The first arc, masterfully woven together by writer Grant Morrison and artist Frank Quitely, introduced the DC readership to the new faces behind the Dynamic Duo. Richard "Dick" Grayson takes over as Batman, while the hot-tempered Damian Wayne fills in the open sidekick slot as Robin. In a reversal of roles, we have a light-hearted Dark Knight and a dark natured Boy Wonder, so you imagine the possibilities open to showcase fresh new adventures for Gotham's guardian angels. Their first case together was somewhat of a rocky start, but both managed to work together in the end to successfully capture a sick and twisted criminal mastermind going under the alias of "Pyg". Now that he's behind bars, you'd think the new "Bats and Bobin" could rest easy. Alas, there's another team making their presence known in "the war against crime", and they're literally going to paint the town red... with one criminal at a time.
Written By: Grant Morrison
Illustrated By: Philip Tan
Cover By: Frank Quitely
With their first case solved successfully, the new Batman and Robin continue to protect Gotham by cracking down other criminal elements plaguing the city. Unfortunately, someone else has beaten them to the punch, leaving a trail of blood and dead criminals on their feet. The mysterious Red Hood has returned, and this time he's not alone. Accompanying him is his enigmatic new female partner named Scarlett, who's traumatizing encounter with Pyg has left her emotionally scarred and attached to a twisted doll-like mask. Taking the mantra "Let The Punishment Fit The Crime" to heart, the new and twisted "Dynamic Duo" of Gotham intend to leave their mark on the criminal underworld, and if Batman and Robin get in their way, they may just be the next to go as well.
Having established his new Bat-team through the first three issues of this book in a convincing manner, Grant Morrison leads the charge in Batman And Robin #4 by beginning his second Bat-arc in the title and introducing the return of the "new and improved" Red Hood. Obviously, long time Batman readers like myself will immediately point out that it's the return of Jason Todd, but is it really the black sheep of Bat family under that hooded ornament? I want to be surprised, and hopefully Morrison has some tricks up his sleeve in the next two issues before this story reaches its conclusion. Still, Red Hood shows some Todd like behavior, including his twisted take on how crime must be dealt with: severely and painfully. His views on vigilantism are the polar opposite of Batman's, and that leaves one to wonder how effective Dick Grayson can be in Bruce Wayne's stead. Granted, the former Nightwing shares his mentor's vision and mission on dealing with crime, but he's not the same kind of Batman we're used to. However, he has proven himself effective time and again, and there's no doubt in my mind that if we ever needed a good replacement to the cowl, it would definitely have to be Dick.
Amusingly, Morrison makes good use of Scarlett, the confused "Papa's girl" from the Pyg arc who's now turned into a blade wielding killer. As innocent as she is, Scarlett's become just as repulsed by crime as anyone brought to the brink, and through the manipulations of the Red Hood, she's striking fear to the hearts of criminals... and carving them out at the same time. I like the fact that she actually "tweets" her adventures in Twitter via an iPhone, and shows no remorse or guilt for her actions at all. There's also a moment in the book between her and the Red Hood that leaves one to wonder if her mask is permanently attached to her face, or that she's simply too delusional already to remove it, convincing herself that doing so would only make things worse. In either case, these two share a partnership that's just as effective as the Bats and Bobin, so I'm looking forward to more "crimefighting" escapades from these two in future issues. They serve as the perfect foil, willing to cross the line and make a statement at the same time.
In regards to the Batman and Robin team up, we get plenty more funny moments with Dick and Damian. During a stakeout to crash into Penguin's meeting with elements of the criminal underworld, more dynamic is shown between two opposing sides of the partnership. Being impatient as ever, the new Boy Wonder wants nothing better to do than to kick ass and take names, while the new Bats does what he can to show the ropes, no matter how irritating his new bratty sidekick can be. Again, Morrison is good at showing off the goofy moments this team up can have, especially during its humble beginnings. As far as addressing the Bruce Wayne situation is concerned, that was tackled in the other ongoing series, Batman: Streets Of Gotham, and is quickly reflected here during a party scene in Wayne Tower, which introduces another new character that could be a key figure in the next few issues.
In the art department, a rotation finally occurs, as Philip Tan steps in to take over the pencil duties for this story arc. Needless to say, his work is fantastic. I like Frank Quitely's sketches, don't get me wrong, but Tan's work is a great change that goes well with the dark and gritty action found all over this book. He draws a pretty mean Batman... but he makes more of an impression with his work on the Red Hood and Scarlett, particularly during the first and last scenes of the book. Tan's a natural, and even after he's done with this tale, I look forward to more of his works involving the Bat if DC decides to get him again.
Once again, DC makes a statement with their new flagship Bat-title, and I couldn't be more impressed with the results. Even if you didn't pick up the first three issues, this is a good jumping in point for the needy Batman fan. It's got enough heart-stopping action and suspense, plus colorful and memorable characters you won't be forgetting anytime soon. It's back to basics for Grant Morrison, and before he puts Bruce Wayne back in the mantle of the Bat, I'd like to have some more solid new adventures like this one keeping me freshly satisfied. Indeed, The Fight For Crime Grows Up... Literally.
Score - 10/10
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