Robin War #2

The last issue. Yay.

SPOILERS AHEAD


For some reason we're introduced to ANOTHER Robin wannabe named Taylor who seems to have given up the mantle. Because he doesn't feel he can measure up. Back to the so-bad-I-can't-believe-I'm-reading-it section Jason and Tim asks Damian what the hell he's doing. B.S. is given that the characters treat like a sound plan. It's not, it's incredibly stupid. Dick sees what his selfish idiotic behavior has done. Gee, it's almost like the kid that (this event wrote) needed Dick to watch him so he doesn't do anything stupid shouldn't have been abandoned so Dick can go solo.

Damian turned because last moment plot came up. Taylor and the other Robins argue over whether they should help. Major B.S. with Damian happens. The Owls give more B.S. To Dick. Clichéd bit with wannabe Robins looking better than official more experienced Robins. I'm already ignoring that bit. Dick pulls "we're family so you can't be mad at me" crap to avoid family conflict like I knew he would. Despite Dick doing all the things he promised not to and not being the least bit remorseful. Predictable ending that I don't give a damn about, Dick brought this on himself for being a dumbass.




Overall: For some ridiculous reason Taylor remembers Tim and Jasons' speech differently with them both basically saying "this is too tough for you amateurs now leave before you get killed." The actual talk they gave was just to tell the WAR group that they weren't ready and they would train them later. This late addition to the plot is entirely unneeded especially when it could have been done for one of the actual WAR members. Or actually making some of the characters likable.

I had to put the book down when the idiotic Owl-Damian bit came. First of all DUKE is the one to figure this nonsense out? Wouldn't it make more sense for one of the much more experienced Robins that know Damian better? HOW did Duke figure it out? Seriously, I'd like to know. The Court locked them all up and never gave any indication that they wanted any of the Robins to join them. In fact the first thing they did was stage a death match with the most experienced ones. The Robins suspected Dick was the one the COO wanted and even if they wanted more to join them why would they only settle on one?! It makes no sense and it pisses me off that Damians' plan is treated like a logical conclusion. I think we're supposed to be impressed with Damian but I feel the complete opposite.

This is a kid that has been working towards his own redemption and that's highly skilled. Instead of finding a way to stop them working with his allies he just tosses everything away because this is such a hopeless situation? He's been in worse spots without rolling over! Duke talking to Damian does not feel right. His talk sounds like one either Tim/Jason should say instead of a newbie. My suspension of disbelief can only go so far with Damian. We're supposed to believe Jason, Tim and him struggled with three Talons but Damian can take on more than that by himself without getting maimed.

Now I admit threatening Bruce is a good way to get Damians' compliance but it's sloppily written. For reasons I stated in other reviews and the fact Damian going there last minute--alone--was incredibly stupid. The last issue addition of the Elite Talons feels like it was an idea that just came up while DC was rushing the story along. Previously Cobb was supposed to be the best Talon but now they have über super duper Talons that can kill more people because the plot demands it.

The biggest insult has to be DAMIAN, the kid that both Jason and Tim defeated in the past knocks them both out. That is the biggest bullshit of it all. Tim wiped the floor with Damian whenever he tried fighting back or wasn't caught off guard. Morrison, who's Damians' creator, had Jason knock Damian away as if he was nothing. Jason, who managed to fight Bruce one on one while holding back. It's been apparent throughout this event that Dick and Damian are the only official Robins these writers care about and this is a neon sign. I had to put the book down again through this humiliating and very bias writing. Several times.

How the hell did Damian become Cassandra Cain?! Because he shouldn't be this good. Forgetting the fact a ten year old doesn't have the strength to do most of the stuff he does he doesn't even have more than what--a 5, 4 or less years of training since he was aged grown in this canon?  Would you let Bruce or Dick lose to Damian? Because it's just as insulting.

The introducing text boxes remain highly annoying as they spell out the writers' opinions that we're supposed to take for gospel. Notice how Tim and Jason don't get their own and have to share the Robins box with the WAR crew? A sure fire way to show their importance. How Dick is said to be the one who started it and will finish it...even though him screwing up is why things are so bad? I truly hate these boxes. Speaking of Dick this is all Alfred and his fault. Alfred should have called all the kids and told them to back off until the heat was off. Dick shouldn't have been stupid enough to put everyone in jail and leave Bruce unguarded when he suspects foul play! No pun intended, because the bird mentions are already heavy in this book.

"I'm not an Owl. Robin's not an Owl." Think about that line for awhile because I don't think I should have to explain why it's bad.

So you're telling me that Dick can take on a guy that almost killed Bruce like it was nothing? I guess March doesn't think Bruce matters because he threatens to kill Damian. So are we supposed to believe the COO regularly opened his coffin to ask if he had a great ideas ? The plot holes are quickly brushed aside and we're not supposed to question it? There are things that could have gone wrong with this plan. If the robber was a Talon then did no one question the fact the body was odd or missing? Why didn't the COO get a Talon in training or a shapeshifter to be the Robin? No one knew who the Robin was. And the real kicker? All of it was to use one of the Robin as leverage over Dick when all they needed to do was scare Damian (via Bruce) and threaten to blow him up. NOTHING ELSE WAS NEEDED.

Or Dick could call Talia, the JLA, anyone and stop it.

The "twist" was something I saw coming from miles away so it wasn't a surprise. Nor was the fact Dick gets away with his shitty behavior and once again keeps secrets from them. Sometimes I give comics I don't like to my sister and brother-in-law which they like because their not as into comic lore as I am. I am not giving this to them. I remember seeing reviewers burning bad comics and I finally have some comics that make the idea appealing. Jason and Tim were wasted for most of this for the newbies to give a talk because apparently Damian rather hear what they say than any official Robin that isn't Dick. I might write more in a review covering all of the event but to sum up it sucks and fails to show what's great about the Robin legacy.





Did You Notice?: For some reason Robin (Dick) fought in shorts in this canon even though that's not his costume design?

Once again everyone forgets Jason wears a fucking helmet and wouldn't be knocked out like that by a ten year old.


Say What?: March says Damian came to him when the rest of the Robins were defending the city. I literally read every issue in this event so when the hell did this happen? Because all they did was fight Talons and a cop on their way to take on the COO. They were all after them and no one was being protected.

Dick says he did all that just to get evidence? Yes because Batman always locked up the Robins when he was looking for proof. Oh wait--no he didn't!

The claim the name Nightwing has a connection to Owl while admitting it came from Superman was a really dumb moment. It would be like mentioning the fact Red Hood is based on the gang Joker has a connection to but it sounds like a red car hood, so clearly Jason wants to start an auto shop.

The repeated cry of being a Robin got really annoying real fast. I don't want to reads these again but I'm pretty sure neither Tim nor Jason cried that. Gee, it's almost like they were being marginalized in favor of other characters.