Batman and Robin, Volume 1: Born to Kill

My one major dislike about DC comics (at least the Gotham universe ones) is that there is shit going on across every series and they are all intertwined, but separate. So I'm reading Batman and realize there's some stuff that contributes to the story in an issue of Nightwing. Or I'm catching up on Batgirl and find out there was some major betrayal that happened back in Birds of Prey issue #10. I should be reading them every week across the board, but I started with one series and started collecting another and then another. But if I were to collect them all, well, that's a lot. Batman, Detective Comics, Batman Incorporated, Batman & Robin, Nightwing, Red Hood & the Outlaws, Catwoman, Batgirl, Batwoman, Suicide Squad, Harley Quinn, Birds of Prey, Teen Titans....those are the ones I can think of off the top of my head. It's a lot.

Anyway, Damian is a hard character to like at first. He's a spoiled little brat. Period. But he's hilarious at times and brings some light to a mostly dark series. But not a lot. After all, he is a killing machine at 10 years old. Yet there is so much missing, stuff that happens in another series that makes reading this straight through feel as if you're missing giant pieces to a puzzle. In fact, the most defining moment of this series, the reason for nearly 20 issues after doesn't even happen in this series.

Putting that aside, it is a good series. Seeing Batman struggle with how to raise his child, how to undo the damage that his mother has done is what keeps you reading. It's certainly worth the read.

Who would have thought that the best way to bring back this fantastic duo would be to make them hate each other and yet work as a team. Tomasi not just thinks of it he makes it work. Damien is so well crafted that the franchise is truly kick ass. More so when all the ex-Robins meet. Here is the line that sums it all up for me “You don't need to work hard to prove yourself Damien. You are the one wearing the “R” on the costume”. Classic!