A new day has dawned in the House of Wayne. Bruce and Damian have had quite the stretch run of cases. With an unlikely night off, the plan is family bonding. There is one small problem with this idea.
This is Gotham City we are talking about.
A stranger has arrived in town and has the Penguin in his sights. That’s not the only new visitor to the world of Batman.
BATMAN AND ROBIN #25 by Phillip Kennedy Johnson, Fico Ossio, Marcelo Maiolo, and Steve Wands welcomes in a brand new art team to the series.
Let’s take a closer look at how this new arc begins!
BATMAN AND ROBIN #25 by Phillip Kennedy Johnson, Fico Ossio, Marcelo Maiolo, and Steve Wands (DC Comics)
*** POSSIBLE SPOILER WARNING ***
Johnson takes readers into on a journey of reclamation with this chapter. The opening pages introduce a man with a sense of purpose. He is searching for a hidden box. Inside is belongings of a past life. It teases a return to an old life. The dialogue carries pain with its words. Considering where he is heading, the man knows this feeling all too well.
As for the dynamic duo, their usual business runs stat quo. After taking out Tiger Shark, the mood changes to a more grounded sense. Batman transitions to Bruce Wayne. The writing shows how Bruce wants to give Damian a “normal” life. It is a very big switch from their normal days. Readers watch as Wayne is committed to make this happen. Knowing how they have been strained over the course of the series, it is a big task.
Much can be felt in the “Quiet Man”s moves. Readers watch as he makes a play with grave consequences. Taking a fight right to Gotham’s head crime boss is a gamble. The writing paces out the attack to showcase the desperate attempt. It conveys a feel of redemption. This builds into the closing act. Readers watch as a night off may just have gone up in smoke.
Ossio & Maiolo take over art duties with a mighty debut. The introduction to the “Quiet Man” carries a silent aura. It is a monster contrast from Gotham City. The action is flying off the page with Batman & Robin going to work. A near full page panel welcomes the Dark Knight into the middle of a fire fight. Every scene feels big and loud. THIS is what you want to see when the duo is at work!
Readers also see the Boy Wonder get major page time. Damian’s motorcycle work doesn’t disappoint. It leads to a fantastic full page image ending the fight. The aftermath gives a needed pause after the fast pacing. It shows the father and son having a time of bonding. In comparison to the Quiet Man, their night is a snooze fest. The art builds up every move until the explosive confrontation. It is non stop combat right to the final panel. Once here, the message is loud and clear. It screams “No quiet night in Gotham for the heroes” as the action continues to flow.
OVERALL GRADE: 9.2
No good deeds got unpunished for the Dynamic Duo. Johnson throws many looks into the pair’s relationship via the writing. Ossio & Maiolo deliver in electric action sequences that never let up. Readers better buckle in for the long haul with this new arc.
Let me know your thoughts on Batman and Robin #25 in the comments below. Thanks for reading!