The Good
Right off the bat (unintentional pun is unintentional), BATMAN AND ROBIN embraces all of the fun that Damian Wayne's resurrection can produce. From an opening splash page that'll make fans of the character smile to a hilarious and an exciting action sequence just moments later (which also has a splash page!), Peter J. Tomasi wanted to remind us that yeah, it's good to have Damian back in our lives. In fact, having Damian back and using his powers to fight crime could have generated a whole issue that's mostly lighthearted while also focusing on the father-son dynamic. But aside from one great, smile-inducing scene with Alfred and Damian -- which is the perfect way to follow such a certain dark development -- this issue shifts gears and takes a far more serious turn.
Instead of aiming to make us laugh and cheer, we get a good look at the toll this experience is taking on Damian's psyche while also getting subtle glimpses of just how much the character has changed since the run began. If you've been following along since Born to Kill, this is sure to be hugely satisfying. If not, you definitely won't appreciate it as much. So, do yourself a favor and read Born to Kill before checking this out, okay? You're welcome in advance.
Patrick Gleason, Mick Gray and John Kalisz do excellent work with these pages. Where the book really shines is the handling of Damian's posture. No dialogue is needed to get a read on how he's feeling. Whether it's upset or full of confidence, they do a great job with his body language. The opening sequence is full of energy and the visuals deliver the lighthearted tone, but the panels also stand out when the duo's in the Batmobile as well as during a dream sequence. The scene inside the vehicle is brief but I like how well it presents the lighting and coloring; it's striking and immersive. The dream sequence has everyone going all-out. It's incredibly twisted, cleverly executed and, again, the follow-up is the perfect way to balance the tone. And isn't that splash page of Damian leaping at the criminal just full of awesome?
The Bad
No noteworthy criticisms here. I expected the whole issue to be like the opening sequence and they instead offered something far more creative and meaningful.
The Verdict
The return of the Dynamic Duo turns out to be a surprisingly insightful and emotional read. After all of the craziness and emotion this series has offered (and not to mention the funny cover), it seemed fair to assume this would be an amusing look at how Damian's using his new powers to fight crime in Gotham and, in turn, how Bruce is struggling to deal with the new scenario. While we do get a fair amount of the latter, the focus on Damian's new situation is surprisingly compelling and, best of all, it often tells the story by showing you something instead of bluntly spelling it out. This one really does offer a perfect blend of action, humor and heart. BATMAN AND ROBIN #38 is a great comic and a fantastic way of reminding us just how terrific the handling of Batman's son has been in this title. Welcome back, little dude.