Devoid of the line-wide event shenanigans of DC K.O., Philip Kennedy Johnson and Fico Ossio keep Batman and Robin #29 grounded in father-son drama and gang conflicts in Gotham. It’s a self-contained package that shines even with a series cancellation on the horizon.
The Quiet Man and the Shadow of Scarface
In the wake of the Quiet Man’s capture and the re-emergence of Scarface, Batman and Robin try to piece together the missing pieces of a looming gang war and how it connects to one man’s quest for revenge. The duo breaks into Blackgate Penitentiary, revealing to him that he’s merely been a pawn in Scarface’s game, a dog let loose to distract his enemies. Though Bruce criticizes his lethal mission, the Quiet Man throws it back in his face, asking, “What do you know about what losing family does to a man?” It’s this question that fuels this entire arc. As Scarface sets up for his big show of power against the Penguin, Robin defends the Quiet Man against Bruce’s judgment in the pouring rain, pointing out how this new villain is not all that different from the two of them.
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Phillip Kennedy Johnson Masters the Bruce and Damian Dynamic
Philip Kennedy Johnson continues to impress on this series. Even though Bruce and Damian are often at odds, they never feel like they’re outright opponents or in constant conflict. It feels less like fighting and more like a father and son talking through the often hazy morality of what they do and the line they draw. The character work is really what makes this arc shine: the plot and villain often feel like more of a backdrop.
The Quiet Man makes for an overall underwhelming foil to Bruce and definitely falls by the wayside far more than Memento, the villain of PKJ’s first arc, and it does feel like the stakes are your standard gang-war affair. None of these are necessarily massive issues with the book, as it feels like it knows what it is and where its strengths lie.
Fico Ossio and Marcelo Maiolo Deliver Stunning Visuals
Speaking of strengths, the art in this book will be the biggest loss when the series concludes. Fico Ossio on art with Marcelo Maiolo on colors makes for a killer combination. In particular, the emotional confrontation between Damian and Bruce really hits like a truck with the way texture and light interact with the weighty drops of rain. Lighting as a whole throughout this run has been the star of the show, with blinding headlights and streetlamps beautifully contrasting with the shadows the dynamic duo often finds itself in. The letters from Steve Wands are clear and never get in the way of this art, doing exactly what it needs to on every page. Even though DC lost PKJ to a Marvel exclusivity contract, here’s to hoping this art team sticks around.
Final Thoughts: A High Note for the Dynamic Duo
Batman and Robin #29 has a lot working against it. It’s a fairly small-scale story in a series that is rapidly approaching its final issue, and yet in spite of that, it’s the best the dynamic duo has been in a while. With fantastic art and great character work, it’ll be a shame to see the series go.
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‘Batman and Robin’ #29 | Father-Son Drama Shines Amidst Gotham’s Gang War
Batman and Robin #29 has a lot working against it. It’s a fairly small-scale story in a series that is rapidly approaching its final issue, and yet in spite of that, it’s the best the dynamic duo has been in a while. With fantastic art and great character work, it’ll be a shame to see the series go.
