Summary
He’s been around for nearly two decades and now my favoriteRobinis about to go on a journey I cannot wait to see. The coming months are going to see a big shakeup to the DC Universe and I’m most pumped to seewhat’s next for Damian Wayne.
Damian Wayne is possibly the most hardcore Boy Wonder ever to work at Batman’s side and it’s been great watching him grow as a character over the last several years. Now, as DC Comics prepares for its upcoming All In initiative, the publisher is about to push Robin in a new direction, and I’m extremely optimistic.
Batman and Robin #14 (2024)
October 9th, 2024
Javier Fernández
Variant Covers:
Simone Di Meo, Yannick Paquette, Christopher Mitten, Christian Duce, Daniel Sampere,
Damian Wayne is the son of the Bat, grandson of the Demon, and Robin—but as he nears the age at which his father traveled the world, one question is on his mind: Who is Damian outside of the crusades his family has tasked him with fighting since birth? When he starts to look beyond his life of endless violence, a different way to help the world begins to present itself—but when an enigmatic new murderer begins reenacting traumatic crimes from Gotham’s history, Batman will need Robin more than ever before! It’s a whole new dynamic for the Dynamic Duo as the powerhouse team of Phillip Kennedy Johnson (Superman: Warworld Saga) and Javier Fernandez (King Spawn, Nightwing) bring you the dark and mystifying next chapter in the lives of Bruce and Damian Wayne!
In case you missed it, DC Comics made a huge announcement that gave us ourfirst look at DC All In, one of the biggest storytelling initiatives the publisher has done in years. The biggest news to come out of the announcement was the confirmation that the Absolute Universe was coming, starting withAbsolute Batmanin October. And while I’m cautiously hopeful about this new line of comics,I was more interested to see what was planned for the Prime DC Universe.
The solicitation says “You are not ready for what’s in store”, but believe me, I am.
While the Absolute Universe reinvents classic heroes in unexpected ways, many ongoing titles set in the Prime DC Universe are getting new directions and in some cases, new creative teams. Thankfully, some of my favorites weren’t affected (I’m loving what Jeremy Adams has going on inGreen Lantern). Unfortunately, the same cannot be said forBatman and Robin, which is losing Joshua Williamson and Simone Di Meo. However, once I saw who was replacing them,I was over the moon and, frankly, excited about this new direction forBatman and Robin.
Phillip Kennedy Johnson, writer behind the “Warworld Saga” ofAction ComicsandGreen Lantern: War Journalis teaming up with Javier Fernández to work on the ongoing’s new era starting withBatman and Robin #14. The solicited text for their first issue got me extremely hyped as it put the focus on Damian Wayne,highlighting the growth he’s been through and the challenges that are ahead for Robin. The solicitation says “You are not ready for what’s in store”, but believe me, I am.
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I first got into comics when I was in high school and back then, Grant Morrison was still working on their sprawling Bat-Epic, which introduced Damian Wayne to the world. I still remember going to get a copy ofBatman and Robin #1(the original volume) and loving the dynamic between Dick Grayson’s Batman and this violent punk calling himself the Boy Wonder. I was devastated when he died in Batman Incorporated and I was overjoyed when he eventually returned. I don’t know when it happened, but at some point,Damian became my favorite Robin and that’s never changed.
I’ll admit I did kind of fall out of comics for a bit before I started working at Screen Rant. Not enough to not know what was going on, I just wasn’t reading the books themselves. But when I became a staff writer, I dove back in to reacclimate myself to the current happenings of the DC Universe. At the suggestion of a friend, I sought outAction Comics, which was nearing the end of the “Warworld Saga”. After spending a day catching up withAction Comics,I was hungry for whatever Phillip Kennedy Johnson had next.
Superman: The Warworld Saga (2023)is the collected story and a phenomenal read!
Thankfully, 2023 was a good year. Johnson’s work inAction Comicswas continuing, even as the book was shifted into an anthology during the Dawn of DC. And later that year, Johnson started working onGreen Lantern: War Journal, a book focused on John Stewart. I was already impressed by Johnson’s caliber of writing, but I truly started to appreciate what he was doing withWar Journalwhen he incorporated and expanded plot points he’d developed inAction Comics. Unfortunately.Johnson’s time onAction Comicscame to an end andWar Journalis ending soon as well.
I Can’t Wait to See What’s Next For Damian Wayne
The last few years have seen a lot of drama injected into Damian Wayne’s life. He witnessed Alfred dying, left the Robin role, watched his grandfather die, was possessed by a demon, and actually went to war with his father. Butwhat I liked aboutBatman and Robinwhen it first came out was that it massively hit the brakes on all that chaosand finally gave Damian time to grow and bond with his father (which was especially refreshing as “Gotham War” was happening around the same time).
DC All In sounds promising, but I’m not going to lie. When I first heardBatman and Robinwas getting a new creative team, I got nervous. I’ve got no problem with shake-ups, but I’m also of the opinion of “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”. So I was nervous when the October solicitations dropped. Thankfully,the moment I saw Phillip Kennedy Johnson’s name attached to the comic, every fear I had was alleviated. Johnson was great writing at Superman. He was great writing at Green Lantern. I have no doubt Johnson will be just as great at writing Robin.
Granted, I have no idea what Johnson has planned when he takes over the title. But based on what I’ve read and enjoyed from him in the past,I believe he’s a great choice to take over a character like Damian.Robin has been through a lot for someone his age and I think Johnson is a nuanced enough writer to build on Damian’s past and carve out a future for the young hero. Based on what I’ve seen, I’ve got no reason to be skeptical. I think Robin is in great hands.
Robin’s In for a Great New Era
Yeah, there’s always a bit of uncertainty with new initiatives like that. Sometimes writers, though great with some characters, miss the mark with others. But I’m not worried. Both the “Warworld Saga” andGreen Lantern: War Journalshowed me Phillip Kennedy Johnson understands the DC Universe at large, as well as protagonists who carry heavy burdens. And no Robin has ever had the weight of the world on his shoulders as much as Damian. I welcome this new chapter in Damian’s life and look forward to seeing whatBatman and Robin’snew creative team can do.
Batman and Robin #14is available on October 9th.
