jenniferlynnkrohn's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
gothicteletubby's review
4.5
I really really enjoyed this. I love Jason as Robin and it's absolutely criminal his run isn't collected too much.
Having Jason make Bruce laugh in the anniversary of his parents' deaths in crime alley, hitting Bruce in the chest with a tire iron, and running away after calling him a big boob is the best introduction for a character I've ever read.
Dick's conversation with Bruce is my favorite issue this collection. Dick knows Bruce so well, when you think Bruce finally tells the truth, he immediately calls bullshit, and Dick talking to Jason was so sweet, not taking his anger out on this kid and just including him fast made me cry.
Having Jason make Bruce laugh in the anniversary of his parents' deaths in crime alley, hitting Bruce in the chest with a tire iron, and running away after calling him a big boob is the best introduction for a character I've ever read.
Dick's conversation with Bruce is my favorite issue this collection. Dick knows Bruce so well, when you think Bruce finally tells the truth, he immediately calls bullshit, and Dick talking to Jason was so sweet, not taking his anger out on this kid and just including him fast made me cry.
steviekm's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
5.0
I’m a teen, and I think this is a great and entertaining introduction to Batman Comics and also Jason Todd’s Origin (and a little bit of Nightwing as well). The adventures are fun and easy to follow while also making every character interesting and multi-dimensional. I especially liked the storylines with Two-Face. Even my mom, who grew up reading these stories, loved reading it.
abinthebooks's review
4.0
*4.5
Unpopular opinion, but I absolutely love Jason Todd’s Robin. He’s so interesting to me, because of how polar opposite he is from both Bruce and Dick. Second Chances is a simple rundown of Jason heavy stories, including his first appearance, his origin, his basic morals, and some of his first missions. The stories collected in here were really good, and really gave me a nice overview of young Jason Todd.
Dick Grayson (Nightwing) also shows up in one of the last comics, and it’s probably the best comic in this entire trade. Dick’s conversation with Bruce about being replaced was very real, and one of the most interesting things in here. It was very powerful, and I’m so glad DC acknowledged that what Bruce did was such an asshole fucking thing to do. I will never not be mad at this.
Jason’s introduction was also a great comic, and everything in between was also really enjoyable. Obviously with trades that collect non-order comics, not everything is going to make sense or be amazing. But I still really enjoyed this regardless.
Unpopular opinion, but I absolutely love Jason Todd’s Robin. He’s so interesting to me, because of how polar opposite he is from both Bruce and Dick. Second Chances is a simple rundown of Jason heavy stories, including his first appearance, his origin, his basic morals, and some of his first missions. The stories collected in here were really good, and really gave me a nice overview of young Jason Todd.
Dick Grayson (Nightwing) also shows up in one of the last comics, and it’s probably the best comic in this entire trade. Dick’s conversation with Bruce about being replaced was very real, and one of the most interesting things in here. It was very powerful, and I’m so glad DC acknowledged that what Bruce did was such an asshole fucking thing to do. I will never not be mad at this.
Jason’s introduction was also a great comic, and everything in between was also really enjoyable. Obviously with trades that collect non-order comics, not everything is going to make sense or be amazing. But I still really enjoyed this regardless.
pagesinmylife's review against another edition
adventurous
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
maxissupercool's review against another edition
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
dozmuttz's review
4.0
This was actually really great. I really thought it was going to be boring and kinda slow. Of course Jim Starlin and Max Collins prove me wrong and make a kick ass Batman Arc. In this book we get introduced to Jason Todd and we see he become the new Robin as Dick and Batman have their differences and Dick becomes Nightwing. We get a lot of good stories with an overall understanding to Jason’s character. This was also really well paced and had its really deep moments. Loved this a lot !
toe's review against another edition
adventurous
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
3.0
captwinghead's review against another edition
4.0
A pretty good collection of Batman comics. Considering I read #357 through to here, I can only imagine how confused Batman readers were back in the 80s. They retconned things that were settled less than 50 issues previous to these and it's really odd. Most things were changed to add more conflict.
This collection chronicles Jason Todd's retconned introduction. When Batsy met him in issue #357, he was Jason Todd, the acrobat and son of the "Flying Todds". His parents were killed by Killer Croc and he went to stay with Bruce. He had red hair which he later dyed to put on a costume and fight crime with Batman. They did everything to avoid calling him "Robin", but Bruce slipped up a few times and eventually Dick drops by to tell them it's silly for them not to just call him Robin. Dick willingly hands over the costume.
After the retcon, Jason Todd is a street kid Bruce finds trying to boost the wheels off of the batmobile. He has black hair, he's been living alone for a long time after his mother died of a drug overdose and his father was killed by Two Face, who he worked for. Bruce sends him to a "school" run by a woman who uses street kids to commit crimes. He helps Batman close the school down and Bruce agrees to train him to be Robin. In the retcon, Jason is pretty much Dick's complete opposite. Adding conflict.
In the retcon, Dick was fired after the Joker shot him and Bruce suddenly(?) felt guilty about having a child for a partner. Dick was 19 at the time (I swear, the ages for Dick and Jason shift all the time). He leaves the manor, goes to college, fails at college and starts leading the Teen Titans. In the retcon, Robin was taken from him. Adding conflict.
When Dick confronts Bruce about hiring another child sidekick, Bruce tries to give the run around before ultimately admitting that he missed Dick. Which, y'know, I'd empathize with him for if he hadn't been the one that fired Dick. It's a great scene though.
Overall, pretty solid collection. Nowhere near as weighed down by unnecessary romantic conflict like the issues before it and I loved seeing Jason's joy at being Robin.
This collection chronicles Jason Todd's retconned introduction. When Batsy met him in issue #357, he was Jason Todd, the acrobat and son of the "Flying Todds". His parents were killed by Killer Croc and he went to stay with Bruce. He had red hair which he later dyed to put on a costume and fight crime with Batman. They did everything to avoid calling him "Robin", but Bruce slipped up a few times and eventually Dick drops by to tell them it's silly for them not to just call him Robin. Dick willingly hands over the costume.
After the retcon, Jason Todd is a street kid Bruce finds trying to boost the wheels off of the batmobile. He has black hair, he's been living alone for a long time after his mother died of a drug overdose and his father was killed by Two Face, who he worked for. Bruce sends him to a "school" run by a woman who uses street kids to commit crimes. He helps Batman close the school down and Bruce agrees to train him to be Robin. In the retcon, Jason is pretty much Dick's complete opposite. Adding conflict.
In the retcon, Dick was fired after the Joker shot him and Bruce suddenly(?) felt guilty about having a child for a partner. Dick was 19 at the time (I swear, the ages for Dick and Jason shift all the time). He leaves the manor, goes to college, fails at college and starts leading the Teen Titans. In the retcon, Robin was taken from him. Adding conflict.
When Dick confronts Bruce about hiring another child sidekick, Bruce tries to give the run around before ultimately admitting that he missed Dick. Which, y'know, I'd empathize with him for if he hadn't been the one that fired Dick. It's a great scene though.
Overall, pretty solid collection. Nowhere near as weighed down by unnecessary romantic conflict like the issues before it and I loved seeing Jason's joy at being Robin.
abhi_thelegend's review against another edition
3.0
Batman and Robin stories and adventures, you find out more about Robin as a character and how Batman and him met, it’s just fun stories with a more classic art vibe that I really liked!