Supergirl #32 – Review

By: Tony Bedard (writer), Emanuela Lupacchino (penciller), Ray McCarthy (inker), Hi-Fi (colorist)

The Story: Worldkiller-I takes a particularly literal interpretation of the phrase “you can’t go home again.”

The Review: Between this issue and its predecessor, it’s becoming clear that Supergirl is not the primary title in the “Red Daughter of Krypton” crossover. In fact, if the two separate notes leading to issues of Action Comics are to be trusted, it’s possible that Supergirl isn’t even the primary title in Supergirl! Nonetheless, Tony Bedard does his best to continue his tale of a young girl seeking somewhere she belongs.

Thematically it comes together very well. While the Red Lantern Corps have been very kind to Kara, one of the dangers of adolescence is becoming dependant on the acceptance of others rather than being empowered by it. This theme of getting caught up in a comfortable dogma or in someone else’s crusade shows up throughout the issue and works quite well.

With this in mind, it makes perfect sense to pit Supergirl against Worldkiller-I, another Kryptonian survivor who treats the loss of a homeworld as a chance to become strong, and his Diasporans. Kara is caught between her nostalgic past, one that’s actively attacked by her father’s Worldkiller experiments, and the comforting, metatextual assurance that it’s a good thing that Krypton exploded. She needs to make her own path and not get caught in the wake of someone else’s mission, which is exactly what Worldkiller-I is threatening.

There are some nice moments of levity throughout the script and a satisfying twist ending that makes sense of the hints Bedard has laid and calls back to the fears of Kara being the final Worldkiller. Despite this, however, there is a lot of time spent dealing with the fallout of Red Lanterns and playing catch-up for any recent adopters. After that there’s really just one big fight and, for all that fight’s thematic resonance, it’s not immediate enough to get the blood pumping the way the series’ best have. Perhaps it’s the somewhat expository nature of Kara’s inner monologue that separates this from successes like the Silver Banshee fight.

Despite the absence of assisting pencillers on this issue, Emanuela Lupacchino’s artwork doesn’t look as distinctively hers as it has in previous books. Lupacchino’s normally flat, expressive style, seems caught between two and three dimensions at times. I would guess that it’s a coloring problem, but it’s the same colorist as in previous issues so I don’t know why it turned out this way.

Supergirl #31 – Review

By: Tony Bedard (writer); Emanuela Lupacchino with Ray McCarthy and Guillermo Ortego, Yildiray Cinar, and Cory Smith (art); Hi-Fi and Yildiray Cinar (colors)

The Story: As “Red Daughter of Krypton” barrels on, Kara and the Reds find themselves searching for a new and dangerous Lantern.

The Review: Supergirl’s world is starting to get pretty hectic. As if it weren’t enough to subdue a newly selected Red and protect the planet’s civilians, Atrocitus is there too, looking to add to his collection. The former leader of the Red Lanterns has struggled to find a strength and relevance equal to his original concept ever since he finally found revenge for the wrongs that birthed him and this issue doesn’t solve that. Still, Supergirl and Red Lanterns have both done a good job of building him up as a legitimate threat for Guy’s Reds.

Tony Bedard continues that trend. Dex-Starr’s presence imbues Atrocitus’ scenes with humor and intrigue and even helps the brutal Lantern feel relatively likable. Just because he’s angry doesn’t mean he can’t have a strong boss-worker relationship with his favorite cat. In fact, Bedard proves an expert in providing the same kind of authority and gravitas that draws us to Darth Vader, not only to Atrocitus but to the newly revealed Worldkiller-1.

Meanwhile there’s also movement on Earth. As the Diasporans come looking for a rematch, the intrigue between Siobhan and her treacherous roommate deepens. It’s not clear if playing Ouija was actively part of her plans for the Silver Banshee, but it’s definitely a bad idea, if Blaze’s appearance is anything to go by. I’m thrilled to see Siobhan popping up, even in the middle of Kara’s Red Lantern adventures. I made no secret that Bedard wholly sold me on the character concept back in issue #29 and it’s great that he’s still turning the heat up on that subplot.

Supergirl #30 – Review

By: Tony Bedard (writer), Emanuela Lupacchino with Yildiray Cinar & Diogenes Neves (pencils), Ray McCarthy & Marc Deering (inks), Hi-Fi (colors)

The Story: It’s time to put that anger to good use.

The Review: Tony Bedard continues to propel Supergirl onto the cosmic scene with the second true chapter of “Red Daughter of Krypton”. This issue pits Kara and her Red Lantern comrades against the Diasporans, a particularly awesome looking race of social Darwinists, out to cleanse the universe of weakness.

The Diasporans are not the most original adversaries but they’re a perfect threat for Supergirl. Bedard has previously set Kara up against the last Czarnian and an immigrant girl afraid of her own power, clearly he has a taste for pitting Supergirl against thematic foils and these hellish lizards are par for that course.

The addition of the Red Lanterns places Bedard well within his comfort zone, writing quirky cosmic teams, and it shows. The presence of Skallox and Zilius Zox instantly livens up this issue and allows Bedard’s knack for banter and interplay to come to the fore. Kara is feeling more complete, but she still lags behind the rest of the characters a bit. Her emotions are comparatively simplistic when they’re the center of attention, however there is some good thought behind them and she’s much stronger when engaging with her cohorts.

Supergirl #29 – Review

By: Tony Bedard (writer), Yildiray Cinar (penciler), Ray McCarthy (inker), Dan Brown (colorist)

The Story: It’s up to Kara’s old roommate to stop her reign of terror. Plus she never cleans out the fridge…

The Review: Tony Bedard’s time on Supergirl has been defined by the presence of guest characters and an extremely fed up Kara Zor-El. The combination has not always been kind to our title character and, at its worst, she’s felt like a guest star in an issue of Lobo.

Lagging behind last month’s Green Lantern/Red Lanterns #28, Supergirl remains in no state to better her reputation, still a bestial mess of blood, spit, and napalm. With Lobo dead again, the title turns to the next black & white adversary for Red Lantern Supergirl: the Silver Banshee.

While it’s a shame that Supergirl remains a secondary player in her own title, Bedard’s handle on Siobhan is perhaps the strongest of his run so far. In just a few pages, Bedard is able to give us an understanding of Kara and Siobhan’s friendship. It’s a little broad, but the bond between them is clear enough to touch the heart a little. That’s essential because the entire issue is predicated on our belief that Siobhan loves and is sacrificing for her friend.

Supergirl #27 – Review

By: Tony Bedard (writer), Yildiray Cinar (penciler), Ray McCarthy (inker), Dan Brown (colorist)

The Story: Turns out bringing the assassin with the healing factor into your remote research outpost wasn’t the best strategy…

The Review: Kara Zor-El is one of the few characters for whom the New 52 has been a general success. Ever since she donned her bizarre cut-out knee boots, Supergirl has been an undiscovered gem of DC’s line. It’s great to see a character who’s struggled to find her voice be represented so well for so long, however that also means that the pressure is on for Tony Bedard who took over the series last month.

So far Bedard’s take on Kara has been excessively depressing and that’s not a trend that entirely turns around this issue. The story opens with Kara mournfully crying “I DON’T EVEN KNOW MY OWN STRENGTH!” with all the subtlety of Stan Lee at his hammiest. To this one of the Vertias’ replies “Was that really necessary, Supergirl?” I know it’s trendy to dismiss the problems of teenage girls, but this just feels silly.  Kara lacks the bite behind her angst that she demonstrated in previous iterations, her suffering feels less like something she struggles through than something done to her to illicit a reaction. Mentions of her strained relationship with Kal-El find a better balance, but ultimately it’s too little too late and Kara feels like a side character in her own title.

In many ways that’s not surprising, Bedard has a lot to juggle. In addition to Supergirl’s mounting frustrations, he also has to resolve the Lobo plotline and justify the inclusion of Shay Veritas. It hasn’t been long but I’m already growing tired of The Block. The facility’s mysteries are hinted at a little more this month, possibly even handwaved, but the answers we get are so vague that it makes you wonder if they’ll even be revealed in this series. Still, it does make a great setting for this issue’s slasher film plot, as our new pompadour-ed Lobo stalks its halls.

Action Comics #27 – Review

By: Greg Pak (story), Aaron Kuder & Mike Hawthorne (art), R.B. Silva (pencils), Ray McCarthy (inks), Dan Brown & Eva de la Cruz (colors)

The Story: All those stories about mole people are finally proven true—except worse.

The Review: As I said in my review of Superman Unchained #5, I’m not of the camp that believes Clark Kent should have a completely happy-go-lucky childhood—emphasis on “completely.”  Done right, a little pathos makes the boy Clark seem even closer to us, like when his super-hearing kicks in and he catches his parents mentioning he’s “not human[.]”  How many of us had an experience of overhearing what we shouldn’t and the massive anxiety it produced?

So, yes, a little rain has fallen into Clark’s early life, but hey—rain is a good thing, and the sun that comes out afterward more than redeems it.  Jonathan and Martha, like the awesome parents they are, quickly notice the sad changes in their son and decide to fix things with the truth, rather than let the secret fester.  Clark’s initial reaction to his extraterrestrial legacy is naturally rendered, rejecting it even as he reaches out for it, but his parents’ gesture leaves a lasting impact on his values: “Love?  Yeah.  From the parents who wrapped me in the blanket…and the parents who saved it for me.”

Supergirl #26 – Review

By: Tony Bedard (writer), Yildiray Cinar (penciler), Ray McCarthy (inker), Dan Brown (colorist)

The Story: Supergirl prepares for Christmas, Charlie Brown-style.

The Review: Two of the more interesting discoveries I made last year were Marguerite Bennett and Michael Alan Nelson’s Supergirl. Though Mr. Nelson has left us for more vampire-filled pastures, Supergirl rolls on, with a visit from one of Ms. Bennett’s creations, no less. With a new writer, a big-time guest star, and the Red Lanterns on the horizon, I picked up this book with hesitant excitement.

It seems that excitement isn’t really the right emotion for this comic. At its worst, Supergirl #26 is  listless, while, in a better light, it simply waits like a crouched tiger. Regardless of which mind you happen to be of, I think that this issue is a troubled opening for Tony Bedard’s run. It feels too conscious of the transition from one writer to another to allow Bedard to define himself.

Though Bedard proves more than capable of adapting to this new Lobo, the character brings as many problems as solutions. Hot on the trail of his muscle-bound usurper, Lobo’s quest requires single-minded ferocity. Anything is possible for the last(?) Czarnian and anything is permissible in the pursuit of his prey. Though the quiet guilt that Bennett established is on strong display, where and when it will rear its head is essentially the only thing unknown about the character.

Red Hood and the Outlaws #22 – Review

By: James Tynion IV (writer), Julius Gopez (pencils), Ray McCarthy (inks), Nei Ruffino & BLOND (colors) 

The Story: Jason prepares to lead to the League of Assassins into battle against the Untitled, not knowing that they’ve enlisted Arsenal. It’s up to Starfire to save the world, and, hopefully, her friends as well.

The Review: This month the Outlaws are on their own. James Tynion has created a fascinating web of alliances that pits our heroes against each other. As ever, Roy Harper is a standout character, his combination of brilliance, directness, and unwavering loyalty making him hard to dislike, but easily the most desperate of the trio. He’s even got a new hat!

Starfire is still struggling to find her voice. Thankfully, she’s the one getting things done and working for the good, but the star of the show is still Jason Todd.

Jason’s plotline sees him exploring the underground utopia that forms the core of the League of Assassins empire. Though Jason is a little bit of a blank canvass after his mind wiping adventures, it’s great fun to get to know the League’s members. The Bronze Tiger and Lady Shiva give a great sense of the League’s ethos and power, and focus on their interactions with their peers help the issue feel immersive and connected to the greater DCU.

Tynion has also  come a long way in his portrayal of Cheshire since Red Hood and the Outlaws Annual #1. Where she came off a little generic and oversexed there, Tynion’s settled into a much preferable playful rhythm for her sophomore appearance that makes her an oddly likable cuthroat assassin.

Aquaman #20 – Review

By: John Ostrander (story), Manuel Garcia (pencils), Sandra Hope, Rob Hunter, Ray McCarthy, Wayne Faucher (inks), Pete Pantazis (colors)

The Story: Oddly, a girl who sees dead people is not the strangest member of the Others.

The Review: One of the best concepts Geoff Johns introduced on his run here has been Aquaman’s first team effort, the Others.  Johns not only managed to give each member a well-defined personality and design, he also gave them a strong team dynamic, as if they really had worked together for years.  Their intimacy was so convincing that it was kind of bittersweet to see them part ways when it was so tempting to give them a title of their own.

In this issue, Ostrander sort of tests the viability of the Others as characters in their own right, without Aquaman as their center.  Indeed, here Arthur seems more like a featured player in his own title.  Despite being their de facto leader (though the Operative may disagree with that assertion), he comes to them as someone asking his friends to do him a big favor, one he’s not yet comfortable presenting to his current team.  He stands equal to the Others, which in turn boosts their own standing.

The Flash #11 – Review

By: Francis Manapul & Brian Buccellato (story), Marcus To (pencils), Ray McCarthy (inks), Ian Herring (colors)

The Story: Barry’s leaving behind the girl he loves and making a new life—country song, if I ever heard one.

The Review: I find it pretty amazing how much stuff can happen and how little actually changes.  I mean this in any given context, but most especially with fiction.  Probably the clearest mark of a weak story is one where all sorts of events and twists take place, and yet the character has barely moved one step forward from where he started.  Quite frankly, that is the situation where the Flash finds himself now.

For all of Barry’s time-traveling escapades, run-ins with emboldened rogues, and city crises, he doesn’t seem all that affected, either within or without.  Think about it.  Has he really shifted in any of his values?  Has he become any more or less confident?  Is he any closer to a true relationship with either Patty or Iris?  Has he developed any personal relationship with any other character?  Have either of the Gem Cities changed permanently from the unfortunate blackout?

The Flash #10 – Review

By: Francis Manapul & Brian Buccellato (story), Marcus To (pencils), Ray McCarthy (inks), Ian Herring (colors)

The Story: In which Weather Wizard pulls out a wand and does his best Harry Potter impression.

The Review: It took me a long time to learn this lesson myself, but excess may be the one of the least productive tactics you can take for any kind of writing.  When I used to grade my students’ papers, I sometimes got the impression they believed they’d be graded by length or weight, which misses the point entirely.  Writing too much does nothing for your work except obscure your ideas and make it harder for people to read.

It’s especially surprising to find Manapul-Buccellato guilty of this same crime.  You’d think with such talent for artistic storytelling, they’d know better, to show the story rather than tell it.  Yet from the opening pages of this issue, straight through to Barry’s monologue at the end, that’s exactly what Mananpul-Buccellato do.  They leave almost nothing to the imagination; everything gets explained to us through some awkward chunk of expository dialogue or other.

Batman and Robin #9 – Review

By: Peter J. Tomasi (story), Lee Garbett (pencils), Andy Clarke (guest art), Ray McCarthy & Keith Champagne (inks), John Kalisz (colors)

The Story: Even soldiers should know better than to go into the woods at night.

The Review: To continue the main point I made in reviewing Batgirl #9, one-shot tie-ins almost invariably annoy any devoted fan of a series because they interrupt whatever groove the writer has established to spin in a completely different direction.  Sometimes, this means we enter an issue to find ourselves with a whole new plot we’re not prepared for.  At other times, this means we get a story which flies in the face of all the groundwork and tone we’ve had before.

So it feels like a bit of a gear shift for us to go from what has been an intensely driven drama and thriller to a quickie bloodbath, no drama or thrills about it.  Of course, there’s a lot to be said for pitting Damian, born assassin, against a professional assassin, but Tomasi doesn’t actually spend much time letting that play out.  Had Patrick Gleason’s amazing cover indicated the kind of stuff we’d get to see inside, then this issue would be practically a guaranteed win, no matter how thin the plot.  Instead, we get an underwhelming fight sequence on top of a plot that goes nowhere.

DC Universe Presents #6 – Review

By: Dan Didio (writer), Jerry Ordway (penciller), Ray McCarthy, Andy Lanning, Marlo Alquiza (inkers), Tony Avina (colorist)

The Story: We may be stranded on a freezing mountainside, but no one had better eat me!

The Review: If I have to explain my fondness for the Challengers of the Unknown, I think I can pretty much poach much of what I said about the Blackhawks last month.  Not only do I admire the concept of a group of people using their natural, baseline human abilities to overcome great obstacles, I also love the Challengers’ emphasis on exploration and curiosity.  It’s that same thirst to see the universe’s possibilities that makes me prefer Star Trek over Star Wars.

Unfortunately, it can’t be said that’s the feeling you get out of this series, or, at least, this specific issue.  Instead of focusing on the “challenging” aspect of the team, Didio chooses to emphasize their “borrowed time” premise, making them more sober and grim than the Challengers I loved in Darwyn Cooke’s New Frontier.  You have to give credit to Didio for his enthusiasm, though, since in one issue he takes the crew to Nanda Parbat, then has them escape a living mountain.

Actually, the issue would be pretty good times in the hands of someone with greater writing chops, to be frank.  My only real experience with Didio as writer goes all the way back to his Metal Men feature in Wednesday Comics.  There, I found him again enthusiastic, clearly in love with his own ideas, but a very generic executor of words.  That’s pretty much the case here, especially with the dialogue, which sports every cliché you can imagine from a melodrama: “This is some sort of nightmare!”  “Stop this, please!”  “For the love of God…don’t do this!”  “This is all my fault!”  And not one, but two, “Noooo!”

Red Robin #26 – Review

By: Fabian Nicieza (writer), Marcus To (penciller), Ray McCarthy (inker), Guy Major (colorist)

The Story: Boomerang, you should know better than anyone: what goes around, comes around.

The Review: Boy, what to say about Captain Boomerang?  Conceived during an “anything-goes” era of comics, his stubborn fixation to his weapon of choice in lieu of any other skills or powers made him one of the wackier buffoons from the Flash’s rogues gallery.  He gained some prestige recently for a featured role in Brightest Day, but the story for which he’s most famous is almost certainly his murder of Jack Drake, father of then-Robin Tim Drake.

This incident brought about major changes in Tim’s life, including his adoption under Bruce Wayne’s name, and likely led to his current identity as Red Robin.  It’s thus fitting that for this final issue, Tim turns his eye on the man that arguably catalyzed his second life as a character.  Up until Identity Crisis, Tim had been thoughtful and intelligent, but resistant to the idea of becoming anything like Batman.  These issue shows things have definitely changed since then.

All of Tim’s schemes bear the Red Robin stamp of mindboggling foresightedness, but this last one takes the cake as he predicts, with stunning accuracy, the unpredictable: human nature.  Yet even at his most serious, Boomerang remains a simpleminded man (Batman remarks, “But you knew…Harkness would only make one decision.”), so manipulating him probably isn’t the hardest task in the world, but that doesn’t take away from the impressive number of variables Tim moves with meticulous precision to push Digger to seal his own fate.

All this chess-like play, just so Tim can get his revenge on his father’s murderer and still claim he kept his hands clean.  This just confirms his entrance into that murky area that frequently plagues Bruce’s methods, but in some ways, Tim’s actions this issue indicate he’s actually more entrenched in gray than his mentor.  Batman certainly has bones to pick with a lot of folks, but he’s not the type to carry out a personal vendetta with such painstaking obsession.

Red Robin #25 – Review

By: Fabian Nicieza (writer), Marcus To (penciller), Ray McCarthy (inker), Guy Major (colorist)

The Story: Anyone who says a figurative backstabbing is worse than a literal one talks crazy.

The Review: Most of us have at one time or another had a moment where we wondered how everyone else could be oblivious to what seems to be such an obvious conclusion.  Now imagine being in that position day-in, day-out, a constant bombardment of possible scenarios you see so clearly and no one else does.  It’s consuming, I imagine.  But what do I know?  The only hypothetical that consistently plagues my mind is what sort of sandwich I should get next.

For Tim Drake, his ever-ticking mind is a terrific asset, but as we see in this issue, it also poses a fairly gnarly risk.  Sure, the instant assessment of situational variables and the determination of the most logical response are handy virtues for a nerd who decides to take up vigilantism.  But give into that mindset a little too far and you, like Tim, will begin to weigh everything according to quantifiable values, a means-end philosophy that reduces humans to mere x’s and y’s.

Sure, when it comes outsmarting the ladies out to kill (and get preggers by) you, or gaining entrance to an ancient cabal of assassins that requires you die first—one heck of Catch-22, if you don’t mind me saying so—a Machiavellian mind can get the job done in stylish fashion.  And nothing ices that cake more than a slick, just ever-so-cocky explanation: “Collapsible katana blade.  Blood pack on my harness.  A pint of my blood mixed with glycerin water.”

Red Robin #24 – Review

By: Fabian Nicieza (writer), Marcus To (penciller), Ray McCarthy (inker), Guy Major (colorist)

The Story: I’m telling you, Tim, she wants you to put a baby inside her!

The Review: When people see a tightly woven, layered plot, they tend to wonder how the writer manages to foresee how little, early details can wind up playing a huge role in the final outcome of a story.  The truth is things usually work the other way around; when it comes time to figure out the big fat middle and ending, a strong writer will usually look to the details they already laid down to help them develop their story.

In this issue, Nicieza takes threads and characters he established from several previous story arcs (Red Robin’s escapade in Russia, his first encounter with Scarab, and most recently the threat on Lucius Fox’s life) and winds them all together into a cohesive storyline, and the twists never stop coming.  Crazy as it sounds, the Assassination Tournament merely serves as a cover for an even more intriguing plot, one with ancient, possibly supernatural roots.

Red Robin has largely been more of a down-to-earth kind of comic, with all its emphasis on technology and fighters using their wits, fists, and weapons to get the job done.  You’ll run into the occasional metahuman, but mostly Nicieza avoids any flashiness in the action department.  When he brings in this apparently otherworldly force to the table, the suspense feels that much tighter as you can’t imagine how Tim’s brains or martial artistry will get him out of this one.

The situation really calls attention to how much fun you get out of seeing Tim think his way through obstacles and enemies.  There’s definitely something very satisfying about seeing him take down an entire mob of Scarabs with the press of a well thought-out button.  But it’s also rather fun to how Tim can be a little too clever by half.  His own foresight winds up losing his target, as the flash mob he sets up to cover his escape actually covers Scarab’s instead.

It reminds us that Tim, for all his experience and prodigiousness, still hasn’t reached the peak of his prowess just yet.  With Batman, it takes a fairly substantial challenge to put him within believable danger, but almost every issue you feel Tim getting in just over his head.  It does credit to his opponents.  These are, after all, trained assassins; you wouldn’t take them too seriously if they can be taken down that easily by a kid whose martial artistry isn’t all there yet.

Red Robin #23 – Review

By: Fabian Nicieza (writer), Marcus To (penciller), Ray McCarthy (inker), Guy Major (colorist)

The Story: Seriously, Tim—what is up with all these women who want you dead?

The Review: The detective aspect in a lot of comics has faded in recent years, having become much harder to write on a lot of levels.  One: science and technology have advanced to the point where you need to put in some serious research to put out a credible mystery.  Two: a true-blooded mystery requires a fairly intense commitment to thoughtful and farsighted plotting.  Three: it’s just plain difficult creating suspense out of detective work in a comic.

In Detective Comics, Scott Snyder generates that suspense by instilling a sense of horror to Dick Grayson’s CSI-type work.  Here in Red Robin, Nicieza goes for a more action-thriller feel, building up the layers of Tim’s more FBI-like operations until they reach Mission Impossible proportions.  Tim’s a one-man unit out to take down whole networks of crime—that’s about as impossible as it gets.

Red Robin’s preference for going it alone really allows us to enjoy how meticulously he plans out everything.  With Batman, you take it for granted that a lot of prep-time is involved, but you actually get to see Tim’s thought processes, a fun mix of gumshoe narration and his own dry sense of humor (“So when I hit the apartment of Jimmy Li…the leader of the Golden Dragons took exception.  And then she took me out the window.”).  He lacks the physicality of the other Bat-guys (as he himself notes looking at Dick’s aerial acrobatics), but his clipping brainwork brings its own kind of excitement.

Tim does tend to handle his dirty work solo most of the time, but that doesn’t prevent Nicieza from using recurring characters as a revolving supporting cast.  As great as it is to see Bruce and Dick following Tim’s lead, even despite their doubts over his questionable decisions, it’s Lynx and her inscrutable loyalties that really spices up Tim’s life: tackling him out a multi-story window and then making out during the free-fall—talk about having it all.

The strength of Red Robin comes mostly from Nicieza’s crafty plotting.  He has a great handle on technology, or at least he makes it seem so to someone as technologically ignorant as me, and can use it to create and develop leads and clues for his story: the issue starts with a website giving backdoor access for kill orders; it ends with the revival of the Assassins Tournament, a kind of hit man’s Iron Chef with international CEOs being the theme ingredient of choice.

Red Robin #20 – Review

By: Fabien Nicieza (writer), Marcus To (artist), Ray McCarthy (inker), Guy Major (colors)

***Caution: there are a few minor spoilers in here, necessary for the review. Read conclusion first and then you can stop if you want.***

Conclusion: Red Robin #20 was a visually strong issue, but a bit jumbled story-wise. I get the feeling that Nicieza had to get from his last excellent story to a reason for Tim to team up with the Teen Titans and that he wasn’t given a lot of time to do it right. Pick it up if you’re a Red Robin collector, but don’t make this you first issue of Red Robin.

The Story: It turns out that Tim’s great plan that came together last issue in Moscow and the Unternet had a flaw. The Calculator makes a counter-move and Tim has to leap into action to protect Tam. But, he’s in over his head, so calls in some help from his old friends and his psycho stepbrother. Fun ensues.

What’s Good: Visually, To, McCarthy and Major effectively splash leaping action, explosive excitement and sincere buddy-buddy reunions into 22 packed pages. I’m a fan of this art team, because they bring the right level of realistic draftsmanship to the table (it’s what I enjoy in comic art), and yet keep the action moving. Red Robin leaping out into the air to save Tam is evocative, as much so as the subtle smirk on Catman’s face. And, I have to add that To’s version of Tim Wayne is wiry and skinny, making him look like the teenager he is, very different, for example, of the build that Dick Grayson or Bruce Wayne would have.

Story-wise, Nicieza has Tim’s voice down pat, and the dialogue always comes across as strong and honest. OK, it got a bit emotional at the reunion with the Titans, but Tim is a teenager, right? I’ll give him that.

Red Robin #19 – Review

By: Fabian Nicieza (writer), Marcus To (penciller), Ray McCarthy (inker), Guy Major (colors)

The Story: The Rabbit Hole, Part Two: The title says it all. When we last left our young hero, the Man With the Plan had been knocked out, along with three of his allies. Now, Red Robin and Tam wake up, and they ain’t in Kansas anymore. It’s psychedelic loco-land with flavors of Arcade’s Murderworld while the subconscious speaks in riddles.

What’s Good: Red Robin is one of those titles that consistently delivers fun adventure with an engaging hero who’s out to succeed in the superhero business. This issue is no exception and we’re really watching Tim Wayne grow into adulthood and something big. Red Robin is the new Nightwing and he’s fun and Nicieza gets that, while not losing Tim’s obsessive drive that launched this series so powerfully. Why can I say all that?

Because I got to watch Superfriends-style Batman and Robin swing into action while the Riddler chatters on like a Greek chorus and Tim tries to figure out what the heck is going on. Talk about starting in the middle of the action and the mystery. The Unternet is a weird place with eerie Darkseid flavoring. The madness and the anger pumping through the action and the writing is palpable. Clues abound, but not enough to spoil anything (only enough to tease), and in the end, Tim’s solution satisfied me, as it fits with the kind of person he is and his outlook on life. The book *looks* dialogue heavy, but feels like it’s the right amount of text, and I have to say…I feel like I got my money’s worth on the reading part. And Foxy Lady was a hoot.

Red Robin #18 – Review

By: Fabian Nicieza (writer), Marcus To (penciller), Ray McCarthy (inker)

The Story: The Man with the Plan is in Moscow, checking out a lead on his latest quarry. Problem is, this lead is very well connected, so much so that Russia’s premier meta doesn’t want Red Robin on this case. Tread lightly, Tim…

What’s Good: Everything I love about Tim Drake (Wayne) is on the first page. He’s careful, meticulous, goal-driven, thinking three steps ahead of any of the competition. Everything I love about Red Robin is also in the rest of the pages. He’s the superhero incarnation of the trickster god. He’s got the cunning of a fox, and although he gets himself into some tight places, he knows what he’s doing. Except when he doesn’t, like in this issue. Total fun. I love Red Robin.

To and McCarthy on art chores were also pretty flawless. Red Star looked like a bad ass you don’t want to be messing with unless you happen to have Superman behind you, which Tim didn’t. The nighttime sky of Moscow, green against starlight, was totally cool, as were the fight scenes. The action punched and pulsed along, with quick, varying camera angles and shifting panel sizes, making the action appear quick and dynamic. The scene with Tim sliding the chair into the fight was well drawn. On draftsmanship, To and McCarthy can draw anything I buy.

Red Robin #14 – Review

By Fabian Nicieza (writer), Marcus To (penciller), Ray McCarthy (inker), Guy Major (colors)

The Story: The Hit List, Part II: I think the core of this book is nicely summed up in this quote by Red Robin: “I’ve always forgiven him because he was raised in a vat of chemicals and taught to be a homicidal maniac. I’ve always held back for Bruce or Dick, but as stupid as it sounds, if this idiot is ever going to respect me, I’m going to have to kick his ass!”

What’s Good: Tim Wayne, the former boy wonder, the man with the plan, has a slap-down with our favorite psychotic, ninja-trained, ten-year-old sidekick. Fabian Nicieza has written an awesome book about two brothers: the middle one and the youngest. Nicieza exploits the dynamic of the dead father and the absent eldest brother to create an issue where these two very different brothers must deal with each other. This is not to say that this will lead to a happy ending (Cain and Abel anyone?), but Nicieza gets to the root of both characters, especially Damian in a way I’d never expected. I’d never seen Damian as particularly sympathetic or vulnerable (Bad-ass…Yes. Do I want him on my side of any fight? Yes. Do I want him over for supper? Hell, no!), but Nicieza succeeded in doing that. And Tim’s patented monologues, always engaging, continue to give us a great window into Tim’s world.

Red Robin #13 – Review

By: Fabian Nicienza (writer), Marcus To (penciller), Ray McCarthy and Mark McKenna (inkers), Guy Major (colors)

The Story: The Hitlist, Part One: The Domino Effect: This tale opens on three brothers, Dick, Tim and Damian, who have reconciled and become family again. However, their chosen vocations pull them apart once more, Batman and Robin after one set of criminals, Red Robin after the Lynx. Tim struggles, not only with first contact with the Lynx and some weird coincidences, but with his whole life. He’s got five questions to ask: Where to live, what to do, how to do it, who to do it with and who to do it against. Red Robin #13 answers three of those questions.

What’s Good: Chris Yost steered the first twelve issues of Red Robin through a roller coaster of adventure as Tim Drake sough to prove himself. Fabian Nicienza, with issue #13, assumes the role of worthy successor. The dialogue is crisp, the characters vibrant, the situations fun (Tim is engaged!) and the hero has a plan. Actually, that last part is not new. Red Robin, if nothing else, has proven himself to be the one superhero that walks around with pockets stuffed with plans. This is what makes him so successful and engaging as a character. Tim is driven, not by something so amorphous as crime, but by specific, strategic plans. And he’s obviously cooking up a big one now, thanks to some fine plotting and writing by Nicienza.

To, McCarthy, McKenna and Major turn in some fine artwork. The facial expressions and level of textural detail are a bit understated for my tastes, but To picks the camera angles, panel compositions and postures that make this story materialize. The quick shift in camera angles, whether watching Tim shake down one of the golden dragons, or when following Tim manage his fiancé, make the panels breeze along. The double splash page is dynamic, and even Tam’s ridiculed humiliation is penciled into a life that is moving and happening. That dynamism counts just as much in the fight scenes, and the color work, whether dark and sharp or blurred and surreal, give the panels an extra dimension.

Red Robin #12 – Review

By Chris Yost (writer), Marcus To (pencils), Ray McCarthy (inks), Guy Major (colors) and Sal Cipriano (letters)

The Story The epic “Collisions” storyline comes to a conclusion as the League of Shadows threatens everything and everyone Bruce Wayne holds dear. As time begins to run out, Red Robin finally comes face to face with Ra’s al Ghul.

What’s Good: Red Robin has been a fantastic book since issue #1, but the whole creative team really pulls out all the stops for the conclusion of this first arc. In addition to being an absolutely excellent and suspenseful story as a whole, Tim Drake himself gets some wonderful character moments. The way he relies on his brain even more than his (not insignificant) fighting skill during his confrontation with al Ghul cements this Red Robin’s place as a worthy addition to the Bat-family, while the courage and character he exhibits earns him the title of ‘hero’ in his own right as well. This book has allowed Tim to mature in the best way, both as a person and a character, and the payoff we witness in this issue is a wholly satisfying pleasure to see. The actual conclusion—both to the issue and the storyline as a whole—is…not what I expected at all, but it works very well and is actually quite heartwarming to watch, after everything Tim has been through and sacrificed in the last year.

Red Robin #11 – Review

By: Christopher Yost (writer), Marcus To (penciller), Ray McCarthy and Mark McKenna (inkers), Guy Major (colorist)

The Story: Collision, Part Three of Four: Red Robin, Batgirl and Pru are getting their hats handed to them by the seven deadliest killers of the League of Assassins. In the meantime, Ra’s al Ghul is making his play to hurt Red Robin real bad, by striking at the 10 people most important to him. Batman and Robin show up, but a whole different set of conflicts messes that up, and this becomes a story about trust.

What’s Good: Get back on the roller-coaster! Red Robin is back in the zone! What a fun issue! Red Robin lost a bit of its momentum after issue #7, but baby, it’s back! You want assassin-superhero slapdowns? You want a sausage-shaped torpedo bike running over people? You want snipers and ninjas? Shuriken, staffs, whips, guns, batarangs and grenades, oh my! I’ve got that summer blockbuster feeling again. Thank you, Chris Yost for the action, the great conflict, the boiling tension and awesome dialogue.

Red Robin #9 – Review

By: Chris Yost (writer), Marcus To (artist, despite what it says on the cover…), Ray McCarthy (inker), Guy Major (colorist)

The Story: Red Robin comes home, and tries to keep a low profile, but crime awaits and an old friend visits. But then, Batman’s arch-nemesis, the one Red Robin shafted last issue, reveals his plan for revenge. We all know what pay-backs are, right?

What’s Good: Yost, To, McCarthy and Major put a lot of feeling into this book. Despite the fact that Gotham is pretty much the crappiest place you can go in the DCU, Tim’s happiness is palpable, in the writing, in the half-smile he carries around and in the awe-inspiring landscapes he pauses over. Tim *loves* Gotham. This is his home, and Yost and To made us feel it. They also made us feel the teenage romance blossoming between Tim and Tam (don’t go there…). There are more than sparks, but neither has acted on it other than under near-death experiences, so the tension is high. And then, Yost hit the emotions again, when Tim is reunited with an old friend. There’s some funny dialogue, some awkward pauses and then real, real, real emotional connection. It is the mark of a good writer (and artist) to make me feel something when I read a story. Yost and To did that. And that’s without the surprise guest star at the end!

On the art, To, with McCarthy and Major, built a “noir-lite” mood in Gotham, with dark skies and falling rain splattering off of tough bodies. To and Major go for some interesting effects, speaking of the rain. With the lights in the background, they make the rain almost glow on the bodies of the hero and villain, giving this book a feel closer to the brightness of Batgirl rather than the somberness of Batman and Robin or Detective Comics. To’s art also lacks the grittiness of the Batman series – the characters and places are clean and mostly new. This also contributes to the sort of optimistic feel of the book. Tim Wayne is hopeful. He is neither hardened nor jaded, like Dick, Damian and Kate.