All-Star Batman and Robin, the Boy Wonder: Frank Miller & Jim Lee

Excerpt:

The talents responsible for some of Batman's greatest tales team up for the first time to bring readers Batman and Robin like they've never seen before, in this reinvention of these classic characters.

My Review:

A rendition of Robin's origin story, done by the artistic talents of Jim Lee and the thoughtful, but somewhat unique writing of Frank Miller, appears in All-Star Batman and Robin. This book is quite straightforward as it explains the origin of Robin and the trauma he has experienced after his parents died while performing with the circus and how Batman watches him as he witnesses the suffering he has endured, having witnessed it himself as a child. Furthermore, Batman forces him to undergo a maturing and aggressive process to deal with upcoming difficulties in his own life, as well as to become a highly trained crime partner and pursue justice for the death of his parents.

Later in the story, Batman finds the murderer and takes on his primal form and disrupts the laws of the GCPD, drawing attention from his fellow justice league members (Superman, Wonder Woman, and Green Lantern). Additionally, we see Batgirl (Barbara Gordon) in action as she battles local thugs while keeping Gotham safe from the chaos. We also see a new perspective on her relationship with Batman, which becomes quite emotional by the end of issue #7.

This story centres around the relationship between Batman and Robin, as he protects Robin from the situation and teaches him about what it means to fight in a world that is brutal, and for him to deal with his own loss of a parent by battling crime every night. A final scene concludes the book with Batman and Green Lantern fighting, and Robin is the one who does the most damage to Green Lantern with his acrobatic skills, batman's training and the trust and reliability he has acquired made him his best crime-fighting partner.

Final Verdict: Ultimately, I enjoyed the graphic novel, but I was not surprised by negative criticism from the fans. This is a good read for anyone who is interested in jumping into a great Batman and Robin storyline, plus wonderful artwork from Jim Lee that is completely exceptional in every way. I recommend that you try it, and do not let poor reviews or comments about the book deter you from reading it.

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