Scott's Take: Batman and Robin Vol 1: Father and Son by Joshua Williamson and illustrator Simone Meo

Batman and Robin Vol 1: Father and Son by Joshua Williamson and illustrator Simone Meo is a team up series between Batman (Bruce Wayne) and Robin (Damian Wayne). They have not had a team up series in a long time as they have been estranged for several years. This series does tie in a little bit to the Chip Zdarsky run on Batman, but not enough to make it required reading. I am a big fan of Chip Zdarsky’s prior work on Daredevil, but his Batman run has been mediocre. I can’t really recommend it. It has some good moments, but it is too cliched and used too many of same themes as previous writer to recommend.

 

So back to this book, Batman is now living in a brownstone in Gotham since he is rich broke. He still has a lot of money but not I can buy the whole block money. He has far less wealth than he had, but is doing okay. He invites Damian Wayne aka Robin who has been hanging out with fellow former assassins on an island to live with him. Batman wants him to have a normal life besides dressing up as Robin and fighting crime. So, he enrolls him in a public school and wants him to make normal friends. Obviously, the irony of Bruce wanting Damian to have normal friends when most of his friends are superheroes themselves is lost on Bruce.

 

While they attempt to deal with their family issues, a new villain called Shush attempts to take them both down. In the final issue, Batman and Robin go on a camping trip outside of Gotham. Several people have gone missing in the spot they have chosen over the last few months. So, things get violent quickly. The final issue is kind of separate from the previous ones.

 

Joshua Williamson continues to write a good Batman and Robin story even if Bruce has to learn the same lessons he has learned before. Joshua has a good understanding of the characters as he has written both plenty of times before. Simone has a pretty realistic art style that works really well for this tale. There is action, humor, and character relationship drama. Somehow no one notices that Robin is back at the same time as Damian returns to Gotham.

 

The second volume will come out in February of next year and does not have a title yet. It will pick up with Flatline coming to Gotham to see Robin. Flatline is a love interest of Damian’s from his previous solo series. She has not just come by because she misses him.

 

After that volume, I do not know what will happen regarding the series. The All In initiative is going to affect this book but I do not know how.

 

Amazon Associate Purchase Link: https://amzn.to/3yzrRRY

 

 

My reading copy came from by way of Hoopla and the Dallas Public Library System. 

 

Scott A. Tipple ©2024