Robin: Year One

I’ve been a fan of the Year One books since I read the very first one- legendary artist/ writer Frank Miller’s Batman: Year One. This Year One, devoted to the Dark Knight’s original Boy Wonder, Dick Grayson, shares that vintage feel combined with lots of gritty action and dynamic art.

The book doesn’t start with Bruce Wayne going to the circus and witnessing the tragic death of the Flying Grayson’s. Instead, this story starts with an already established Robin. However, his time as partner to the Batman is almost cut short when an early encounter with Two-face almost sends the sidekick to an early grave. Focusing on Grayson’s recovery and a brief suspension of the Batman/ Robin partner, Year One focuses on Robin and his early encounters with the League of Assassins and what will eventually become the minions of Lady Shiva.

By devoting a large portion of the story to Robin’s earliest exploits with the League of Assassins, it really provides more insight into what will make Robin into his own hero as Nightwing. It also opens a door into what the Tim Drake Robin will encounter with Lady Shiva and the Cassandra Cain Batgirl. This is not the Robin you remember growing up with. It’s still Dick Grayson. But instead of “Holy Batboots, Batman!” this Boy Wonder is more edgier, along the lines of the movie version Robin.

 I hated that Robin- I thought Joel Shumaker ruined the Boy Wonder by making the live-action version of Robin cocky, arrogant, and a little crash. Now, as I look back at this storyline and some of the Neal Adams and Denny O’Neal stories of the 70s involving the decaying relationship between a millionaire vigilante and his ward- I  must admit, Shumaker wasn’t off in how he had actor Chris O’Donnell play Robin. I never thought I’d say it, but Shumaker actually got something in the Batman movies right!

Lastly, the art was beautiful. It looks a lot like Miller’s Year One art but with a slightly more nostalgic bent. I kept thinking the art was by the fantastic Darwyn Cooke. I ever kept checking the front cover but it said “Art by Scott Beatty.”  Guess, I am going to have to look more into works by this Scott Beatty because I loved it!

Worth Consuming.

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.