Date: July 8, 2008
 Price: $24.99
 Writer: Frank Miller
 Artists: Jim Lee and cover by Scott Williams

Synopsis: One of the most talked-about Batman stories ever - conceived by modern master Frank Miller (BATMAN: YEAR ONE, THE DARK KNIGHT RETURNS) and artists extraordinaire Jim Lee and Scott Williams (BATMAN, SUPERMAN) - is collected in hardcover for the first time! Lee and Miller join forces to tell a new version of Dick Grayson’s origin in a high-octane tale that unfolds with guest appearances by Superman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, Black Canary, and more! This volume collects issues #1-9 of the acclaimed series.

Opinion: (Originally published on my blog, What Is Techno Again?)

All-Star Batman & Robin, the Boy Wonder Volume 1 (which collects issues 1-9) is written by Frank Miller and the art is by my absolute favorite comic book artist, Jim Lee.

Basically, All-Star B&R is a retelling (following the tradition of DC All Star books) of the Dynamic Duo: Batman and Robin. As the comic progresses, we see other familiar characters-like what is an early Justice League (with Superman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, and Plastic Man) as well as Huntress and Black Canary-come into play and form varying and intriguing relationships with the Dark Knight. The comic succeeds in that it’s fresh and interesting—and honestly, it’s hilarious.

This new series has both pros and cons. And one shortcoming is Batman’s lack of vocabulary—or just swear words. He uses goddamn a LOT. It’s not just him, though. A lot of characters use it when talking about him, but Batman clearly holds the, err, goddamn record. Believe me, it gets old really fast.

But there are pros to Batman’s asshole nature in this series. Okay, to explain, comic fans know that Frank Miller has a (sometimes annoying) reputation for writing “tough ass” stuff. Don’t get me wrong, Miller has written some fantastic pieces. This guy wrote Batman: Year One and The Dark Knight Returns, for example-the latter being the graphic novel that turned Batman back into a dark (and thus more interesting and true) character again. And just like then, this interpretation of Batman gives something back.

Some comic book explanations for things are either ridiculous or boring: for example, the issue of how Robin got his name. There’s the bird route, there’s the whole Robin Hood thing, and then there’s the worst: something like “My mom said I was always bobbin’ around the house so she called me Robin” (LOL, yeah, I’m serious). How it’s explained in All-Star B&R is refreshing—and like it or not, it’s possible because of this very “tough ass” version of Bats.

In a nutshell, Batman returns to the Batcave, having told Dick Grayson before he left to come up with a costume so he could have a secret identity. Dick explains about Robin Hood, but then things go in a new direction.

“Call me Hood. My dad was always making me watch some old movie about Robin Hood. That’s why I became an archer. So call me Hood.”

“Hood, huh?” Batman says, unimpressed. “Do you know what any thug with half a brain would do with that hood?”

He pulls the hood down over Dick’s eyes. “Lose the hood. You’re Robin.”

That’s only one of many gems in All-Star B&R. What is more, things really picked up with the last issue (#9) in the trade, which featured Batman and Robin against Green Lantern (Hal Jordan), who came to try to talk sense into Batman about his ruthless ways. This issue is golden (uh, both literally and figuratively), and the ending is heartbreaking.

Actually, because of how All-Star B&R #9 plays out, I’m hoping Frank Miller has something up his sleeve and that he’s going to give Batman some character development—and have him change into a human and sympathetic hero.

Right now, the series is very controversially received because of its unconventional portrayal of Batman; a lot of fans are turned off by it just because of that. Hell, I am, I’ll admit it. It’s tiresome. Batman’s not meant to be an insane, cold, misanthropic character—and if Frank Miller continues to present him this way without any deviations, this story is going to fall flat on its face.

At any rate, this is an excellent read. The art is fantastic (although what the hell is up with those weird alternate covers, yuck—NOT by Jim Lee, fyi), and this retelling of the Batman mythos is really enjoyable. Just remember to keep in mind that this isn’t the true Batman, and then have fun with it.

I’m excited to see where this series goes, although I have no idea when the next issue comes out. It’s been delayed for months because of Frank Miller’s busy schedule (with working on The Spirit movie adaptation and all), and Jim Lee’s not exactly a fast worker (but the results are no doubt worth it). #10 was supposed to come out sometime this month, but I don’t see it listed anywhere on the DC website.

Anyway, despite its delays and minor problems, I definitely say pick this trade up (just make sure you find it somewhere with a decent price, like on Amazon). Frank Miller has something that’s original and wields priceless potential, and I hope he takes advantage of that-because the end result could be one of the most touching, interesting, and revolutionary Batman stories out there: a classic in its own right.

“We mourn lives lost. Including our own.” - Batman

// Remember! You do not have to register in order to post comments!