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A review by sonofatreus
Batman and Robin, Vol. 4: Dark Knight vs. White Knight by Paul Cornell, Peter J. Tomasi, Judd Winick
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
A good end to this series. There are a few strands to the volume, each not all as satisfying as the next but cumulatively it comes together. I didn't care much for the Absence, for instance, but Red Hood is good and that arc pays off what was introduced earlier in the series.
Interestingly, the Batman Incorporated schtick is mostly dropped in this volume, which is too bad. It never fully developed in Vol. 3, either, but at least it showed some potential. For them to mostly abandon it here makes me think it wasn't well received (either by the DC brass or the public...or both). I don't keep up with comics enough anymore to know if that hunch is correct.
It's also good to see Batman's "no killing" policy challenged without necessarily making it about him turning into a killing machine. The book can get rather violent, whether explicitly and graphically, or more indirectly through reported action, so restraining Batman, in that sense, is a welcome decision.
Interestingly, the Batman Incorporated schtick is mostly dropped in this volume, which is too bad. It never fully developed in Vol. 3, either, but at least it showed some potential. For them to mostly abandon it here makes me think it wasn't well received (either by the DC brass or the public...or both). I don't keep up with comics enough anymore to know if that hunch is correct.
It's also good to see Batman's "no killing" policy challenged without necessarily making it about him turning into a killing machine. The book can get rather violent, whether explicitly and graphically, or more indirectly through reported action, so restraining Batman, in that sense, is a welcome decision.