Batman & Robin Eternal #20 Review

Dick snapped and finally murdered the characters that don't fucking matter.

 

Master plans, eyes on hands, and the Son of Batman, in this twentieth issue of DC's weekly Batman feature. The Battle of St. Hadrian's continues as now even kids not even enrolled converge on the school to kill our heroes, and Dick and Cass have to handle a wild Harper, enraged and afraid by a combination of fear gas and the revelation her friend killed her mom. Helena has had just about enough of David Cain, Jason gives a little motivational speech, Tim tries to get a grip, Poppy has a fire whip, and a new player enters!

 

"I don't remember all the trippy acid colors when she was doing that,though... I think that's new."

 


So it looks like Mother's long game adds up to the hijacking of Spyral's horrendously poor idea, the satellite capable of hypnotizing entire countries (still don't see how that would work, but apparently Helena thought she could use it to erase Nightwing's identity from everyone's minds so Dick can return to the role). Now this is kind of a longshot, isn't it? Mother would just have to assume Dick would take David back to Spyral, and didn't she attempt to blow him up with Dick, Harper, and Cass a few issues ago? If that had worked, she wouldn't have been able to get her goal. It seems like a lapse in logic in the narrative. Still, in just a little time, Mother's stepped her game dramatically.

 

 

Top: This issue

Bottom: Zero Year

I guess that second Sphinx riddle is popular among supervillains.

(The answer is "day and night", by the way.)



In the Harper and Cass part of the story, Harper continues to lash out after losing it over a combination of Mother's virus, the fear gas, and discovering Cass was the one who murdered her mother, which is like the hat trick of shitty days. For somebody without that much training, Harper has quite a lot of fight in her, but I guess that can be chalked up to being desperate and frantic (and Cass holding back as to not seriously injure her). Ultimately Jason Todd talks her down from madness by what I can only imagine is boring her with his one-note existence. Okay, that's unfair, he's actually being useful for once here, I just... ugh, Jason Todd. I don't even call him Red Hood, I just call him Jason Todd now. What is the point of you, Jason? What is the freaking point?

 

Either way, Scott Lobdell will RUIN you.

 


Oh, and speaking of characters that came back from the dead, Damian's here! What would a book called Batman & Robin Eternal be without the actual current Robin? Well, it would be the first 19 issues, and really most of this one, too. He's arrived in England with his bat monster... thing, Goliath, cocky as ever. I guess he's taking some time off from redeeming himself from the Year of Blood and keeping an eye on his mother to be part of this ongoing story, and... well, I'm honestly happy to see him, because while I generally don't like the concept of the character, at least he's better than Jason or Hollowed Out Tim (at this point).

"But I have to get to bed soon, so let's make this quick."



Also, I'd like to see him interact with Cassandra and/or Harper.

- Penguin Truth
(2016)

Next: Mother's Day(s)

Story: James Tynion IV & Scott Snyder
Script: Tim Seeley
Artists: Roge Antonio & Geraldo Borges
Colors: Allen Passalaqua
Lettering By: Marilyn Patrizio
Cover: Paul Pelletier, Tony Kordos, and Tomeu Morey
Editor: Chris Conroy
Asst. Editor: Dave Wielgosz
Group Editor: Mark Doyle
Batman Created By Bob K--wait...



 


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