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.

Weekly Comic Book Review’s Top Picks

DS’ Top Picks

Best From The Past Week: Green Lantern #54 – Out of a very solid week (my reviews were, unusually, B’s and A’s), Green Lantern takes the crown. Hal Jordan, arguing and bickering with Sinestro and Carol Ferris, while they all try to figure out an impending doom, was just awesome. And the collection of the entities from the different batteries cranked up the tension and mystery. Tune into Brightest Day!

Most Anticipated: Brightest Day #3: The last installments of the Brightest Day event (GL #54 and GLC #48) have me chomping at the bit to see what happens next.

Other Top Picks: Red Robin #13, Red Hood: Lost Days #1 (of 6), Adventure Comics #12, Thanos Imperative #1, Avengers Prime #1, Darkstar and the Winter Guard #1

Alex’s Top Picks

Best From The Past Week: Madame Xanadu #23 – A solid conclusion to a really fun arc.  Great art and continual little winks and nods to its readership make for a great time, along with a cast that is universally lovable.

Most Anticipated: iZombie #2 -With a first issue that was almost entirely introduction and set-up, I don’t think we’ve really gotten enough to sink are teeth into from iZombie.  Hopefully this issue will give us more to gauge.  For this reason, this issue carries much of the same excitement for me that #1 did.

Other Picks: Brightest Day #2, Sweet Tooth #10

Dean’s Top Picks

Best From The Past Week: Amazing Spider-Man #632 – A combination of GREAT art with a really nice reimagining of a classic Spider-man rogue (The Lizard) to make him much scarier than he used to be.  ASM has been on a great run for the last 6 months or so.

Most Anticipated: The Thanos Imperative #1 – I was looking forward to Thanos Imperative: Ignition last week and it was really good.  Marvel doesn’t keep us waiting by bringing out the first issue of the Cosmic event this week.  I can’t wait.  This will be the first book out of the stack this week!

Other picks: Red Robin #13, I, Zombie #2, Dust Wars #1, Bulletproof Coffin #1, Avengers Prime #1