Robin #11 published by DC pushes the story into new territory, foreshadowing some great stories to come. Joshua Williamson pens this issue, with Gleb Melnikov on art, Luis Guerrero on colors, and Troy Peteri on letters. Damian has returned from his trippy jaunt into the al Ghul family tree (he was better off not knowing) and just in time for his grandad Ra’s to storm Lazarus Island to go to war with Mother Soul. Now Robin and all of the fighters are caught in the middle and forced to take sides.
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Right off the bat, Robin isn’t down with having his family try to unalive one another. So he puts a stop to that quick. Now, Ra’s being a respectable, nice guy is still taking time to get used to, though he does lean toward being more reasonable. But make no mistake. Mother Soul is an absolute hatemonger, and she is not about to let her son get in her way. It seems there’s more trouble she’s been causing in the outside world beyond just trying to summon a demon. What it is has spread out into other DC titles, but you’ll find out the what and how in these pages, as I don’t want to spoil it. But Ra’s and his daughter Talia are here to put an end to it.
Anyway, this leads Robin and company off Lazarus Island after Master Dusk, and here, things divide. Characters are forced to adapt to the change in status quo, a few subplots rear their ugly heads, and by the end of it, well, I rarely get shocked by how an issue ends, but this one sure caught me off guard. Williamson has turned Robin into a true leader, a friend, a well-rounded teen and shows he is more level-headed than his entire maternal side of his family. He has sculpted this character into a tried and true Boy Wonder, and Damian just reached new heights for me in this issue. I’m very much stoked for what’s to come, for Damian, for whatever is going on between Ravager and Respawn (I am now interested in Deathstroke and his kin), and the best part, the fighters from Lazarus aren’t simply going to fade into comic book limbo. They get to stick around! So at the very least, we can expect more development for a handful of them.
Melnikov has returned! His Avatar meets Eric Canete art style is strong, especially in the defined faces of the al Ghuls, the bold stares, and the body language of Robin. Guerrero plays with colors and somehow ups the brightness on every page without anything becoming too glaring. Peteri is back in the fold as well, accenting the issue with bold words and even bolder, louder SFX. Every aspect of this issue speaks to the defiance and vivacity of the title character. They love Robin, want him to be bold and daring, and never once has an issue slacked in writing or art to motivate this young hero.
Robin #11 takes what came before and fires it forward. Damian has found himself and a clan all his own to tackle his enemies. What will become of Ra’s, Talia, and Mother Soul remains to be seen, but certainly, they will play major roles in this book throughout its tenure. I would rather Damian be free from being Batman’s sidekick at this point. He’s beyond that now. But the storyline for Robin on the horizon is sure to make waves and attract his father’s attention. I’m here for it.
Robin #11 is available wherever comic books are sold.
Robin #11
TL;DR
Robin #11 takes what came before and fires it forward. Damian has found himself and a clan all his own to tackle his enemies. What will become of Ra’s, Talia, and Mother Soul remains to be seen, but certainly, they will play major roles in this book throughout its tenure.
