Title: Mutineer

Writer: Peter J. Tomasi

Art by: Patrick Gleason, Mick Gray

Release Date: January 11, 2012

Official DC Comics Synopsis: There’s a devil on Robin’s shoulder – and his name is Nobody! Batman and Robin’s relationship gets pushed to the breaking point as Nobody insinuates himself into Damian’s life and tries to make him see that Bruce’s plan to battle crime is hopeless – and only by teaming up and tapping into Damian’s killer instinct can they ever hope to rid Gotham City of its evil roots.

Review by: Cesar

While Batman is without a doubt the poster child for the New DC 52 as it features their most popular character in a back-to-basics approach that has obviously garnered huge sales, I get the feeling that some people are dismissing Batman & Robin as they are already getting their Batman fix elsewhere. I can’t understand why any Bat fan would skip over this book, especially if you happen to be a Damian fan as I have said before in past reviews that this title really puts a noticeable emphasis on Robin. In Grant Morrison’s Batman & Robin run, one of the most notable sub plots was watching Damian deny his assassin roots in favor of a path as a hero under the guidance of Dick. Now in Tomasi’s story we are seeing that perhaps Damian may accept his birthright as a Wayne, but he may never abandon his heritage as an Al Ghul as we have slowly watched a very dark side beginning to reveal itself.

The issue opens up with Damian having run away from Wayne Manor to begin a new career as a vigilante alongside the Nobody. What surprises Bruce is finding Damian’s drawings and seeing that there has obviously been some vented rage inside him for quite some time now that Bruce was not aware of. Using technology that recalls a scene from The Dark Knight, and cruising in a new vehicle that looks like it was pulled out of Tron, Bruce heads out into the night to track down Damian. At the same time, Bruce also recounts to himself the history of the Ducards as well as a slightly different take on their first encounter with each other. I made it no secret that I was eagerly awaiting to see the return of Henri Ducard in these pages so seeing what is essentially the secret origin of Ducard, which really highlights him as a true bad ass, was more than enough to satisfy this reader. And in true monthly comic book fashion, the issue ends on a cliffhanger that leaves Damian about to make a very big decision that may sever all relations he has with Bruce.

A special mention really should be made of Patrick Gleasons art, I have gushed quite a bit of his work in the past but this is easily his best issue yet. Gleason is able to aptly convey every emotion in what is a book filled  with tons of exposition, and just when you begin to wonder where all the action is, you are smacked over the head with a two page spread with thirty panels showcasing just how effectively dangerous Damian and the Nobody can be. If you feel as though you are getting your Bat-fix with Batman and Detective, but are skipping over this title, you are doing yourself a huge disservice as this title continues to deliver a dark and intense story every month.