Batman & Robin #9 is written by Joshua Williamson and published by DC Comics. Artwork is by Simone Di Meo (p1-5, 22-24) and Nikola Čižmešija (p6-21). Colours by Giovanna Niro (p1-5, 22-24) and Rex Lokus (p6-21). Letters by Steve Wands. Main cover art (left) is also by Simone Di Meo.
Batman & Robin #9 is available now, in print and on digital platforms where all good comic books are sold. Grab your digital copy from Amazon Comixology UK right here.
Synopsis
Who will be Gotham’s true protector? The people of Gotham will decide! While his father fights for his life, Damian now knows Shush’s secrets, and it’s only created more problems for him as a high school student and as Robin! Can the Dynamic Duo find each other before it’s too late?
Review
It’s time Bat-fans! After eight issues (and a cool annual) Joshua Williamson is pulling back the curtain with Batman & Robin #9, an issue packed with reveals and plot twists. With duelling artists and two thrilling plots unravelling in tandem this is Batman & Robin at its best. This has been a series running at top speed for a while now. Putting aside the break for the annual, Williamson has had both Batman and Robin going full pelt in the series overarching story and various smaller subplots which are now beginning to come together.
Issue #9 is split to two different plots. One with Batman as he faces off against Man-Bat with artwork by Simone Di Meo. The other with Robin and Flatline as they deal with events in the high school with artwork by Nikola Čižmešija. Having the two stories defined by their artist is a pretty cool idea. With Di Meo framing the issue and Čižmešija handling everything in between. It negates any comparison between the two or any sense that multiple artists disrupt the overall flow of the book.
What Williamson is doing with Man-Bat is really interesting. I’m not sure I’ve seen him presented as a typical monologuing villain before. His dialogue is aptly written as Williamson positions the character to transcend to become an integral member of Batman’s rogues gallery. Whilst he’s never been a joke of a character. I feel like his ability to mirror Bruce’s own bat-versus-humanity story has overtaken his usefulness in the role of villain. As his monologue references his own past misadventures and recent death and resurrection it really feels like a culmination of years of stories. By issues end he’s a force to be reckoned with and genuine threat to Gotham. It neatly rounds of his arc and positions Batman & Robin for a high stakes issue next month.
At this point I’ve probably praised Simone Di Meo all I can. The Batman/Man-Bat pages look incredible. The anime and Eastern influences stand out even more against Nikola Čižmešija’s work on the Robin/Flatline story. It’s just so dynamic. Elements of every panel feel like they’re really moving. It also captures the scale of the story that Williamson is spinning. The final panel of issue #9 may be the series most striking to-date.
Elsewhere Robin and Flatline are having a blast at Damian’s high school. There are two huge reveals in this section of the book. Both key to pushing the narrative forwards. It’s cool to see Williamson ensuring Batman & Robin keeps a toe dipped in to the high school setup even if it’s to deal with elements of the series’ wider plot. Seeing Damian being a “normal” teenager was key to the success of this book in the beginning and I wouldn’t want to see it move away from that. After playing a long game it’s time to reveal the identity of Shush. The reveal doesn’t come quite as expected with Damian one step ahead of the reader. The reveal does allow time for some context on how the villain came to be and it arrives at the right time. Shush has yet to stand on her own and prove her spot in the world. Simply piggybacking on Hush hasn’t been enough to sustain her character but this feels like the first steps towards giving her a unique identity.
Čižmešija gets to revel in the trials and tribulations of high school, aspects of the story which Williams writes incredibly well. From food fights to classroom fisticuffs, it’s all here and looks great throughout. It’s clear that both stories play to the strengths of their respective artist and the book succeeds because of it.
Verdict
Batman & Robin #9 is a fast moving entity. Both Batman and Robin’s stories have huge ground to cover, setting up and knocking down obstacles as they go.
⭐⭐⭐⭐
