Batman and Robin #29

First before I leave this review, I have an admission to make. I only wrote this because Tony and Mat said on last week's podcast that we should write reviews if we have an opinion. I didn't even know that user reviews were a thing. Anyway, this is also to agree with Mat's review, which seemed to be alone on the web in terms of his disappointment. As a big fan of Aquaman myself, I also felt a bit tricked after reading this issue.

First, on where Mat and I disagree: I didn't feel like Aquaman's entrance to the issue was forced. In the issue, Batman mentions how crazy it is to bump into Arthur in the huge ocean, as well as in a place that's far from Atlantis. But for me, it made sense. I actually remember from reading Batman Inc, when Ra's Al Ghul was using whale wombs to make more Damians, that Aquaman would be ticked about it. So when Aquaman mentioned whale screams, I immediately thought about the fact that he must be close to Ra's Al Ghul. It's actually the perfect spot to get Aquaman in on the story. The only weird thing about that is why Batman is taking a sub instead of a plane when the coordinates that he is following end up on a shoreline. Eh... comic books.

Also, I wish Titus had more screen time. That cameo was just a tease! Tomasi did a great job, in my opinion, of developing the relationship between Damian and Titus, so it's awesome that he's along for the ride! I just think he missed a huge opportunity to hit me in the heart with a scene of Titus seeing the Damian clones and being confused. In fact, this book felt like that a lot: A bunch of missed opportunities to hit all my favorite notes.

Here is where Mat and I agree fully: Aquaman's art and dialog. First of all, I'm sorry if it sounds mean, but I don't think Tomasi read a single issue of the New 52's Aquaman. The character in the orange shirt doesn't talk or even look like the Aquaman I know and love, who has made me a fan in his own book, in Justice League, and in the new Aquaman and the Others! In fact, the new Aquaman title just makes this more confusing because it proves that Ivan Reis and Geoff Johns aren't the only ones who can do his look and feel. Jeff Parker has been doing a great job as well. So why does this Aquaman sound like he never grew up on land, like he never went to high school, or lived in a bustling harbor town. He just sounds weird and unrecognizable. And it isn't because he cares about the whales. In fact, Geoff fleshed out really well that Arthur doesn't have a special affinity for fish; he eats them after all. But also, he mentioned that dolphins and whales are different. Aquaman has trouble pushing them telepathically because of their intelligence. So he does hold them in high regard. It was more just how everything he said sounds alien and unearthly. even primitive. And the look just wasn't right. It wasn't Aquaman's face under that blonde hair.

The reason this is a 3-star and not lower is because--while Aquaman and Titus are severely underserved--the Hunt for Robin is a welcome storyline, and this issue propels it nicely. And Batman is still handled well by Tomasi. Also, if this is the trend for this arc: Batman teams up with another Justice Leaguer to chase down Ra's Al Ghul, then I like it!

I just hope that he handles Wonder Woman with better care--and research maybe--than he did with Aquaman. I'm a big fan of the New 52 version of Wonder Woman, both in her book and in the S/WW book. But based on this, I doubt that we will see that version of Diana.