Batman and Robin #25 Review

1 month ago 30

With the nightmare of Memento finally being extinguished, a new story arc starts with Batman and Robin #25. Fico Ossio takes over art duties as the Dynamic Duo get caught in the middle of a war of revenge. A hit man known simply as the Quiet Man has returned to Gotham to seek out those who wronged him. How will the father-son protectors respond? Let’s get into it.

Issue #25 was a fantastic start to this new arc. While some readers felt that the “Memento” arc overstayed its welcome (myself among those during the middle of the arc), the last few issues showcased that Phillip Kennedy Johnson and the rest of the creative team found their stride and produced great comics. That momentum continued into this issue. The pacing was energetic throughout, and the artwork by Fico Ossio matched that kinetic energy. Out of all the issues in Johnson’s run so far, I read issue #25 the fastest as it was an instant page-turner.

We get introduced to our new “antagonist” named Cy as he’s being released from prison in the beginning of the issue. And I put antagonist in quotes because based on the little information we learned about Cy, I don’t think he’ll end up being a true villain in the traditional sense. Johnson did a really good job with Cy’s introduction and showing that he lost someone close to him and that he’s on a mission to get revenge. I could be wrong with that assumption about his true motivations, but those were my initial takeaways about Cy.

The action sequences were beautifully illustrated by Ossio. The initial action sequence with Batman and Robin taking down Tiger Shark and his goons was enthralling and a great way to start the new arc. The sequence where Cy fights Penguin’s goons in the Iceberg Lounge was also really fun, and it reminded me of some of the gun fights in the John Wick films. And during that fight, the panel layout where it cuts back-and-worth to the fight and to the Waynes watching a movie was a really creative juxtaposition.

While I do miss the artwork from Javi Fernández and Miguel Mendonça, I feel that I’ll warm up to Ossio’s art as the story goes along. I do admit that some of Ossio’s line work was a little chaotic for me but again, I will probably get use to it. Marcelo Maiolo’s colors brought it altogether and elevated the visuals, and I’m glad he’s able to provide the consistent tone in this run.

There were some touching character moments between Bruce and Damian that I really appreciated. The moment where they are looking at the Gotham skyline and Bruce tells Damian that he’s proud of him not only as Robin, but also as his son just really worked for me after all they went through with Memento.

It was cool to see that Johnson brought back the conflict of Tiger Shark and Penguin fighting over turf after laying some groundwork in the previous arc. And there’s also a moment where they’re back in the manor, and Bruce looks at a chess board and reflects on the metaphorical game of chess he’s played with Ra’s al Ghul over how to raise Damian. Those were just a couple of callbacks that I noticed, and they were very subtle highlights in Johnson’s script.

Recommended if…

You’re excited about the new story arc.
You’ve enjoyed Phillip Kennedy Johnson’s run so far.

Overall

Batman and Robin #25 was not only an exhilarating and great way to start the new story arc, but it was also one of the best issues in Phillip Kennedy Johnson’s run so far. It was action-packed, the pacing was electric, and it was simply a fun read all the way through. It will take me a bit to adjust to Fico Ossio’s art, but I know it will complement the story Johnson is trying to tell. What did the Penguin do to Cy that caused the Quiet Man to go on this quest for vengeance? I can’t wait to find out!

Score: 9/10

DISCLAIMER: DC Comics provided Batman News with a copy of this comic for the purpose of review.

Read Entire Article