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Robin (1991, 1993-2009) #12
Robin: The Big Leagues
Robin goes solo to battle a group of villains who take an entire hospital ward hostage. The only problem is that the gang is led by his former friend Dodge. Can Tim save the day and turn his friend from the dark side?
Collecting ROBIN #163-167!
Collecting ROBIN #163-167!
128 pages, Paperback
First published March 5, 2008
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About the author
Adam Beechen
322 books10 followersFor more information, please see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adam_Bee...
Writer Adam Beechen is the author of several comic books, including Robin and Justice League Unlimited . Adam also writes for tv on such shows as Teen Titans, The Batman and is the story editor on HiHi Puffy Ami Yumi for Cartoon Network.
Writer Adam Beechen is the author of several comic books, including Robin and Justice League Unlimited . Adam also writes for tv on such shows as Teen Titans, The Batman and is the story editor on HiHi Puffy Ami Yumi for Cartoon Network.
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
November 20, 2025
"Bruce would say 'strike hard, strike fast. Whatever you do, don't stop moving. Hit the space like you're not afraid to die, because it's the only way to make absolutely sure that no one else does.'" -- Tim Drake, a.k.a. Robin, reflecting on some sound 'parental' advice
Robin: The Big Leagues features three stories - short tales bookend the volume, with a more involved narrative in the middle - starring Tim Drake, the third Robin in the succession of Batman sidekicks / protégés. Still a teenager / high school student, Drake yearns to show father-figure Bruce Wayne that on occasion he can successfully work solo as a crime-fighter, as well as (although actually this goes unspoken here) measuring up to now-grown Dick Grayson, who casts a long shadow as the original Robin. Akin to the Disney/Pixar film The Incredibles antagonist called 'Syndrome,' the central story features a whiny hero wannabe-turned-villain named Dodge who is mightily irked that Robin did not accept his offer to become the latest Gotham vigilante. It's a fast-moving and bruising if not very substantial graphic novel, highlighted by some fatherly cameo appearances of Bruce Wayne a.k.a Batman, who assures well-meaning adopted son Drake that he is indeed often doing good and thorough work. Also look for the sly writer self-insert when co-author Beechen is depicted as a police lieutenant assisting in loading several apprehended supervillains into a paddy wagon.
Robin: The Big Leagues features three stories - short tales bookend the volume, with a more involved narrative in the middle - starring Tim Drake, the third Robin in the succession of Batman sidekicks / protégés. Still a teenager / high school student, Drake yearns to show father-figure Bruce Wayne that on occasion he can successfully work solo as a crime-fighter, as well as (although actually this goes unspoken here) measuring up to now-grown Dick Grayson, who casts a long shadow as the original Robin. Akin to the Disney/Pixar film The Incredibles antagonist called 'Syndrome,' the central story features a whiny hero wannabe-turned-villain named Dodge who is mightily irked that Robin did not accept his offer to become the latest Gotham vigilante. It's a fast-moving and bruising if not very substantial graphic novel, highlighted by some fatherly cameo appearances of Bruce Wayne a.k.a Batman, who assures well-meaning adopted son Drake that he is indeed often doing good and thorough work. Also look for the sly writer self-insert when co-author Beechen is depicted as a police lieutenant assisting in loading several apprehended supervillains into a paddy wagon.
February 2, 2012
Robin steps up in the absence of Batman, and is quite literally in over his head.
April 16, 2020
Robin: The Big Leagues is a trade paperback that collects five issues (Robin #163–167) of the 1993 series and covers nine one-issue stories some of them interconnected.
Tim Drake plans to spend Father's Day with Batman since his adoption, buying an expensive watch. On the way home to prepare dinner he gets into a huge fight with the Jury, who make him hopelessly late. The watch breaks, but Bruce is grateful for the gesture anyway. (Robin #163)
Dodge returns to take revenge on Robin, using funding from a crimelord named Baptiste. He assembles a crew with the super-villains Cheater, Macro, Micro, Skill, Tapeworm and Baptiste's henchman Brutus. They take over a hospital with a force field, demanding the police give them Robin. (Robin #164–166)
Finally, there's an escape from Arkham Asylum and Robin volunteers to deal with the convicts while Batman is busy. He takes down Lock-Up and Riot Act, although he takes the deaths of their victims more personally than usual. It's finally revealed that this night is the anniversary of his father's death. (Robin #167).
With the exception of one issue (Robin #167), which was written by Brandon Thomas, Adam Beechen penned the entire trade paperback. For the most part, it is written moderately well. Beechen's exploration of Batman and Robin's new father-and-son status breathes new life into their partnership. The middle three issues pit Robin against a team of vengeful super-villains, while the first and last focus on Tim's two fathers: Bruce Wayne and the late Jack Drake.
Freddie E. Williams II penciled the entire trade paperback. Since he was the main penciler, the artistic flow of the trade paperback flowed exceptionally well. For the most part, I enjoyed his penciling style, despite that his outlining the characters could be distracting at times.
All in all, Robin: The Big Leagues is a mediocre continuation to what would hopefully be a wonderful series.
Tim Drake plans to spend Father's Day with Batman since his adoption, buying an expensive watch. On the way home to prepare dinner he gets into a huge fight with the Jury, who make him hopelessly late. The watch breaks, but Bruce is grateful for the gesture anyway. (Robin #163)
Dodge returns to take revenge on Robin, using funding from a crimelord named Baptiste. He assembles a crew with the super-villains Cheater, Macro, Micro, Skill, Tapeworm and Baptiste's henchman Brutus. They take over a hospital with a force field, demanding the police give them Robin. (Robin #164–166)
Finally, there's an escape from Arkham Asylum and Robin volunteers to deal with the convicts while Batman is busy. He takes down Lock-Up and Riot Act, although he takes the deaths of their victims more personally than usual. It's finally revealed that this night is the anniversary of his father's death. (Robin #167).
With the exception of one issue (Robin #167), which was written by Brandon Thomas, Adam Beechen penned the entire trade paperback. For the most part, it is written moderately well. Beechen's exploration of Batman and Robin's new father-and-son status breathes new life into their partnership. The middle three issues pit Robin against a team of vengeful super-villains, while the first and last focus on Tim's two fathers: Bruce Wayne and the late Jack Drake.
Freddie E. Williams II penciled the entire trade paperback. Since he was the main penciler, the artistic flow of the trade paperback flowed exceptionally well. For the most part, I enjoyed his penciling style, despite that his outlining the characters could be distracting at times.
All in all, Robin: The Big Leagues is a mediocre continuation to what would hopefully be a wonderful series.
January 29, 2020
Robin #163-167.
More of a 3.5. Not much left to say after the last volume. This is still exactly the Robin comic I want to read. This one gets a slightly lower rating because there was more mindless action and the resolutions weren't as clean as I'd have wanted from the end of Beechen's run. Still a great time, especially as a cap to this era. I'm excited to see how/if Dixon and Nicieza use these supporting characters in the last two volumes of the series.
More of a 3.5. Not much left to say after the last volume. This is still exactly the Robin comic I want to read. This one gets a slightly lower rating because there was more mindless action and the resolutions weren't as clean as I'd have wanted from the end of Beechen's run. Still a great time, especially as a cap to this era. I'm excited to see how/if Dixon and Nicieza use these supporting characters in the last two volumes of the series.
September 10, 2020
Tim Drake is his own man and his own emotions and its shown here. While this book is far from great, I loved the emotions involved. Tim, dealing with Father's Day, loss, guilt, and love is just the beginning. There were some very cheesy plot points but they all were in the purpose of building Tim up. Freddie Williams is a dynamic artist and his Robin is great. Overall, another solid read by Adam Beechen.
March 28, 2018
3.5 Stars
May 14, 2024
⭐️3.5
May 20, 2008
Freddie E. Williams is the perfect artist for Robin. His sleek style, reminiscent of a less-goofy Ed McGuinness, captures Robin's acrobatic fighting style and Tim Drake's still-teenaged features.
If only the writing could match his great work. The first story, about Robin's first father's day as Bruce Wayne's adopted son, is fun, though the villains are weak. The wrap up of the Dodge story, about a younger kid who wants to be Robin's sidekick, ends on a bad note. Dodge assembles a team of villains, including at least two known assassins, then complains when those guys want to kill Robin, rather than merely "teach him a lesson." I know Dodge is supposed to be a novice at this, but that planning is foolish.
The last story, by new writer Brandon Thomas, has Robin being far too dour on a regular night of superhero rounds, and feels thrown in to round out the page count.
If only the writing could match his great work. The first story, about Robin's first father's day as Bruce Wayne's adopted son, is fun, though the villains are weak. The wrap up of the Dodge story, about a younger kid who wants to be Robin's sidekick, ends on a bad note. Dodge assembles a team of villains, including at least two known assassins, then complains when those guys want to kill Robin, rather than merely "teach him a lesson." I know Dodge is supposed to be a novice at this, but that planning is foolish.
The last story, by new writer Brandon Thomas, has Robin being far too dour on a regular night of superhero rounds, and feels thrown in to round out the page count.
March 28, 2008
A few things disappointed me with this one...The Dodge scenario. I know, it's the main point of this collection--but my interest in Dodge ran out when he was comatose in the hospital. Sorry.
On to the good stuff - seeing some Titans in this issue that weren't Wonder Girl or memories of Superboy; and the Father's Day subplot was great, as cool as Tim losing his love interest to a cute guy with more time on his hands. :)
On to the good stuff - seeing some Titans in this issue that weren't Wonder Girl or memories of Superboy; and the Father's Day subplot was great, as cool as Tim losing his love interest to a cute guy with more time on his hands. :)
February 9, 2010
I liked what they did with Dodge's character here, but I liked what was done with Ravager's more. And, of course, Tim continues to rock the whole world.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews