Batman and Robin Eternal #22
Writers: James Tynion IV, Scott Snyder, and Genevieve Valentine
Artists: Fernando Blanco, and John Rauch
Cover Artists: Carlo Pagulayan
Publisher: DC
The cover of a comic book is often overlooked in terms of importance, but at the same time often plays a major role in pulling in a new reader. The cover for this issue leans towards being misleading, however, not in the same way other misleading covers tend to be. While those covers end up falsely advertising the events of the book, this cover misleads you into thinking the issue will be fantastic and exciging. It’s a gorgeous cover and if I’m not mistaken the first time all of the Robins have appeared on a cover for this series.
Now, the interior story wasn’t as terrible as that intro may have led you to believe, but at the same time not much really happens. The end is just a handful of issues away and every big battle needs a moment where the troops get amped up. This is that issue. What makes this particular situation interesting, is that it’s Damian who is the one that is smacking some hope and courage into his bros, even going as far as reaffirming the fact that Papa Bruce trusted and believed in all of them. It was a strange scene, considering how much jealousy and animosity Damian once held for the other Robins, but it was also a nice display of character growth for him. That being said, not much else really happens in the issue which is a bit unfortunate so late in the game. There is a “character death”, but in reality it just feels like a setup for a return in the future that will end up with Orphan betraying Mother. Here’s hoping the next four issues really steps it up. 3/5
Midnighter #10
Writer: Steve Orlando
Artists: ACO, Hugo Petrus, and Romulo Fajardo Jr.
Cover Artists: ACO and Romulo Fajardo Jr.
Publisher: DC
This series has been superb from the very beginning. The story has been fantastic and continues to be entertaining, fun, rivetting, pretty much exactly what you want in a comic. The only thing this series has been lacking is consistency with the art. In only 10 issues, the series has had more than 4 different artists and while none of them have been tremendously bad, every time there’s an art change it noticeably affects the story. That aside, this issue begins right where we left off, with Midnighter and the Suicide Squad going head to head, with both sides getting some real good punches in here and there. Steve Orlando is just doing a wonderful job with this story. Even with the majority of the issue dedicated to Midnighter and the Suicide Squad battling it out, he still manages to sneak in some great character building, as well as developing his supporting characters. In just a short 10 issues he’s managed to establish that while Midnighter is the perfect killing machine, he’s first and foremost a superhero. 4.5/5
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Arnab Pradhan
arnab@comicattack.net
