Batman & Robin: Year One (2024-) #9 (Batman and Robin: Year One

by Mark Waid, Chris Samnee

The gangs of Gotham enact their plan to take back their city from the General!Meanwhile, something’s distracting Robin in the field—but is there anythingBatman can do about it?

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

Kindle Edition

Published July 16, 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]

Performers don't cry hits hard.

[rih ⟡ · Rating 5 out of 5]

correct alfred and bruce characterisation YES LORDDD this run is perfect so far so excited for the next issue

[Moon · Rating 5 out of 5]

okay so they’re just gonna end it like that and not think I’ll explode?

[ferdi 🍉 · Rating 4 out of 5]

holy shit 😳

[Cybernex007 · Rating 5 out of 5]

This issue is so PERFECTLY GOTHAM, in its entirety. Gang wars, double crosses, and highly emotional moments. I love it so much! We start this issue with the gangs of Gotham finally wising up, calling a ceasefire, and pooling their funds to go after the outsider Grimaldi and his clay freak that’s been causing trouble for them. Theres something so exciting about seeing Falcone, Thorne, and a bunch of other crime lords actually working together, even if it means hiring a black ops unit to go after someone. Unfortunately that disgraced general, just like batman, heard about the hit and laid a trap for the team coming after him. Right as the black ops team infiltrated where Grimaldi should have been, two of his giant monster men were waiting for them! As the room floods with smoke and the team is immediately out marched, batman and Robin swoop in to lend a helping hand on taking both groups down. Although last time batman dealt with a partially constructed version of these monster men, these ones immediately show to be a lot more trouble, and as batman bashes into them what they are made of comes on full display as it’s revealed these guys are partially clayface material! That’s why they are so big and strong! As the fighting continues it doesn’t look good, so these special black ops team decides to end it by blowing themselves up! Batman caught it immediately and had to get Robin out of the way. Luckily it only ended with robing getting a slight burn on his arm, but it’s apparent that he wasn’t paying attention, a split second is all it takes for something to go disastrously wrong. Robin seems distracted as he repeats these words back, something is clearly wrong.

Back with Grimaldi, things are going exactly according to plan. But it still doesn’t stop him from being disappointed with any and everyone who works for him, one wrong move, such as failing to find batman through the police files, and suddenly you are on the chopping block to become one of Grimaldi’s monsters. Grimaldi’s is also severely disappointed in Hagen, who was somehow discovered by Wayne’s son. There will be no more mistakes or Grimaldi will replace him. But one final word from Hagen sticks to Grimaldi as he points out that he didn’t think it was Wayne’s son, but he was adopted.

As batman and to on arrive at the batcave, Robin rushes off to his room as batman and Alfred get a second to talk. Bruce fully admits that he is ashamed to not know what is going on with the boy, his focus is completely pulled. But he doesn’t have the time right now as Bruce has a function to be fashionably late to. Alfred sets out to check on him later, but decides to do some reading first. As Alfred heads up to Dick’s room, he is pleasantly surprised to find that he is now juggling up to 7 balls at a time. And that’s when Alfred decides to have a real heart to heart moment, as he is the only one to have realized that today would have been Dick’s mother’s birthday, and he asks if Dick would like to talk about it. That line Bruce said to him earlier, about everything going wrong in a split second, it echos in his mind as he thinks about his parents. Dick continues to say he is fine, but Alfred is concerned ed for him, he isn’t Bruce and he doesn’t have to hide his emotions. As Alfred gives a plea for the boy to talk, finally Dick lashes out with tear filled eyes as he admits that performers aren’t supposed to cry. But suddenly he is falling into Alfred’s embrace, letting all of it out. Awwwww.

As the issue comes to an end Grimaldi once again shows up for his special time of berating his wheelchair bound father about how good he is doing. But suddenly he noticed there wasn’t a “lingering smolder” in his father’s eye, ha, must mean that he has finally accepted he is better. But Grimaldi has another talk to attend to, figuring out the identity of the batman. He refuses to admit that Dent’s stolen file is a dead end, he knows batman must be someone with ties to the city, and then that line about the Wayne boy being adopted and something Robin said earlier. Grimaldi reviews the tapes back to a time when Robin used the term, “slall.” From a search it comes up that’s circus slabs. And suddenly everything comes together, Bruce Wayne adopted a circus orphan. Grimaldi actually did it, he is one of the few to figure out the identity of the batman! And in typical Gotham fashion, right as he figures it out a large blade immediately cuts through his chest! Destroying the laptop he found this out on in the process! Turns out that his father had a different look in eye, because it was clayface all along! Two face and clayface are not parters, and the chest set was to kill and replace Grimaldi! Hahahaha, how perfect that the Gotham rogues are the ones to continually keep Batman’s identity a secret.

[RubiGiráldez RubiGiráldez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Número que dinamita todo de cara la prometedora recta final. Si Mark Waid y Chris Samnee llevaban desde la primera entrega de la cabecera prometiendo descubrir cómo la Gotham City más criminal se convertía en un peligroso polvorín justo en los inicios de la etapa formativa de Dick Grayson junto al Caballero Oscuro con ese ambicioso "General" Grimaldi. Las consabidas circunstancias de que elementos más peligrosos (y conocidos) del submundo criminal Gothamita quieren dejar de ser la anécdota en la sombra para poder reinar supremos (escalofríos en El Largo Halloween) toman ya parte total en la historia. Esto sigue dando rienda suelta al espléndido deleite de la narrativa de acción de Samnee, lo cual no escuda que esta propuesta de retelling del origen del Dúo Dinámico, tiene un gran impacto y gancho en las posibilidades más empáticas y emocionales modernas (aunado aquí a los hechos editoriales de la línea troncal que nos han privado de la siempre cálida presencia de Alfred Pennyworth y su relación con los "Niños rotos y pérdidos" que llegan a la Mansión Wayne).

[Madison · Rating 5 out of 5]

Seriously, this run is just SO good. Like Dick finally breaking and crying in Alfred’s arms, the discovery of their identities being thwarted by Clayface accidentally, the families pooling together, Two-Face!! Overall it’s just SO good. I love this

[Jorgelis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Me encanto Batman & Robin year one es una linda historia de como Bruce se vuelve papá y intenta controlar a Dick ya que es un rebelde y a la vez es súper adorable su relación con alfred, el se preocupa tanto por el 💗

[Tefi ⟡♡ · Rating 5 out of 5]

no puedes ponerme que es el cumpleaños de la mamá de dick y ponerme al nene llorando “BECAUSE PERFORMERS DONT CRY” 😭😭😭😭 lo que lloré de verdad carajo no pueden hacerme eso ens…

¿y alfred abrazándolo y sintiéndose mejor porque dick pudo abrirse? chau, soy tristeza

[Jadyn❀ · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars for the scene of Alfred talking to Dick about grief alone

[Alex Fyffe · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5

[Richard A · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book continues to shine and I love how Alfred comforts young Richard Grayson. Keep up the good work people.

[Giorgia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Il vero nemico di Batman sono gli italiani

[Sofian]

Holy shit

[may ☾ · Rating 5 out of 5]

alfred and dick😭😭😭
“because performers dont cry!” GOD JUST STAB ME WHY DONT YOU

alfreds a single mom working 2 jobs (hurry up and adopt me pls)

[Mar · Rating 4 out of 5]

(4,5/5)

[mollythemagic]

well that’s unfortunate

[Tan · Rating 5 out of 5]

actually insane run so far and this issue was one of the best

[Steven Shinder · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really like the Nightwing and Batgirl backup that was included.

[Ryan Gasser · Rating 5 out of 5]

I would give this a sixth star if I could. No spoilers, but your emotions will be tested.

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

...NO.
STOP.
ITS 1AM

THE COMMUNICATION, THE ART, THE DIALOGS, THE CHARACTERS!!!

and the hug. 💔

[Pedro Espada · Rating 5 out of 5]

La grapa más humana de la colección, y con mucha sorpresa!!

[Ushnav Shroff · Rating 5 out of 5]

THIS. IS. WHY. I. LOVE. BATMAN. (AND GRAPHIC NOVELS AT LARGE).

[yasmin · Rating 5 out of 5]

i love the art style in these comics. the characterization is pretty consistent so far. mark waid for a dollar name a woman. jk but also not. waiting for a woman to be a prominent character in this run.