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Batman and Robin (2009) (Collected Editions) #1-3
Absolute Batman & Robin: Batman Reborn
DC Comics Absolute Editions set the standard for the highest quality, most in-depth presentation of classic graphic novels. Each oversized volume is presented in a slipcase and includes unique additional material making each Absolute Edition a cornerstone of any serious comic collection.
Set in the wake of Bruce Wayne's passing, a new Dynamic Duo, made up of Dick Grayson and Batman's son Damian, hits the streets to investigate Bruce's mysterious death. Absolute Batman & Robin: Batman Reborn features the Eisner Award-winning team of Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely(All-Star Superman), as well as the brilliant artwork of Frazer Irving, Phillip Tan and Cameron Stewart. This Absolute volume has character sketches, a cover gallery and artist and writer commentary.
Collecting: Batman & Robin 1-16 & Batman: The Return
Set in the wake of Bruce Wayne's passing, a new Dynamic Duo, made up of Dick Grayson and Batman's son Damian, hits the streets to investigate Bruce's mysterious death. Absolute Batman & Robin: Batman Reborn features the Eisner Award-winning team of Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely(All-Star Superman), as well as the brilliant artwork of Frazer Irving, Phillip Tan and Cameron Stewart. This Absolute volume has character sketches, a cover gallery and artist and writer commentary.
Collecting: Batman & Robin 1-16 & Batman: The Return
488 pages, Hardcover
First published January 13, 2013
3 people are currently reading
385 people want to read
About the author
Grant Morrison
1,791 books4,570 followersGrant Morrison has been working with DC Comics for twenty five years, after beginning their American comics career with acclaimed runs on ANIMAL MAN and DOOM PATROL. Since then they have written such best-selling series as JLA, BATMAN and New X-Men, as well as such creator-owned works as THE INVISIBLES, SEAGUY, THE FILTH, WE3 and JOE THE BARBARIAN. In addition to expanding the DC Universe through titles ranging from the Eisner Award-winning SEVEN SOLDIERS and ALL-STAR SUPERMAN to the reality-shattering epic of FINAL CRISIS, they have also reinvented the worlds of the Dark Knight Detective in BATMAN AND ROBIN and BATMAN, INCORPORATED and the Man of Steel in The New 52 ACTION COMICS.
In their secret identity, Morrison is a "counterculture" spokesperson, a musician, an award-winning playwright and a chaos magician. They are also the author of the New York Times bestseller Supergods, a groundbreaking psycho-historic mapping of the superhero as a cultural organism. They divide their time between their homes in Los Angeles and Scotland.
In their secret identity, Morrison is a "counterculture" spokesperson, a musician, an award-winning playwright and a chaos magician. They are also the author of the New York Times bestseller Supergods, a groundbreaking psycho-historic mapping of the superhero as a cultural organism. They divide their time between their homes in Los Angeles and Scotland.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews
March 17, 2016
I'm done pretending I understand what Grant Morrison is doing most of the time.
When Grant Morrison is awesome, he's awesome.
The rest of the time, I'm confused as hell.
At the outset of this, Bruce Wayne is dead. Then, at the end, he's not.
How does this happen?
Well, you don't really find out in this volume. All you really know is someone is leaving weird clues and shit in the batcave. And there are pictures of History's Greatest Waynes that keep changing or something. There's Pilgrim Wayne, who looks like Bruce Wayne with a dumb hat. There's foppish Wayne, who looks like Bruce Wayne but more dandy.
And then Bruce Wayne's just kind of back and whatever.
I had to look online to find out what the fuck happened, and it's basically Superman Time and Again, but it's Batman. Batman gets shot back in time and has to punch time in its stupid face over and over until he's back where he belongs.
It's all very confusing, and I don't really get it, and I don't care.
The parts where Damian Wayne, Bruce's son, and Dick Grayson are Batman and Robin are okay, but this whole Professor Pyg thing feels very shock value. The dude is crucified upside-down with barbed wire all over, and this is apparently how he came up with the idea of releasing a virus on everybody? I don't...okay.
Whatever. Maybe I'm just dumb. Or maybe I don't love this character enough to be joyful when a single-panel reference to something from 1968 happens. Whatever. Let's just call it my fault and move on.
When Grant Morrison is awesome, he's awesome.
The rest of the time, I'm confused as hell.
At the outset of this, Bruce Wayne is dead. Then, at the end, he's not.
How does this happen?
Well, you don't really find out in this volume. All you really know is someone is leaving weird clues and shit in the batcave. And there are pictures of History's Greatest Waynes that keep changing or something. There's Pilgrim Wayne, who looks like Bruce Wayne with a dumb hat. There's foppish Wayne, who looks like Bruce Wayne but more dandy.
And then Bruce Wayne's just kind of back and whatever.
I had to look online to find out what the fuck happened, and it's basically Superman Time and Again, but it's Batman. Batman gets shot back in time and has to punch time in its stupid face over and over until he's back where he belongs.
It's all very confusing, and I don't really get it, and I don't care.
The parts where Damian Wayne, Bruce's son, and Dick Grayson are Batman and Robin are okay, but this whole Professor Pyg thing feels very shock value. The dude is crucified upside-down with barbed wire all over, and this is apparently how he came up with the idea of releasing a virus on everybody? I don't...okay.
Whatever. Maybe I'm just dumb. Or maybe I don't love this character enough to be joyful when a single-panel reference to something from 1968 happens. Whatever. Let's just call it my fault and move on.
January 7, 2023
This was mess.Grant Morrison needs to put their pen down and never pick it up to write Jason.
March 28, 2025
Following the domestic torment of Batman R.I.P. and the apocalyptic terror of Final Crisis, Bruce Wayne is no more, but there still has to be a Batman, and so the original Robin, Dick Grayson, steps away from the mantle of Nightwing and becomes the Dark Knight of Gotham City. And if there is a new Batman, there has to be a new Robin and this is where Bruce’s son Damian takes over that mantle and thus a new Dynamic Duo is born.
Right from the jump, you can tell how different their dynamic is as Dick, who is known for his quips as the original kid sidekick, makes the Dark Knight his own and not trying to imitate the cold and calculated nature of his predecessor. As for Damian, he might be my personal favourite Robin as he is a brooding ten-year-old who is smart, but impulsive and rarely follows orders. And yet throughout the course of this run, we see Damian learning to embrace this life of crime-fighting, much to the reluctance of his mother Talia al Ghul, whilst finding companionship with Batman.
As well as a different Dynamic Duo, you also have a different vibe than we usually expect from the world of Batman, which is often a dark, brooding place that is crime-ridden. From the start of their run, Grant Morrison has evoked aspects of Batman’s history that most people would tend to ignore, particularly the ‘50s and the ‘60s, where psychedelics and pop art were a thing. Morrison has acknowledged the influence of the Adam West-starred TV show towards this title, using a bright colour palette towards the various art-styles, whilst artists like the great Frank Quitely experimenting with the onomatopoeia that, in some way, evoke said show.
As brightly-coloured as this title is, there is also a David Lynchian quality going on, particularly the villains. Although he technically appeared initially in Batman #666, Professor Pyg makes his proper introduction in the first three issues of Batman and Robin as a circus mob boss who has the funding for his scientific experiments with his mind-controlled Dollotrons by selling narcotics to the criminal underworld. With his Circus of Strange (with the emphasis on “strange”), Pyg is all about rambling dialogue, as stated in a memorable dance that establishes his particular brand of mental instability in front of a captured Robin.
In terms of the actual storylines, each of which are three issues long and have their own artist, they do vary in quality, in terms of both art and writing. The first storyline “Batman Reborn”, which is Pyg-centric, is the best one, because you’ve got Morrison collaborated with Frank Quitely, who brings his unconventional, quirky style that is delightful to witness, whilst drawing the covers for all the issues. The worst storyline goes to “Revenge of the Red Hood”, with Philip Tan can be rough around the edges, whilst Morrison tries too hard to put their own spin on Jason Todd, from the costume redesign to his pantomime villainy.
The other storylines ranged from the globe-trotting to the mystery-solving, whilst referencing other stories from Morrison’s run, such as Final Crisis and R.I.P. Each arc feels diverse and this is certainly true with the various art-styles, which can range in quality, from Cameron Stewart’s smooth, cartoony illustrations to Frazer Irving’s awkward computer-driven style. The storylines also nicely set up what is to come, including the not-so-surprising return of the original Dark Knight and the upcoming Batman Incorporated as presented in the last issue (drawn by David Finch) of this Absolute Edition, which basically is the prelude to Incorporated.
As much as Morrison would have liked to have done more issues of Batman and Robin, what we got is a mostly successful revamp of the Dynamic Duo, with a variety of stories and art-styles that think outside the box about what we usually expect from the Caped Crusader.
Right from the jump, you can tell how different their dynamic is as Dick, who is known for his quips as the original kid sidekick, makes the Dark Knight his own and not trying to imitate the cold and calculated nature of his predecessor. As for Damian, he might be my personal favourite Robin as he is a brooding ten-year-old who is smart, but impulsive and rarely follows orders. And yet throughout the course of this run, we see Damian learning to embrace this life of crime-fighting, much to the reluctance of his mother Talia al Ghul, whilst finding companionship with Batman.
As well as a different Dynamic Duo, you also have a different vibe than we usually expect from the world of Batman, which is often a dark, brooding place that is crime-ridden. From the start of their run, Grant Morrison has evoked aspects of Batman’s history that most people would tend to ignore, particularly the ‘50s and the ‘60s, where psychedelics and pop art were a thing. Morrison has acknowledged the influence of the Adam West-starred TV show towards this title, using a bright colour palette towards the various art-styles, whilst artists like the great Frank Quitely experimenting with the onomatopoeia that, in some way, evoke said show.
As brightly-coloured as this title is, there is also a David Lynchian quality going on, particularly the villains. Although he technically appeared initially in Batman #666, Professor Pyg makes his proper introduction in the first three issues of Batman and Robin as a circus mob boss who has the funding for his scientific experiments with his mind-controlled Dollotrons by selling narcotics to the criminal underworld. With his Circus of Strange (with the emphasis on “strange”), Pyg is all about rambling dialogue, as stated in a memorable dance that establishes his particular brand of mental instability in front of a captured Robin.
In terms of the actual storylines, each of which are three issues long and have their own artist, they do vary in quality, in terms of both art and writing. The first storyline “Batman Reborn”, which is Pyg-centric, is the best one, because you’ve got Morrison collaborated with Frank Quitely, who brings his unconventional, quirky style that is delightful to witness, whilst drawing the covers for all the issues. The worst storyline goes to “Revenge of the Red Hood”, with Philip Tan can be rough around the edges, whilst Morrison tries too hard to put their own spin on Jason Todd, from the costume redesign to his pantomime villainy.
The other storylines ranged from the globe-trotting to the mystery-solving, whilst referencing other stories from Morrison’s run, such as Final Crisis and R.I.P. Each arc feels diverse and this is certainly true with the various art-styles, which can range in quality, from Cameron Stewart’s smooth, cartoony illustrations to Frazer Irving’s awkward computer-driven style. The storylines also nicely set up what is to come, including the not-so-surprising return of the original Dark Knight and the upcoming Batman Incorporated as presented in the last issue (drawn by David Finch) of this Absolute Edition, which basically is the prelude to Incorporated.
As much as Morrison would have liked to have done more issues of Batman and Robin, what we got is a mostly successful revamp of the Dynamic Duo, with a variety of stories and art-styles that think outside the box about what we usually expect from the Caped Crusader.
July 4, 2015
I have mixed feelings about this. The book like most Absolutes is well designed and deserves to be in everyone's collection.
The story is great, even if personally Morrison is not the Batman writer I prefer.
The art is, however, very uneven and changes every 3 issues and it seems like every new artist is worse than the previous one.
All the covers are by Frank Quitely which is definitely the top artist of this run and even if he only drew 3 issues out of the 18 contained in this Absolute everything is made to make it looks like this is a Frank Quitely book and it sadly isn't.
Aside from Frank Quitely we get treated to art by half a dozen other artists , the worse being in my personal opinion Frazier Irving. I can get how some like his art, what I can't get is how you can have him step in place of artists with who his art has very little in common and that is my biggest beef here. ( Marvel did the same recently with having Bachalo and irving alternate on Uncanny X-Men and I couldn't stand his art there either).
The story is great, even if personally Morrison is not the Batman writer I prefer.
The art is, however, very uneven and changes every 3 issues and it seems like every new artist is worse than the previous one.
All the covers are by Frank Quitely which is definitely the top artist of this run and even if he only drew 3 issues out of the 18 contained in this Absolute everything is made to make it looks like this is a Frank Quitely book and it sadly isn't.
Aside from Frank Quitely we get treated to art by half a dozen other artists , the worse being in my personal opinion Frazier Irving. I can get how some like his art, what I can't get is how you can have him step in place of artists with who his art has very little in common and that is my biggest beef here. ( Marvel did the same recently with having Bachalo and irving alternate on Uncanny X-Men and I couldn't stand his art there either).
February 3, 2013
OK, having now read most of Morrison's Batman, lots of it in super-swanky awesome hardcover format, I have to declare it an interesting failure.
There were moments when I was completely onboard this book. The middle of the Black Glove story, with JH Williams on art. The first couple issues of this series, with Frank Quitely providing amazing visuals. The first couple issues of Batman Inc.
But ultimately, it's too scattershot. Too many cooks as far as the art is concerned, too many wild ideas, too many crossovers and events intruding, and quite frankly too much weirdness and not enough plot and character. Half the time, I have *no* idea what's going on, or feel like I missed an issue here or there. It's like Morrison has the story in his head, but can't quite convey it to the reader. I suspect the version of the story in his head is much more interesting and cohesive, but it never comes through, and nowhere is that hit-and-miss quality more clear than in this deluxe volume.
The art is gorgeous for the most part, although in terms of storytelling, it's extremely hit and miss. I'm not sorry to have it sitting on my shelf, if only for how beautiful it is as an art object, and Dick Grayson and Damian Wayne are a more interesting Batman & Robin than Bruce and Dick, or Bruce and Tim, but... it's extremely flawed. Too bad.
There were moments when I was completely onboard this book. The middle of the Black Glove story, with JH Williams on art. The first couple issues of this series, with Frank Quitely providing amazing visuals. The first couple issues of Batman Inc.
But ultimately, it's too scattershot. Too many cooks as far as the art is concerned, too many wild ideas, too many crossovers and events intruding, and quite frankly too much weirdness and not enough plot and character. Half the time, I have *no* idea what's going on, or feel like I missed an issue here or there. It's like Morrison has the story in his head, but can't quite convey it to the reader. I suspect the version of the story in his head is much more interesting and cohesive, but it never comes through, and nowhere is that hit-and-miss quality more clear than in this deluxe volume.
The art is gorgeous for the most part, although in terms of storytelling, it's extremely hit and miss. I'm not sorry to have it sitting on my shelf, if only for how beautiful it is as an art object, and Dick Grayson and Damian Wayne are a more interesting Batman & Robin than Bruce and Dick, or Bruce and Tim, but... it's extremely flawed. Too bad.
September 5, 2020
As a self described disliker of Grant Morrison, this collection is the reason I keep reading his stuff.
I love Damian. I love Dick as Batman. I love Professor Pyg and the Dollotrons. And Frank Quitely is just so good!
If you've read this though, you'll know you only get all these things first three or four issues.
Frank does like 80 percent of all the covers, but only 20% of the actual art, which is a shame because his work is so good. The splash pages are some of my favourites. There is some other great art too, but until toward the end with Frazer Irving's heaps stylised stuff, its still more annoying that there's such a lack of consistency in the one collection. Of course all the artists involved are capable
Onto story! The first third of the book is an excellent Batman detective story, running alongside Dick and Damian feeling each other out, and getting used to life without Bruce.
It so features Professor Pyg; one of my favourite modern batman rogues!
The second third starts getting into Morrison's preferred sci fi stuff, and the final one even moreso, and you'll need to have read Morrison's previous Batman run (The Black Glove etc) to really get the most out of it. Even then it suffers from being very Morrison - for me anyway.
I still think its a pretty strong finish though. And that first third is some of my fave Batman. Definitely has me keen to seek out more of the Dick Grayson Bat-Years.
I love Damian. I love Dick as Batman. I love Professor Pyg and the Dollotrons. And Frank Quitely is just so good!
If you've read this though, you'll know you only get all these things first three or four issues.
Frank does like 80 percent of all the covers, but only 20% of the actual art, which is a shame because his work is so good. The splash pages are some of my favourites. There is some other great art too, but until toward the end with Frazer Irving's heaps stylised stuff, its still more annoying that there's such a lack of consistency in the one collection. Of course all the artists involved are capable
Onto story! The first third of the book is an excellent Batman detective story, running alongside Dick and Damian feeling each other out, and getting used to life without Bruce.
It so features Professor Pyg; one of my favourite modern batman rogues!
The second third starts getting into Morrison's preferred sci fi stuff, and the final one even moreso, and you'll need to have read Morrison's previous Batman run (The Black Glove etc) to really get the most out of it. Even then it suffers from being very Morrison - for me anyway.
I still think its a pretty strong finish though. And that first third is some of my fave Batman. Definitely has me keen to seek out more of the Dick Grayson Bat-Years.
January 16, 2022
Agora entendi porque essa HQ é uma das mais aclamadas do run do Morrison com o Batman, é simplesmente incrível como a dinâmica do Batman (Dick) e Robin (Damian) funcionam de maneira fluida. A relação dos 2 perpassa o humor, respeito, compreensão e amizade além do dever como combatentes do crime. O desenvolvimento do Damian nessa fase é muito boa.
Vemos algumas maluquices que envolvem a família Wayne que acabam deixando a narrativa um pouco confusa, é criativa e tem bastante referências a acontecimentos antigos, mas por conter vários elementos acaba sendo um pouco confusa.
No geral, é uma HQ muito boa que dá uma visão do Dick Grayson e do Damian quando eles vestem o manto de Batman e Robin; aparecem novos vilões para a galeria do morcego; Batwoman participa de uma maneira bem bacana; e ainda aparece o insuportável do Jason Todd.
Eu esperava uma HQ que contaria diversos casos do Batman e Robin sem um plano de fundo maior, como um plano de um vilão para derrotar os 2 lá no fim, porém é exatamente o contrário que acontece rs. A trama se inicia sem esse destaque para a construção de um grande plano, mas isso vai ocorrendo ao longo das edições e acaba surpreendendo o leitor.
Vemos algumas maluquices que envolvem a família Wayne que acabam deixando a narrativa um pouco confusa, é criativa e tem bastante referências a acontecimentos antigos, mas por conter vários elementos acaba sendo um pouco confusa.
No geral, é uma HQ muito boa que dá uma visão do Dick Grayson e do Damian quando eles vestem o manto de Batman e Robin; aparecem novos vilões para a galeria do morcego; Batwoman participa de uma maneira bem bacana; e ainda aparece o insuportável do Jason Todd.
Eu esperava uma HQ que contaria diversos casos do Batman e Robin sem um plano de fundo maior, como um plano de um vilão para derrotar os 2 lá no fim, porém é exatamente o contrário que acontece rs. A trama se inicia sem esse destaque para a construção de um grande plano, mas isso vai ocorrendo ao longo das edições e acaba surpreendendo o leitor.
July 1, 2021
Reading this time around in a collected “absolute” edition was much more enjoyable. I remember having conversations with fellow comic fans about how I was not a Grant Morrison fan and I watched their mouths drop open….so I knew my thoughts were the minority report for most fans…well I can’t go back in time and take it back, but I can say now I really did like this series. And I take back all my grief given to Morrison. I see it now and I liked it.
January 16, 2022
Como toda essa fase do Grant Morrison, este aqui tb fica meio confuso, muitas coisas rolando ao mesmo tempo com muitos personagens aparecendo e sumindo de cena. Ainda assim, é menos "viagem" que RIP, por ex.
Só recomendo ler se você tiver lido todo o material anterior da fase do Morrison, caso contrário vai ficar ainda mais perdido.
Só recomendo ler se você tiver lido todo o material anterior da fase do Morrison, caso contrário vai ficar ainda mais perdido.
August 31, 2022
The best way to read Dick and Damian Batman and Robin.
August 30, 2014
There's neat ideas and some beautiful art here, but it never really comes together for me. The storytelling seems to go at warp speed, with only the slightest connections between issues (and even panels sometimes!). Grant Morrison is clearly a smart and talented guy, but he's a storyteller who never really connects emotionally for me.
June 28, 2020
This book was really not one of the good ones, in my opinion.
This story suffers from all the things you sometimes hear from Grant Morrisons stories, the biggest one of all being inconsistencies.
Other writers have a much better understanding of leading a reader through panels. A comic lacks the basic capabilities of conveying purpose through motion. A writer must compensate for that by connecting panels through clever design. There are books by Morrison that do a better job at that but there are also those where he simply does not manage or care.
For that reason among others, this book feels in-cohesive.
There is barely enough motivation that connects all the different chapters and it just feels like a bunch of loosely related issues bound together.
The art is somewhat all over the place switching styles between the three arcs. The styles don't necessarily fit together seamlessly adding to the feeling of being lost.
Additionally, sometimes a panel would simply refuse to make sense because it does not pick up on what was going on in the previous panel. This is frustrating, disorienting and especially obvious during fight scenes where a character would be mid-motion in one panel and doing the same motion from a different angle but slightly different. The book is all over the place
This story suffers from all the things you sometimes hear from Grant Morrisons stories, the biggest one of all being inconsistencies.
Other writers have a much better understanding of leading a reader through panels. A comic lacks the basic capabilities of conveying purpose through motion. A writer must compensate for that by connecting panels through clever design. There are books by Morrison that do a better job at that but there are also those where he simply does not manage or care.
For that reason among others, this book feels in-cohesive.
There is barely enough motivation that connects all the different chapters and it just feels like a bunch of loosely related issues bound together.
The art is somewhat all over the place switching styles between the three arcs. The styles don't necessarily fit together seamlessly adding to the feeling of being lost.
Additionally, sometimes a panel would simply refuse to make sense because it does not pick up on what was going on in the previous panel. This is frustrating, disorienting and especially obvious during fight scenes where a character would be mid-motion in one panel and doing the same motion from a different angle but slightly different. The book is all over the place
February 19, 2023
Ovo je bilo vrlo zanimljivo i sa aspekta priče i sa aspekta crteža.
Imamo pet priča od po tri broja i jedno veliko finale na kraju. Crtači se smenjuju po pričama a same priče su međusobno povezane.
Svašta se ovde izdešava i bez želje da prepričavam i ulazim u detalje, jer ima toliko toga, pokušaću samo da sumiramo šta mi se sviđa a šta ne.
Sviđaju mi se ideje Morrisona, on definitivno ima smila za priču i ta kontinualnost u priči na kojoj on insistira je meni interesantna. Trebalo mi je nekad da guglam "šta je pisac hteo da kaže" jer se puno toga zasniva na pričama od pre 50 godina, ali onda kad izguglam bude mi uglavnom odlična fora. Može da se čita i bez guglanja, ali je meni bilo zabavnije ovako.
Morrison vadi neke likove koje su uglavnom zabavni. Pyg kao groteskna pojava koji se poklapa sa sjajnim crtačem koji naglašava tu njegovu grotesknost je bila interesantna, kao i Crvena krinka (Fibrino izdanje sam čitao) i drugi. Nit koja ih sve spaja postoji i time je sve ovo zabavnije.
Ne bih da ulazim u crtače pojedinačno, mogu samo da sumiram da su odlični i da je ibor bio odgovarajući u zavisnosti od priče.
Ono što bi po meni moglo biti bolje je tempo i dinamika. Nakon čitanja ovoga osećam se kao da sam trčao sprint na 100 metara. Previše je radnje i dešavanja i nema toga da priča i likovi imaju prostora da "dišu". Po meni je ovo trebalo biti duplo duža knjiga da se lepo sve ispriča i slegne.
Imamo pet priča od po tri broja i jedno veliko finale na kraju. Crtači se smenjuju po pričama a same priče su međusobno povezane.
Svašta se ovde izdešava i bez želje da prepričavam i ulazim u detalje, jer ima toliko toga, pokušaću samo da sumiramo šta mi se sviđa a šta ne.
Sviđaju mi se ideje Morrisona, on definitivno ima smila za priču i ta kontinualnost u priči na kojoj on insistira je meni interesantna. Trebalo mi je nekad da guglam "šta je pisac hteo da kaže" jer se puno toga zasniva na pričama od pre 50 godina, ali onda kad izguglam bude mi uglavnom odlična fora. Može da se čita i bez guglanja, ali je meni bilo zabavnije ovako.
Morrison vadi neke likove koje su uglavnom zabavni. Pyg kao groteskna pojava koji se poklapa sa sjajnim crtačem koji naglašava tu njegovu grotesknost je bila interesantna, kao i Crvena krinka (Fibrino izdanje sam čitao) i drugi. Nit koja ih sve spaja postoji i time je sve ovo zabavnije.
Ne bih da ulazim u crtače pojedinačno, mogu samo da sumiram da su odlični i da je ibor bio odgovarajući u zavisnosti od priče.
Ono što bi po meni moglo biti bolje je tempo i dinamika. Nakon čitanja ovoga osećam se kao da sam trčao sprint na 100 metara. Previše je radnje i dešavanja i nema toga da priča i likovi imaju prostora da "dišu". Po meni je ovo trebalo biti duplo duža knjiga da se lepo sve ispriča i slegne.
June 24, 2017
This comic is finally the union of everything Grant Morrison started with Batman and Son.
Let's face some facts right now:
Yes, Grant Morrison is confusing, the only reason as to why and how I understand most of what has happened so far is because I read href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17137596-batman-incorporated-volume-1">Batman Incorporated Vol. 2 some years ago when I started the New 52. So pretty much knowing how all of this ends helps a lot.
You need to read all of Morrison work to understand all of his serie, from Batman and Son, to Final Crisis (at least Bruce death), taking a first break with this, and finishing with Batman Inc. All of it is just one big story that's why you're never satisfied with his work, it leaves you confussed and with questions. Believe me when I tell you that everything will be answered with time.
By far, this is one of the best Morrison has pulled from his time as Batman writter.
Let's face some facts right now:
Yes, Grant Morrison is confusing, the only reason as to why and how I understand most of what has happened so far is because I read href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17137596-batman-incorporated-volume-1">Batman Incorporated Vol. 2 some years ago when I started the New 52. So pretty much knowing how all of this ends helps a lot.
You need to read all of Morrison work to understand all of his serie, from Batman and Son, to Final Crisis (at least Bruce death), taking a first break with this, and finishing with Batman Inc. All of it is just one big story that's why you're never satisfied with his work, it leaves you confussed and with questions. Believe me when I tell you that everything will be answered with time.
By far, this is one of the best Morrison has pulled from his time as Batman writter.
March 4, 2025
I’ve had a mixed experience with Grant Morrison’s work in the past, but I had an excellent time with his Batman Reborn series. It’s not perfect, but it’s very good.
After Bruce Wayne’s death, Dick Grayson dons the cowl to become the new Batman, alongside the ever-troubled Damian Wayne as Robin. As anyone who’s witnessed his long run as Nightwing would know, Dick had a strikingly different personality to Bruce, which makes for a fascinating approach to his new role as the Dark Knight.
I know people have differing opinions on the alternately brooding and psychotic Damian, but I enjoyed his portrayal here, as we see him eventually take steps towards developing and growing as part of the new Dynamic Duo.
The stories get a little more scattershot and lacking in cohesion/quality as this Absolute collection goes on, but I’m willing to give it the benefit of the doubt because I enjoyed the characters so much. I’d happily read a lot more of Dick Grayson’s Batman.
After Bruce Wayne’s death, Dick Grayson dons the cowl to become the new Batman, alongside the ever-troubled Damian Wayne as Robin. As anyone who’s witnessed his long run as Nightwing would know, Dick had a strikingly different personality to Bruce, which makes for a fascinating approach to his new role as the Dark Knight.
I know people have differing opinions on the alternately brooding and psychotic Damian, but I enjoyed his portrayal here, as we see him eventually take steps towards developing and growing as part of the new Dynamic Duo.
The stories get a little more scattershot and lacking in cohesion/quality as this Absolute collection goes on, but I’m willing to give it the benefit of the doubt because I enjoyed the characters so much. I’d happily read a lot more of Dick Grayson’s Batman.
June 15, 2018
Narratively unsatisfying even if you get Grant Morrison. Unlike other Absolute editions this one is missing a lot of key issues and even story arcs so the collection never really comes together on its own. Beyond that the story also chosen by Grant Morrison is simply speaking.....not good. It might be really clever, might have a ton of references etc. but in ko way is it a good batman story or even a story. The quality of this absolute edition is also sub par with binding done poorly. Lastly the fact that it's a disparate collection of multiple arcs means every few issues the art style changes with confusing and often disappointing results.
January 19, 2025
3.5 stars
A mixed bag of characterizations, for me. I really enjoyed Dick's Batman, and this is probably the most tolerable I've read Damian. Jason Todd was also pretty shocking here, compared to his current self. I enjoyed the villains, Pyg and Flamingo make very strong debuts into the Arkham rogues gallery, but some of the larger supernatural plot elements took my focus away from the relationship arcs.
Stop trying to make me care about Squire and Knight!
A mixed bag of characterizations, for me. I really enjoyed Dick's Batman, and this is probably the most tolerable I've read Damian. Jason Todd was also pretty shocking here, compared to his current self. I enjoyed the villains, Pyg and Flamingo make very strong debuts into the Arkham rogues gallery, but some of the larger supernatural plot elements took my focus away from the relationship arcs.
Stop trying to make me care about Squire and Knight!
June 1, 2020
The first Batman series I collected consistently. Wish Dick Grayson could have been around as Batman longer. Lots of potential that gets overlooked with the return of Bruce Wayne and some of Grant Morrison's continuing plot threads from his Batman run.
Make mine Dick Grayson!!!!!
Make mine Dick Grayson!!!!!
May 16, 2019
Só dá pra entender Luva Negra e Descanse em Paz depois de ler isso aqui. Agora tenho que reler aqueles dois primeiros.
August 12, 2020
Meio confuso, reaparição do Batman meio sem graça, mas muitas partes legais.
May 30, 2023
Love Quitely's artwork! Morrison is on one here, quite wild stuff. It didn't all land for me, but I quite enjoy the run!
March 19, 2017
I only read this for the Damian Wayne content. He is my favourite Robin and I really like him. And it was pretty good. But everything else was a mess. The villians, the plot, characters. This is my second Grant Morrison book, and might be my last. His writing is so confusing.
April 22, 2017
Any excuse to re-read this series. If you're a fan of Frank Quitely's art, and I admit it's an aquired taste then this book is worth it for the covers alone. Although there are several artists involved and are all good in their own unique ways, the one that stood out to me was Cameron Stewart. He manages a feat most artists seem to fail at and that's to draw Dick Grayson as Batman. Most artists seem to just draw BATMAN without any consideration that it's not Bruce under the cowl. Stewart sees that there's a slightly smaller, more athletic guy in the suit who isn't Bruce.
This is the book that turned around my opinion of Damian. I hated the kid originally and while I was looking forward to seeing my favourite character as Batman, I wish he could have done it alone. The first chapter of this book didn't help. Damian being all snooty, telling Dick he has to earn his respect, acting like he should be the one in the cowl. But as the story progressed we learn that Damian is just like his father in more ways than expected. Bruce Wayne is often seen as a persona, that Batman is the true identity and while there have been arguments back and forth about how real Bruce Wayne is, it's hard to argue that at times "Bruce Wayne" seems more like a mask. The same can be said for Damian, he is always on guard, always wearing a protective mask because he's scared. Scared that he's going to be rejected by his father, like he was his mother, scared that he's not going to live up to the mantel of Robin, let alone Batman, scared that once his father returns he'll no longer get to be Robin.
I have to hand it to Morrison, he knows how to create a hateable character that ends up being one of my favourites by the end. There's a heartbreaking moment where Damian lets down his guard and confronts his mother, asking her if she can just love him for who he is and Talia bluntly rejects him. So Damian is left with a mother who doesn't love him and a father who is missing, presumed dead, it's no wonder he's angsty.
So it falls to the first, the best Robin, the one who grew up in the shadow of the bat, the one who knew one day his destiny was to wear the cape and cowl, Dick Grayson. And what's interesting about Dick, going right back to when he first meets Damian is that he treated the kid alright. He didn't particularly like him right off the bat, but he was at least willing to give the kid a shot, so it was only right that once Dick became Batman, Damian would become his Robin.
In some ways, Batman taking on Dick Grayson as Robin helped prevent the kid from growing up to be a criminal and it's the exact same situation with Damian on a much larger scale. The boy was trained by assassins to one day take over from Ra's al Ghul and lead the League of Assassins, so it's a pretty big task for Dick to mentor the kid while trying to overcome his own fears of living up to Bruce. So the book is very much about two sons of Batman filling some very large boots.
There's some really nice moments between Dick and Alfred where Alfie suggests he look at Batman as a performance so he feels less like an imposter, as well as Gordon who admits most of the cops prefer Dick's Batman to the other guy.
By the time Damian learned to respect Dick, I'd learned to like Damian. There are moments where he just seems like a little boy where he asks if he'll be allowed to stay on as Robin if Bruce returns as Batman and Dick jokingly responds along the lines of "Do you think he'd put up with you the way I do?" It shows how comfortable Dick has become with his new partner, while showing how Damian is more willing to reveal his vulnerable side.
This remains one of my favourite Batman books with my favourite Batman (and technically my favouite Robin) with my second favourite Robin, the only downside is knowing how limited a run these two got together. Stupid DC and their obsession with rebooting the unviverse every three months.
This is the book that turned around my opinion of Damian. I hated the kid originally and while I was looking forward to seeing my favourite character as Batman, I wish he could have done it alone. The first chapter of this book didn't help. Damian being all snooty, telling Dick he has to earn his respect, acting like he should be the one in the cowl. But as the story progressed we learn that Damian is just like his father in more ways than expected. Bruce Wayne is often seen as a persona, that Batman is the true identity and while there have been arguments back and forth about how real Bruce Wayne is, it's hard to argue that at times "Bruce Wayne" seems more like a mask. The same can be said for Damian, he is always on guard, always wearing a protective mask because he's scared. Scared that he's going to be rejected by his father, like he was his mother, scared that he's not going to live up to the mantel of Robin, let alone Batman, scared that once his father returns he'll no longer get to be Robin.
I have to hand it to Morrison, he knows how to create a hateable character that ends up being one of my favourites by the end. There's a heartbreaking moment where Damian lets down his guard and confronts his mother, asking her if she can just love him for who he is and Talia bluntly rejects him. So Damian is left with a mother who doesn't love him and a father who is missing, presumed dead, it's no wonder he's angsty.
So it falls to the first, the best Robin, the one who grew up in the shadow of the bat, the one who knew one day his destiny was to wear the cape and cowl, Dick Grayson. And what's interesting about Dick, going right back to when he first meets Damian is that he treated the kid alright. He didn't particularly like him right off the bat, but he was at least willing to give the kid a shot, so it was only right that once Dick became Batman, Damian would become his Robin.
In some ways, Batman taking on Dick Grayson as Robin helped prevent the kid from growing up to be a criminal and it's the exact same situation with Damian on a much larger scale. The boy was trained by assassins to one day take over from Ra's al Ghul and lead the League of Assassins, so it's a pretty big task for Dick to mentor the kid while trying to overcome his own fears of living up to Bruce. So the book is very much about two sons of Batman filling some very large boots.
There's some really nice moments between Dick and Alfred where Alfie suggests he look at Batman as a performance so he feels less like an imposter, as well as Gordon who admits most of the cops prefer Dick's Batman to the other guy.
By the time Damian learned to respect Dick, I'd learned to like Damian. There are moments where he just seems like a little boy where he asks if he'll be allowed to stay on as Robin if Bruce returns as Batman and Dick jokingly responds along the lines of "Do you think he'd put up with you the way I do?" It shows how comfortable Dick has become with his new partner, while showing how Damian is more willing to reveal his vulnerable side.
This remains one of my favourite Batman books with my favourite Batman (and technically my favouite Robin) with my second favourite Robin, the only downside is knowing how limited a run these two got together. Stupid DC and their obsession with rebooting the unviverse every three months.
March 11, 2015
Absolute Batman and Robin: Batman Reborn is the middle third of Morrison's Batman run (following the already reviewed "Black Glove" arc, and followed by the "Batman, Inc." arc). With Bruce Wayne presumed dead, Dick Grayson and Damian have taken up the mantel of Batman and Robin and work together to solve a number of related cases starting with the latest edition to Batman's eclectic ensemble of enemies, Professor Pyg.
As I've been working my way through Morrison's run, the main complaint I've had with the previous collections is how poorly organized and chopped up they've been. I'm happy to say that the Absolute Edition of Batman and Robin does not suffer the same fate. This arc picks up sometime shortly after Dick and Damian have begun working together and follows through the return of Bruce Wayne. There are several smaller arcs that tie into each other here, and there aren't any strange jumps or missing sections that I noticed. You're basically getting everything that leads into "Batman Inc." in one magnificent volume. Seeing how well this collection presents the middle act of Morrison's run just makes the "Black Glove" collections seem even worse; I can only hope that DC gets around to producing a nice Absolute edition for that part of Morrison's work, too.
As to the work collected here: As much as I enjoyed Morrison's introduction of the Black Glove and the careful dismantling of Bruce/Batman, there's no doubt that this part of the run is a lot more accessible. While Morrison is still working on multiple levels and layering meaning here, the story relies a lot less on a willingness to dig through decades of Batman lore to figure out what is happening or what is being alluded to. The story is a little more straightforward.
The book starts off with a bang with the introduction of new villain, Mr. Toad (in the middle of a very wild ride) and the Circus of Strange. The circus themed villains are a great foil for Dick (a former circus performer, himself). The capture of Mr. Toad also starts our heroes down the path to discovering the demented Professor Pyg, a serial killer who leaves behind dominoes, and a murderer tracking down the heads of the Gotham crime families.
There is so much to love about this series. Morrison has seeded his Batman run with little clues and hints about the larger themes and plots, and this collection is no exception.
The artwork throughout is very strong (Quitely's clever, sometimes subtle, use of visual sound effects is particularly fun. See, for example, a panel where Batman leaps through a window, and the breaking glass spells out "crash") and compliments Morrison's writing quite well. The weakest section for me is Frazer Irving's. There's something about his style that doesn't quite work for me, and it's a shocking change from the rest of the volume.
This is a great collection, and highly recommended for fans of Morrison/Batman. This is a story that rewards careful reading and rereading.
As I've been working my way through Morrison's run, the main complaint I've had with the previous collections is how poorly organized and chopped up they've been. I'm happy to say that the Absolute Edition of Batman and Robin does not suffer the same fate. This arc picks up sometime shortly after Dick and Damian have begun working together and follows through the return of Bruce Wayne. There are several smaller arcs that tie into each other here, and there aren't any strange jumps or missing sections that I noticed. You're basically getting everything that leads into "Batman Inc." in one magnificent volume. Seeing how well this collection presents the middle act of Morrison's run just makes the "Black Glove" collections seem even worse; I can only hope that DC gets around to producing a nice Absolute edition for that part of Morrison's work, too.
As to the work collected here: As much as I enjoyed Morrison's introduction of the Black Glove and the careful dismantling of Bruce/Batman, there's no doubt that this part of the run is a lot more accessible. While Morrison is still working on multiple levels and layering meaning here, the story relies a lot less on a willingness to dig through decades of Batman lore to figure out what is happening or what is being alluded to. The story is a little more straightforward.
The book starts off with a bang with the introduction of new villain, Mr. Toad (in the middle of a very wild ride) and the Circus of Strange. The circus themed villains are a great foil for Dick (a former circus performer, himself). The capture of Mr. Toad also starts our heroes down the path to discovering the demented Professor Pyg, a serial killer who leaves behind dominoes, and a murderer tracking down the heads of the Gotham crime families.
There is so much to love about this series. Morrison has seeded his Batman run with little clues and hints about the larger themes and plots, and this collection is no exception.
The artwork throughout is very strong (Quitely's clever, sometimes subtle, use of visual sound effects is particularly fun. See, for example, a panel where Batman leaps through a window, and the breaking glass spells out "crash") and compliments Morrison's writing quite well. The weakest section for me is Frazer Irving's. There's something about his style that doesn't quite work for me, and it's a shocking change from the rest of the volume.
This is a great collection, and highly recommended for fans of Morrison/Batman. This is a story that rewards careful reading and rereading.
May 9, 2025
An energetic but heartfelt series that flips the usual Batman dynamic, pairing Dick Grayson as Batman with Damian Wayne as Robin. The result is a fast-paced, stylish run that mixes intense action with dark humour and real emotional growth. The writing brings a lighter tone while still advancing Morrison's larger Batman narrative, and the rotating artists give each arc a distinct visual identity.
March 2, 2013
This gorgeous absolute edition collects a chunk of Grant Morrison's monumental 'Batman' run; specifically, it collects what is essentially the 'middle.' This can be jarring for those unfamiliar with the themes & plots of Morrison's ongoing Bat-epic, since you're dropped in medias res in a Gotham City where Batman (Bruce Wayne) is considered dead, & his (adopted) son Dick is now Batman while his (biological) son Damian is Robin. It's hard to say the focus is on Dick & Damian solely, however, as they basically last for a story & a half before Bruce Wayne's 'body' makes an appearance & the truth of what happened to Bruce overwhelms the last half of these 16 collected issues of 'Batman & Robin.' Comics, people.
All I can say about the potential confusion, though, is to just go with it. Morrison is masterful at determining what extraneous details should be added to his section of the ongoing Batman mythos & what shouldn't. My particular favorite is how Morrison simply refers to Bruce Wayne having recently displayed "odd behavior;" the only acknowledgment that in some other Bat-title, the villain Hush (don't ask) was running around impersonating Bruce Wayne. Despite the fresh new villains that primarily test the new Batman & Robin, Morrison is able to both invigorate the usual depiction of Gotham City (moving it from a weird, wild place that no sane person would want to live, to being a wild, weird place that EVERYONE would want to live in) & create a sense of rot within the city. The mysterious Doctor Simon Hurt, a.k.a. The Black Glove, continues to scheme toward the achievement of some great power, and it is impressive how Dick & Damian are investigating behind the scenes even as they face off against Professor Pyg, the Red Hood, and special guest star Batwoman, among others.
If you're interested in Morrison's run then please start from the beginning; namely, 'Batman: The Black Glove' which collects Morrison's first year of Batman stories that lead up to and inform the events of 'Batman & Robin.' If you've been reading all along & you're still reeling from the recently revealed fate of Damian Wayne's Robin, this is an excellent edition to pick up to return to his beginnings. As always, DC's absolute treatment has resulted in a gorgeous oversized hardcover that pops with color & makes you want to reread it the second you're finished. The depth of plotting & the dedication to these dynamic characters on Morrison's part lives up to the enormous expectations one should expect of a book entitled 'Batman & Robin.' Absolutely phenomenal storytelling rendered in one of the best printing methods available for modern comics. Breathtakingly amazing.
All I can say about the potential confusion, though, is to just go with it. Morrison is masterful at determining what extraneous details should be added to his section of the ongoing Batman mythos & what shouldn't. My particular favorite is how Morrison simply refers to Bruce Wayne having recently displayed "odd behavior;" the only acknowledgment that in some other Bat-title, the villain Hush (don't ask) was running around impersonating Bruce Wayne. Despite the fresh new villains that primarily test the new Batman & Robin, Morrison is able to both invigorate the usual depiction of Gotham City (moving it from a weird, wild place that no sane person would want to live, to being a wild, weird place that EVERYONE would want to live in) & create a sense of rot within the city. The mysterious Doctor Simon Hurt, a.k.a. The Black Glove, continues to scheme toward the achievement of some great power, and it is impressive how Dick & Damian are investigating behind the scenes even as they face off against Professor Pyg, the Red Hood, and special guest star Batwoman, among others.
If you're interested in Morrison's run then please start from the beginning; namely, 'Batman: The Black Glove' which collects Morrison's first year of Batman stories that lead up to and inform the events of 'Batman & Robin.' If you've been reading all along & you're still reeling from the recently revealed fate of Damian Wayne's Robin, this is an excellent edition to pick up to return to his beginnings. As always, DC's absolute treatment has resulted in a gorgeous oversized hardcover that pops with color & makes you want to reread it the second you're finished. The depth of plotting & the dedication to these dynamic characters on Morrison's part lives up to the enormous expectations one should expect of a book entitled 'Batman & Robin.' Absolutely phenomenal storytelling rendered in one of the best printing methods available for modern comics. Breathtakingly amazing.
May 22, 2016
Batman & Robin Vol 1: Batman Reborn - ★★★★★
Batman & Robin Vol 2: Batman vs. Robin - ★★★★★
Batman & Robin, Vol 3: Batman & Robin Must Die! - ★★★
While I'm not a Frank Quitely fan I am conscious that the Morrison/Quitely dynamic has often provided some wonderful stories... Their run on the Batman & Robin series (short as it might be) was something to behold and not for the crimes the Dynamic Duo solved, for this team of Dick Grayson [Batman] and Damian Wayne [Robin] turn the established dynamic of the broody Bats and the happy high-flying Robin on it's head.
Here we have a smiling Dark Knight and dark minded Boy Wonder... while over-all the plot falls into the crack which finds Morrison's greatest critic's focus, namely the requirement of the reader to invest in more of Morrison's work (in this case, within the Bat Universe) to truly get some resolution, it's still an interesting adventure. On top of which, as the books continue, you begin to realize that it's not even as pretentious as it might have seemed on first perusal.
Which is nice, because the longer Grant Morrison writes the more ambitious his stories seem to become. Often at the cost of the story's themselves. In short: When Morrison is not acting like he's Alan Moore with the ego of a young Stan Lee, he is a very good story-teller... like we see here.
Batman & Robin Vol 2: Batman vs. Robin - ★★★★★
Batman & Robin, Vol 3: Batman & Robin Must Die! - ★★★
While I'm not a Frank Quitely fan I am conscious that the Morrison/Quitely dynamic has often provided some wonderful stories... Their run on the Batman & Robin series (short as it might be) was something to behold and not for the crimes the Dynamic Duo solved, for this team of Dick Grayson [Batman] and Damian Wayne [Robin] turn the established dynamic of the broody Bats and the happy high-flying Robin on it's head.
Here we have a smiling Dark Knight and dark minded Boy Wonder... while over-all the plot falls into the crack which finds Morrison's greatest critic's focus, namely the requirement of the reader to invest in more of Morrison's work (in this case, within the Bat Universe) to truly get some resolution, it's still an interesting adventure. On top of which, as the books continue, you begin to realize that it's not even as pretentious as it might have seemed on first perusal.
Which is nice, because the longer Grant Morrison writes the more ambitious his stories seem to become. Often at the cost of the story's themselves. In short: When Morrison is not acting like he's Alan Moore with the ego of a young Stan Lee, he is a very good story-teller... like we see here.
March 19, 2016
Lots to like here. But as other reviews have rightly mentioned, the artwork is all over the map. Also, the story can be choppy at times - I suspect that's because there was more going on in the Batman books than just the issues here.
I liked the way both Gordon & Co as well as the Joker recognize that something is off about this new Batman; Joker even recognizes that it's Dick Grayson. Dick and Damien's banter really works for me. Knight and Squire were also terrific fun, as was Dick's Batman hitting on Batwoman because -- as he tells her -- he has a thing for red-headed female crimefighters.
Ultimately, I think this book was just a victim of too many years of hype for me. I have been hearing for awhile now how Morrison's B&R is one of the all-time great Batman runs. How could any book hold up to that expectation?
I liked the way both Gordon & Co as well as the Joker recognize that something is off about this new Batman; Joker even recognizes that it's Dick Grayson. Dick and Damien's banter really works for me. Knight and Squire were also terrific fun, as was Dick's Batman hitting on Batwoman because -- as he tells her -- he has a thing for red-headed female crimefighters.
Ultimately, I think this book was just a victim of too many years of hype for me. I have been hearing for awhile now how Morrison's B&R is one of the all-time great Batman runs. How could any book hold up to that expectation?
October 13, 2014
A brilliant Batman epic, enhanced by some wonderful 'special feature' extras. The only slight disappointment is the quality of the oversized reprint job, which isn't up to the usual standard of DC's Absolute line.
April 4, 2016
This was pretty good. It feels kind of loose and bold. It's not Batman as we are used to.
There are a lot of interesting new villains. And the larger story is pretty exciting. But it feels almost too light sometimes?
There are a lot of interesting new villains. And the larger story is pretty exciting. But it feels almost too light sometimes?
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