Batman & Robin: Year One (2024-) #7 (Batman and Robin: Year One

Batman & Robin: Year One

by Mark Waid, Chris Samnee

The General is on the hunt for the man behind the mask and is on the warpath.As the Dynamic Duo continue to stretch themselves thin and tire themselves outstopping various threats around Gotham, the General’s threat closes in on them!

Genres: Comics, Dc Comics, Batman, Graphic Novels, Comic Book, Superheroes

Kindle Edition

Published May 21, 2025

About the author

Mark Waid (born March 21, 1962 in Hueytown, Alabama) is an American comic book writer. He is best known for his eight-year run as writer of the DC Comics' title The Flash, as well as his scripting of the limited series Kingdom Come and Superman: Birthright, and his work on Marvel Comics' Captain America.

Reviews

[Mar · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my favorite issues so far.

[Jadyn❀ · Rating 5 out of 5]

The characters, especially Dick and Alfred (who doesn’t even get many lines), are so full of personality. This has gotta be helped by the art, which in my opinion, suits this story so well.

[Mia · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is such a delightful book. I can’t believe I have to wait another month for it.

[Cybernex007 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hagen’s fit is so cold. Coming in with the Bogart actor look while putting on a face mask to hide his own face, it just looks so good. Especially when he uses the face mask to hide changing his own face underneath. Leads to some great moments when Grimaldi is chewing him out for now only failing to kill batman, but also failing to dispose of Martin’s body and getting all of his assets frozen. In response clayface expressed that to maintain a face he sometimes needs a reference, such as Grimaldi right in front of him, hahahaha. Nothing pisses Grimaldi off more than seeing his own tool used against him, especially in front of his father who he continues to have major issues with. But keeping his father around to rub all his accomplishments in his face is actually a really good thing for two-face, who decides to slip a listening device on the wheelchair. Grimaldi is shifting his sights to the file Dent gave him and narrowing down who the bat really is and eliminating him. They don’t need sent any more, and following his current and they won’t need Clayface either. They are planning on taking everything chaotic about Gotham and turning it on its head with his army view of order.

But other than that the rest of the week is relatively busy for tbh e caped crusaders, having to go every day fighting the usual thieves, such as the terrible trio, leaving them overall exhausted. “Holy overtime batman.” This increase in crime is fallout from Grimaldi’s schemes, all the mob families are on high alert and it’s agitating everyone up and down the underworld chain as Grimaldi’s sits back and watches the infighting. At this point Robin is ready for diner, actually suggesting they take the Batmobile through a drive through, lol, but the bat signal indicates they have other plans. This night brings them to an Italian restaurant, a frequent spot of mob boss Bertinelli, and from the rooftops they can see that two of Maroni’s guys, experts in bombs, just rushed out dressed as waiters. Batman orders Robin to wait on the roof as he crashes inside to have a little chat with the boss. He quickly orders them to put their guns away as he needs to talk, unless they don’t want him to defuse the bomb under the table. As he lifts up the table to reveal the bomb ticking down from 10, batman stars to talk and isn’t doing a lot of defusing. Batman states that Grimaldi is the real enemy and batman demands a truce between the families. As the boss freaks out he agrees to the demand, a truce sure as long as they don’t blow up. Batman shoves a fork into the exact right spot in the bomb to stop the timer on the last second. As he walks outside Robin is sitting on top of Maroni’s men preventing them from escaping. Batman isn’t a huge fan of saving mob bosses lives, but lives are lives and they reached a good deal.

As the duo arrives back at the bat cave it seems that Alfred has dug up some new intel on Grimaldi using his old MI5 contacts. Turns out they have had their sights on him for years now. This is when the duo finds out that Grimaldi’s father used to run the rackets in Miami, and ditched his son to military school. That’s where Grimaldi’s excelled in strategy and politics, earning himself a role in army intelligence where he played Washington like an instrument. Specializing in insider information he influenced just the right people to grow his own fortune. But out of all of that what hung on the duo was his dad kicking him out, must have left quite a mark.

The next day we get to see Dick attend school and absolutely show off with his acrobatic skills on the playground. Sure you get the occasional jealous critic that probably deserves a punch, but that will have to wait as Dick just got an unannounced visit from CPS. He put on quite a good face, but she couldn’t help but notice the bruises on his arm that he didn’t even notice. He chalked it up to schoolyard scraps, but it’s not like he would give away who did it. Once the CPS agent turned around to start questioning the principal on how often fights occur, Dick took his chance to write a mean note, crumble it into a ball, and then toss it at the head of the bully from earlier. Upon reading the note he immediately stormed over and punched Dick in the face, which immediately wiped all suspicion away from Dick getting those bruises at home. Hahahah, that’s quite good commitment. But if it makes Dick feel any better, Bruce is also making himself a target in their home life. Turns out Bruce is being followed and he is letting it happen, he suspects it’s the same play they did to Martin. He’s not 100% sure, but he knows someone is keeping an eye on him.

Elsewhere Hagen is testing around with some new faces, specifically two-face…who was absolute flattered but could tell the color was off as he dropped in on Hagen. Hagen immediately went full clayface with the intent on killing Dent, but Dent has an offer. But Hagen isn’t too willing to drop the “understanding” he has with Hagen. But Dent is here to show him a different light. He suspects Grimaldi is dangling a cure to Hagen’s condition, but whatever they told Hagen is a lie and he can prove it. Hagen seemed to calm down at this and put on his mask, that peaked his interest. As the issue comes to an end the worst case scenario is revealed to be unfolding. We watch as two men sneak into a house and open fire on a father and his son leaving them dead in their kitchen! The father was just one of the names to cross off the list of potentially being batman, and the next one is Bruce Wayne. I hope Bruce realizes pretty quick that the guy stalking outside his windows isn’t just looking to get his money. Darn it Gordon! This was bound to happen, no wonder you didn’t tell batman what the file was!!

[RubiGiráldez RubiGiráldez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Todo está confluyendo de forma prometedora en este retelling de sabor hiper clásico. La amenaza de Grimaldi empieza a atentar contra la existencia civil de Batman, y su brazo ejecutor más potente en ese sicario moldeable de arcilla, podría disponer de sus propias ambiciones al presentársele Harvey "Dos Caras" Dent. Gotham City está más en conflicto que nunca. Y por supuesto, no hay que olvidar que Dick Grayson sigue estando muy observado por la trabajadora de servicios sociales, Laura Lyn. Quien puede desconfiar de más magulladuras de las debidas en un preadolescente (ignorando sus actividades nocturnas como Robin).

Sigue siendo una obviedad reseñar la maravilla del tandem creativo de Mark Waid y Chris Samnee, pero es que a cada número sigue siendo una gozada.

[Madison · Rating 5 out of 5]

Batman & Robin Year One has been nothing but hit after hit after hit!! This run has been SO good and kept me on the edge of my seat.
I love the way Bruce and Dick’s dynamic is written and the struggles they have connecting. I also love that they actually include now angry Dick is. Like kid’s got issues and I LOVE seeing him and Bruce trying to dance through that and working together.
Also Alfred is hilarious with his peas comment.

[Chris Loan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Still such an incredible series! The storytelling is incredible and I don’t know how Waid is doing it right now with multiple amazing stories. The way he is portraying Robin right now is one of my favorite current characters! The art in this book is top notch, especially with more of Clayface in this issue.

[Pedro Espada · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sigue el culebrón mafioso, siendo lo mejor la química tan increíble entre el Dúo Dinámico, Dick sobre todo brilla una vez más en esta grapa, mostrando ya trazos de su diferencia trascendental con Batman.
Mención especial al detalle en contraportada de dedicatorias para el inmortal Peter David, que llevó a Hulk a ser la mejor colección de los 90. Todo un detalle.

[•♡︎Cᴏsᴍᴏᵐᵘᶠᶠⁱⁿ♡︎• · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm still new to the DC comics and Batman in general, so I've only also heard that Batman (Bruce) rarely ever communicates with Robin(s) via social media.

BUT THIS.
THIS IS COMMUNICATION.
Bruce actively improves as a parent to Richard, and their dynamic is so sweet.

I hope I never come across Batman and Robin miscommunicating. I can't imagine the angst.

[luz · Rating 4 out of 5]

*4.25 // another phenomenal issue. further progress on all fronts! bruce & dick's relationship, grimaldi's schemes, dent's machinations. loved the dialogue as always, and the art is still as fun & playful as ever.

[Tefi ⟡♡ · Rating 4 out of 5]

dude ver a dick en el colegio es re gracioso, a charming kid 😭😭😭

oye y eso de paran matando a los que se parecen a bruce diosmio q horrible 💀💀💀 y este clay de verdad que me parece interesante, me hace pensar en que pronto saldrá su película y debo ir a verla ahora para ver q ondaaa

[Alex · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have been enjoying this run, I look forward to the next issue

[Steven Shinder · Rating 4 out of 5]

Two-Face and Clayface teaming up is actually interesting.

[may ☾ · Rating 5 out of 5]

“im proud of you for what its worth” he says as his kid got punched trying to cover for the both of them IM ACTUALLY CHUCKLING

[mollythemagic]

that ending??? my god :(

[grimbamreads · Rating 4 out of 5]

4/5

[Ryan Gasser · Rating 5 out of 5]

The suspense is killing me. Lol

[Ushnav Shroff · Rating 4 out of 5]

The artwork is just fucking fantastic.