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Batman and Robin (2009) (Collected Editions)
Batman & Robin, Vol. 3: Batman & Robin Must Die!
Grant Morrison's best-selling run on BATMAN & ROBIN continues with this volume collecting issues #13-16 and BATMAN: THE RETURN #1. On the eve of Bruce Wayne's return to Gotham City, the new Batman and Robin team that battled crime during his absence must deal with the deadly return of The Joker.
Then, Grant Morrison connects BATMAN & ROBIN with the best-selling THE RETURN OF BRUCE WAYNE for the climactic showdown between Batman and The Black Glove.
And in an epic tale illustrated by acclaimed artist David Finch, learn what happens to Dick Grayson after the "real" Batman returns.
163 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 11, 2011
About the author
Grant Morrison
1,829 books4,685 followersGrant Morrison has been working with DC Comics for twenty five years, after beginning his American comics career with acclaimed runs on ANIMAL MAN and DOOM PATROL. Since then he has 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, he has 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 his secret identity, Morrison is a "counterculture" spokesperson, a musician, an award-winning playwright and a chaos magician. He is also the author of the New York Times bestseller Supergods, a groundbreaking psycho-historic mapping of the superhero as a cultural organism. He divides his time between their homes in Los Angeles and Scotland.
In his secret identity, Morrison is a "counterculture" spokesperson, a musician, an award-winning playwright and a chaos magician. He is also the author of the New York Times bestseller Supergods, a groundbreaking psycho-historic mapping of the superhero as a cultural organism. He divides his time between their homes in Los Angeles and Scotland.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 317 reviews
August 11, 2017
(B+) 76% | Good
Notes: Batman & Robin used to be fun, but all its former eccentric, garish, muscular verve's turned lifeless, muddy and bleak.
Notes: Batman & Robin used to be fun, but all its former eccentric, garish, muscular verve's turned lifeless, muddy and bleak.
June 29, 2011
Impression of Batman Must Die after five pages.
Wha......?
Impression of Batman Must Die after finishing it.
Wham! Wham! Wham! Wham!
That was the sound my head made as I beat it against the wall.
I read volumes 1 and 2. Why didn't this make any sense?! It should have made sense, dammit!
Warning: Long-winded rant on the way....
*inhales deep breath...to start long-winded rant*
Let's start with Professor Pyg. I hate him. And not in a good way. For those of you who haven't had the misfortune to read about this 'character' yet, I'll fill you in. He's this lame-ass villain who surgically alters people into dollatrons, has weird mommy issues, and wears a $@#*ing pig mask! Oh. My. God. He is possibly the stupidest new villain to hit the DC universe in...ever. For Christ's sake, he oinks or snorts every other word!
He needs to GO AWAY.
We now move on to the second lamest character in Batman's world, Dr. Hurt. Really, if he had the pig mask, he would have moved right into the #1 slot. It was neck and neck for a while. What I want to know is who came up with this ass clown? Worse, his retarded back story!?
Again, for those of you who don't know already, here's the shortened version of Dr. Hurt.
He's Bruce Wayne's ancestor from...when buckles on hats were the height of fashion. Pilgrims maybe? Nobody cares. Anyway, he was a devil worshiper. Yep. When you're all out of ideas, it's time to toss out a few Satanists. Naturally, Hurt makes a Deal With the Devil, or possibly just some low-level demon. Again, who cares? The end result is that he's somehow managed to retain his youth. Oh, and time-travel. Yeah, he's been bouncing through time messing with Batman. Why? Because he's eeeevil!
For some convoluted reason, he is impersonating Bruce's father, Thomas Wayne, in an attempt to destroy Wayne Sr.'s legacy of good works. Remember, He's eeeevil!
This is where our story picks up.
Something, something, something...and in the nail biting conclusion...he tries to blackmail Damien into opening The Box! How does he blackmail him? *bangs head on desk*
More importantly, you ask, what Box? Oh, who the hell knows?! It's the same damn Box that's been popping up all over the place!
Did Bruce make the Box during his time travels?
Is it a magic Box?
What the hell is inside of it?
I, personally, have NO #%@&ING IDEA!
Well, consider part of the mystery of The Box officially over. In the one slightly cool scene in this thing , aaaaand the cool scene fizzles out painfully. Oh well, with something like this, you have to reach out and embrace whatever little nugget of goodness you can.
After more ridiculous hi-jinks, including Alfred in a Death Trap , we finally get the show on the road. Have we seen the end of Dr. Hurt? Nah, probably not. Cause eeeevil never dies!
Batman and the supernatural don't mix. I mean, it's ok if he's part of a team, and that team gets involved with some occult activity. But in a straight-up Batman story? No. He's a detective. A Crime fighter. A hero who finds the logical solution for everything. He wears a cape and cowl, not a cape and top hat.
Make the wacky voodoo stop!
Batman Must Die is a mess on many levels. Between the convoluted plot and the ridiculous villians, there are also a few trippy (read: I-Make-No-Sense-In-Any-Reality) flashbacks thrown in. Well, I guess they are flashbacks. Maybe.
My eyes are still bleeding and I think my IQ went down a few points, so I may not the most reliable witness at this point.
Oh God! It burns!
Wha......?
Impression of Batman Must Die after finishing it.
Wham! Wham! Wham! Wham!
That was the sound my head made as I beat it against the wall.
I read volumes 1 and 2. Why didn't this make any sense?! It should have made sense, dammit!
Warning: Long-winded rant on the way....
*inhales deep breath...to start long-winded rant*
Let's start with Professor Pyg. I hate him. And not in a good way. For those of you who haven't had the misfortune to read about this 'character' yet, I'll fill you in. He's this lame-ass villain who surgically alters people into dollatrons, has weird mommy issues, and wears a $@#*ing pig mask! Oh. My. God. He is possibly the stupidest new villain to hit the DC universe in...ever. For Christ's sake, he oinks or snorts every other word!
He needs to GO AWAY.
We now move on to the second lamest character in Batman's world, Dr. Hurt. Really, if he had the pig mask, he would have moved right into the #1 slot. It was neck and neck for a while. What I want to know is who came up with this ass clown? Worse, his retarded back story!?
Again, for those of you who don't know already, here's the shortened version of Dr. Hurt.
He's Bruce Wayne's ancestor from...when buckles on hats were the height of fashion. Pilgrims maybe? Nobody cares. Anyway, he was a devil worshiper. Yep. When you're all out of ideas, it's time to toss out a few Satanists. Naturally, Hurt makes a Deal With the Devil, or possibly just some low-level demon. Again, who cares? The end result is that he's somehow managed to retain his youth. Oh, and time-travel. Yeah, he's been bouncing through time messing with Batman. Why? Because he's eeeevil!
For some convoluted reason, he is impersonating Bruce's father, Thomas Wayne, in an attempt to destroy Wayne Sr.'s legacy of good works. Remember, He's eeeevil!
This is where our story picks up.
Something, something, something...and in the nail biting conclusion...he tries to blackmail Damien into opening The Box! How does he blackmail him? *bangs head on desk*
More importantly, you ask, what Box? Oh, who the hell knows?! It's the same damn Box that's been popping up all over the place!
Did Bruce make the Box during his time travels?
Is it a magic Box?
What the hell is inside of it?
I, personally, have NO #%@&ING IDEA!
Well, consider part of the mystery of The Box officially over. In the one slightly cool scene in this thing , aaaaand the cool scene fizzles out painfully. Oh well, with something like this, you have to reach out and embrace whatever little nugget of goodness you can.
After more ridiculous hi-jinks, including Alfred in a Death Trap , we finally get the show on the road. Have we seen the end of Dr. Hurt? Nah, probably not. Cause eeeevil never dies!
Batman and the supernatural don't mix. I mean, it's ok if he's part of a team, and that team gets involved with some occult activity. But in a straight-up Batman story? No. He's a detective. A Crime fighter. A hero who finds the logical solution for everything. He wears a cape and cowl, not a cape and top hat.
Make the wacky voodoo stop!
Batman Must Die is a mess on many levels. Between the convoluted plot and the ridiculous villians, there are also a few trippy (read: I-Make-No-Sense-In-Any-Reality) flashbacks thrown in. Well, I guess they are flashbacks. Maybe.
My eyes are still bleeding and I think my IQ went down a few points, so I may not the most reliable witness at this point.
Oh God! It burns!
August 16, 2011
I’ve been reading Batman comics since I was a kid in the 1970s. I’d watch reruns of the cheesy Adam West show and the Superfriends every chance I had. I dressed up like Batman for Halloween and had all kinds of Bat-toys .
And as I got older, the comics seemed to grow up with me. I read The Dark Knight Returns, The Killing Joke, Year One, Year Two, A Death in the Family, A Lonely Place of Dying and countless other collections. For a while in the 1990s I had subscriptions to every monthly Batman comic that DC was publishing.
I saw the Tim Burton Batman movie something like four times in the theater even though I also grumbled about it a lot, and I paid money to go to the rest of the those Bat-movies, too, including, god help me, Batman & Robin. I rejoiced at Christopher Nolan’s Batman Begins as being the Bat-film I‘d been waiting for my whole life, and I obviously lost my little fan boy mind over The Dark Knight.
In addition to Batman, I’ve read probably thousands of comics in my life including everything from other superheroes to Preacher,Y: The Last Man, Sin City, Scott Pilgrim, The Walking Dead, Sandman, Watchmen, and many, many more.
And yes, I was very popular with the ladies….
I’ve gone out of my way to establish my comic and Batman street cred so that you will fully grasp what it means when I say this about Batman & Robin: Batman Must Die:
I have no fucking clue what happened in this comic.
I read the first two volumes so I thought I was up to speed, but as I was flipping the pages of this, I became aware that it might as well have been written in Sanskrit. I literally could not comprehend what in the name of Burt Ward’s jock strap was going on in this story. And I blame Grant Morrison.
Yeah, I know he’s supposed to be the cat’s ass and DC has practically turned the entire company over to him. To be fair, I did like his run on X-Men, but his All-Star Superman left me scratching my head. I was ashamed to admit that for a while since most of the comic’s world seemed to think it was fantastic, but I honestly didn’t know what the hell was going on half the time. What I’d read of his stuff leading up to Bruce Wayne’s death wasn’t making a helluva lot of sense either.
But I gave this Batman & Robin series a try, and I did like several things about it. I got to this third volume when….. Well, I can’t exactly say what happened because it was all pretty much gibberish to me. I know a lot of fans claim that Morrison is working on this whole other level where he’s incorporating all kinds of stuff from the long history of characters, but honestly, if a comic geek like me is sitting here flabbergasted, what chance would a more casual Bat-fan have with this?
And I think that’s why I’m done with Morrison. His inside baseball type stuff might delight some fans, but what good is it without a coherent story? Plus, his big sci-fi style really doesn’t fit here. Batman should be about crime stories, and Bruce Wayne should not be time traveling. Or whatever the hell he was doing when he was supposedly dead.
I would have given this one star, but oddly, I liked the extras with Morrison’s notes to the artist about some modifications to the bat suit. It was the only thing in this that I felt like I understood.
And as I got older, the comics seemed to grow up with me. I read The Dark Knight Returns, The Killing Joke, Year One, Year Two, A Death in the Family, A Lonely Place of Dying and countless other collections. For a while in the 1990s I had subscriptions to every monthly Batman comic that DC was publishing.
I saw the Tim Burton Batman movie something like four times in the theater even though I also grumbled about it a lot, and I paid money to go to the rest of the those Bat-movies, too, including, god help me, Batman & Robin. I rejoiced at Christopher Nolan’s Batman Begins as being the Bat-film I‘d been waiting for my whole life, and I obviously lost my little fan boy mind over The Dark Knight.
In addition to Batman, I’ve read probably thousands of comics in my life including everything from other superheroes to Preacher,Y: The Last Man, Sin City, Scott Pilgrim, The Walking Dead, Sandman, Watchmen, and many, many more.
And yes, I was very popular with the ladies….
I’ve gone out of my way to establish my comic and Batman street cred so that you will fully grasp what it means when I say this about Batman & Robin: Batman Must Die:
I have no fucking clue what happened in this comic.
I read the first two volumes so I thought I was up to speed, but as I was flipping the pages of this, I became aware that it might as well have been written in Sanskrit. I literally could not comprehend what in the name of Burt Ward’s jock strap was going on in this story. And I blame Grant Morrison.
Yeah, I know he’s supposed to be the cat’s ass and DC has practically turned the entire company over to him. To be fair, I did like his run on X-Men, but his All-Star Superman left me scratching my head. I was ashamed to admit that for a while since most of the comic’s world seemed to think it was fantastic, but I honestly didn’t know what the hell was going on half the time. What I’d read of his stuff leading up to Bruce Wayne’s death wasn’t making a helluva lot of sense either.
But I gave this Batman & Robin series a try, and I did like several things about it. I got to this third volume when….. Well, I can’t exactly say what happened because it was all pretty much gibberish to me. I know a lot of fans claim that Morrison is working on this whole other level where he’s incorporating all kinds of stuff from the long history of characters, but honestly, if a comic geek like me is sitting here flabbergasted, what chance would a more casual Bat-fan have with this?
And I think that’s why I’m done with Morrison. His inside baseball type stuff might delight some fans, but what good is it without a coherent story? Plus, his big sci-fi style really doesn’t fit here. Batman should be about crime stories, and Bruce Wayne should not be time traveling. Or whatever the hell he was doing when he was supposedly dead.
I would have given this one star, but oddly, I liked the extras with Morrison’s notes to the artist about some modifications to the bat suit. It was the only thing in this that I felt like I understood.
August 6, 2012
The Joker and Dr. Hurt wage an all out war against each other as Gotham burns. Can they make Dick and Damian look sufficiently like chumps in time for Bruce Wayne to return and save the day?
As you can tell by my brief and sarcastic synopsis, I didn't think much of this Batman collection. It showcases the entire problem with Morrison's run on Batman and Robin: when no attempt is made to make the readers accept Dick and Damian as Batman and Robin, does it really matter much when they bring Bruce back? Not to me.
Sure, the plot had a lot of potential, just like Dick and Damian's run as Batman and Robin. I love the idea of Batman and Robin teaming up with the Joker in order to take down Dr. Hurt and the Black Glove. Too bad it sucked for the most part. As with a lot of Grant Morrison's stuff, too much is going on and not enough of it is a good story.
The word "genius" gets thrown around almost as easily as comparisons to Hitler. Leonardo DaVinci was a genius. Einstein was a genius. Grant Morrison is not. He's just a little more willing to take risks than many of today's comic book writers. Sometimes, his risks pay off and a memorable story results, like Batman and Son or even the first Batman and Robin volume. In this book, the risks did not and wound up seeming like a confusing waste of time.
While I'm griping, I'm just going to say that the whole Batman Incorporated concept would work if Bruce Wayne wasn't publicly funding it. Way to conceal your identity, world's greatest detective!
Still, this volume has a few good moments. The Joker is in fine form and Damian managed to entertain me. Dick even had his moments when he wasn't being made to look like a chump. Bruce Wayne's return would have been more enjoyable had it not come at the expense of the rest of the story (and not been so hokey, as I've been told The Return of Bruce Wayen was).
That's that. I'm pretty much done with Grant Morrison on Batman. Save your money for Scott Snyder's run.
As you can tell by my brief and sarcastic synopsis, I didn't think much of this Batman collection. It showcases the entire problem with Morrison's run on Batman and Robin: when no attempt is made to make the readers accept Dick and Damian as Batman and Robin, does it really matter much when they bring Bruce back? Not to me.
Sure, the plot had a lot of potential, just like Dick and Damian's run as Batman and Robin. I love the idea of Batman and Robin teaming up with the Joker in order to take down Dr. Hurt and the Black Glove. Too bad it sucked for the most part. As with a lot of Grant Morrison's stuff, too much is going on and not enough of it is a good story.
The word "genius" gets thrown around almost as easily as comparisons to Hitler. Leonardo DaVinci was a genius. Einstein was a genius. Grant Morrison is not. He's just a little more willing to take risks than many of today's comic book writers. Sometimes, his risks pay off and a memorable story results, like Batman and Son or even the first Batman and Robin volume. In this book, the risks did not and wound up seeming like a confusing waste of time.
While I'm griping, I'm just going to say that the whole Batman Incorporated concept would work if Bruce Wayne wasn't publicly funding it. Way to conceal your identity, world's greatest detective!
Still, this volume has a few good moments. The Joker is in fine form and Damian managed to entertain me. Dick even had his moments when he wasn't being made to look like a chump. Bruce Wayne's return would have been more enjoyable had it not come at the expense of the rest of the story (and not been so hokey, as I've been told The Return of Bruce Wayen was).
That's that. I'm pretty much done with Grant Morrison on Batman. Save your money for Scott Snyder's run.
July 31, 2022
This was so good omg!
Morrison really has one of the most epic Batman runs and this volume proves it like he does the whole angle on whats been building up with Dr Hurt and we get to see his plans come to fruition and the rescue of Professor Pyg but before that Dick and Damian have to deal with the return of the Joker and who he has been all this time and its fun and then stuff happens, Joker kidnaps Robin and Hurt and Pyg have Gordon and its Hurt vs Joker vs Dick and its a war on all sides with Gotham at stake and I love it and the consequences of that and all and what will happen with it on the line and its such a fun war and I love the origins of this Dr Hurt and his ties to Barbatos and the grander epic tale Morrison has been telling!
And then the final fight and the return of Bruce maybe and wow its so f***ing awesome and sorry to use such words but omg its one of those coolest moments with finally getting the conclusion to Batman RIP in a way and the big fight and all that and the start of Batman Inc and the setting up of Leviathan and Heretic as the enemies and well the tensions between father and son its so awesome!
After reading all the previous volumes this one pays off in such an epic scale its awesome and just seeing the efforts Morrison put here.. just wow! Its great and there are another awesome moments for everyone involved and the big conclusion and a new beginning and a new status quo, honoring the past and also moving towards the future and I love the art of Finch in the end, its stylistic and bombastic lets say and truly the start of another epic feels like! A definite recommend from me!
Morrison really has one of the most epic Batman runs and this volume proves it like he does the whole angle on whats been building up with Dr Hurt and we get to see his plans come to fruition and the rescue of Professor Pyg but before that Dick and Damian have to deal with the return of the Joker and who he has been all this time and its fun and then stuff happens, Joker kidnaps Robin and Hurt and Pyg have Gordon and its Hurt vs Joker vs Dick and its a war on all sides with Gotham at stake and I love it and the consequences of that and all and what will happen with it on the line and its such a fun war and I love the origins of this Dr Hurt and his ties to Barbatos and the grander epic tale Morrison has been telling!
And then the final fight and the return of Bruce maybe and wow its so f***ing awesome and sorry to use such words but omg its one of those coolest moments with finally getting the conclusion to Batman RIP in a way and the big fight and all that and the start of Batman Inc and the setting up of Leviathan and Heretic as the enemies and well the tensions between father and son its so awesome!
After reading all the previous volumes this one pays off in such an epic scale its awesome and just seeing the efforts Morrison put here.. just wow! Its great and there are another awesome moments for everyone involved and the big conclusion and a new beginning and a new status quo, honoring the past and also moving towards the future and I love the art of Finch in the end, its stylistic and bombastic lets say and truly the start of another epic feels like! A definite recommend from me!
July 27, 2011
Finally, Grant Morrison completes his Bruce-Wayne-is-dead-oh-wait-he’s-not-storyline that’s been going on for aaaaaaaaaages with this book “Batman and Robin Must Die!” (which by the by doesn’t complete Morrison’s run on the character as you’ll see by the end).
With “Thomas Wayne” seemingly returning from the grave to smear the good Wayne name in Gotham, we see the gradual take-down of the Wayne empire as Dick Grayson as Batman battles Dr Pyg, his drug addicted, blank faced fiends, while Damian Al-Ghul as Robin takes on Joker.
The first and only real gripe I have to make is the decision to have Frazier Irving as main artist for this book. I hate his art. You know those programs where you take a photo and then select to have it look like a painting? That’s what Irving’s artwork looks like. It’s mostly drab as most of his colour palettes are blacks and greys. However I will say that the final panel in his illustration run of the series results in a gorgeous full page spread of Bruce Wayne as Batman – returned!
Pyg, while in previous books chilling and formidable, is in this book unlike any other B-list Batman villain and seems to be a poor man’s Penguin. It’s a shame because I expected more of a showdown than what’s given in the book. That said, “Thomas Wayne” makes up for it and the final fight between him and Batman ends in a satisfyingly interesting way by an unexpected character.
To be honest I found the conclusion to the main story of Batman returning a bit anti-climactic. It wasn’t nearly as good as the previous volume and there seemed to be too much crammed into this book to really develop a strong enough plot (at one point there’s a nuke on a train?). The best part was the revelation at the end and the subsequent one-shot story that sets up the next book – Batman Incorporated. The premise for that and the new villain should (hopefully) make for a more interesting next book and some amazing possibilities for spin-off series.
A good read but a disappointingly weak ending to a fascinating storyline, if you’ve been following the series then you’ll have to read this for closure but it’s not the best of the bunch. But maybe the best is yet to come?
With “Thomas Wayne” seemingly returning from the grave to smear the good Wayne name in Gotham, we see the gradual take-down of the Wayne empire as Dick Grayson as Batman battles Dr Pyg, his drug addicted, blank faced fiends, while Damian Al-Ghul as Robin takes on Joker.
The first and only real gripe I have to make is the decision to have Frazier Irving as main artist for this book. I hate his art. You know those programs where you take a photo and then select to have it look like a painting? That’s what Irving’s artwork looks like. It’s mostly drab as most of his colour palettes are blacks and greys. However I will say that the final panel in his illustration run of the series results in a gorgeous full page spread of Bruce Wayne as Batman – returned!
Pyg, while in previous books chilling and formidable, is in this book unlike any other B-list Batman villain and seems to be a poor man’s Penguin. It’s a shame because I expected more of a showdown than what’s given in the book. That said, “Thomas Wayne” makes up for it and the final fight between him and Batman ends in a satisfyingly interesting way by an unexpected character.
To be honest I found the conclusion to the main story of Batman returning a bit anti-climactic. It wasn’t nearly as good as the previous volume and there seemed to be too much crammed into this book to really develop a strong enough plot (at one point there’s a nuke on a train?). The best part was the revelation at the end and the subsequent one-shot story that sets up the next book – Batman Incorporated. The premise for that and the new villain should (hopefully) make for a more interesting next book and some amazing possibilities for spin-off series.
A good read but a disappointingly weak ending to a fascinating storyline, if you’ve been following the series then you’ll have to read this for closure but it’s not the best of the bunch. But maybe the best is yet to come?
January 4, 2013
New Reviews: Def sucks that Dick and Damien couldn't stay Batman and robin for a least a couple of years. However, this was a fun ending. The Joker being a surprise villain/helper was a lot of fun too. I do agree the art suffers here or there though in this volume.
Old Review: Can I just go on record in saying I wish Dick got to be Batman another 2 years. He was great.
Now let's talk goods and bads. The good begins with some great fight scenes done in here, love the back and forth between Damien and Joker, I really dug the Joker in general here, and watching a certain someone return was fun.
The flipside to the bads are two major things. The art and pacing. So the art is darker, weird faces, and just not nearly as fun looking as the last two volumes. Also the pacing seem to go slow for a moment, lightspeed the next, things felt like they were skipping chunks of informaiton, and a day went by in two pages. I just wasn't enjoying the pacing all too much. Also the last issue is exciting but feels like a pitch more than a solid conclusion to Batman and Robin.
Overall it's a enjoyable volume, like 2, but not nearly as fun as the first volume for me. Next up, black mirror!
Old Review: Can I just go on record in saying I wish Dick got to be Batman another 2 years. He was great.
Now let's talk goods and bads. The good begins with some great fight scenes done in here, love the back and forth between Damien and Joker, I really dug the Joker in general here, and watching a certain someone return was fun.
The flipside to the bads are two major things. The art and pacing. So the art is darker, weird faces, and just not nearly as fun looking as the last two volumes. Also the pacing seem to go slow for a moment, lightspeed the next, things felt like they were skipping chunks of informaiton, and a day went by in two pages. I just wasn't enjoying the pacing all too much. Also the last issue is exciting but feels like a pitch more than a solid conclusion to Batman and Robin.
Overall it's a enjoyable volume, like 2, but not nearly as fun as the first volume for me. Next up, black mirror!
June 12, 2016
Chaos! Joker, now revealed as Oberon Sexton and the Domino Killer, has poisoned Gotham's population with an unknown viral narcotic that has yet to be triggered. He and Damian fight it out and get inextricably linked for the duration of this volume. Meanwhile Doctor Hurt, having survived the helicopter crash at the end of Batman R.I.P., has returned to Gotham to masquerade as Thomas Wayne and destroy Bruce's reputation and livelihood. But wait, who is Doctor Hurt? Add to that Professor Pyg running amok (oink oink oink) and the release of Blackgate and Arkham inmates, and you have a recipe for more unabashedly entertaining Batman!
I've finally figured out why The Black Glove, John Mayhew, and Doctor Hurt hate Bruce so much. It's because, in The Return of Bruce Wayne, they're trying to unlock the Bat Box for the secret to immortality which Barbatos, the Bat Demon, will bestow upon them. But Bruce takes the Bat Box last minute from Professor Carter Nichols and disappears into time, leaving Hurt empty handed and vowing revenge. And here we are!
But it turns out Hurt gets the Box after all. And Joker has it out for the Black Glove and Hurt because of R.I.P. and being used to lure Batman. And that's when I finally realize it, the mystery that's been tugging on my spinal column all along... Wow!
Whew! That's a helluva wrap up to Batman and Robin, but many many questions have been answered. Who is Doctor Hurt? Is he really Thomas Wayne, Bruce's father? Who's the Domino Killer? Who's behind the Black Glove? What happens when Bruce returns as Batman? Well, he forms Batman Inc., that's for sure, so I have two more volumes to look forward to!
While I strongly prefer Frank Quitely or Cameron Stewart, Frazer Irving's dark, zany, vicious artwork somehow complements the grimdark feeling that Morrison writes into his last volume. Some panels and splashes are amazing, others are weird. He just isn't as subtle or consistent as Quitely. Although I love Quitely's artwork, he might have had difficulty toning down his optimistic bright colors and clean lines with how much death and chaos is happening. So the artwork is generally good, and thankfully with support from Quitely on covers and Cameron Stewart and David Finch in later stories.
Although the Batman run isn't over yet, with two more books to go, it has been amazing! By far one of those most compelling and largest story arcs I've ever read. Time traveling Batman? Devil worshipping ancestors? Drug fueled sex bots? A test tube assassin? How much cooler can this series get! And again, please start at the very beginning with Batman and Son. I don't know how these books ever sold to new readers.
November 14, 2020
'I know how it looks like. You turn around for five minutes and we let the whole place go to hell.'
The artwork is lovely! Plus the art style really looks like Art Nouveau and those Expressionism stuff I love it so much! Especially the Joker! He looks like he had walked right out from a 1920s German Expressionism black-and-white horror movies! I love it so much!
Although I don't like the Batman Inc. storyline all that much, but previously the Grant Morrison's run of Batman and Robin () is surely going strong! Joker! Professor Pyg! Dr. Hunt, aka the evil fake Thomas Wayne! Fashionable-looking villains! What more can I ask for!? Though the version I'd read is the paperback cover from the library, still I'm really glad that I bought the digital venison of this comic as well!
December 12, 2011
I really did like the first two volumes of Batman and Robin. Really. I liked the characters and what Morrison was doing with them, I liked the storylines, I liked the interactions between people... It was going great. And then there's this.
I'm not even going to try and describe what happened in volume three, because I'm not entirely sure I'd get it right. Let me just say that it was a big mess. Way too much supernatural stuff going on in a Batman book, which I just don't think works. Batman is too grounded for this stuff. Yes, even the Dick Grayson version. This is all aside from the fact that it was really a convoluted mess. There's Joker and time-displaced Batman and the other Batman and a Wayne ancestor and... It's too much. Pyg shows up again, and instead of being creepy and weird, he's just plain weird. And then there's the bizarrely cut-off ending that was so abrupt I wondered if my copy of the trade was missing pages.
This simply isn't Morrison's finest moment.
I'm not even going to try and describe what happened in volume three, because I'm not entirely sure I'd get it right. Let me just say that it was a big mess. Way too much supernatural stuff going on in a Batman book, which I just don't think works. Batman is too grounded for this stuff. Yes, even the Dick Grayson version. This is all aside from the fact that it was really a convoluted mess. There's Joker and time-displaced Batman and the other Batman and a Wayne ancestor and... It's too much. Pyg shows up again, and instead of being creepy and weird, he's just plain weird. And then there's the bizarrely cut-off ending that was so abrupt I wondered if my copy of the trade was missing pages.
This simply isn't Morrison's finest moment.
July 29, 2011
God, I hate Morrison. None of this shit makes any sense.
September 1, 2011
Dear Grant Morrison,
I hate you.
I hate you.
September 30, 2022
I only wish it had lasted longer!!
September 20, 2011
Okay, so everything Grant Morrison has done with "Batman" since taking over the title with the Batman and Son storyline has been leading up to this. And let me tell you: What a ride! Every little hint or plot development that's been left for the readers to ponder, over the years, all this gets neatly tied up. All questions are answered, and the next step in the evolution of the Batman franchise is set up as well.
As with the previous 2 volumes of this series (Batman and Robin, Vol. 1: Batman Reborn and Batman and Robin, Vol. 2: Batman vs. Robin), long-time readers of Batman (at least the ones who've been onboard since Moz took over) will get the most out of this book. And, like the other 2 books, this one's also not the best jumping on point. Hey, if you've not been reading Morrison's Batman run and you're just deciding now to join the party, well... chances are you'll still enjoy the book, but it'll be like catching the final episode of a long-running TV show: you'll like what you see, you just won't necessarily know what's going on, or be able to appreciate the reveals or how things finally play out.
Supplying the art, we've got Frazer Irving for most of the book. Faithful Morrison followers will remember Irving from the "Seven Soldiers" ("Klarion") mini-series and from "The Return Of Bruce Wayne". Irving's style is very distinct and fits the storyline perfectly. His Joker is without a doubt one of the creepiest renditions I've ever seen of the Clown Prince of Crime.
Rounding out this book we've got a story in which Bruce Wayne takes the Batman idea in a brand new direction, with art supplied by David Finch. Without spoiling anything, let me tell you this: the villain being set up was first mentioned (and shown, in a way) in the previously mentioned "Klarion the Witch Boy" storyline of the "Seven Soldiers" mini-series.
Admittedly, it will be hard for Grant Morrison to top the work he did on "Batman" with his new series, "Batman Incorporated", but you can be sure there are going to be quite a few excellent stories coming our way.
Bottom line: Recommended, 4 stars.
As with the previous 2 volumes of this series (Batman and Robin, Vol. 1: Batman Reborn and Batman and Robin, Vol. 2: Batman vs. Robin), long-time readers of Batman (at least the ones who've been onboard since Moz took over) will get the most out of this book. And, like the other 2 books, this one's also not the best jumping on point. Hey, if you've not been reading Morrison's Batman run and you're just deciding now to join the party, well... chances are you'll still enjoy the book, but it'll be like catching the final episode of a long-running TV show: you'll like what you see, you just won't necessarily know what's going on, or be able to appreciate the reveals or how things finally play out.
Supplying the art, we've got Frazer Irving for most of the book. Faithful Morrison followers will remember Irving from the "Seven Soldiers" ("Klarion") mini-series and from "The Return Of Bruce Wayne". Irving's style is very distinct and fits the storyline perfectly. His Joker is without a doubt one of the creepiest renditions I've ever seen of the Clown Prince of Crime.
Rounding out this book we've got a story in which Bruce Wayne takes the Batman idea in a brand new direction, with art supplied by David Finch. Without spoiling anything, let me tell you this: the villain being set up was first mentioned (and shown, in a way) in the previously mentioned "Klarion the Witch Boy" storyline of the "Seven Soldiers" mini-series.
Admittedly, it will be hard for Grant Morrison to top the work he did on "Batman" with his new series, "Batman Incorporated", but you can be sure there are going to be quite a few excellent stories coming our way.
Bottom line: Recommended, 4 stars.
September 5, 2017
3.5 stars.
This is a very artful book.
I was worried about the covers because I absolutely hate Quitely's art. It's often led to me knocking stars off of books because it's so bloody unpleasant. Luckily, he only did the covers and I believe Finch did the art (or Irving? I'm unsure). The lines and the colors make for a very dark, almost beautiful vibe and I was surprised by it, honestly. I thought they'd run out of interesting ways to draw the Joker but Finch manages it. The action sequences were really well drawn and entertaining.
I'll admit, I've skimmed the last volume of this series and I don't recall much for it. I say that because I found this story pretty confusing. I remember Pyg and that's about it. I wasn't sure why the Joker was here or if I'd seen the other villain before. Part of it was easy enough to follow - Dr. Hurt (?) wants to control Gotham. 'Nuff said. His plan was pretty interesting.
I actually enjoyed Damian in this book which is surprising because everyone is so muted here. Damian is pretty vicious and unforgiving here - especially in his scene with the Joker. It was interesting to see some of that viciousness in Dick's character. While I appreciate Finch's art overall, I hate the way Dick Grayson was drawn in this book. He looked pretty much unrecognizable.
The story was kind of messy once it started to blend the elements with the Joker and Pyg. The Wayne family history was a little confusing because, as I mentioned, I don't remember if a lot of this set up was in the previous volume.
The end story just sets up the Batman Incorporated thing and was pretty weak as a standalone. I did enjoy Damian choosing to work with Dick. Their partnership is the best part of this run.
3.5 stars for stylish art, a pretty cool vibe and some great action sequences.
This is a very artful book.
I was worried about the covers because I absolutely hate Quitely's art. It's often led to me knocking stars off of books because it's so bloody unpleasant. Luckily, he only did the covers and I believe Finch did the art (or Irving? I'm unsure). The lines and the colors make for a very dark, almost beautiful vibe and I was surprised by it, honestly. I thought they'd run out of interesting ways to draw the Joker but Finch manages it. The action sequences were really well drawn and entertaining.
I'll admit, I've skimmed the last volume of this series and I don't recall much for it. I say that because I found this story pretty confusing. I remember Pyg and that's about it. I wasn't sure why the Joker was here or if I'd seen the other villain before. Part of it was easy enough to follow - Dr. Hurt (?) wants to control Gotham. 'Nuff said. His plan was pretty interesting.
I actually enjoyed Damian in this book which is surprising because everyone is so muted here. Damian is pretty vicious and unforgiving here - especially in his scene with the Joker. It was interesting to see some of that viciousness in Dick's character. While I appreciate Finch's art overall, I hate the way Dick Grayson was drawn in this book. He looked pretty much unrecognizable.
The story was kind of messy once it started to blend the elements with the Joker and Pyg. The Wayne family history was a little confusing because, as I mentioned, I don't remember if a lot of this set up was in the previous volume.
The end story just sets up the Batman Incorporated thing and was pretty weak as a standalone. I did enjoy Damian choosing to work with Dick. Their partnership is the best part of this run.
3.5 stars for stylish art, a pretty cool vibe and some great action sequences.
July 21, 2011
Makes little sense at the beginning. Doesn't improve much by the end. For details, see Anne's masterful review.
August 5, 2021
What a way to end a run my only complaint is that Morrison didn’t stay on this book longer. Definitely my favorite Bat run so far.
October 10, 2013
4.5/5
I loved Batman and Robin Must Die. Loved it. I think Dick Grayson makes and awesome Batman. Bruce Wayne even notices that all of Gotham loves Dick as the Bat. To which Dick responds, “You should smile more.” Dick and Damian have great chemistry as Batman & Robin too --far better than Bruce and Damian. The art work was incredible and Morrison reined in the metaphysics here telling a straight on, exciting Bat Saga.
Batman and Robin Must Die opens up with an iconic image that is slightly different than the one that everyone is accustomed to. It features Thomas Wayne as the surviving member of the Wayne family in the alley where his family was killed. This scene is all in Hurt's head, as he announces to Gotham that he is Thomas Wayne at a news conference. Hurt heads to Wayne Manor where Batman and Robin are subdued. He taunts Dick Grayson and apparently shoots him in the head as Damian looks on in shock.
Three days earlier, Robin arrives at the scene where Batman is questioning the Joker. He informs the Joker that he knew who he was. The clues that were left at crime scenes, such as the Domino's were a giveaway that whoever left them knew that he was once Robin. The domino's represented the Domino mask that Dick once wore as both Robin and Nightwing . Gordon stops the interrogation and eventually leaves with Batman to the Bat-Bunker. On the way there they converse about the changes around Gotham, and how his men prefer him to the old Batman. Robin remains behind with the Police and the Joker. While in the Bat-Bunker Gordon learns that the Joker has asked for Robin. Batman warns that that would be a mistake. Robin begins questioning the Joker, who notes that he sounds like the Batman. Robin beats the Joker with a crowbar. Batman and Gordon race to the Police Station but are hit with a rocket launcher. The Batmobile crashes and leaves Gordon with an unconscious Batman, while Professor Pyg is set free.
Robin, back at the police headquarters, continues to beat the Joker with a crowbar. During this the Joker just laughs and states that he likes this Robin. In a nod towards the death of Jason Todd, the Joker makes a joke about bringing his own crowbar. The Joker somehow causes Robin to be poisoned by his Joker Toxin and makes for an escape. Pyg and Hurt converse as Hurt looks upon the Bat Box, noting he can't open it without destroying what's inside. Meanwhile Gordon is doing his best to protect Batman as they get swarmed by Pyg's people. The Batmobile begins to self destruct although he tries to override the process. Dick awakens beneath Wayne Tower with Alfred tending to his condition. Batman tries to call Robin but the Joker answers instead. Joker wants Black Glove and as result has Batman and Robin working for him. Alfred mentions preparing the cave and mansion as per Dick's request. Gordon has been taken by Pyg and Hurt and Batman goes after him. Gordon tells Batman not to untie him, but does so and knocks Batman out. Hurt taunts Joker, who is still holding Damian laughs, saying it's much too serious for him. He appears ready to release Damian into this "game."
Joker opens up a coffin with Robin inside, still alive. Hurt, meanwhile arrives at the Manor where Alfred apparently has been waiting. The city appears to be in mass chaos and Hurt takes advantage of this. Joker takes Robin and leads him towards the Manor. Robin attempts to break free and states he's only doing this for Batman. Robin is set loose and finds Gordon who has fought off whatever made him attack Batman. Robin tells him to take control of the city. Damian fights off a lot of attackers, but in the end is captured. He tells Batman he is sorry there were too many. We arrive at where the arc started, Hurt shooting Dick. He reveals that the bullet will not pass through his skull, instead, if left untreated it will cause a hematoma, he will be in a coma in less than twelve hours. He tempts Damian, saying that he can save Dick, but it will come at a price. Damian reveals that they know who Hurt really is, and that he shouldn't have returned. He reveals he did know Thomas and Martha Wayne. He intends to ruin the Legacy of the Wayne Family. He tempts Damian again, showing him the box and starts a ceremony of the Bat. Dick tells him to stall. A whistle is heard and it opens the box. Inside is written one word on a piece of paper. "Gotcha!" Dick and Damian punch Hurt and they reveal that this was a trap all along. A figure is shown in the shadows as Dick tells Hurt "Devil...Meet Bat-God."
The conclusion of the arc begins in 1765 in the middle of what appears to be some sort of ritual. A man, resembling Hurt goes apparently eats a bat and something changes in him as he talks with a creature that seems to be hinted at being Darkseid. The time shifts to the present, showing The Batman facing off against Hurt. Dick and Damian stand next to Batman, there are now two Batmen and a Robin. Damian questions if Bruce is a robot but they say they will talk about it later. The three fight off what appears to be an endless horde of attackers. Amidst the fighting Bruce questions why Dick is wearing the costume. Dick tells him that he had to because Jason Todd was masquerading as Batman. Bruce says they'll talk about his trip through time when they have some time. They deal with the swarm and Bruce asks him what they're dealing with. They let him know about what's going on and Bruce tells Dick he needs medical attention as soon as he can. Hurt is revealed to be Thomas Wayne, just not THE Thomas Wayne. He's from 1765 and the "black sheep" of the Wayne Family.
Before sending Dick and Damian off, Bruce tells Damian he was proud of him and the choices he made. Hurt traps him in a tank that rises with water. Hurt tells him he'll never get out. "Batman R.I.P. Rot in Purgatory." Batman and Robin are going after Pyg, Damian pleads with him to stop and get medical attention. Pyg is brought into custody by Gordon. Hurt tries to reach "Barbatos" but his head is slammed into a mirror by Bruce. Hurt gives Bruce a choice, go after him or save Alfred. Batman saves Alfred while Hurt escapes, but is soon apprehended by the Joker, who buries Hurt alive. Batman later captures the Joker. Bruce see's to Dick and Damian. He tells Dick he is to be inactive for two months, Dick says something about Nightwing, but Bruce brushes it off. Damian asks what will happen to Batman and Robin. Bruce tells him "Batman and Robin will never die." Together, as a family Dick, Tim, Damian, and Alfred accompany Bruce Wayne to a press conference where he reveals that he has been funding Batman and that he plans on expanding the franchise globally. Batman Inc.. begins.
April 1, 2024
4.5 stars rounded up to 5. Dick Grayson and Damian Wayne make an excellent Batman and Robin. Super fun!
November 12, 2016
2.5 stars
September 15, 2017
It took all I had not to throw this out of an open car window instead of returning it to the library.
May 31, 2018
What...the hell did I just read. Thank god it’s over.
August 14, 2025
shitty ahh plot and i’m not a fan of this ending but that one page of dick defending damien… i’m a simple person.
this run as a whole has a so-so plot, mid art, and only is deserving love for its lovely portrayal of dick and damien’s complicated father-son-esque dynamic (PEAK, MY CUTIES).
this run as a whole has a so-so plot, mid art, and only is deserving love for its lovely portrayal of dick and damien’s complicated father-son-esque dynamic (PEAK, MY CUTIES).
August 17, 2017
While I loved the true villain in the story, the face villains were not that great. I thought that something more would pan out for Pyg, but his arc really went nowhere. Sadly. He was so creepy at first, and I was so hoping to have something interesting come of his part of the story. I also didn't feel like Bruce Wayne's ancestor had the best story. I mean, it was weird, yes. He was a devil worshiper, so there's that. But I didn't feel impressed by his part of the story either. Maybe at first, but it soured as time went by and things got confusing. Once the Joker is revealed, they seem more like filler villains.
Damian exhibits some more good qualities in this volume. Trying to save Dick when he is shot, even though at the beginning of the series he claimed to not respect him as Batman. I sometimes forget that Damian is not even really a pre-teen yet, and he has a lot of maturing to do. I was so proud of him in that moment though. I adore Damian.
I probably would have rated lower if not for the Joker's part of the story. I thought it was great.
While this volume had some bumps along the way, I didn't hate it. I think that the first two volumes are way better, but this volume has it's moments too. As a whole, so far this series is pretty great. There is one more volume left to read, so I am itching to finish and see where things land.
Damian exhibits some more good qualities in this volume. Trying to save Dick when he is shot, even though at the beginning of the series he claimed to not respect him as Batman. I sometimes forget that Damian is not even really a pre-teen yet, and he has a lot of maturing to do. I was so proud of him in that moment though. I adore Damian.
I probably would have rated lower if not for the Joker's part of the story. I thought it was great.
While this volume had some bumps along the way, I didn't hate it. I think that the first two volumes are way better, but this volume has it's moments too. As a whole, so far this series is pretty great. There is one more volume left to read, so I am itching to finish and see where things land.
February 1, 2018
I think Frank Quietly said in an interview once the original idea was to have him come back for the final B&R arc, so then he was bookending the Morrison run, and that would have been great. But I do have to say that Frazer Irving does a more than adequate job here. His art is usually hit or miss for me, and in most cases it's miss, but this is some of the best art I've seen by him.
I read this AFTER ROBW and I'm glad I did because I think it reads much better that way. I think the idea is to read them both at the same time (which might have been how they were released as singles), but when reading hardcovers it's easier to do one and then the other.
Storywise, this is a good wrap to Morrisons spell on B&R. He calls back to villains from earlier in the run and wraps up the Thomas Wayne plot line which had been running for most of his Batman run.
And there's some great Damien/Joker moments here. Damien starts to become the loveable character we know from Tomasi's Batman and Robin run in this volume.
I read this AFTER ROBW and I'm glad I did because I think it reads much better that way. I think the idea is to read them both at the same time (which might have been how they were released as singles), but when reading hardcovers it's easier to do one and then the other.
Storywise, this is a good wrap to Morrisons spell on B&R. He calls back to villains from earlier in the run and wraps up the Thomas Wayne plot line which had been running for most of his Batman run.
And there's some great Damien/Joker moments here. Damien starts to become the loveable character we know from Tomasi's Batman and Robin run in this volume.
Want to Read
June 17, 2020I'm reading the preview, the artwork isn't as lovely as the previous volumes, but a certain someone as a bad guy is just exciting!
More to come.
More to come.
July 22, 2011
In 1988, when DC Comics let the readers vote for the fate of Jason Todd, it was an overwhelming thumbs down. It was exactly the tragedy that Batman needed to reignite his need for vengeance and create a much darker book.
I wish DC would have let us vote on whether or not Jason Todd got to come back to life because I would have voted my overwhelming "no" as many times as humanly possible.
None of that really has anything to do with this book, so much. Except that Grant Morrison has taken the Batman in a very dark direction and puts the newest Robin in the clutches of the Joker.
Finally, Grant Morrison has written a linear storyline that is completely appropriate for the World's Greatest Detective. Nevermind that he killed Bruce Wayne in RIP, and that our Detective is now Dick Grayson. That doesn't really matter. What matters is keeping the Batman persona intact, without breaking character, creating a seamless transition of the costume from one to the other. And he does this. Keeping Dick's doubts out of the battles, hiding them from his opponents, and using his detective skills just as much as his brawn.
I loved Pyg and this time around I loved the Black Hand. The Joker is just a big, super-huge bonus in all of this. I even love the fiery new Robin, getting into the same predicaments as predecessors, making those mistakes he has to learn from.
The Frank Quietly covers are fantastic and the book's art by Frazier Irving shows me that real artists can create computer art that isn't complete crap, but that retains the actual artistry, the humanity of it, instead of filtering it out.
Cheers, Grant. I'll praise you when you deserve it.
I wish DC would have let us vote on whether or not Jason Todd got to come back to life because I would have voted my overwhelming "no" as many times as humanly possible.
None of that really has anything to do with this book, so much. Except that Grant Morrison has taken the Batman in a very dark direction and puts the newest Robin in the clutches of the Joker.
Finally, Grant Morrison has written a linear storyline that is completely appropriate for the World's Greatest Detective. Nevermind that he killed Bruce Wayne in RIP, and that our Detective is now Dick Grayson. That doesn't really matter. What matters is keeping the Batman persona intact, without breaking character, creating a seamless transition of the costume from one to the other. And he does this. Keeping Dick's doubts out of the battles, hiding them from his opponents, and using his detective skills just as much as his brawn.
I loved Pyg and this time around I loved the Black Hand. The Joker is just a big, super-huge bonus in all of this. I even love the fiery new Robin, getting into the same predicaments as predecessors, making those mistakes he has to learn from.
The Frank Quietly covers are fantastic and the book's art by Frazier Irving shows me that real artists can create computer art that isn't complete crap, but that retains the actual artistry, the humanity of it, instead of filtering it out.
Cheers, Grant. I'll praise you when you deserve it.
July 23, 2018
It's a good job I love the dynamic between Dick and Damian, because I hated the art and the plotline confused me.
October 3, 2012
This was the conclusion to Grant Morrison's run of Batman titles that I'd been waiting for for quite some time. After all the work of setting up this whole new series, this was a great way to tie things together yet still be able to move things forward. Major villains from the past appear, and if you've read enough of Morrison's previous works, this will help you out a lot. Needless to say, it's a blast and I enjoyed it tremendously.
The last book, #16 is an epilogue to the story which also sets up the beginning of a whole new future for Batman.
Very enjoyable.
The last book, #16 is an epilogue to the story which also sets up the beginning of a whole new future for Batman.
Very enjoyable.
June 23, 2015
The quality of this series dropped pretty drastically with this volume. The thing that I really didn't like was the main villain, Dr. Hurt. His motives didn't make any sense to me. He's basically evil for evil's sake, which doesn't make interesting reading. Also, I felt that the art quality was much worse with the new artist. The only redeeming quality is the appearance of the Joker (perhaps it's best not to put that spoiler on the cover since it's a big reveal in the book).
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