Art by: Mahmud Asrar
Colors by: Jordie Bellaire
Letters by: Steve Wands
Cover art by: Mahmud Asrar, Nathan Fairbairn
Cover price: $5.99
Release date: November 8, 2022
Batman vs. Robin #3 brings the Caped Crusader to Lazarus Island where a gauntlet of Robins, armed with magical weapons, waits to bring him to his knees.
Is It Good?
Yes, Batman vs. Robin #3 is excellent. Now, go away.
Oh, you want details? Since you asked nicely, sure, let's get into it.
Picking up from the lackluster second issue, Batman and Alfred (or is it Alfred?) arrive on Lazarus Island to track down Damian. Following an obvious path that leads to an obvious trap, Batman encounters a succession of Robins, each mind controlled by the Demon Nezha's power and each wielding magical weapons stolen from other magic wielders across the DC universe.
However, as thrilling as the fights are, fights aren't the best part. Each Robin airs their grievances over how they were treated by Batman during their time as Robin. They rail against their lost childhoods of normalcy, their lack of fatherly attention, and their unasked-for sacrifice for Batman's mission.
It's a cathartic and illuminating bit of character development where Batman is forced to confront his failures as a "father," and it's powerful stuff. Kudos to Waid for digging deep to look past the superficial trappings of being a Robin and treating these people as real children going through real problems. Batman vs. Robin #3 is mature storytelling woven into an equally thrilling action comic.
In parallel, we learn more about the Demon Nezha and his surprising connection to the currently running (and not very good) Monkey Prince title. The revelations make the story feel bigger, but somehow, the Monkey Prince connection throws the tenor of the story off, specifically in how poorly a new, key character was introduced (see our Monkey Prince #8 review).
If the deep emotion from the Robin gauntlet wasn't enough, Alfred's true nature is revealed, and the final moments of this issue are painfully memorable. No spoilers on this point, but this issue builds on the events of the City of Bane in a way that Tom King couldn't pull off. Again, Kudos to Waid.
In all, this is a deeply heartfelt and personal issue for Batman. The writing is outstanding, and Asrar's art style is significantly better in this issue than in the last one.
About The Reviewer: Gabriel Hernandez is the Publisher & EIC of ComicalOpinions.com, a comics review site dedicated to indie, small, and mid-sized publishers.
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Bits and Pieces:
Batman vs. Robin #3 is a mature, heartfelt, emotionally weighty issue matched only by exciting action and surprising revelations. The scale and complexity of the Demon Nezha's plan take a giant leap forward, and Batman's failure as a "father" come back to haunt him powerfully.
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