What do you think?
Rate this book
Robin (1991, 1993-2009) #8
Robin: To Kill a Bird
It's a brand-new start for Batman's sidekick, Robin: a new town, a new school, new adventures and new problems. Before our hero can fully recover from the recent deaths of his father and girlfriend, he must come face to face with his enemies: the Penguin, the Dark Rider, the Veteran and a mysterious archer who seems to want the Boy Wonder dead!
144 pages, Paperback
First published April 5, 2006
2 people are currently reading
160 people want to read
About the author
Bill Willingham
993 books2,822 followersIn the late 1970s to early 1980s he drew fantasy ink pictures for the Dungeons & Dragons Basic and Expert game rulebooks. He first gained attention for his 1980s comic book series Elementals published by Comico, which he both wrote and drew. However, for reasons unknown, the series had trouble maintaining an original schedule, and Willingham's position in the industry remained spotty for many years. He contributed stories to Green Lantern and started his own independent, black-and-white comics series Coventry which lasted only 3 issues. He also produced the pornographic series Ironwood for Eros Comix.
In the late 1990s Willingham reestablished himself as a prolific writer. He produced the 13-issue Pantheon for Lone Star Press and wrote a pair of short novels about the modern adventures of the hero Beowulf, published by the writer's collective, Clockwork Storybook, of which Willingham was a founding member. In the early 2000s he began writing extensively for DC Comics, including the limited series Proposition Player, a pair of limited series about the Greek witch Thessaly from The Sandman, and most notably the popular series Fables
In the late 1990s Willingham reestablished himself as a prolific writer. He produced the 13-issue Pantheon for Lone Star Press and wrote a pair of short novels about the modern adventures of the hero Beowulf, published by the writer's collective, Clockwork Storybook, of which Willingham was a founding member. In the early 2000s he began writing extensively for DC Comics, including the limited series Proposition Player, a pair of limited series about the Greek witch Thessaly from The Sandman, and most notably the popular series Fables
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
January 7, 2026
3.5 stars.
Craziest part of this comic is Tim hacking and changing his father’s will, then creating a fake uncle and hiring an actor to play the role, all because he didn’t want to be adopted. Actually insane and impressive, I love him. And Tim thought Bruce would be mad but Bruce instead was SO PROUD of his skills. I love batdad. I love my family.
Craziest part of this comic is Tim hacking and changing his father’s will, then creating a fake uncle and hiring an actor to play the role, all because he didn’t want to be adopted. Actually insane and impressive, I love him. And Tim thought Bruce would be mad but Bruce instead was SO PROUD of his skills. I love batdad. I love my family.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 25, 2020
To Kill a Bird is illustrated by a 5-year-old who isn't meant to become an illustrator in the future and written by Bill Willingmah, who appears to have spent all of his talents writing Fables.
It is not only the plot nor the art. The dialogs suck, the panels are mashed together in a way that makes them impossible to understand, and the characters are nothing like themselves, neither the way they speak nor the way they look.
A bounty has been placed on the heads of Robin and Bat Girl. Robin is investigating to know why, as in: why would any criminal in Gotham want Robin/Bat Girl dead? It bugs him so much that when he finds out it was The Penguin, he goes to him and asks.
So The Penguin is like: it is because you always ruin my plans and I hate you. Arrh! And Robin is like: doesn't matter cause you are a joke and your followers laugh at you behind your back. Even I chuckle at your stupidity from time to time. Haha!
There is a whole story where Robin/Tim hires a bad actor to play the role of his uncle so that Bruce won't be able to adopt him. You know, because Robin is so independent of Batman that he couldn't stand being legally adopted.
There is also an entire issue dedicated to the shameful Dark Rider, a villain so weak that his mount disappears if/when he falls off it and has a sword made of wood. Even the action is impossible to enjoy due to the terrible art and panel editing.
My only hope is for something interesting to comes out of the 6th villain in this book, that Daughter of Warlock, or whatever (yeah, this book is all over the place) because otherwise, I would lose even that little bit of hope that I still hold for Willingham.
It is not only the plot nor the art. The dialogs suck, the panels are mashed together in a way that makes them impossible to understand, and the characters are nothing like themselves, neither the way they speak nor the way they look.
A bounty has been placed on the heads of Robin and Bat Girl. Robin is investigating to know why, as in: why would any criminal in Gotham want Robin/Bat Girl dead? It bugs him so much that when he finds out it was The Penguin, he goes to him and asks.
So The Penguin is like: it is because you always ruin my plans and I hate you. Arrh! And Robin is like: doesn't matter cause you are a joke and your followers laugh at you behind your back. Even I chuckle at your stupidity from time to time. Haha!
There is a whole story where Robin/Tim hires a bad actor to play the role of his uncle so that Bruce won't be able to adopt him. You know, because Robin is so independent of Batman that he couldn't stand being legally adopted.
There is also an entire issue dedicated to the shameful Dark Rider, a villain so weak that his mount disappears if/when he falls off it and has a sword made of wood. Even the action is impossible to enjoy due to the terrible art and panel editing.
My only hope is for something interesting to comes out of the 6th villain in this book, that Daughter of Warlock, or whatever (yeah, this book is all over the place) because otherwise, I would lose even that little bit of hope that I still hold for Willingham.
April 8, 2020
Robin: To Kill a Bird is a trade paperback that collects six issues (Robin #134–139) of the 1993 series and covers six one-issue stories some of them interconnected.
To Kill a Bird finds Tim Drake as Robin in Blüdhaven, hunted by a bevy of masked assassins. He ultimately traces them to the Penguin, but finds he's receiving unexpected help in ending the Penguin's contract by a military group that wants to make Robin their newest recruit. At the same time, Bruce Wayne offers to adopt the orphaned Tim Drake, until Tim's mysterious long-lost Uncle Eddie arrives and Robin's foe Johnny Warlock brings a new enemy back from the dead, while Alfred begins a relationship with Tim's widowed mother.
Bill Willingham penned the entire trade paperback. For the most part, it is written moderately well. Willingham shows his willingness to be controversial, and his villains take a giant leap forward. With Johnny Warlock taking the bulk and introduces quite a few other villains here that might otherwise just be one-note foes.
Damion Scott (Robin #134–135 and 138), Pop Mhan (Robin #136), Gisueppe Camuncoli (Robin #137), and Scott McDaniel (Robin #139) penciled the trade paperback. For the most part, the pencilers are far too distinct, which makes the artistic flow rather jagged and jarring. From the too cartoonish Scott and the blocky McDaniel and everything in between, it was a hodgepodge mess.
All in all, Robin: To Kill a Bird is a mediocre continuation to what would hopefully be a wonderful series.
To Kill a Bird finds Tim Drake as Robin in Blüdhaven, hunted by a bevy of masked assassins. He ultimately traces them to the Penguin, but finds he's receiving unexpected help in ending the Penguin's contract by a military group that wants to make Robin their newest recruit. At the same time, Bruce Wayne offers to adopt the orphaned Tim Drake, until Tim's mysterious long-lost Uncle Eddie arrives and Robin's foe Johnny Warlock brings a new enemy back from the dead, while Alfred begins a relationship with Tim's widowed mother.
Bill Willingham penned the entire trade paperback. For the most part, it is written moderately well. Willingham shows his willingness to be controversial, and his villains take a giant leap forward. With Johnny Warlock taking the bulk and introduces quite a few other villains here that might otherwise just be one-note foes.
Damion Scott (Robin #134–135 and 138), Pop Mhan (Robin #136), Gisueppe Camuncoli (Robin #137), and Scott McDaniel (Robin #139) penciled the trade paperback. For the most part, the pencilers are far too distinct, which makes the artistic flow rather jagged and jarring. From the too cartoonish Scott and the blocky McDaniel and everything in between, it was a hodgepodge mess.
All in all, Robin: To Kill a Bird is a mediocre continuation to what would hopefully be a wonderful series.
January 25, 2020
Robin #134-139.
A major step up from the last dozen Willingham issues, now that he's allowed to do his own thing. The art is unfortunately inconsistent since there are four artists over these six issues (and the inking on the second issue is so bizarre and sloppy that it looks like a fifth artist). But this book is far more entertaining and readable than it had been since Willingham took over. This is essentially used as a way to dump all that wasn't working from his first year on the title and rebuild. There's a fun overarching story about the hit Penguin placed in Robin and Batgirl, and that opens the door for strange one-off villains while leaving space for the return of subplots. I especially enjoy checking in on Tim's custody situation. Tim himself makes the conscious decision to be a light in the darkness of his recent life events, so that gives the book an upbeat tone that I've been missing.
This is just the kind of entertaining, no-nonsense adventure comic that Dixon perfected in his years the title.
A major step up from the last dozen Willingham issues, now that he's allowed to do his own thing. The art is unfortunately inconsistent since there are four artists over these six issues (and the inking on the second issue is so bizarre and sloppy that it looks like a fifth artist). But this book is far more entertaining and readable than it had been since Willingham took over. This is essentially used as a way to dump all that wasn't working from his first year on the title and rebuild. There's a fun overarching story about the hit Penguin placed in Robin and Batgirl, and that opens the door for strange one-off villains while leaving space for the return of subplots. I especially enjoy checking in on Tim's custody situation. Tim himself makes the conscious decision to be a light in the darkness of his recent life events, so that gives the book an upbeat tone that I've been missing.
This is just the kind of entertaining, no-nonsense adventure comic that Dixon perfected in his years the title.
July 13, 2021
*Lots of reading + no time review = Knee-jerk reactions!*
I'm enjoying getting to read more Tim Drake. Of all the Robins, he's really the one I know the least. (Not counting, of course, Jason's time as Robin... It's nearly impossible to find trade paperbacks with him as the Boy Wonder. However, I have gotten to know him very well as Red Hood.) This volume had a nice emphasis on what separates Tim from Bruce, but also the similarities they have. Also, some nice Bruce/Tim mentor/mentee moments. All of that plus really solid action.
I'm enjoying getting to read more Tim Drake. Of all the Robins, he's really the one I know the least. (Not counting, of course, Jason's time as Robin... It's nearly impossible to find trade paperbacks with him as the Boy Wonder. However, I have gotten to know him very well as Red Hood.) This volume had a nice emphasis on what separates Tim from Bruce, but also the similarities they have. Also, some nice Bruce/Tim mentor/mentee moments. All of that plus really solid action.
September 9, 2020
Hmmmm...Bill Willingham is interesting. Fables is mind-blowing and his superhero work is lame. Here, he throws a bunch of villainous stuff at the wall to see what sticks. Sadly, the answer isn't much. Added to that is a strangely emotional Batman and Damion Scott's terrible art. Overall, this is not what Robin doesn't need to stand on his own.
September 19, 2020
My Boy Tim Drake, out there all on his own doin his best. Favorite Tim Drake story so far.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 30, 2024
⭐️2.5
January 21, 2010
Tim has lost everything just before this comic begins. His father is dead, and he can't deal with his feelings toward Bruce after Steph's death. So he has a problem. Not the numerous meta-assassins after him, that's just a comic book. Tim's problem is that he's still a legal minor with no legal guardian. Tim solves this problem in an adorably Tim-like way. It was beautiful.
May 14, 2015
Decent Robin story, but fair warning, Penguin's only purpose is that he put a bounty on Robin to get him out of the way. He does not play a big part in this. Robin goes through the assassins with relative ease and it only gets really interesting in the last 10-15 pages and then ends. Fun for what it is, I'd be more interested to see the next collection.
August 13, 2008
Great story - I love Batman's reaction to Tim at the end!
October 21, 2008
Batman and Robin is a pretty good comic book to read. Long as you like Batman Comics or at least try it out to see if like it..
November 23, 2009
Best so far of the Willingham run on Robin, but still nothing special.
September 17, 2015
Not a huge fan of the art, but the story had some good parts.
May 25, 2016
Not my favorite art, but good art anyway. Good writing. Do recommend.
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews