Batman And Robin #4

Title: Batman And Robin
Issue: 4
Date: January 2012
Publisher: DC Comics
Writer: Peter J Tomasi
Penciler: Patrick Gleason
Inker: Mick Gray
Colorist: John Kalisz
Letterer: Patrick Brosseau
Editor: Harvey Richards, Katie Kubert, Mike Marts
Cover: Patrick Gleason, Mick Gray, John Kalisz

We open with our heroes (Batman and Robin, AKA Bruce and Damian Wayne) tied up in the front seat of a junk car and an abandoned drive-in theater.

Nobody (who, if you recall, is somebody; specifically, he's Morgan Ducard) proceeds to try to lecture the Batman about the foolishness of his code against killing.

And you know what? It's boring.

The moral dilemma of why the Batman doesn't just kill the Joker (or whatever other villain is sure to escape and cause more mayhem every time they are thrown in Arkham) was interesting around 1988 in stories The Killing Joke and Ten Nights of the Beast. It has ceased to be interesting, not because it's been resolved, but because it's obvious that it never will be. The whole thing is based on the patently ludicrous assumption that the legal system is incapable of ever keeping these psychos in jail, and thus the entire argument boils down to a thought experiment that has long since grown tiresome.

In this particular instance, the Batman really has nothing to say, and in fact makes the (valid) point that Ducard isn't worthy of an explanation.

Then things commence blowing up.

The Dynamic Duo makes it back to the Batcave and Damian argues with Bruce about the fact that Bruce is holding back information. Damian is probably in the right here (scratch that; Alfred sides with him so Damian is definitely in the right).

Damian leaves in a huff and displays a bit more of his cruelty to animals tendencies, although this time he's just squishing fireflies. On the bright side, Damian is actually taking a liking to his dog, and displays an interest in Shakespeare when choosing the name Titus for the pup. I'm hoping this will end well, but I don't think it's likely.

And speaking of not ending well, here's Nobody to try to seduce Damian over to the Dark Side. We end with the kid considering it.

Too much rehashing of old issues without any real creativity. A clever escape from the opening imperilment isn't enough to save this.

And Damian is still annoying.

Rating: 4.5/10