Bats

Bats
If only this had Damien Alfred Cass and Steph

Wednesday, April 7, 2010

Batman and Robin; Red Robin


OK So it's been a while since I've been reviewing so here it is for Red Robin #11 and Batman and Robin #11

Red Robin:
So Tim, Prudence, and Steph are still fighting the seven men of death. They manage to escape taking one of the league hostage. Meanwhile Vicki and Tam are trying to outrun the assassin who's trying to kill Vicki. Then we go back to Tim who sent Steph off to protect Oracle. Red Robin and Prudence are on a roof top interrogating their hostage. He let's them know that Ra's wants Tim to know who's he after. "The butler. The cop and his daughter. the first love. the Whore thief. the son. the doctor. the replacement. the reporter. the steward. the girl apprentice."

Batman and Robin arrive. Batman tries getting information from Tim. Damian is about to insult Stephanie when he recognizes Prudence and goes to attack her. Tim handles him.

Then we see Hush going in to see an attorney, at Ra's orders. Then back to Tam and Vicki. Tam begs an assassin to not kill her as Vicki knocks him out with a shovel. Vicki tries getting Tim's secrets out and Tam says the first thing out of her mind which happens to be "We're engaged" Another assassin arrives as well as
Batgirl who handles him easily. She asks Tam if what she heard her say was true.

We go back to Batman, Robin, Red Robin, and Pru. Tim's talking to himself and Batman and Tim have a little moment. Tim leaves to find Lucius Fox telling them to stay alive.

Then we see exactly who's being targeted: Damian, Dick, Babs, Alfred, Julie Madison, Stephanie, Vicki, Lucius, Selina, and Jim Gordon.

Ra's talks to a hooded girl asking him about Red Robin. he replies with "What now you asked? That is up to young Timothy Drake

I really loved this issue. Tim really has grown as a character IMO. This storyline definitely gets my approval. I'm not too sure about Tam Fox though. I was glad to see the bond between Tim and Dick as well as Damian's... Oh what's the word I'm looking for? Well yeah. The hooded girl really caught my attention. Is it Cass? But it most likely isn't. Ra's is out to kill everyone Bruce ever loved, didn't Cass love them as well? As for the hit list, pretty interesting. I wonder what Bruce would of been thinking. I know Ra's tried killing Damian before, but he's still family. Does it not affect him at all?

Batman and Robin:
So in Mexico, El Penitente is fresh off whipping himself. Of course, El Penitente is spanish for The Penitent One, one who punishes them self. So he's getting dressed, while asking a father to bless him so he will be clean, so Christ will protect him. Outside, DEA agents are raiding El Penitente's home, shooting his henchmen. He walks through the gunfire, not very concerned at the shots, even as the priest gets killed. We now see his face, while not confirmed, he definitely appears to be Dr. Hurt, as he says the mask of El Penitente has served it's purpose, and it's time to go home to Gotham.

Dick is still in the secret cave, examining the painting on the wall, which appears to be new within a year. He's tell Alfred he's going to step on the bat symbol in the middle of the floor, which revels a door, but Alfred tells him to proceed with caution as he takes note of a commotion taking place in the Wayne Cemetery.

In the cemetery, Oberon and Damian are being confronted by El
Penitente's men. They introduce themselves, and attack, which Oberon takes them all down, except one. Damian, still not entirely in control of his actions attack the remaining one, still worried that something is wrong with him.

Talia is now shown, wearing some kind of helmet contraption to which a team of doctors are using to link Damian's spine with Talia's movements. She begins to mention that this was just a demonstration, and the an old enemy of Dick's should administer the "Death Stroke," as a shadowy man in the back replies.

Alfred is still com-linked to Dick, and tells him about the scuffle going on inside the cemetery. Dick is now in some kind of underground railroad, no joke. He notes that Bruce must have known about all theses passages, especially after the earthquake. Alfred says that not all of the mansion suffered severe damage, but that he needs to intervene on the cemetery quickly. Dick discovers a large half man-half bat statue, which Alfred points out is called
Barbatos, which is the name of the creature supposedly summoned by Thomas Wayne in 1765. Alfred begins to lose his connection though, as something is blocking out the signal. Dick finds a gate, and goes in...

Back in the cemetery, the henchmen are quoting things from some sort of mythology, particularly,
Barbatos. Oberon takes the main one down again, and Damian begins to notice something peculiar about Mr. Sexton. Damian notes that Oberon claims to be a writer from England, but says that Talia's headquarters are in England, which means that Damian is quite familiar with accents. He says that Oberon's is fake, and is not who he says he is. He asks a question that we've all been wondering: Are you Bruce Wayne? Oberon doesn't respond, only saying that he's there to investigate the Domino Killer. But Damian won't give. "Who are you?" Again deflecting, Oberon asks for help opening this vault, saying that the henchmen are looking for something long buried inside of it.

Talia is still watching, and now has the shadowy man from before connected to the machine controlling Damian, which he then uses to attack Mr. Sexton.

Suddenly, Dick explodes from the vault, his costume in rags, while exclaiming that he found "it." Damian begins to attack Dick, all while asking for help realizing that his mother is controlling him.

The last scene is Slade Wilson shown connected to Talia's machine, controlling Damian, and asking for permission to terminate Dick.

So there it is. This has been so intriguing. I really can't wait a whole month.

Now I have read some theories about Oberon Sexton being Bruce/ Joker. I kinda disagree, I mean Dick has encountered Oberon as well as Damian. Wouldn't you recognize your own father? As for the Joker, wouldn't Dick be at least a bit worried about Damian being alone with him?

And what about the guys they were fighting? The "Dog of Hell" kept saying
Barbatos. What's that about? I know the cave and the demon stuff is the whole theme in the secret cave Dick's been finding but what's that all about. Where's the connection?

I know this is probably not a possibility, but how interesting would it be for Jason to be one of the mystery persons? Think about it.

As for Deathstroke trying to kill Dick via Damian, It was pretty shocking. Good idea. Morrison really is brilliance. Talia really is a little bitch. I'm thinking Oberon Sexton is not really as obvious as everyone thinks. Maybe it's someone that has been introduced, but in so much detail.