Batman and Robin #10 Review

Batman and Robin #10

Batman and Robin issue 10 and future Batman and Robin issues are a must pick up. If readers plan to pick up ” The Return of Bruce Wayne,” mini series, then readers are gonna have to follow the Batman and Robin title to get a better understanding of how Bruce Wayne returns to his present time.   Batman vs Robin part one provides many surprising clues and an idea of how Grant Morrison’s ” The Return of Bruce Wayne,” mini series will tie into his Batman and Robin title.

In the beginning of the issue we see  Batman and Oberon Sexton sharing their information on the Domino Killer, and his connection to some wealthy people who were murdered or have disappeared around the world. If you have read Batman RIP then you will know who those missing and murdered people are. Readers will know for a fact Sexton isn’t sharing everything with Batman. (SPOILERS) Alfred calls Dick and Damien to return to Wayne Manor, because Alfred has discovered a clue that Bruce might have sent messages from the past inside Wayne Manor. Alfred explains that Wayne Manor has been here for over 200 years and the Batcave  has been here since the Stone Age.  Alfred then explains that he put up the Wayne  portraits in order from different eras in time that have lived in Wayne Manor, because it looks like they’re telling a story, and each portrait has a clue in it.  Those scenes or panels alone in the issue clearly hint that Morrison’s “The Return of Bruce Wayne,” mini series will connect to his Batman and Robin title somehow at some point later this year. Batman and Robin search all over Wayne Manor for clues, messages, or anything out of place, while Alfred does research on Wayne Manor and the Wayne family in the Batmobile. There’s a clue to Dr Hurt’s possible true identity in the issue. Oberon Sexton is revealed to have a deal in place to kill Batman, but fails to do so because he chose not to. In my opinion, I think it might be Bruce Wayne all along because he’s not only a detective, and he’s hinted to have  extraordinary instinct. Even Dick brings up that Oberon Sexton seems very familiar in the beginning of the issue. But then again it could be a red herring set by Grant Morrison.

The best thing I liked about the issue is, once again, Damien. Dick and Damien’s discussion about what their future holds once Bruce has return is interesting. Damien is shown as having attachment to the Robin mantel and is worried about giving it up, if and when Bruce returns at some point. (SPOILERS) The issue does show flashbacks of Damien refusing to listen or being manipulates by anything Talia Al Ghul tells him. Their scene shows that Damien is trying hard to be a good guy and not a villain in Batman’s world, and he does look up to Grayson and admits that he’s doing a good job as Batman. Like in previous issues, Damien is developing into a very good character since the ” Batman and Son” storyline. Towards the end of the issue, something happens to Damien most likely caused by Talia wherein he almost kills Dick while he’s busy searching for clues in Wayne Manor. Damien is shocked to learn that his mother did something to him, and he quickly runs away from Grayson and Wayne Manor before he kills someone.  The issue ends with Dick discovering a demonic Batcave beneath Wayne Manor, and Alfred discovering something centered in the Wayne Cemetery outside. I’m not going to say what Alfred discovers but it’s something important that leads into the next issue. Issue ten leaves readers in a cliffhanger with Damien running in the cemetery and is quickly grabbed by Oberon Sexton who is hiding around the Cemetery and tells Damien he’s here to help.

Andy Clarke’s art is colorful and beautiful like other previous artist other than Philip Tan. I didn’t see any of Andy Clarke’s art in Batman Confidential but it is an upgrade from what I have seen in Detective Comics when Paul Dini was the writer for the title a few years ago. This single issue may be the best issue Grant Morrison has written yet in his Batman run. This issue will surprise many comic book readers and get some readers hyped up for Grant Morrison’s “The Return of Bruce Wayne”  storyline which comes out next month.   The Return of Bruce Wayne begins in Batman and Robin issue 10. Go pick up the issue;  its’ worth the $2.99 price tag.