We Are Robin #7 Comic Book Recap/Review

We Are Robin #7 Recap/Review – Robin War Part Four

 

We Are Robin #7 Comic Book Recap

[Dick Grayson] I miss you.  Every day, I think about you both, and I wonder…. I wonder what you would say if you could see me now.  Mom, Dad… would you still be proud of your son if you could see what I’ve become?  Would you cheer me on?  Or would it scare you to death to know that your son is a vigilante?

Dick Grayson and Jim Gordon swing through the City of Gotham, and arrive at Councilwoman Noctua’s office.  The former Nightwing thinks that Jim may have changed his mind about the Robin kids, but Batman corrects his ally.  He’s not changing… just adapting.  Jim had to do a lot of adaptation in his years as the police commissioner.  The city does that to you.  Vigilantism is illegal, but that’s a law Gordon learned to see as bent.  Grayson comments that he always thought Jim wanted him in child protective services back when he was Robin.  Up on the GCPD rooftop, Gordon would never address Robin.  Only Batman.

Jim doesn’t deny he was always uncomfortable with the idea of the Dark Knight working with a teenage partner.  It reminded him of the stories of child soldiers overseas.  But then Jim would remember reading stories about young Jewish boys organizing themselves to fight Nazis in Poland.  Back then, their home was under siege, and they wanted to defend it.  Gordon never got comfortable with the idea of Robins.  But he adapted.

Looking through Noctua’s office, they confirm she is behind the Cage.  Sure enough, the prison is no police facility, and doesn’t conform to any government regulations.  Grayson comments this was all built the way everything shady is built in Gotham, by hiding it in plain sight.  Spying owl statues throughout the office, he says it seems like the Gray Son of Gotham has an appointment with some birds.  Meanwhile, Gordon goes to check up on the kids locked in the Cage.

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

Over in the prison facility, the Robins have talk with one another.  Damian is still trying to escape but to no avail.  Something above them is controlling the prison mechanism, and is preventing their escape.  Meanwhile, Tim Drake and Jason Todd have been let out of their cages.  The Talon asks the Robins if they really dared to think of themselves as birds.  He says that in reality, they are all just worms, but will at least have the honor of witnessing their search for the new Gray Son.  Duke is confused at these words, and Damian explains that it is all part of some legacy that goes way back with the Owls.  The Talon announces that Tim and Jason are to fight to the death.  Last man standing will take his rightful place with the Owls.  And if either of them hold back, they will start executing the prisoners.  The two share a look with Damian, and begin to fight.  They get into a grapple with one another, and Tim manages to punch Jason in the head, but the Red Hood claims he’s been hit harder by D-grade villains, and tackles Red Robin to the ground.

They continue their fight, but Damian notices something in their movements.  The boy can hardly believe it, and even laughs at what he is seeing.  These crazy bastards are pulling a Grayson.  The Red Hood grabs Tim and hurls his successor high into the air.  Thinking fast, Damian orders the Robins to stick their hands out, and they catch Red Robin.  They throw him from one cage to the next, and Tim makes it to the top.  Jason cheers at Tim’s success, but is attacked by the Owls, so Todd leaps into battle, unconcerned.

Up above, Tim dodges some gunfire and manages to unlock the cages.  The Robins strike out at the Owls, and are freed.  The group manages to clear their way out of of the prison and onto the rooftop, where they are greeted by more Talons, and told they all about to die.

We Are Robin #7 Comic Book Review

Hello and welcome to Comic Island!  My name is Arden, and this is my recap, and review, of We Are Robin #7!

Well now, last review you may have heard me somewhat begrudge Detective Comics #47.  It wasn’t bad or anything, but I didn’t feel like it had anything spectacular involved in the story nor did it really stand our compared to the rest of Robin War.  Well, with We Are Robin #7, that couldn’t be father from the truth.

That being said, the art is a bit of a sticking point with me.  A lot of it feels, lackluster.  It’s probably the weakest part of the comic, but even then, it has tremendous strength at times, especially with conveying some of the facial expressions.  I really felt for Damian in this panel, looking on as his friends are forced to fight to the death.

But that doesn’t matter because of this issue’s superb writing.  Lee Barmejo, a writer I admit I am completely unfamiliar with, does a fantastic job here.  Not only does he write every one of these characters well, but he has a lot of clever dialogue.  I admit, the whole idea of Robin has seemed a little wonky to me.  It happens to every Batman fan at one time or another really, as it’s hard not to wonder if putting teenagers on the front lines of a criminal war makes sense.  As this comic points out, it at best feels like child endangerment and at worst like using children as soldiers.  Robin has always kind of been one of those little… idiosyncrasies of Batman.  You know, one of those things that doesn’t really make sense in real life but more or less works in the context of this fictional world.

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

But, this comic actually presents the whole idea of Robin as something more than that. I’ve never really thought of that little comparison they made to young Jewish boys rebelling against Nazis in Poland.  In hindsight, it’s a rather simple comparison, but one that really works.  These were people who saw something wrong in their way of life and fought for a better situation, which more or less fits with what Robin has always been.   It works, in my eyes, to illustrate that it’s easy to be dismissive of children and teenagers, when they have a lot to offer and say.  They can contribute and can bring something to the table an adult might not, and We Are Robin serves as a wonderful reminder of this, and that, maybe, just maybe, Robin as an idea and a character can actually make a lot of sense.

That’s amazing, because we so rarely get proper justification for why Robin, as a child or a teenager, can legitimately work as a superhero without making Batman look like a crazy, abusive sociopath.  So, yeah, I really like this comic.  I felt like it had a lot of good action and I think it had a good amount of clever things to say.  Even in a good event like Robin War, this has to be my favorite issue yet, and I’m looking forward to the next part, Robin, Son of Batman #7.  So stay tuned for that, let me know what you guys think in the comments section below, and don’t forget to like, subscribe, and keep reading comics.