Batman And Robin #4 Review

      

    

Written by: Joshua Williamson
Art by: Mikel Janín, Simone Di Meo
Colors by: Jeremy Cox, Romulo Fajardo Jr.
Letters by: Steve Wands
Cover art by: Simone Di Meo (cover A)
Cover price: $4.99
Release date: December 12, 2023

Batman And Robin #4 reveals the true mastermind behind the attacks is a smarter and more ruthless Man-Bat. Meanwhile, Shush's identity is revealed.
Is Batman And Robin #4 Good?

Batman And Robin #4 is, in a word, mediocre. Joshua Williamson spends the majority of the issue explaining who's who and what's what, but the answers (some surprising, some not) don't hit with any dramatic impact.

When last we left the Dynamic Duo (independent of the Gotham War event), Damian was kidnapped by a creature that looked like Man-Bat, but not exactly. Now, we learn this Man-Bat is the original Man-Bat, evolved with self-awareness and intelligence after more chemical experimentation. Shush works for Man-Bat, and the two captured Damian to use as bait to lure Batman into a trap.

Batman bites on the bait, but he overcomes the cauldron of bats Man-Bat sends on the attack, rescues Damian (with White Rabbit's help), and saves the genetics doctor whom Man-Bat kidnapped earlier. The genetics doctor doesn't know why he was taken because Man-Bat injected him with an amnesia drug, but the doctor knows the Terrible Trio's mutation into real-ish animals is driving them mad.

Later, Bruce drops Damian off at school, where Damian casually lets it drop that he knows his Principal is really Shush.

In writing, there's a common lesson about avoiding plots that sound like a succession of "and then" moments. Each scene should be a cause-and-effect response to what came before. This issue is just a series of "and then" moments with no real tension, stakes, or emotional weight, so you come away from this issue with barely an ounce of meaning or resonance.

What's great about Batman And Robin #4? At least Williamson took the opportunity to explain what was happening. Batman And Robin #4 provides many (not all) answers, so if you want the satisfaction of seeing the mystery resolved, this issue is a good step in that direction.

What's not so great about Batman And Robin #4? So far, Batman And Robin #4 hasn't justified its existence or made an impact at all. Williamson has a destination in mind, presumably, and this issue feels like a fill-in-the-blank obligation to get there. I wouldn't call it boring, but it's certainly forgettable.

How's the art? The line work and punchier moments are solid, but Di Meo tries to do too much motion in the closeups, and you lose track of what's happening. It's a fine visual presentation overall but muddled in spots.

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 And Robin #4 goes a long way toward explaining what's happening and uncovering the puppetmasters behind the scenes, but this issue (and the series) lacks any wow moments, dramatic tension, or a reason to exist other than to flood LCS shelves with more Batman books.

6/10