ROBIN #98
"The Thin Line"
Recommended (7/10)
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DC Comics
Writer: Chuck Dixon
Pencils: Pete Woods
Inks: Andrew Pepoy
Colors: Noelle Giddings & Digital Chameleon
Letters: Willie Schubert
Editor: Matt Idelson
Price: $2.25 US/$3.75 CAN |
The "Bruce Wayne: Murderer?" storyline continues... but not really in this book. Some elements pop up, yes, but the core plot isn't advanced at all in these pages. And it works just fine. Dixon offers up a thoroughly accessible issue. It's a smart move. He knew this crossover storyline would draw in some new readers, and it invites them into the world of Tim Drake. This is a character-driven issue boasting some fun art from Woods and Pepoy.
After an evening patrol to clear his head of the craziness of his mentor being indicted for murder, Robin, AKA Tim Drake, returns to his boarding-school dormitory to discover that Alfred Pennyworth is leaving to help Bruce Wayne. Elsewhere, the Spoiler and Batgirl, unaware of the Batman's secret identity, find themselves barred from the Batcave. Things are looking up at school for Tim, though, until another one of his classmates finds himself in deep trouble.
Pete Woods's style is a pretty light one, and it suits the teen-drama tone of the book. He reinforces the youthful nature of most of the characters with his cartoony, rounded approach. The art is in keeping with the overall tone of the book. There is some darkness, but overall, it boasts a lighter, more carefree atmosphere. The colors also capture that odd balance between bright and sombre elements.
Despite the title character's participation in the dark world of the Dark Knight, it doesn't drag this book down. The subplots delve into a lot of personal problems, but there's also a sense of teenage adventure, a tone of tempered innocence, to the book. Dixon's take on Robin reminds me of Sean McKeever's The Waiting Place... only with some occasional super-heroics.
This issue is far from required reading for the "Murderer?" storyline, and I'm surprised they even labelled it as "Part Six" on the cover. Though Dixon shows off the strengths of a shared continuity in this issue, it's the core Robin characters who really shine. I love seeing Robin tackle problems that a real-life ten would encounter much more than any crime-fighting endeavor in a dark Gotham City alley somewhere.
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