Batman & Robin: Year One (2024-) #8 (Batman and Robin: Year One

by Mark Waid, Chris Samnee

The General’s search for Batman and Robin’s true identities comes to Wayne Man-or’s doorsteps! Can the dynamic duo find a way to repel the General’s forces andstill keep their identities secret?!

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

Kindle Edition

Published June 18, 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

[Mia · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story continues to be entertaining in every way.

[Jadyn❀ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved the scenes between Batman and Jim Gordon, and Dick putting on an incredible show as always. Bruce’s reaction to Dick even holding a gun at the beginning is an energy I love to see from Bruce, and one that a recent other book I probably don’t have to namedrop should have had.

[Cybernex007 · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such a thrilling issue, just in my seat going on this roller coaster! Immediately we start this issue with batman and Robin fighting a few gunmen on a tennis court! They have finally started to track down the killers going after the people on the suspected batman list. But even though this fight is a piece of cake, Robin makes a bad move. After one of the gunmen sticks a pistol in his face, Dick kicks it from his hand and catches the fun and immediately points it back in a threatening manner. I believe all of us know that Dick wouldn’t have done it, but he shouldn’t have appeared to either. Batman immediately came over and knocked the gunmen unconscious and the gun out of Dick’s hand and immediately went off on him. That’s the main rule, no guns ever. Not even to strike fear, as fear is its own weapon. I mean I get Robin’s point that it’s hard to scare people in his costume, lol.

That night Jim also received a visit from batman, to talk about the recent attacks. They both know what they are about, a file they have on who batman might be. Batman feels a little betrayed, he thought they would have been working together long enough to make something like that unnecessary. And Jim does agree, that is why the file has been closed for awhile, but now that batman knows about it he just wants to keep the people on the list safe, which is why Jim has ordered full police protection on everyone. Jim said he would keep batman posted and turned to leave, but turned back to find batman still standing there…which is unusual, usually batman is gone by now. Batman the. Picked up a picture of Jim’s daughter sitting on his desk and began to ask if she was well behaved at that age. Jim finds the question funny, but he is curious to knowing there is trouble at home. Trouble is a bit strong, Robin is good, but really batman wants to know when did Jim know he was a good dad. Jim explains that it’s a process, not a goal, and from what he knows of batman he tends to be more focused on goals than processes. All that matters is that he cares for him, even if that’s not always enough. But as Jim turns away, suddenly batman was gone. There’s the end of that convo, for now.

Speaking of bad dad’s though, Grimaldi is currently spending his night sitting in a restaurant berating his father and telling him about how good he is doing. He is even going so far as ordering his father’s favorite food, just so it can sit in front of him without his father being able to eat it. Geez. All the while he is also ordering his next hit…which brings us to the car of Bruce Wayne. Being driven home by his butler, alongside a detective escorting and protecting him. Bruce is trying desperately to convince the man he doesn’t need a police escort…but suddenly their car is hit by another car from the side! The cop tried to step out and draw his weapon to protect Bruce, only to be shot in the head! Out from the other car steps Clayface, with the face of Bruce Wayne ready to take the car himself “home.” Bruce puts in his best wimpy billionaire act and runs out of the car crying for help, while Alfred takes up the fight against the goons. Bruce starts running and getting dressed into his gear as he orders Alfred back to the manor asap before clayface can get Dick to confess to being Robin, or something worse.

But as “Bruce Wayne”‘arrived at the manor and immediately came across Dick, it was immediately obvious something was wrong. Dick almost messed up as he apologized for the situation last night, luckily not mentioning anything about what they were doing, and in response clay face just blew it off and told him to go to his room and think about it. Dick could immediately tell something was wrong. Dick the. Came back to find Clayface digging through Bruce’s stuff, actually looking for something indicating Bruce is Batman, and Dick decided to put on the young boy asking for parental advice act…which very obviously annoyed Hagen immediately. Dick started to go into this tangent about the kids at school bullying him and thinking he was that Robin character just because he was int be circus. So what’s he supposed to do about bullies? Hagen, as Bruce, recommends they get him enrolled in self defense classes. Dick thinks that’s a swell idea and heads off to immediately try and call Bruce…only for clayface, mow revealing his true form to catch him! Dick immediately makes a break for it, putting those circus skills to use as he runs around the manor. But suddenly batman leashes through the window right into clayface! But this time he is prepared and immediately throws a vial at clayface. Hagen thought it was nothing but acid, but think again…it was liquid nitrogen! And now clayface is finding that the hand that just cracked off isn’t growing back!! Suddenly batman starts unleashed a ton of vials and clayface makes a run for it! Dick explained that he could immediately tell because he was friendlier and started acting like any “ordinary” zillionaire. They were also able to get a large sample of the clay to take down to the lab, it’s time to start taking the fight directly to Grimaldi and his monsters. And it seems that clayface may be thinking that as well, as he clawed his way back home he was able to meet up with two-face. Seems that they are total allies now and I’m curious to see how they turn this entire thing around on Grimaldi.

[RubiGiráldez RubiGiráldez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Waid y Samnee están que lo tiran encarando el prometedor 3º acto de este nuevo retelling del inicio del Dúo Dinámico. Este número muestra un momento bastante relevante en cualquier historia que busque contar la formación heróica que Bruce enseña a Dick desde su máxima de deber distanciarse de los criminales a los que buscan detener no recurriendo a sus armas (sic.). Al igual que esa agradecida escena donde Batman y Gordon pueden aparcar un momento sus deberes para con la ciudad de Gotham City y acercarse de forma más personal con esas dos perspectivas paternas que en algún momento terminarán uniéndose de forma más estrecha en el concepto de la Batfamilia... Pero, claro, ¿qué hay con Grimaldi y sobre todo Clayface?... Pues este 8º número ya deja totalmente claro el nivel de amenaza de todos estes intereses del bajo mundo disputándose el control de Gotham y ya sumando unas cuantas bajas de civiles inocentes por el camino.

[Tefi ⟡♡ · Rating 4 out of 5]

el hecho de que dick haya sabido de inmediato que ese no era bruce sino Clay y todo dudeeee el flaco es re inteligente chau, q lindo ver todo este background de dick y bruce literal.

psdt: q interesante es el personaje de Clay, literalmente quiero leer más de él y saber más de su historia, q piola

[Chris Loan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another really solid issue! I loved the opening of this story with Robin and the gun, and Batman’s reaction. Bruce and Gordon have a nice Father to Father talk, and Batman v Clayface was a quick but fun fight!

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

Bruce's trauma with gunshots :(((

ON A WHOLESOME NOTE, BATMAN ACTUALLY ASKED GORDON FOR PARENTING ADVICE??? NAHH WHAT HAS THE MEDIA BEEN SHOWING TO ME????

Plus, the way Richard figured out that that wasn't the real Bruce because he was too nice 😂

[Madison · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I say Batman & Robin: Year One has been nothing but hit after hit after hit I mean. Each issue has been SO good and I just love this story. I cannot wait to find out what happens next.

[Anna Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was too distrscted with the fluff at the beginning to embrace the rest of the issue, but I really like how smooth and action-driven it was

[Richard A · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enjoying this "prequel" storyline with Dick Grayson as a young Robin. It is quite good and shows a side of Batman as a new "father" and the challenges he faced fathering a teen age boy in Gotham.

[Steven Shinder · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked the fatherly talk Batman and Jim had.

[may ☾ · Rating 5 out of 5]

dick knows bruce so well he immediately knew that clayshitface wasnt him ugh

+ the gun scene had me laughing and sobbing

[luz · Rating 4 out of 5]

he's trying to be a good dad 😭😭 pleasee don't be too hard on dick... he's trying his best, too...

[mollythemagic]

robin coming in clutch 👌

[Mar · Rating 5 out of 5]

another amazing issue!

[Puffin · Rating 5 out of 5]

"I could tell [Clayface] wasn't you, he's friendlier" is such a burn ^^

[gemma · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 ⭐️ loving every moment

[grimbamreads · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5/5

[Pedro Espada · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sigue en el más alto nivel, con la paternidad de Bruce y sus dudas, y avanzando en la trama mafiosa.

[Ryan Gasser · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m really enjoying this series. And having Clayface team up with Two-Face is superb.

[Ushnav Shroff · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's as simple and fun as it is good, and that's really the best thing about this series.