worriedAll the Robins are celebrated in this.
A Little Nudge
Dick Grayson fights crime bare legged and in his underpants. Bruce is verbally and emotionally abusive to Dick for his own good. Robin kicks baddies in the head. A child gets shot. Bruce talks to Dick like a creepy sex offender. Dick pushes his own agenda regardless of the displeasant Bruce and his darkness, obsession and violence. Bruce is self serious, abhorrent and has a comically limited perspective. Batman and Robin beat baddies up in a church. Dick steps down as Robin. Dick is a protector. Bruce manipulates. This was okay. Batman yells at Robin in public and no one wonders if he beats Robin into submission or chides him about his maniacally controlling behaviour. This was okay.
Best Lines:
“Batman and a kid flunky.”
“If I say come now, Robin doesn't get to say no.”
“I never grew up wanting revenge.”
Aftershocks
Dick Grayson is now Nightwing. It is the aftermath of the earthquake. Nightwing saves people. Okay.
Team Building
Nightwing and the Teen Titans hang out in this tale written by the infamous Devin Grayson. Damien Dahrk plots and berates. Nightwing snarks at Damien about team building and morale boosting.
Best Lines:
“This is the kind of rank incompetence that gets lackeys executed.”
“Smug heroes, backstabbing colleagues, overly ambitious partners and, of course ----astonishingly incompetent lackeys.”
“Are any of you idiots going to even try to stop him?”
The Lesson Plan
Dick Grayson works for Spyral as Agent 37. If Batman wanted Robin to become the night: why did he give him a yellow cape? Atlantis is mentioned. A gorilla lurks and Dick wears a loincloth. Ok.
Best Line:
“Mind erosion?”
More Time
A tween Jason Todd gives Bruce a gift and later on broods. Jason Todd was forever mired in drama and tragedy and grew up to be a tosswit. Why does Batman get to hang out with young boys with impunity and tacit acceptance? This was okay.
Extra Credit
Tim Drake has a smart watch and goes to fight crime. Good.
Boy Wonders
Tim Drake is Red Robin and asks Nightwing for advice, then Red Hood and then Damian. Tim goes on about the Gotham Knights and Batwoman is briefly seen. This was okay.
Best Lines:
“He was the first. He's the best,”
“Batman is nuts. We all know it.”
“This horrible grmlin.”
“You aren't the golden child, or the black sheep. You're not the blood heir. You're just...the other one.”
“I'm awash in brotherly love.”
Fitting Brown
Stephanie Brown aka Spoiler aka Tim Drake's girlfriend is Robin. Batman never considered that she'd need a Robin suit designed for a woman?
Best Lines:
“Some cosplay girl.”
“I liked the other Robin better.”
My Best Friend
Jon Kent talks about Damian Wayne. They're in school together. Robin wears a ridic cape with a hood. Jon seems dumb. This was okay.
Bat And Mouse
Alfred's dead. Bruce and Damian head toward an unanticipated reckoning. Damian and the Teen Titans are acting like fascists. Bruce never listens to his Robins. This was not tense or potent. The Robins are sometimes afraid of the response they might evoke from Bruce. TPTB hint Tim was the best Robin. Tim and Jason both walked off dying.
This was enjoyable. Batman wants a Robin who submits without complaint and everything is their fault and their responsibility and he ensures absolute obedience by being notoriously unforgiving. Bruce's enemies outnumber his friends. Robin enjoys the trust of Batman but it doesn't lead to contentment.
What are they protecting and from whom? When they argue with Batman, they seem terrified of his reaction. This was gloomily magnificent but emotionally desolate. Robins want to be more than what they are. Bruce is dreariness and utter desolation and the Robins pay a consistently high personal price. There is a grim inevitability to their high turnover and Bruce's near permanent rage. One is fascinated and appalled by this in equal measure.
Best Line:
“He's been cold. Distant. More than usual, anyway.”