All-Star Batman & Robin, The Boy Wonder, Vol. 1
All-Star Batman & Robin, The Boy Wonder, Vol. 1
The talents responsible for some of Batman’s greatest tales, Frank Miller (BATMAN: THE DARK KNIGHT RETURNS, Sin City) and Jim Lee (BATMAN: HUSH) team up for the first time to bring you Batman and Robin like you’ve never seen them before in this reinvention of these classic characters.
All hell breaks loose at the circus as Bruce Wayne and gal pal Vicki Vale witness a young boy’s life shattered before their eyes. Orphaned, Dick Grayson has nowhere to go and no one to turn to — no one but Bruce Wayne! Expect action, adventure, guest-stars and the unexpected as Miller and Lee deliver the ultimate tales of the Dynamic Duo!
User Ratings and Reviews
1 Stars Leave the Comedy to the Pros
There is a reason why professional comics are hilariously funny and open-mic night at the corner bar is hilariously bad; comedy is a craft, just like writing a graphic novel about an iconic superhero is an art form.
Frank Miller takes the Batman franchise into his realm of schtick, which would be tolerable if he was showing the storyboards during a break in a meeting or as a special segment during a personal appearance. Miller’s new Batman is more like a cheap clone of Joker and the “comedy” - mixed with crude violence and sex - quickly degenerates into scenes that are equally disturbing and bizarre.
The artwork is solid, but the text proves that every picture doesn’t tell a good story.
4 Stars For people who can think outside the box
Frank Miller has done it again…he’s given us something bold, exciting, satirical, silly, maddening, and defining all at once, and has PO’d anyone who can’t see past their own myopic and stodgy views of the source material, wnich is most everyone. I am thankful that there are writers and artists willing to take great chances to express their vision, even if we don’t like it or get it. I, myself, like where he’s going and I’m looking forward to the conclusion. Though I’m not looking forward to the same, tired vitriol from the peanut gallery.
4 Stars Keep an Open Mind
My advice to anyone who wants to pick up this comic is to keep an open mind. If you don’t, you’re not going to have a very good reading experience.
To people who follow the good old classic Batman, really I don’t see any point of you even touching this one. I believe that this comic is aimed for the twenty first century generation. The modern Batman. The Batman that could have been if he was created this century.
The plot basically follows after the old stories. Dick Grayson’s, age 12, parents are shot during a performance and the Batman captures and shakes his whole life up. Admittedly I was a little surprised when Dick was thrown into the Batmobile, but I trust those Godly figures we call Jim and Miller with my life, so I stuck with it. Creating `Robin’ was also a little different from the original story line, and so is the Batmobiles name but it works.
Many people have niggled about the humour, and character portrayal. In all honestly, I love the humour to bits and still laugh at Dick’s comment on the Batmobile. I’m also going to forgive Bruce’s random acts of insanity for the sake of him being new at the vigilante job. It actually reminds me strongly of how Jason acted, so maybe the point of the craziness is Bruce learning from his mistakes. He’s also young, and full of bitterness and rage of his parent’s murder. And who hasn’t questioned Bruce’s state of mind anyway?
The thing that pulled it back for me was the horribly portrayal of Wonderwoman and Superman. Two of kindest souls on earth have been trampled all over and spat on. Or maybe I just need to read more about them.
People who are fans of Jim’s artwork will not be disappointed. Each page is as breath taking as the next, and he and Miller are just the best combination ever. I suggest that anyone who wants a fresh, very new look on the dynamic duo pull out their wallets and pay up. It doesn’t disappoint.
5 Stars Batman fan?Jim Lee fan? Love beautiful art? Read this!!
I discovered this series after the comics came out. I had been away from comics for a while and found old issues of Boy Wonder. I stopped buying Batman a few years back when the art changed to make Batman, small and cartoony and WAY out of character. When I looked through Boy Wonder the AMAZING Jim Lee art caught my eye first and the narrative style that the story is told in was enjoyable to read. The full page spreads allow you to drink in the amazing art. Lee and Williams have never been better. The colors are very cinematic and make the story more compelling. Jim Lee’s Batman is the clearly the best and I have NO PROBLEM putting it in the same league as a Neal Adams Batman.
Frank Millers writing lays the perfect foundation. As I said, narratives tell the story. Batman’s narratives are great, strong and clearly written by a Batman fighting to gain control of the streets. He gets angry and has no problem showing it. Should Batman be good natured and not curse, ever? Not MY Batman. I say this is definitive writing. Miller writes Robin like a little Batman. Not irritating, this Robin has the need for revenge he’s capable and skilled. Batman see’s this but knows young Dick Grayson also has a child’s adaptibility to make the journey fun. In a way Batman see’s this and that creates some of the best moments in Boy Wonder. Batman simply wonders if he’s done the right thing by taking young Grayson under his wing.
Ive been a Batman fan for a long time and this Robin as written by Miller is likeable. It’s clear to see how he will grow into Nightwing and be an equal counterpart to Batman.I disagree with EVERY negative review I’ve read on Amazon. The All Star brand is perfect for Boy Wonder. Great art, great script, great book. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.
4 Stars Great series, but with a few drawbacks.
Sure, Batman acts like a complete jerk in this, and it does feel a little more like Sin City than Batman. Granted. But if you can set aside your bias against a slightly crazy Batman, this series has a TON to offer. Jim Lee’s art alone makes it worth staring at for hours (best art of his career, I think… BETTER than Hush). On top of that, issue 9 is one of the best Batman/Robin stories EVER (up there with Death in the Family). His interactions with Green Lantern are classic, and that Sin City edge actually fits very nicely in the Gotham Universe when it isn’t overdone.
I think there are only two things that I can legitimately complain about in this series: (1)Overuse of repetition… it can really get annoying when every other word in the sentence is “goddamn”, and (2)yeah, Batman is an a-hole, which is only slightly redeemed by the fact that he has very well written personal struggles and issues throughout.
Overall, a great series with a few drawbacks, highly recommended.
Filed under: Top Batman Comics