Robin War #1 Comic Book Recap/Review

Robin War #1 Recap/Review – There once was a man on a flying trapeze

 

Robin War #1 Comic Book Recap

His name is Robin.  He just stopped a liquor store robbery.  A police officer arrives, and demands the boy drop the gun he took off the crook.  The boy is confused.  He’s a Robin!  He’s a good guy!  The crook uses this opportunity to disarm the boy, and the criminal rushes the cop.  The Robin begins to panic as the two men struggle over the cop’s gun, and when the crook is able to take the weapon, the young man opens fire.

In the aftermath of the shooting, the public is quick to turn on the Robins.  A prominent Gotham politician named Noctua, a member of the city council, creates a new law that prohibits any Robin paraphernalia, and in no time at all, the police issue a harsh crackdown against anyone suspected of being a Robin.  They are children.  The adults will do what is best for them.

[Related: DC Comics Complete Robin War Reading Order Checklist]

Duke Thomas, another Robin, is not worried about this news, confident they will be fine.  But his friend Riko Sheridan was already caught with Robin gear and was forced to join Gotham Academy.  And Duke soon finds himself confronted by a cop.  It seems even something as simple as wearing red shoes is enough to be considered a potential Robin, and the young man is placed under arrest.

The cop forces Duke into his car and takes the boy to his precinct, but Duke claims he is innocent.  After all, if he was a Robin, he could get out of these cuffs.  He’d also know that the GCPD has an emergency fire safety lever in the back of their cars which would unlock the car doors.  And that they are driving on the East Side Highway, where he could easily jump into the Gotham River and escape.  The fact that he doesn’t take advantage of any of this would all qualify as proof that he is not Robin, except for one problem.  He… is… Robin.

Escaping from police custody, Duke contacts a fellow Robin and says they need to plan a meeting immediately.  Everyone… everyone… needs to come.  Meanwhile, Councilwoman Noctua comes home, where she is greeted by the Council of Owls.  The clandestine society that has controlled Gotham since the beginning is impressed with the City Councillor’s progress in her war against Robin, but want Noctua wants is unprecedented.  Her desire to join the owls is hampered by the fact that her father is unknown, and her mother was an immigrant whore.  But Noctura is unmoved by these words.  She earned everything she has, only to find that the real power behind Gotham was not in the government.  If the Owls want a war, she demands a mask.

Over in a seedy bar, a young man overhears another patron, who blames Batman for all of this.  Why would a superhero need kids running around in costumes?  What kid needs that kind of crap?  The young man speaks up, and says some kids do need this sort of help and direction, which the other patron finds stupid.  But Jason Todd does not agree with this sentiment, and knocks the drunk out cold with one punch.  The Red Hood leaves the bar, and is contacted by Tim Drake.  The third Robin is concerned about the new wave of children taking up their former moniker.  However, the kids are meeting up, and they are about to have one very… rude guest.  Jason and Tim agree to get to the meeting as soon as they can.

As they head out, the meeting of Robins begins.  Duke says they are being hunted for no good reason.  But they must focus on the solution.  They need the Robin who was at the liquor store, the one who murdered two men, even if it was an accident, to publicly come forward.  They need to show Gotham that they are responsible.  They need to show the world that they are Robin.

[Related: DC Comics Complete Robin War Reading Order Checklist]

But one unexpected onlooker begs to differ.  They aren’t Robin.  Damian Wayne is, and though he’s been away for a little while, he is none too happy to find what he has returned to.  The boy asks if Duke is their leader, and when Thomas replies that they have no leader, Damian declares himself in charge.  And as their newly elected leader, he has one order.  Go home.  Stop wearing that stuff.  They’re going to get killed.

Duke and the others are shocked at these words, and realize they are talking to the real Robin.  Damian replies that these children are untrained frauds, and he’s not interested in discussing this further.  If they are really, truly Robin… then they are going to have to defend themselves.  Duke doesn’t want to start a fight, but Damian is only interest in finishing one.  He calls them all amateurs, and swears he could take down an army of them.  Regrouping, Duke says that Damian is going to have to prove that claim.

In no time at all, the fight escalates and pretty soon two buildings are lit on fire.  Jim Gordon is called in, and though he is reluctant to act, he does his duty, and is on the scene in no time at all.  The new Batman orders the children to surrender and says under the authority of the Robin Laws, they are all under arrest.  The kids comply, but Damian only demands to know who he is talking to.  Jim replies that he is Batman, and Robin is thoroughly unimpressed.  He explains how he was trying to get these kids to stop, but Gordon tersely says that he is a child and must obey.  However, Wayne is no child.  He’s not one of them.  He’s Robin.

Gordon doesn’t care, and knocks the boy into the city streets.  Damian says this is Gotham.  Gotham is Batman and Robin.  It’s Commissioner Gordon up on a roof.  The Bat Signal in the air.  The damn Penguin flying away on a damn umbrella.  Damian is Gotham, and this new guy… well, he’s not.  As the kids look on shocked, and wonder if they really are Robin if Robins are supposed to be able to do things like that, and they quickly disperse.

Damian is then annoyed to find that Red Hood and Red Robin have been watching him.  Wayne is not interested in his predecessors, but they want to work together.  And they think it would be best if they call him together.  After all, something big like this, well, who better to get involved than the first Robin.  Far away, Dick Grayson is completing a mission for Spyral, when he gets the call.  In spite of the protests from his superiors, at the end of the day, first and always foremost, he is Robin.

Later, Duke meets with a Robin named Travis, the boy who started all of this.  The young man confesses to everything, and asks what he should do.  Duke says if he was in this position, he’d turn himself in.  Like Damian said, a true Robin finishes the fight.  He’s got to stand up and tell them what happened.  It will be good.  But it is Travis’ choice.  He’s a Robin.  He carries this responsibility alone.  Travis accepts this, and before Duke leaves, he asks if Thomas has heard of that song, “The Man on the Flying Trapeze.”  Travis met Robin once.  The first one.  Dick saved the young man from a burning building.  Travis was scared after the incident, so Grayson sang him a song.  Travis still sings it.  He can’t stop.  “He flies through the air with the greatest of ease.  The daring young man on the flying trapeze.  His moves are all graceful.  All the girls he does please.  And my love he has stolen away.

 

“We have received word from the Talon of a successful action on our original catalyst subject.  The Robin War shall proceed as scheduled.  Even more encouraging, as predicted, the others turned to him almost immediately.  They made direct contact yesterday.  Dick Grayson arrived in the city this morning.  All is well.  The Gray Son of Gotham is here.  Soon, the Nightwing will rise again.”

Robin War #1 Comic Book Review

Hello and welcome to Comic Island!  My name is Arden, and this is a recap and review of Robin War #1.

So, today we get started on a new event from DC Comics, Robin War!  A new crossover featuring multiple Gotham-related titles, this one should prove interesting.  I’m looking forward to this comic as I really like most of the ideas behind this.  The whole thing of Robin being outlawed is a bit silly, not to mention the sheer abundance of Robins in the story itself, and certainly, this isn’t exactly a brand new idea, but it’s not really the focus of the story.  The focus seems to be on Damian’s reaction to the new atmosphere of Gotham, and the Court of Owls seems to be the driving force behind these events.  Both of these parties are rather compelling and I’m quite excited to see more from the two of them.  I also really like the idea of this crossover.  Looking over the reading order for this event, it doesn’t feel big or bloated and instead looks like it will be a fun tour of various Robin-related titles that DC is publishing right now.  That’s a fun way for us to check out some of these titles without getting fully invested in them, which is a great way to see what’s going on in comics like Grayson or We Are Robin.

[Related: DC Comics Complete Robin War Reading Order Checklist]

Damian is great in this issue, and it’s nice to see him again.  I haven’t really dealt with this character since he lost his superpowers, but this issue, where he takes on practically every new Batman and Robin in the city was quite amazing and a lovely little reminder of why I like this character so much.  It’s a great, double-sized comic that doesn’t feel like it is dragging things our or wasting a single panel.  It’s also great as pretty much every major Robin in Batman history gets their own little introduction in this story, and yes, I am quite excited for the rest of Robin War.

I liked and would recommend this issue, and let me know what you guys think is going to happen in the comments section below.  I’ll see you guys for the next issue of this crossover, Grayson #15, where I expect we will be getting some interesting content and maybe, just maybe, a rather exciting return of Nightwing, as hinted at the end of this comic.  So don’t forget to like, subscribe, and keep reading comics.