A Lonely Place of Dying

After the death of Jason Todd, Batman becomes more desperate. More driven. More violent. He beats thugs for information with a more relentless focus than before. He blames himself for the death of his young ward, and in doing so his fight against crime becomes more about personal redemption than anything else.

Throughout the first couple of issues we see a mysterious figure following Batman and taking photographs of his fight against crime. The figure seems concerned for his wellbeing. After a few scenes we find out that something connects this figure to Nightwing as well - and that he knows the identities of Batman and the former Robin.

Every crime that Batman is desperately trying to solve follow the motif of the number two. In his grief stricken state, the worlds greatest detective doesn't spot the significance of this straight away - although we know it is Two Face behind the crimes as we see him, crazier than before, plotting out his next strike against the Bat.

When he tries to speak with Grayson at Titan Tower, the figure (Tim Drake) discovers that nobody in the Teen Titans has seen him since the incident with Tony Zucco in Year Three. When he finds a newspaper clipping in one of Nightwing's hideouts, Drake follows him to Haly's Circus, which has fallen on hard times.

It's interesting to see Nightwing revisit his past, and we can almost imagine what could have been had Bruce not taken him under his (bat) wing after the tragedy that befell his parents. He could have been the drunken clown or the bitter lion tamer. Eventually Grayson discovers the source of Haly's troubles, with the help of Tim Drake, and he becomes the co-owner of the circus. Being a hero doesn't always have to be about beating up thugs, and we see just how much Grayson has learnt from his time with Batman.

Drake reveals that he was in the crowd on that fateful night when Grayson lost his parents - a fact we learned last time in Year Three. He used this as the starting point of his deductions that Grayson and Wayne were in fact Batman and Robin.

Past and future return to Gotham, to see how far Bruce has fallen since Todd died. Drake argues that Grayson should take up the mantle of Robin again, stating that Batman needs a Robin. It's true that Batman is much darker as a character without the light of Robin by his side. But then there is also the constant threat of Robin dying that haunts Batman. 

Eventually we see that Batman does need Robin, if only in the context of this story. Drake saves Batman and Nightwing from a trap that Two Face had set, displaying all the best qualities of both previous Robins as well as his own. He has the acrobatics of Grayson and the daredevil side that Todd had, as well as a detecting ability that could match Batman's own.

I really enjoyed this story, and was intrigued to read the new beginnings of my favourite Robin (at least until Damian arrived on the scene...)

Next up - Dark Knight, Dark City

Batman Year Three

Grief has been explored time and again in Batman's career. It would be impossible to do the things that he does without suffering when he fails. Perhaps his biggest failure (until Damian of course) was the death of Jason Todd. This was the first time that someone who Batman had taken on as an ally, and a son, would die at the hands of one of his enemies. Barbara Gordon also suffered at the hands of The Joker, but Todd's death left more of an impression due to his proximity to the Bat and Bruce.

Needless to say, Batman loses himself in his crusade to try and make sense of the loss of Jason. Batman is investigating a series of hits on the crime families of Gotham. Alfred calls Nightwing back from Bludhaven to try and talk some sense into Bruce, all whilst Tony Zucco is petitioning for release from prison. 

Once Nightwing returns, we see a series of flashbacks to earlier on in Batman's career. I can only assume this is the 'Year Three' of the title - unless the Bat continuity is just as messed up back then as it is right now with the introduction of the New 52. We revisit Grayson's origins, then seeing the battle of Batman and Robin against Zucco. It's a subtle battle, which is a theme that comes through in the present day scenes, as Batman's current investigation is anything but subtle.

We also see flashbacks that flesh out the back story of Zucco, which seem to paint him as a similar character to Grayson and Wayne in his origins. Zucco loses his family at a young age and seeks revenge against those who took his parents from him. Unlike Batman and Grayson though he doesn't have any guidance during his formative years. This is an idea that I have seen explored several times in the. Batman comics I have read as part of this endeavour to read the chronological adventures of the Bat. But it is an idea worth revisiting - what would Batman be if he hadn't had the same upbringing and support that Bruce had? 

There are also hints at an important character to come in the mysterious 'Tim' who is referenced at the final performance of the Flying Grayson's. Although this seemingly has no significance to the story here, it will soon come to fruition in the next arc that this blog will explore.

Characterisation is strong here - Bruce is wounded and adrift without the grounding force of Robin. Nightwing is the matured sidekick, who has learned from his time battling by the side of Batman. Alfred is the loyal servant, who not only calls on help when he is concerned for his master, but also tries to ensure that Zucco will remain behind bars.

All in all this was a great little stopgap between the tenure of Jason Todd as Robin, before Tim Drake takes over in the next arc.

Next up - A Lonely Place of Dying.