Graphic Novel Reviews: Batman and Robin Issue 009

The Story
When Robin gets the news about the attack on the batcave, his first reaction is to go help his father. But Alfred urges him to go protect a general on the Talons' hit list. Robin approaches the general, who is in the middle of training exercises, and takes him to safety. He takes command of several of the general's troops, after the general is incapacitated by an injury, and with the kind of natural skill only found in comic books, Robin successfully fights off the Talon assassin.

The Review
I've said it before, and I'll keep saying it when Damian does something particularly awesome. I didn't like him when he first showed up. Arrogant characters are bad enough, but when the arrogant character is a child then I can't help but want to spank and then ground the little snot. But I can do nothing but stew in my own impotent rage because a kid like Damian could kill my ass in thirty different ways. Then I remember that Damian is a fictional character, and I am left to reevaluate my priorities in life.

Fortunately for me, Damian has been nothing but awesome in everything I've read him in recently. His upbringing as an assassin provides some legitimately gripping conflict, and his personality playing off other characters makes for some good comedy/character development. He demands that people take him seriously, and he has the training to back it up. But everyone he's around has either been training just as long if not longer than him, or they have super powers, leading to nobody ever taking him seriously. It's as if Damian is Scrappy Doo, only he's actually capable but nobody takes him seriously anyway.

Because of this it's always fun, no matter how silly it may be, to see Damian being awesome. Seeing him take control of a platoon of soldiers was entirely ridiculous, but believable anyway (by comic book standards). He's a kid and no soldier would take orders from a kid? Shut up, this kid read Clausewitz and Jomini at age six, so you better fall in line if you want to live!

Even though the book is called Batman and Robin, the Batman has so many other books to work with, so I'm using this series for my Robin fix. The fact that Batman doesn't show up in this issue just solidifies that fact for me. Just rename the book Robin. Then maybe we can get Red Robin back? Come on DC, Red Hood has his own series, Tim needs some love!