Robin: Year One

Having read Batgirl: Year One since finishing this, but before writing this review, it's impossible for me not to see Robin: Year One as a dry run for the later comics by (mostly) the same creative team. Batgirl: Year One is fun, bold, and matches the personality of its protagonist extraordinarily well; Robin: Year One feels as though it is striving toward these things, but not quite reaching them. Which is perhaps unfair to Robin: Year One, but I thought it was a fine comic, while Batgirl: Year One was a perfect one. I have some sense of what being Robin means to Dick Grayson after reading this, but not as much as what Batgirl: Year One gives me of Barbara and Batgirl.

Batman "Year One" Stories: « Previous in sequence | Next in sequence »

I like these Year One books. Miller's revision of Batman's first year was far better, but the story of Robin as a foil to Batman was enjoyable. Bob Kane always said they used Robin to add some brightness to the Batman comics, which were excessively black and blue. This story riffs on that but showing Robin as the well-grounded crime fighter in comparison to the brooding, obsessive Batman.

Another re-read as I'm presently on a Nightwing/Oracle kick because of the Convergence release. I went back to the retconned beginning of these two and their burgeoning relationship. This one was serious and adorable. Alfred is pitch perfect, and Bruce & Dick are beautiful growing into each other. Jim totally owns my heart for comments to Batman about dropping him off a building if he gets Robin hurt, and for the comments to Robin about how he will never have a chance with his daughter.

So much grinning was achieved by this.

A compilation of a 4-part comic book miniseries: "Robin - Year One". These are the events that follow the origin story of Dick Grayson, the first Robin, as he learns and thrives under Batman's tutelage and the misgivings of Alfred and Commissioner Gordon, until the worst fears of the latter two are realized and Two-Face savagely, almost fatally, beats the Boy Wonder. Batman reacts by firing the boy for his own safety, but Dick's determined inner core drives him toward a final confrontation with the demons within Two-Face - and Batman, and himself. A well-written book, fine artwork, and above all a highly satisfying portrayal of the emotions and motivations driving all the principal players, particularly Robin.

You know Chuck Dixon has to be a great writer if he can make Robin this interesting.

This book tells the story of Dick's first year as Robin, including the reason why Dick has such problems with Two-Face in later stories. It also shows the relationship between Robin and Batman and Dick and Bruce, and also Alfred, and Alfred's struggle to accept Bruce's and Dick's choices. A lot of really good character interaction, this one gives one a pretty good idea about who those people are. And, well, Dick is awesome. As is Alfred.

Fun, but also painful and a bit sad.