rhganci's review against another edition
5.0
The death of Damian Wayne was one of the worst-kept secrets of the New 52, as not only was it publicized aggressively as a sort of spoiler-non-spoiler, but also in that volume 4 of Batman & Robin was actually titled Requiem for Damian long before Batman, Incorporated, Vol. 2: Gotham's Most Wanted even became available in trade paperback. That made this part of the current Bat-plots kind of uncompelling, especially through the end of Death of the Family. There, the writers really hit a strong stride in the development of Damian and Bruce's relationship. Knowing that death would undercut any sort of satisfying takeaway from any story involving Bruce and Damian made me likewise skeptical about this volume, but I was happily wrong about that: in this collection, Tomasi and Gleason bring the book to its highest height, and from the "silent issue" to the last exchange between Batman and Alfred, they lend the gravity to this storyline that DC's publishing habits tried to mitigate.
What I loved most about this volume was the overall structure. The fact that DC's editorial staff greenlit six issues to explore the depths of Batman's grief shows more great decision-making with the character. Better still is that we get an entire issue to just process the immediate aftermath of Damian's death, and the raw emotions that govern the mourning father's existence. I can't say enough about the striking nature of the "silent issue"--another poorly-kept secret--or the fact that each of the other issues focuses, in order, on the Five Stages of Grief, from the standalone plot of the issue to the titles, each of which alter the title of the book slightly: Batman & Robin becomes Batman & Red Robin, Batman & Batgirl, or Batman & Catwoman; each presents a self-contained story in which Batman, with the help of a member of the Bat-family, works through the five stages of grief. It's a sophisticated, brainy approach to story structure, one that might alienate some readers if the stories themselves weren't so good--they tell of the mourning father, and his efforts to process the most grievous loss since the one that molded his persona. It's a powerful use of the comic medium, and with a few backup teases as to what is coming next, the book gives us exactly what we would expect from the character we all know so well.
Gleason and Gray complement the story flawlessly. Since they have the first and last word in the "silent issue," their artistic storytelling prowess makes this not only the most memorable moment of Batman & Robin, but perhaps the most memorable moment of the entire New 52. They follow this up with their familiar dark pencils, inks, and colors, with shadowy eyes and the strong presence of red throughout each issue. It's powerful storytelling anyway the reader approaches it, and at least equal to the achievement in terms of visual creation that counterpart Greg Capullo achieved in Batman, Vol. 1: Court of Owls. The number of Bat-books is one thing, but the work of the creative teams is another--and in this collection, Tomasi and Gleason show us they aren't the B-team in terms of bringing top-quality storytelling to the Bat-family. Batman & Red Robin, Vol. 4: Requiem for Damian stands at the top of what DC has accomplished with the character since September of 2011.
What I loved most about this volume was the overall structure. The fact that DC's editorial staff greenlit six issues to explore the depths of Batman's grief shows more great decision-making with the character. Better still is that we get an entire issue to just process the immediate aftermath of Damian's death, and the raw emotions that govern the mourning father's existence. I can't say enough about the striking nature of the "silent issue"--another poorly-kept secret--or the fact that each of the other issues focuses, in order, on the Five Stages of Grief, from the standalone plot of the issue to the titles, each of which alter the title of the book slightly: Batman & Robin becomes Batman & Red Robin, Batman & Batgirl, or Batman & Catwoman; each presents a self-contained story in which Batman, with the help of a member of the Bat-family, works through the five stages of grief. It's a sophisticated, brainy approach to story structure, one that might alienate some readers if the stories themselves weren't so good--they tell of the mourning father, and his efforts to process the most grievous loss since the one that molded his persona. It's a powerful use of the comic medium, and with a few backup teases as to what is coming next, the book gives us exactly what we would expect from the character we all know so well.
Gleason and Gray complement the story flawlessly. Since they have the first and last word in the "silent issue," their artistic storytelling prowess makes this not only the most memorable moment of Batman & Robin, but perhaps the most memorable moment of the entire New 52. They follow this up with their familiar dark pencils, inks, and colors, with shadowy eyes and the strong presence of red throughout each issue. It's powerful storytelling anyway the reader approaches it, and at least equal to the achievement in terms of visual creation that counterpart Greg Capullo achieved in Batman, Vol. 1: Court of Owls. The number of Bat-books is one thing, but the work of the creative teams is another--and in this collection, Tomasi and Gleason show us they aren't the B-team in terms of bringing top-quality storytelling to the Bat-family. Batman & Red Robin, Vol. 4: Requiem for Damian stands at the top of what DC has accomplished with the character since September of 2011.
19lindsey89's review against another edition
4.0
Gah! Feels!
I'll be the first to admit that I didn't care for Damian and wasn't all that sad when he died. But reading about everyone else's grief was very sad. Poor Alfred!
I'll be the first to admit that I didn't care for Damian and wasn't all that sad when he died. But reading about everyone else's grief was very sad. Poor Alfred!
emilyyjjean's review against another edition
5.0
Wow, this was a really great volume!
It was packed with emotion! In Undone, the first part to this volume, it spoke so many words without using a single one.
It was packed with emotion! In Undone, the first part to this volume, it spoke so many words without using a single one.
slipperbunny's review against another edition
5.0
I'm pretty sure I haven't read the third volume but it didn't bother me that much. This volume was really depressing and I actually cried at the end.
subhamroxx's review against another edition
5.0
This one was so emotional and good.
It starts off with the Requiem for Damian after his death in Batman Inc from the heretic hands and then we see Bruce reeling from that and that silent issue is hands down one of the best and then team up issues with different Robins and also showing five stages of grief like how he experiments with Frankenstein to resurrect his son or the one with Jason ad that anger-filled issue is so good and raw and emotional or the one with Barbara where she is trying to handle him but he lashes out at her and yeah some real emotional stuff and well the best being in the end with Dick and seeing Alfred and how he deals with it, this volume kinda grounds Batman and shows his humanity and what it feels like to lose a son.
Its very deep and emotional and some instances can feel like Bruce being an a-hole but its a father dealing with the loss of his world and Tomasi and Gleason excel at it and I love it, Tomasi knows how to go deep into these characters and give them that humanity which makes them so much more relatable and I love his writing for it! Plus the art by Gleason is some of the best ever and one of my top 5 Batman books for sure.
It starts off with the Requiem for Damian after his death in Batman Inc from the heretic hands and then we see Bruce reeling from that and that silent issue is hands down one of the best and then team up issues with different Robins and also showing five stages of grief like how he experiments with Frankenstein to resurrect his son or the one with Jason ad that anger-filled issue is so good and raw and emotional or the one with Barbara where she is trying to handle him but he lashes out at her and yeah some real emotional stuff and well the best being in the end with Dick and seeing Alfred and how he deals with it, this volume kinda grounds Batman and shows his humanity and what it feels like to lose a son.
Its very deep and emotional and some instances can feel like Bruce being an a-hole but its a father dealing with the loss of his world and Tomasi and Gleason excel at it and I love it, Tomasi knows how to go deep into these characters and give them that humanity which makes them so much more relatable and I love his writing for it! Plus the art by Gleason is some of the best ever and one of my top 5 Batman books for sure.
marwalzarouni's review against another edition
5.0
All the feels in this world cannot being to describe them in this volume!
runningbeard's review against another edition
4.0
Damian grew on me, as did this story.
I found Bruce's obsession with the computer simulation very believable, and hit home... in a way that I think most of us can envision. We may not be capable of the physical force of Batman, or relate to his wealth, but we can imagine ourselves in that torture seat... running the simulator over and over. Alfred's take at the end was beautifully done, and we're given a perfectly brief expansion of the circle of grief and widening sense of loss and love at the end.
I found Bruce's obsession with the computer simulation very believable, and hit home... in a way that I think most of us can envision. We may not be capable of the physical force of Batman, or relate to his wealth, but we can imagine ourselves in that torture seat... running the simulator over and over. Alfred's take at the end was beautifully done, and we're given a perfectly brief expansion of the circle of grief and widening sense of loss and love at the end.
sherpawhale's review against another edition
4.0
18 is the sole reason to buy this book. The Grief arc probably would have hit better if it didn't feel like Batman was always in GrimRage. Recommend, though.
lindakat's review against another edition
4.0
3.5 Stars, rounding up because of the end with Pennyworth
Bruce's grief was the expected one-note rage of a grieving father. It was expected sure but I felt a lot more could have been done with the final homage to Damien - the second best of all the Robin's. What made the story was the side characters, Catwoman (always) Batgirl (because she shared her own pain of grief) and two of the prior Robins' (especially Red Hood).
Good but not great, wanted more.
Bruce's grief was the expected one-note rage of a grieving father. It was expected sure but I felt a lot more could have been done with the final homage to Damien - the second best of all the Robin's. What made the story was the side characters, Catwoman (always) Batgirl (because she shared her own pain of grief) and two of the prior Robins' (especially Red Hood).
Good but not great, wanted more.