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.

DS’s Top Picks

DS’s Top Picks

Best of the Past Week: Green Lantern #50 – Green Lantern came out on top this week with another solid installment of DC’s epic Blackest Night.

Most Anticipated: Superman: Superman: World of New Krypton #12 – Robinson has delivered us an episodic, occasionally uneven year of Kal-El on New Krypton. Now, with the last issue, we will see if the destination has been worth the ride. This narrowly edged out Red Robin #9, which is the start of the new “Collision” arc.

Other Top Picks: Blackest Night: Wonder Woman #3, Red Robin #9, Ghost Riders: Heavens on Fire #6

Ray’s Top Picks

Best of the Past Week: Green Lantern #50 – Geoff Johns’ 50th issue might just have presented one of the most iconic moments of this year: Parallax reborn– Hal Jordan vs. the Spectre.

Most Anticipated: Superman: Sweet Tooth #6 – A new storyline begins. After being abandoned and betrayed by the man who saved him, Sweet Tooth begins the new arc in captivity. If the Coen brothers were doing comics, this would be it. Dark, depressing landscapes, ruthless and lonesome characters… Sweet Tooth has always been a pick of the week, catch up and see what the fuss about in this new first part.

Other Top Picks: Blackest Night: Wonder Woman #3, Red Robin #9, Demo #1, Batman: Confidential #41