The new creative team of writer Phillip Kennedy Johnson, artist Javi Fernández, colorist Marcelo Maiolo, and others take over the reigns of Batman & Robin with issue 14. With this fresh perspective coming in, how does this new adventure with the Dynamic Duo start off? Let’s get into it.
The issue begins in the past in Gotham in 1892, where a dead man is being buried by two unseen men. The two men are commenting that the dead man (apparently named Nicodemus Crow) might be gone but his wisdom will continue through another as they pour plaster on his face. It then jump cuts to the present, and we’re in the middle of an exhilarating car chase where Batman and Robin are trying to stop a group of criminals from blowing up a bridge. The father-son duo end up stopping the crooks in a spetacular fashion that showcases their teamwork. Afterwards, Bruce is back at the Batcave and talking with Oracle about any security concerns for the upcoming fundraiser at the Sacred Heart Medical Center.
Bruce then talks to Damian back at the manor about going to the fundraiser, and Damian is frustrated that they have to go instead of patrolling. Later at the fundraiser, Bruce and Damian are having a conversation with Bruce’s associate Marla, and there’s a man with a group of people pestering outside of the medical center. Damian is instantly suspicious of them. After giving a speech and announcing that Dr. Malik Bashar will be the director of the medical center, Bruce introduces Dr. Bashar to Damian. Oracle then suddenly comms in to inform Bruce that shots were fired in the lower levels of the medical center. Bruce leaves to go investigate and Damian insists that he goes with him to help, but Bruce tells Damian to stay there to protect the guests in case something happens. Bruce then goes to the sub-levels without his Bat suit, cuts the power in the building, and incapacitates the infiltrators in the shadows.
After taking care of the gunmen, Bruce smells the hint of smoke and goes to the sub-basement that is directly below the fundraiser ballroom that once housed a boiler room that caught on fire centuries ago. Bruce is baffled by this because that room has been abandoned for a long time and there’s no evidence that the gunmen were involved. So who started the fire and why? Upstairs, Damian notices that someone has barred the doors to the ballroom shut, and everyone is now trapped inside. The issue ends with Damian trying to get ahold of his father and Bruce encountering a new enemy with a supernatural background while he’s trapped in the boiler room as the fire grows.
I thought this issue was a solid start to this new arc with the new creative team. I’m not too familiar with the team’s work, but writer Phillip Kennedy Johnson did a good job with Batman and Robin’s team dynamics and their banter with each other. There was a couple instances of subtle humor that I appreciated as well. The panels where Damian is sitting at the kids’ table were hilarious. The only issue I have is that Damian’s character growth seemed to have regressed from previous issues, and he’s acting like a bit of a brat and like his younger self. Javi Fernández’s artwork was also a highlight for me, specifically the car chase in the beginning. Marcelo Maiolo’s use of colors brought the illustrations to life, and the use of black and shadows were haunting and added to the grim atmosphere of Gotham.
Recommended if…
- You are excited for the new creative team.
- You enjoy supernatural elements in Batman stories.
- You want to see Damian get really pissed off for being at the kids’ table.
Overall
Batman & Robin #14 kicks off to a good start with PKJ, Fernández, and co. The underlying mystery that has ties to not only Gotham’s past, but also Batman’s past is really intriguing and seems to involve some kind of supernatural element. Even though Damian’s character development seems to have regressed a little bit, I’m looking forward to see how the story unfolds.
Score: 7.5
English (US) · 