Batman & Robin #13 brings Joshua Williamson and Juan Ferreira’s Dinosaur Island arc to a close, and concludes Williamson’s writing of the book overall. In response to the cliffhanger from the previous issue, the muscle-bound Robin is not the focus here. Robin is rather a classic action vehicle that Juan Ferreira captures beautifully, especially with the way he lights it. Nobody has ever painted the island more captivatingly. His watercolors are perfect for the tropical location, and his dynamic action is only matched by the depiction of real emotion on the characters’ faces. One particular panel in which Bruce looks at Damian works very well, effortlessly capturing the loving eyes of a father in two dimensions.
The real meat of the book is in a flash-forward to the future, where Damian is at school and being questioned about his emotional situation after the past 13 issues. The issue jumps between two time periods, the island and the school, with the school distinguished by a black, white and red color scheme, just like Alfred’s flashbacks that preceded it. There’s a nice neat trick where the colorless panels gradually become more colorful as the future becomes the present, and the reader sees Damian leave the island and the school together to go home. The two time periods culminate in a beautiful spread where Damian’s past, present and future collide.
Joshua Williamson’s script goes a long way in showing just how young Damian really is, making his emotional growth at the end all the more meaningful. Whereas in the last issue Damian learned to accept Alfred’s death, here he learns to accept himself, who he is and what it all means. And all of this progress couldn’t have happened without Batman as his emotional anchor, his Robin. Bruce has come full circle and done for his son what Alfred always did for him: be a good father.
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Towards villains, Bane displays remorse in contrast to his daughter, indicating that his years of conflict with Batman have caught up with him. They team up as a dynamic duo to defeat the dinosaur-riding Cobra army. However, this confrontation with Cobra is quickly resolved, and Bane’s ending, while a poetic reminder of his beginnings, is less inspiring. Through his feud with Batman, Bane learned that revenge is a dead end, lacking satisfaction and self-actualization, but Vengeance is still learning this lesson.
Bane and Vengeance, the creative mirror of Batman and Robin, is put at a disadvantage in this issue, but that may be the right choice, because it leaves room for Damian to find himself and for Bruce to guide him there. As a fan, it often feels like Bane goes back and forth from villain to anti-hero every other week, and his portrayal here is no exception.
Batman & Robin #13 depicts broken people being loved and how that act saves them. Joshua Williamson’s run ends with a heartfelt send-off rendered in beautiful watercolors by Juan Ferreira, tying up loose ends and paving the way for PKJ and Javier Fernandez to take the helm of DC All In in October. Damian Wayne is at the heart of the entire book, and under Batman’s loving shadow, he shines as a star in his own right.
Batman’s son grows up in Batman & Robin Vol. 13
Batman and Robin #13
Batman & Robin #13 depicts broken people being loved and how that act saves them. Joshua Williamson’s run ends with a heartfelt send-off rendered in beautiful watercolors by Juan Ferreira, tying up loose ends and paving the way for PKJ and Javier Fernandez to take the helm of DC All In in October. Damian Wayne is at the heart of the entire book, and under Batman’s loving shadow, he shines as a star in his own right.
A heartfelt love letter to Damian Wayne
The Alfred Bain case is over, and “justice” has finally been served.
A fitting final issue to Joshua Williamson’s Batman & Robin series and Juan Ferreira’s excellent run on this series.
Cobra, dinosaur, cobra riding a dinosaur ends quickly to give more room for the internal drama
The last cliffhanger didn’t end up being that challenging after all.
