Batman & Robin: Year One

Bruce Wayne has adopted Dick Grayson after the tragic death of his parents and allowed the young boy to be his sidekick as a way of working through his feelings in the wake of that tragic event.  It’s not easy for either of them, though.  Bruce has to adjust to looking out for someone like he never has before while that someone is determined to do things his own way.  Yet their differences manage to complement each other, which is going to be a big help when going up against familiar Gotham rogues like Two-Face and Clayface.  As well as the new villain in town known only as “The General.”

Writer Mark Waid and artist Chris Samnee have one truly great comic run to their name – that’d be their “Daredevil” run – and several others that can be called “pretty good.”  This is another “pretty good” comic because it serves up perfectly entertaining superhero action from start to finish.  It’s distinguished through being a story about the characters’ formative time together, and the creators are good about building up that relationship.  We get to see what the characters respect and learn from one another and how they manage to get under each other’s skin as well.

What’s holding this comic back from being truly great is that there’s no real attempt to subvert superhero tropes.  A lot of the action you’ll see is pulled off very well, especially a silent underwater escape by Batman, but you’re not going to be surprised by it.  Nor will you be enthralled by The General and his by-the-numbers brand of military villainy.  “Batman & Robin:  Year One” does do a good job of depicting that formative relationship, it just doesn’t feel like an essential read beyond those interested in that or the creative team specifically.