression perspective. Sure, the enjoyment is in the journey, but by the end, Batman has only gotten a clue to what to do next.
Batman and Robin #20 is a stylistic triumph that turns a relatively minor plot development into a memorable and moving experience. With standout contributions from Hugo Petrus, Miguel Mendonca, and Juni Ba, the issue feels like a curated exploration of Batman’s psyche, fatherhood, and legacy. At the same time, the narrative momentum is slow, but the emotional and visual impact more than makes up for it.
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