BATMAN AND ROBIN #29 (REVIEW)

Batman And Robin Aquaman #29

Writer: Peter J. Tomasi

Artist: Mick Gray
          Patrick Gleason

Cover: Mick Gray
           Patrick Gleason





The Rundown:
The story begins with Batman and Alfred referencing the events in the past few issues (find out what happened...HERE) as Batman is underwater looking for Ra's al Ghul and the bodies of Talia and Damian based on the coordinates Damian had left them. On the way, the chained corpses of Damian's former teachers from his time with his mother are swaying in the water. Then, Batman is confronted by fellow Justice League member, Arthur Curry aka Aquaman, who has been following the screams of marine life coming from the same location. Ra's al Ghul is aware of their presence and disperses his men to attack them under the waters surface, and begins moving the bodies of Talia and Damian now that the Dark Knight has shown up ahead of schedule. Bruce and Arthur fight through, storming the beach and taking down a group of assassins and Man-Bat's. Aquaman locates the source of the screams, sperm whales that Ra's is using to create super-soldiers in the manner Talia had done before her death.

Ra's has the computers and all their contents wiped and destroyed as Bruce and Arthur infiltrate the base. They are soon confronted by an assortment of mutated, failed clones of Damian. Batman quickly overcomes the initial shock and asks Arthur to use his powers to control them. A task he is willing and capable of doing with them being half aquatic since being born within the whales. Aquaman has them march into the ocean where they are swallowed up by a massive whale being commanded by Arthur. Batman fights his way to al Ghul's jet as it takes off into the air. While on the outside looking in, he sees the sucoficises of Talia and Damian. Ra's informs his minion that they are enroute to Paradise Island, home of the Amazons. Still outside the jet, Batman makes his way to the front window and demands Ra's give back his son. To which Ra's reminds Bruce, that Damian is also of his blood and he will do no such thing before tilting the jet causing the dark knight to begin to plummet from the sky. Aquaman is able to catch him before he crashes into the rocks on the ground. Bruce promises to make Ra's pay, to which Arthur has no doubt. Aquaman informs him that the clones are still alive and kept at Atlantis for safe keeping as the two part ways. 

The story ends in London, England with Batman locating Wonder Woman who is in the guise of her secret identity. Bruce asks if the glasses were Clark's idea before then asking for help getting to her homeland, Paradise Island. The hunt for Robin has begun!


The Review:
I really liked how they at least referenced Two-Face after the events of last issue (rundown and review found...HERE). It wasn't just pushed to the side as if it didn't just happen, and quickly forgotten. I admit, that I wasn't looking forward to Aquaman being in this issue, as I couldn't think of "why" he would be. Tomasi not only made me like that Arthur was in there, but he made it work and make sense. Didn't dawn on me before that the method used by Talia and now Ra's would cross a line with the character. He also made for a good "storage space" as other than killing them all off, what else would one do with the mutated Damian clones? The obvious answer would've been to have them just begin to breakdown and die, but liked that they didn't go that route, and again, made sense. Of course, it would've been nice if he was around when D' was getting killed by the initial "whale baby" clone.

The art was okay. It told the story very well and I liked that there weren't too many panels needed to do so. I really liked the various mutated Damian clones. Wasn't too sure what a fetus would do in a fight, but it is a "super-solider" clone so I guess it could do something. If anything it added to the weirdness effect of the group. Of course the full-page panel with the massive whale swallowing them up too. It gave Aquaman his classic "look what I can do" moment.

Overall, the issue was good, but as a starting point for a bigger story it was very good. I was hoping that the Damian clones would have thrown Batman off his game for more than a single panel, but understood that with how they looked and his awareness that they aren't him made it easier for him. Also, I am thinking that there will likely be more clones to come, and with at least one being a spot on carbon copy. One that will truly mess with Bruce's mind. Personally, I hope they bring him back at the end of this. My argument is that his being half an al Ghul gave him that pass the moment he arrived. But, I am also on the fence as to whether his come back is a tad early yet.

Stay Nerdy!