11/20 Comic Review: Duo Dynamics
Batman and Robin: Year One #2 written by Mark Waid with art by Chris Samnee
A new story about the original dynamic duo brought to you by one of the greatest teams in comics continues with its second issue. A bond has been formed between Bruce and Dick, but they have different ways of approaching a problem which created some tension in the first issue. In this issue, we see Bruce training Dick to avoid gunfire, but Bruce’s practicality clashes with his ward’s showiness and the training ends with an argument. Dick is a natural-born performer, and nothing is going to stop him from trying to make things fun. Bruce is frustrated by what he perceives as a lack of seriousness. It’d be easy to pin him as the overly strict mentor while Dick is the lackadaisical apprentice, but it’s clear throughout that allowing this boy into Bruce’s life has made him vulnerable in a way that he hasn’t been since he was a child and he’s desperately trying to make sure he doesn’t watch another loved one get gunned downed in an alley. On top of all this training, they have also have a visit from Child Services to deal with. It’s rarely been touched upon before, but it’s nice to see an acknowledgement of the fact that you can’t just pick up an orphan, no matter how rich you are. Bruce is under scrutiny and has to prove he’s capable of providing a stable house for the boy, but nighttime vigilantism is hardly what one would call “stable”. So far, Dick hasn’t had any serious injuries to show, but it’s easy to imagine something happening down the line that Bruce won’t be able to explain away. It doesn’t help that the boy isn’t exactly what you’d call “cooperative”. He rebels at the slightest restriction and takes every chance he gets to climb and leap from the highest points he can find. Vigilantism aside, Bruce has a lot of work cut out for him as he tries to provide this young boy with direction.
Meanwhile, our new villain continues to plot. He was referred to as “General” in the previous issue, but it appears that he’s the one running organized crime in Miami. It’s unclear what he hopes to accomplish in Gotham and why he believes he’ll survive despite the fall of most of the other crime families in the city. While Batman may not yet be aware of this new threat, his presence has not gone unnoticed by the city’s criminals. Two-Face pays him a visit with a mysterious file as an offer. I’d forgotten about the file in the previous issue, but whatever it is, even Jim Gordon is afraid of it getting loose. Are its secrets tied into the Gotham PD’s dark history, or is it something even more destructive about the city as a whole? It remains to be seen how these dual threats stack up against the dynamic duo, but there’s no doubt that there’s more in store than what any of us are expecting.
Chris Samnee is one of the best artists in the business. His style is a mix of art deco classic and grounded street-level grunge that makes him perfect for a retro story like this. Each panel is filled with energy, whether it’s Robin’s agility as he dances across platforms while dodging bullets or Batman’s ruthless precision as he systematically takes down anyone in his way. The contrast in the way the duo move further emphasizes the gap in how they think and approach problems. The classic element of his style gives the story a fun, swashbuckling element that feels like a throwback to the dynamic duo’s earliest adventures in the 1930’s, while the street-level element creates an ever-present feeling of danger and reinforces the tension Batman is feeling as he tries to ensure his ward’s safety. Altogether, it makes the book a fun time from start to finish.
This book is a new take on a classic dynamic. It’s not necessarily changing anything, but it’s grounding and recontextualizing one of the most famous partnerships in comics. We all know the story of Bruce adopting a wayward orphan and making him his first sidekick, but here we get to see the actual struggles that each deals with as they adjust to their new dynamic along with a more realistic look at what kind of scrutiny they’d be under in this situation. Chock full of fun, heart, and action, this book is an absolute blast and I highly recommend it!