Batman and Robin #8 Review

Written by Grant Morrison; Art and Variant covers by Cameron Stewart; Covers by Frank Quitely

BATMAN AND ROBIN double-ships in February with part 2 and 3 of “Blackest Knight” guest-starring Batwoman, Knight and Squire! Only months into his new role as Batman, Dick Grayson faces perhaps the biggest threat of his life. In hopes of attaining his heart’s desire, has Dick instead unleashed a terror the likes of which the world has never seen? Meanwhile, back in Gotham City, Alfred and a recuperating Robin are at the mercy of someone both fearsome and familiar…

Batman and Robin issue 8 is a MUST pick up if you want to learn who or where the Batman/ Bruce Wayne corpse came from.  Grant Morrison doesn’t disappointed in this issue at all. Although their are more questions then answers in the issue.

Minor Spoilers…..

The issue starts off with a flashback of how Batwoman got involved in Dick’s mission  in England, then were back in the present with a raging Batman rising from the Lazarus pit. The crazy Batman takes out Dick with one punch and attack Batwoman, Knight and Square afterwards.  Everyone then realizes its not Bruce Wayne, because crazy Batman is trying to kill them. Grant Morrison writes another flashback that explains who is this Batman. I won’t reveal in my review, but it is a Final Crisis tie-in, and after learning who is the dead corpse Batman, I felt very dumb not realizing the answer was right in front of me in Final Crisis issue 5, 6, and Batman issue 682, and 683 the entire time. The fight between Batman vs Batman is very entertaining.

Cameron Stewart’s does a great job drawing  the fight scenes in each panel of Batman vs Batman. Both Batmen knows what each other is going to do next as they fight in hand to hand combat. Crazy Batman does escapes from the underground Lazarus pit, while Dick, Kate, Knight and Square are trap because of an explosion caused by one of Knight and Squire enemies from England. We learn that it was a set up for Grayson to resurrect Batman’s corpses. Alfred discovers Batman’s corpse is missing from the tomb below Wayne Tower. Alfred’s very disappointed that Dick listen to what Jason Todd said to him in the conclusion of the Red Hood storyline. Damien’s pissed that he has to take it easy for awhile according to his doctor after he return to Alfred’s care.  Damien and Alfred gets a surprise visit from crazy Batman, after they learn what Dick attended to do with the Batman’s corpse.

The story will be satisfying for Batman readers, but if you are enjoying Greg Rucka’s Batwoman in Detective Comics, then you won’t like how Kate Kane is being used in Grant Morrison Blackest Knight storyline.  Batman and Robin is the definitive title to follow for all things Bruce Wayne now until he returns. Batman and Robin issue 1 through 6 have been good but Grant Morrison’s Blackest Knight storyline or Batman and Robin issue 7 and up will most likely  be moving forward to the Bruce Wayne saga/ storyline in the future. No complains about Cameron’s Stuart’s art. He’s done a great job drawing the title, and he still give that Frank Quitley style of art work in his second issue of his title run in Batman and Robin.

The Conclusion to Batman and Robin: Blackest Knight comes out Febuary 24th 2010