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Batman & Robin Eternal
Batman and Robin Eternal, Volume 2
An all-star creative team continues this mystery-packed weekly hit, featuring writers including James Tynion IV, Scott Snyder, and Tim Seeley and artists Tony S. Daniel, Paul Pelletier, Christian Duce, Andrea Mutti, Fernando Blanco, Scot Eaton and more.
Beware of Mother. She deals in custom-created humans, taking children who’ve lived through unspeakable tragedies and turning them into weapons or worse. And when Batman couldn’t stop her, what happened instead became his greatest shame…and his greatest secret.
Now, Batman is gone. But the heroes who carry on his legacy—Dick Grayson, Red Hood, Red Robin, Bluebird and Cassandra Cain—find Mother’s fingers tightening around their throats. While Red Hood and Red Robin attempt to extract the secret of Mother’s newest weapon from the Order of St. Dumas and its avenger, the deadly Azrael, Dick and Bluebird set out to rescue Cassandra from her father, the assassin Orphan.
Collects: Batman & Robin Eternal #13-26.
Beware of Mother. She deals in custom-created humans, taking children who’ve lived through unspeakable tragedies and turning them into weapons or worse. And when Batman couldn’t stop her, what happened instead became his greatest shame…and his greatest secret.
Now, Batman is gone. But the heroes who carry on his legacy—Dick Grayson, Red Hood, Red Robin, Bluebird and Cassandra Cain—find Mother’s fingers tightening around their throats. While Red Hood and Red Robin attempt to extract the secret of Mother’s newest weapon from the Order of St. Dumas and its avenger, the deadly Azrael, Dick and Bluebird set out to rescue Cassandra from her father, the assassin Orphan.
Collects: Batman & Robin Eternal #13-26.
336 pages, Paperback
First published July 5, 2016
48 people are currently reading
1106 people want to read
About the author
James Tynion IV
1,661 books1,883 followersPrior to his first professional work, Tynion was a student of Scott Snyder's at Sarah Lawrence College. A few years later, he worked as for Vertigo as Fables editor Shelly Bond's intern. In late 2011, with DC deciding to give Batman (written by Snyder) a back up feature, Tynion was brought in by request of Snyder to script the back ups he had plotted. Tynion would later do the same with the Batman Annual #1, which was also co-plotted by Snyder. Beginning in September 2012, with DC's 0 issue month for the New 52, Tynion will be writing Talon, with art by Guillem March. In early 2013 it was announced that he'd take over writing duties for Red Hood and the Outlaws in April.
Tynion is also currently one of the writers in a rotating team in the weekly Batman Eternal series.
Tynion is also currently one of the writers in a rotating team in the weekly Batman Eternal series.
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 133 reviews
April 23, 2024
(B+) 78% | Good
Notes: Bits are great, but constipates (protraction muddies clarity), hardly hooks, too many cooks: big writing skill disparity.
*Progress updates: Issues #13-15 ◦ Issues #16-18 ◦ Issues #19-21 ◦ Issues #22-24 ◦ Issues #25-26
Notes: Bits are great, but constipates (protraction muddies clarity), hardly hooks, too many cooks: big writing skill disparity.
*Progress updates: Issues #13-15 ◦ Issues #16-18 ◦ Issues #19-21 ◦ Issues #22-24 ◦ Issues #25-26
October 25, 2016
I thought this was waaay better than the first volume, mainly because the whole ridiculous
did Bruce actually get Mother to create a new sidekick for him?!
thing wasn't being pushed (as a plausible explanation, at least) as much in this.
Because...puh-lease. Nobody's falling for that.
And, yeah, this was probably a tad too long (though not as long as Batman Eternal), but this was more fun in that you got to see all of the Batkids interacting with each other. Even if I had some problems with the plot, I still enjoyed seeing everyone together.
As for the main villain?
Looks like Mother might be one of those Ra's al Ghulish characters that you can never quite kill, so I'm betting she shows up again in the future.
I also liked the inclusion of Midnighter & Azrael in the storyline. I think they added a little extra oomph to the overall plot. Oh, and Jason's flashback with Mother's toxin?
Yeah, I really thought that was kinda brilliant.
In the end, when I compared it to my feelings on the Batman Eternal stuff, I thought this was a superior closing volume. Then again, that could just be Bat-burnout talking...
Because...puh-lease. Nobody's falling for that.
And, yeah, this was probably a tad too long (though not as long as Batman Eternal), but this was more fun in that you got to see all of the Batkids interacting with each other. Even if I had some problems with the plot, I still enjoyed seeing everyone together.
As for the main villain?
Looks like Mother might be one of those Ra's al Ghulish characters that you can never quite kill, so I'm betting she shows up again in the future.
I also liked the inclusion of Midnighter & Azrael in the storyline. I think they added a little extra oomph to the overall plot. Oh, and Jason's flashback with Mother's toxin?
Yeah, I really thought that was kinda brilliant.
In the end, when I compared it to my feelings on the Batman Eternal stuff, I thought this was a superior closing volume. Then again, that could just be Bat-burnout talking...
June 19, 2020
Better than volume 1. All of the Bat sidekicks are trying to stop the one person that Batman couldn't defeat, Mother. She's a master at brainwashing children and has this plot to brainwash all the children in the world to make them stronger. Well written with a rotating group of great artists.
July 14, 2021
This was epic!
As they take the fight to Mother they have to battle david, Harper finds the dark secret of Cass and what will she do, the war in Nightwing's Spyral base, the gathering of the bat family to stop Mothers insane SOMNUS plan and mind control and all and the true origin of the Mother and the Robins gathering for one final fight with her. Its such an epic series and sets the stage for the character going forward in a big way and gives great moments to Cass, Harper and more! I loved the art throughout and the scenes with Dick were some of my favorites and the past scenes with Bruce wow and the ending with Batman and Robins together <3!!
As they take the fight to Mother they have to battle david, Harper finds the dark secret of Cass and what will she do, the war in Nightwing's Spyral base, the gathering of the bat family to stop Mothers insane SOMNUS plan and mind control and all and the true origin of the Mother and the Robins gathering for one final fight with her. Its such an epic series and sets the stage for the character going forward in a big way and gives great moments to Cass, Harper and more! I loved the art throughout and the scenes with Dick were some of my favorites and the past scenes with Bruce wow and the ending with Batman and Robins together <3!!
July 28, 2017
3.5 stars.
I just get the feeling that either Snyder and Tynion hate Cassandra or they just don't know what to do with her because I've hated her characterization since the first volume of this series.
Cassandra Cain is one of my top 5 favorite comic book characters.
I say that to preface that I'm probably more inclined to be pissed about this book's butchering/ret-con of her origin than the average reader. Cassandra Cain is the child of David Cain and Shiva. She was raised in silence, learned to understand others through body language alone and was made to kill at a very young age. The very first time her father made her assassinate someone, she realized what she was made to do, was horrified and she ran away. She then ran into Oracle during the No Man's Land business and subsequently took over being Batgirl under Bruce Wayne's tutelage. She was given a "gift" to understand others and think the same way you or I do and it threw off her fighting style for a while but eventually, she adjusted and even defeated Shiva, then thought to be the best fighter in the DC universe. She learned to communicate verbally and she learned to read. She developed all of this in her own solo series.
Now, let's talk about Orphan.
Orphan is the child of David Cain and... I'm not sure if Shiva is her mother. David Cain was traumatized and turned into a servant for Mother. David gave Cassandra to Mother to be turned into a weapon. Cassandra doesn't speak much. Cassandra grew up in assassin school. Cassandra was never adopted by Bruce Wayne. Cassandra was never taken under Barbara Gordon's wing and never learned to stick up for herself. Cassandra didn't get an apartment in Bludhaven and take over protecting a city. Cassandra never defied Bruce Wayne's orders and befriended Stephanie Brown anyway. Cassandra never learned to grieve. Orphan's story is all about her relationship to David Cain and what the Mother made her do.
For some reason, Tynion and Snyder thought it would be more interesting to essentially turn my daughter Cass into The Winter Soldier 2.0 complete with a storyline straight out of the recent Captain America: Civil War film. I'm pretty sure this book came out first but my point is - Cassandra Cain is not Bucky. Cassandra Cain was not the result of her father joining a cult. Cain turned her into a weapon because of his own selfishness. There is a much more complicated, nuanced relationship in the pre 52 and Snyder and Tynion ignored that for this story. I don't understand why.
In addition to that, she's barely gotten any development in Detective Comics either. She just fights with tiny, minuscule character moments thrown in. I miss my daughter! I miss her relationship with Bruce and Stephanie. Tynion basically stole her family and now she's about as close to Bruce and Stephanie as Clayface is and that's a travesty.
Anyway, on to the rest of this book:
I read the first volume a little while ago so I have no clue why I had so much trouble following what was going on in this one. The stuff with Tim, Jason and Azrael threw me off so much and eventually my eyes just glazed over. I don't love any of the art in this book. So, I didn't enjoy looking at it and when I was confused about the events, I didn't care enough to examine them closer. It's a shame because I quite enjoy Tim and Jason's chemistry.
The bits with Bruce's past were pretty interesting.
The parts with Dick and Helena were confusing to me because I'm pretty sure they pertain to the last dregs of Grayson and I haven't finished that series yet. Oddly enough, I'm not a huge fan of that version of Helena because, while she is very pretty, she's basically just completely untrustworthy. Her interactions with Dick basically consist of:
Dick: Why did you lie to me?
Helena: I have my reasons
Dick: That's very, very not cool.
Helena: We have a job to do! I'll explain later.
Dick: *grumpy face* Well, okay then.
That's their entire relationship here and in Grayson. *Yawns*.
The parts with Harper were very, very good. While I am mad that they pulled a Winter Soldier and the big crux of this was I quite like Harper as a character. I love her relationship with Cass and would gladly read a solo book about Harper. I would gladly read a book about her and Cass with my daughter's characterization and origin story restored.
Damian showed up which was neat. He gave a rousing, inspirational speech which was unexpected. The whole purpose being to rally the troops because Bruce let them be their own windkeepers. It was fine, if cliche. I expected Dick to be the one to do that.
I really loved Midnighter. Like really, really loved Midnighter. More than anything, I just wanted to read more about that character. I like his banter with Dick.
Ultimately, the reason this gets 3.5 stars is because I really ended up liking the plot of this book. The Mother is an interesting villain and her origin story was really well done. I feel like I understand why she did everything that she did. There's something so terrifying to me about a world full of murderous children. I liked that the Batfam came together without Bruce to save the day. I enjoy the concept of this book. I just hate that Cass' character was regressed in this storyline and that her screwed up, ret-conned origin story is carrying over into Rebirth. I want my daughter back.
If you enjoyed the first volume, you'll probably enjoy this one.
I just get the feeling that either Snyder and Tynion hate Cassandra or they just don't know what to do with her because I've hated her characterization since the first volume of this series.
Cassandra Cain is one of my top 5 favorite comic book characters.
I say that to preface that I'm probably more inclined to be pissed about this book's butchering/ret-con of her origin than the average reader. Cassandra Cain is the child of David Cain and Shiva. She was raised in silence, learned to understand others through body language alone and was made to kill at a very young age. The very first time her father made her assassinate someone, she realized what she was made to do, was horrified and she ran away. She then ran into Oracle during the No Man's Land business and subsequently took over being Batgirl under Bruce Wayne's tutelage. She was given a "gift" to understand others and think the same way you or I do and it threw off her fighting style for a while but eventually, she adjusted and even defeated Shiva, then thought to be the best fighter in the DC universe. She learned to communicate verbally and she learned to read. She developed all of this in her own solo series.
Now, let's talk about Orphan.
Orphan is the child of David Cain and... I'm not sure if Shiva is her mother. David Cain was traumatized and turned into a servant for Mother. David gave Cassandra to Mother to be turned into a weapon. Cassandra doesn't speak much. Cassandra grew up in assassin school. Cassandra was never adopted by Bruce Wayne. Cassandra was never taken under Barbara Gordon's wing and never learned to stick up for herself. Cassandra didn't get an apartment in Bludhaven and take over protecting a city. Cassandra never defied Bruce Wayne's orders and befriended Stephanie Brown anyway. Cassandra never learned to grieve. Orphan's story is all about her relationship to David Cain and what the Mother made her do.
For some reason, Tynion and Snyder thought it would be more interesting to essentially turn my daughter Cass into The Winter Soldier 2.0 complete with a storyline straight out of the recent Captain America: Civil War film. I'm pretty sure this book came out first but my point is - Cassandra Cain is not Bucky. Cassandra Cain was not the result of her father joining a cult. Cain turned her into a weapon because of his own selfishness. There is a much more complicated, nuanced relationship in the pre 52 and Snyder and Tynion ignored that for this story. I don't understand why.
In addition to that, she's barely gotten any development in Detective Comics either. She just fights with tiny, minuscule character moments thrown in. I miss my daughter! I miss her relationship with Bruce and Stephanie. Tynion basically stole her family and now she's about as close to Bruce and Stephanie as Clayface is and that's a travesty.
Anyway, on to the rest of this book:
I read the first volume a little while ago so I have no clue why I had so much trouble following what was going on in this one. The stuff with Tim, Jason and Azrael threw me off so much and eventually my eyes just glazed over. I don't love any of the art in this book. So, I didn't enjoy looking at it and when I was confused about the events, I didn't care enough to examine them closer. It's a shame because I quite enjoy Tim and Jason's chemistry.
The bits with Bruce's past were pretty interesting.
The parts with Dick and Helena were confusing to me because I'm pretty sure they pertain to the last dregs of Grayson and I haven't finished that series yet. Oddly enough, I'm not a huge fan of that version of Helena because, while she is very pretty, she's basically just completely untrustworthy. Her interactions with Dick basically consist of:
Dick: Why did you lie to me?
Helena: I have my reasons
Dick: That's very, very not cool.
Helena: We have a job to do! I'll explain later.
Dick: *grumpy face* Well, okay then.
That's their entire relationship here and in Grayson. *Yawns*.
The parts with Harper were very, very good. While I am mad that they pulled a Winter Soldier and the big crux of this was I quite like Harper as a character. I love her relationship with Cass and would gladly read a solo book about Harper. I would gladly read a book about her and Cass with my daughter's characterization and origin story restored.
Damian showed up which was neat. He gave a rousing, inspirational speech which was unexpected. The whole purpose being to rally the troops because Bruce let them be their own windkeepers. It was fine, if cliche. I expected Dick to be the one to do that.
I really loved Midnighter. Like really, really loved Midnighter. More than anything, I just wanted to read more about that character. I like his banter with Dick.
Ultimately, the reason this gets 3.5 stars is because I really ended up liking the plot of this book. The Mother is an interesting villain and her origin story was really well done. I feel like I understand why she did everything that she did. There's something so terrifying to me about a world full of murderous children. I liked that the Batfam came together without Bruce to save the day. I enjoy the concept of this book. I just hate that Cass' character was regressed in this storyline and that her screwed up, ret-conned origin story is carrying over into Rebirth. I want my daughter back.
If you enjoyed the first volume, you'll probably enjoy this one.
June 4, 2018
3.5
MUCH better than Vol. 1. Still way too long, but thankfully a lot more enjoyable than Batman & Robin: Eternal, Volume 1. I LOVE Cass, and this was a lot about her. <3
The Sculptor to Cassandra: "It's called a hug, Cassandra. It's how people show affection to one another... It's how they show they care."
Batman to Cassandra: "But you are not what they made you to be. You are something more. You are what you choose to be. And you fought your way across the world so I would know what she's about to do. So I can stop Mother once and for all. You aren't a monster, that's what they tried to make you. But it didn't work. You are a hero. Because that's the path you took yourself."
If we cut out all the bullshit with Azrael, and banter between Jason and Tim (making Jason relive being beaten to death by the Joker & letting it all happen again in his mind to overcome Ichthys, and then Jason telling Tim that he's finally ready to try at being "good"- was real shitty), and annoying time wasted at Spyral, this would be a really good book about Batman, his relationship with Dick, Mother, and her "children" Cass and Harper Row.
Dick: "They think...that they understand why we fight. They think it's some kind of blind devotion to Batman. That they can shatter what he meant to us by showing us that he wasn't perfect. But he wasn't. He was human. Same as the rest of us. That was his strength and his weakness."
As I said in my review of Batman & Robin: Eternal Vol. 1 The idea that Batman could and would kill a child's parents to manufacture another Batman/Robin Origins is ridiculous, and obviously, we don't believe it. We're proven right (and Batman is proven innocent) in Vol. 2...
I do love the "psychological trauma" of Mother as a Batman baddie... instilling doubt in Batman regarding his motives with Robin, and Batman, in turn, instilling doubt in Robin regarding him being an adequate partner... I squeed everytime Batman said he was proud of Dick as his partner, or when he said he never lost faith in Robin. <3
Also, as an added bonus, we have Damian pop in at the end to rally the troops. I always love me some good New 52 Damian.
One tiny question Re: Damian though. If Tim and Harper (and Cass?) were young enough to be taken over by Mother's broadcasting, how come Damian isn't affected? He's much younger than them...
I also liked the Batman flashbacks a lot. They added to the story, especially the issue "A Mother's Story", where we get Mother's origin story.
The Batman/Harper stuff was also super interesting. I wish this had been the main focus of Batman & Robin Eternal, and not all the other stuff...
And though I thought the addition of Spyral was yet another add-on to the mess and length of this book, I did like Helena in here kicking ass and creating a super secret satellite for Dick to get his life back in time for DC REBIRTH (nice of her), and Dr. Netz being a weirdo with Tim, "Mr. Robin". She's funny.
To sum up, this is what I liked about this story:
MUCH better than Vol. 1. Still way too long, but thankfully a lot more enjoyable than Batman & Robin: Eternal, Volume 1. I LOVE Cass, and this was a lot about her. <3
The Sculptor to Cassandra: "It's called a hug, Cassandra. It's how people show affection to one another... It's how they show they care."
Batman to Cassandra: "But you are not what they made you to be. You are something more. You are what you choose to be. And you fought your way across the world so I would know what she's about to do. So I can stop Mother once and for all. You aren't a monster, that's what they tried to make you. But it didn't work. You are a hero. Because that's the path you took yourself."
If we cut out all the bullshit with Azrael, and banter between Jason and Tim (making Jason relive being beaten to death by the Joker & letting it all happen again in his mind to overcome Ichthys, and then Jason telling Tim that he's finally ready to try at being "good"- was real shitty), and annoying time wasted at Spyral, this would be a really good book about Batman, his relationship with Dick, Mother, and her "children" Cass and Harper Row.
Dick: "They think...that they understand why we fight. They think it's some kind of blind devotion to Batman. That they can shatter what he meant to us by showing us that he wasn't perfect. But he wasn't. He was human. Same as the rest of us. That was his strength and his weakness."
As I said in my review of Batman & Robin: Eternal Vol. 1 The idea that Batman could and would kill a child's parents to manufacture another Batman/Robin Origins is ridiculous, and obviously, we don't believe it. We're proven right (and Batman is proven innocent) in Vol. 2...
I do love the "psychological trauma" of Mother as a Batman baddie... instilling doubt in Batman regarding his motives with Robin, and Batman, in turn, instilling doubt in Robin regarding him being an adequate partner... I squeed everytime Batman said he was proud of Dick as his partner, or when he said he never lost faith in Robin. <3
Also, as an added bonus, we have Damian pop in at the end to rally the troops. I always love me some good New 52 Damian.
One tiny question Re: Damian though. If Tim and Harper (and Cass?) were young enough to be taken over by Mother's broadcasting, how come Damian isn't affected? He's much younger than them...
I also liked the Batman flashbacks a lot. They added to the story, especially the issue "A Mother's Story", where we get Mother's origin story.
The Batman/Harper stuff was also super interesting. I wish this had been the main focus of Batman & Robin Eternal, and not all the other stuff...
And though I thought the addition of Spyral was yet another add-on to the mess and length of this book, I did like Helena in here kicking ass and creating a super secret satellite for Dick to get his life back in time for DC REBIRTH (nice of her), and Dr. Netz being a weirdo with Tim, "Mr. Robin". She's funny.
To sum up, this is what I liked about this story:
October 6, 2016
5 stars
Nice to see that the Robins were able to defeat Mother. Also glad to see that the Bat family and their allies were able to stop the children of the world from turning into Mother's children. Hope Cassandra Cain will be able to help Bruce in Gotham. RIP Orphan.
Can't wait to read more Batman and Bat family books!!! Are you looking forward to the Batman movie that is coming out in 2017/2018?
Nice to see that the Robins were able to defeat Mother. Also glad to see that the Bat family and their allies were able to stop the children of the world from turning into Mother's children. Hope Cassandra Cain will be able to help Bruce in Gotham. RIP Orphan.
Can't wait to read more Batman and Bat family books!!! Are you looking forward to the Batman movie that is coming out in 2017/2018?
November 24, 2017
2.5 stars.
*sighs* The artwork is amazing, the action scenes are asskicking, I'm glad female characters (both good and bad) get a lot of attention in this volume, but the plot itself is just.............I can't get into this story line at all. AT ALL.
Now I think I can handle Batman stories only when they were penned by the few of my favorite comic-authors. *sighs*
*sighs* The artwork is amazing, the action scenes are asskicking, I'm glad female characters (both good and bad) get a lot of attention in this volume, but the plot itself is just.............I can't get into this story line at all. AT ALL.
Now I think I can handle Batman stories only when they were penned by the few of my favorite comic-authors. *sighs*
June 27, 2023
Love some batfamily content, but this got dragged, and it was predictable. But still I enjoyed it.
March 9, 2019
While the action in this amps up considerably from the first volume (and they get rid of the dumb nonsense about Batman potentially being bad), this still doesn't ever quite become a necessary event. It's still extremely slow-moving. This entire story could've been 12 issues long, but instead it's 26. The central idea of the various Robins coming together to stop a threat that Batman couldn't handle alone is a solid starting point, but it just never explores that idea well enough. It's another instance of having too many writers working on a single story.
Another problem is how much this story relies on Harper Row, potentially my least favorite new character in all of the New 52. Not only is it extremely unbelievable that an annoying teenage tech wizard would somehow be an incredible fighter despite never having thrown a punch in her life, but this book retcons her into being directly connected to Batman. When she was introduced, she was just a random kid who used her tech ability to follow Batman around Gotham. It's just too much of a coincidence that she's also hugely important to him.
Also, SPOILER ALERT for the rest of this, but I just gotta complain about something that requires specifics.
Something that is truly insane in this story, and that I see a lot in comics, is how quickly superheroes forgive murderers who are now on their side. It's revealed in this book that Cassandra Cain, while still working on behalf of the villain Mother, murdered Harper Row's mom. She wasn't under hypnosis or mind control or anything. She was brainwashed in a way, I guess, but still perfectly aware of her actions. She fully murdered Harper's beloved mother. And yet, Harper forgives her for it, like, pronto. Because they're on the same team now, and Harper's like "I know you're not that person anymore." WHAT. SHE KILLED YOUR MOM. YOU'VE KNOWN HER FOR A WEEK. Even if I found out my best friend killed my mom years ago, I'm pretty sure I'd at least be like "Sorry, man, I don't think I can hang out with you for a few years. Gotta, y'know, PROCESS THE FACT THAT YOU KILLED MY MOM." Everyone in this story is a psychopath.
So there, that's it. This is yet another skippable late-stage New 52 entry from Scott Snyder and company. Oh well.
Another problem is how much this story relies on Harper Row, potentially my least favorite new character in all of the New 52. Not only is it extremely unbelievable that an annoying teenage tech wizard would somehow be an incredible fighter despite never having thrown a punch in her life, but this book retcons her into being directly connected to Batman. When she was introduced, she was just a random kid who used her tech ability to follow Batman around Gotham. It's just too much of a coincidence that she's also hugely important to him.
Also, SPOILER ALERT for the rest of this, but I just gotta complain about something that requires specifics.
Something that is truly insane in this story, and that I see a lot in comics, is how quickly superheroes forgive murderers who are now on their side. It's revealed in this book that Cassandra Cain, while still working on behalf of the villain Mother, murdered Harper Row's mom. She wasn't under hypnosis or mind control or anything. She was brainwashed in a way, I guess, but still perfectly aware of her actions. She fully murdered Harper's beloved mother. And yet, Harper forgives her for it, like, pronto. Because they're on the same team now, and Harper's like "I know you're not that person anymore." WHAT. SHE KILLED YOUR MOM. YOU'VE KNOWN HER FOR A WEEK. Even if I found out my best friend killed my mom years ago, I'm pretty sure I'd at least be like "Sorry, man, I don't think I can hang out with you for a few years. Gotta, y'know, PROCESS THE FACT THAT YOU KILLED MY MOM." Everyone in this story is a psychopath.
So there, that's it. This is yet another skippable late-stage New 52 entry from Scott Snyder and company. Oh well.
May 10, 2016
Okay. So this is the second volume of this series, and continues the whole Mother Story arc. I quite liked the first volume, but this one was okay. The ending I think was quite satisfying(is it the end? it send end on the last page?), my main gripe however is that this could have been cut down in issues and it would have been more cohesive. We also get to learn more about Mother, her intentions and back story; it made her interesting, but in the end if they had a classic batman villain, it would have been more exciting. In the end, it had a satisfying finish, but the overall story could have been better.
December 17, 2018
75th book read in 2018.
Number 152 out of 735 on my all time book list.
Very satisfying complex story here.
Number 152 out of 735 on my all time book list.
Very satisfying complex story here.
August 12, 2016
Very mixed feelings on this. In the beginning, I had a very hard time continuing to read it. Here was yet another story where Bruce is just this terrible mentor that has all these secrets, one of which just seems even too far over the line for him. Things come into light though and the book brings in some new themes.
It really isn't about Bruce, it's about all of the Robin's and exactly why Batman chose to raise and train them. It's also about the "next generation" of the Bat team, namely Spoiler, Blue Bird, Azrael and Cassandra Cain, redefining their origins and relationships to each other. In addition, the serious themes include: just what exactly does trauma do to young children and choosing your own path to be who you are, despite your past. All of this stuff I found interesting, adding another layer to the idea of sidekicks/partners, but all of it is wrapped in very cliche trappings. All the steps they have to take to stop the villains grand plan, the tough motivational orders about doing whatever it takes, and the last uplifting speech on just why they are heroes, all serve to complete the formulaic story but also dull the serious points the writers were trying to make.
Mixed feelings.
It really isn't about Bruce, it's about all of the Robin's and exactly why Batman chose to raise and train them. It's also about the "next generation" of the Bat team, namely Spoiler, Blue Bird, Azrael and Cassandra Cain, redefining their origins and relationships to each other. In addition, the serious themes include: just what exactly does trauma do to young children and choosing your own path to be who you are, despite your past. All of this stuff I found interesting, adding another layer to the idea of sidekicks/partners, but all of it is wrapped in very cliche trappings. All the steps they have to take to stop the villains grand plan, the tough motivational orders about doing whatever it takes, and the last uplifting speech on just why they are heroes, all serve to complete the formulaic story but also dull the serious points the writers were trying to make.
Mixed feelings.
June 20, 2025
The Robins continue their quest to conquer mother, with Bluebird taking center stage in the events leading up to the final showdown with Mother, all secrets are laid out in the open, with Batman's real motives behind soliciting the help of Mother in recruiting a 'true' Robin candidate is revealed.
The magnitude of Mother's master plan is scaled up on a global level, and her true intent is so full of malice that even the Scarecrow comes to help the Robins.
A very good story on its own, standing out from the arc of Batman Eternal
MiM
The magnitude of Mother's master plan is scaled up on a global level, and her true intent is so full of malice that even the Scarecrow comes to help the Robins.
A very good story on its own, standing out from the arc of Batman Eternal
MiM
March 19, 2017
I just couldn't quite get into this. I don't know if it just didn't seem plausible or I just couldn't get over what felt like retconning, but this never did click with me. It wasn't really a bad read if you can put aside everything you know about Batman history and take things at face value (which is probably how this was meant to be read.) I also felt like I was step behind with what was going on and never could quite catch up.
Overall not really bad, just not so much for me.
Overall not really bad, just not so much for me.
March 16, 2021
I’m rating this a little too high because this isn’t that good. It has a spicy undertone and villain but they aren’t used The right way. The spicy undertone is that Bruce Wayne Batman isn’t present right now and the Robin’s are here to save the day with a shadowy past Batman villain we’ve never heard about but always existed! But it’s stretched over too many issues, the villain dies then miraculously returns at the end with no explanation I could remember, it should’ve been 12 issues but somehow comes out at nearly 30. I think there was something here that could’ve been better than what it was but what we got was something extremely shallow and quite boring towards the end. Most of the issues were padding with boring action fight scenes.
I rated it higher because I still believe this is better than Batman Eternal. It feels less stupid even though it’s still pretty stupid.
I rated it higher because I still believe this is better than Batman Eternal. It feels less stupid even though it’s still pretty stupid.
April 19, 2022
Pues finalizada Batman y Robin: Eternos, la no continuación de Batman Eterno, pero que sigue los mismos pasos, con una historia más breve, 26 números en lugar de los 52 que había tenido Batman Eterno. Pero el espíritu es el mismo, con Scott Snyder y James Tynion IV como argumentistas y un ejército de guionistas y dibujantes distintos. Los guionistas la verdad es que creo que no me suena ninguno, y de los dibujantes, los que más he visto son Scott Eaton y Paul Pelletier, y los conozco sobre todo como dibujantes funcionales, de los que ni decepcionan ni emocionan especialmente. Eso sí, a nivel gráfico todos los dibujantes parecen haber sido escogidos para tener cierta unidad estética, algo que no pasaba en Batman Eterno y que era bastante desconcertante.
¿Y qué ocurre en Batman y Robin Eternos?
La historia se desarrolla en ese periodo de tiempo en el que Bruce Wayne dejó de ser Batman (llegaremos a ello en algún momento, que en breve empezaré con la etapa de Scott Snyder en Batman), y el manto del Murciélago, por decirlo de alguna manera, fue asumido por un James Gordon metido en una especie de armadura murciélago con orejas de conejo, y que va a tener una presencia solo circunstancial en la serie (aparece creo que en dos viñetas). El auténtico protagonista va a ser Robin, o más bien, los Robin, y es que la serie transcurre en dos tiempos: uno, en el pasado, con un Dick Grayson que lleva poco tiempo siendo Robin y un Batman que tiene muchas dudas sobre el papel del joven Dick a su lado; y otra en el presente, donde está la mayor parte del peso de la historia y donde los protagonistas son Dick Grayson, Jason Todd y Tim Drake (o sea, las tres versiones oficiales de Robin junto con Damian que permanecían en el universo post Flashpoint, donde la breve etapa de Stephanie Brown como Robin no había tenido lugar), junto a Harper Row, que adquiere aquí un papel muy importante, y una recién llegada a este mundo de las Nuevas 52, Cassandra Cain, la Batgirl que había llegado al Universo DC tras Tierra de Nadie.
El enemigo en ambos tiempos va a ser una mujer que se hace llamar simplemente Madre, y que va a tener montado una especie de negocio en el que deja huérfanos a niños que luego entrena como soldados que quedan bajo el control de Madre y su mano derecha, David Cain, que se hace llamar Huérfano. Con esta trama, personajes que aún no habían aparecido en las Nuevas 52, como los dichos David y Cassandra Cain, o Azrael, se presentan en sociedad. En esta historia en dos tiempos, vamos a ver como el pasado condiciona el futuro, y además de alguna sorpresa (vamos a ver la intervención de Madre en la creación de algún Robin...), se va a poner mucho el foco en qué piensa o qué siente Batman cuando elige a un niño al que convertir en Robin, al que exponer a una cruzada contra el mal. Y esta es la parte que me parece más interesante de la historia organizada por Snyder y Tynion IV.
En fin, no es una de esas obras que vaya a cambiarle la vida a nadie, pero se deja leer muy bien, y es muy entretenida.
¿Y qué ocurre en Batman y Robin Eternos?
La historia se desarrolla en ese periodo de tiempo en el que Bruce Wayne dejó de ser Batman (llegaremos a ello en algún momento, que en breve empezaré con la etapa de Scott Snyder en Batman), y el manto del Murciélago, por decirlo de alguna manera, fue asumido por un James Gordon metido en una especie de armadura murciélago con orejas de conejo, y que va a tener una presencia solo circunstancial en la serie (aparece creo que en dos viñetas). El auténtico protagonista va a ser Robin, o más bien, los Robin, y es que la serie transcurre en dos tiempos: uno, en el pasado, con un Dick Grayson que lleva poco tiempo siendo Robin y un Batman que tiene muchas dudas sobre el papel del joven Dick a su lado; y otra en el presente, donde está la mayor parte del peso de la historia y donde los protagonistas son Dick Grayson, Jason Todd y Tim Drake (o sea, las tres versiones oficiales de Robin junto con Damian que permanecían en el universo post Flashpoint, donde la breve etapa de Stephanie Brown como Robin no había tenido lugar), junto a Harper Row, que adquiere aquí un papel muy importante, y una recién llegada a este mundo de las Nuevas 52, Cassandra Cain, la Batgirl que había llegado al Universo DC tras Tierra de Nadie.
El enemigo en ambos tiempos va a ser una mujer que se hace llamar simplemente Madre, y que va a tener montado una especie de negocio en el que deja huérfanos a niños que luego entrena como soldados que quedan bajo el control de Madre y su mano derecha, David Cain, que se hace llamar Huérfano. Con esta trama, personajes que aún no habían aparecido en las Nuevas 52, como los dichos David y Cassandra Cain, o Azrael, se presentan en sociedad. En esta historia en dos tiempos, vamos a ver como el pasado condiciona el futuro, y además de alguna sorpresa (vamos a ver la intervención de Madre en la creación de algún Robin...), se va a poner mucho el foco en qué piensa o qué siente Batman cuando elige a un niño al que convertir en Robin, al que exponer a una cruzada contra el mal. Y esta es la parte que me parece más interesante de la historia organizada por Snyder y Tynion IV.
En fin, no es una de esas obras que vaya a cambiarle la vida a nadie, pero se deja leer muy bien, y es muy entretenida.
Read
June 12, 2024i dunno, man. these two volumes took so long to tell not that much story. the characterization was lazy. the surprises mostly obvious.
recently i've been reading more comic books than usual, including a talia al ghul collection that spanned 1971-2018, and i'm getting a strong sense that the quality of comic writing has gone way downhill. i always had this idea that old comic books were just cheesy action, but now i'm realizing it was the golden era. the storytelling was better, the characters were richer, and some of the dialogue and narration was beautifully poetic.
here's some color from "daughter of the demon" (1971):
witness it--fury held in rigid check until now...explodes!
these are no brutal beings! there is a part of their hearts that despises violence...
...but they are a product of their era, even as are you! the horrors of three wars and deep personal tragedy have shaped them!
so violence lives within them...and given the occasion, it can become an icy, remorseless vengeance!
and now...i don't know. i think volume one was better, and some of this story borders on interesting, but volume two felt mostly like some kind of mcu "look how many characters we have!" montage.
i just find this kind of lofty save-the-world epic really boring. i don't want global stakes, i want mysteries to solve and subtle prodding at who these characters are, why their story matters. instead it's "we've gotta shut down the satellites before the signal infects everyone!" nonsense and "red hood is the big dumb one with guns."
what are we even doing here?
recently i've been reading more comic books than usual, including a talia al ghul collection that spanned 1971-2018, and i'm getting a strong sense that the quality of comic writing has gone way downhill. i always had this idea that old comic books were just cheesy action, but now i'm realizing it was the golden era. the storytelling was better, the characters were richer, and some of the dialogue and narration was beautifully poetic.
here's some color from "daughter of the demon" (1971):
witness it--fury held in rigid check until now...explodes!
these are no brutal beings! there is a part of their hearts that despises violence...
...but they are a product of their era, even as are you! the horrors of three wars and deep personal tragedy have shaped them!
so violence lives within them...and given the occasion, it can become an icy, remorseless vengeance!
and now...i don't know. i think volume one was better, and some of this story borders on interesting, but volume two felt mostly like some kind of mcu "look how many characters we have!" montage.
i just find this kind of lofty save-the-world epic really boring. i don't want global stakes, i want mysteries to solve and subtle prodding at who these characters are, why their story matters. instead it's "we've gotta shut down the satellites before the signal infects everyone!" nonsense and "red hood is the big dumb one with guns."
what are we even doing here?
March 7, 2018
Maybe only a 3 but I was feeling generous because of all the bat characters I got in one place even if maybe it wasn’t the greatest quality. On the one hand I appreciate that the two volumes told a single complete story, but on the other hand I’m sure that it had no impact on the rest of the DC world which makes it a little pointless. Still, it was a decent enough story told in 26 issues and compiled in two volumes that didn’t require any outside reading beyond having a basic understanding of all the characters and their current situations in the main comics.
The DC world has a real problem with people murdering parents and also with training kids to be assassins. An unrealistically big problem based on how many parents were gunned down to make all these children for Mother, plus there are all the girls at British assassin school and there are the batkids and, not really mentioned here, the whole court of owls thing with wanting Dick Grayson to be their talon. He was one incredibly popular orphan, though I guess Mother didn’t actually have any interest in training him, just replacing him. It was nice having all the Robins together, or at least in communication, and I’m never unhappy to see Dick being a leader. I’m still not a fan of Harper, mostly because I found her unnecessary in the main comics and held that against her here, but her story wasn’t terrible to read even if I think she’s a bad mix of Jason and Tim.
The DC world has a real problem with people murdering parents and also with training kids to be assassins. An unrealistically big problem based on how many parents were gunned down to make all these children for Mother, plus there are all the girls at British assassin school and there are the batkids and, not really mentioned here, the whole court of owls thing with wanting Dick Grayson to be their talon. He was one incredibly popular orphan, though I guess Mother didn’t actually have any interest in training him, just replacing him. It was nice having all the Robins together, or at least in communication, and I’m never unhappy to see Dick being a leader. I’m still not a fan of Harper, mostly because I found her unnecessary in the main comics and held that against her here, but her story wasn’t terrible to read even if I think she’s a bad mix of Jason and Tim.
February 26, 2018
What can I say about this mess?
I can't...I just cannot.
This was bad. Really bad.
Not Cassandra Cain, or Damian's tender moment with Bruce, or the girl hug between Steph, Harper and Cass, or even the awesome bat allies cameos could save this.
This was just a disaster and a poor entry to the batfamily lore.
I can't...I just cannot.
This was bad. Really bad.
Not Cassandra Cain, or Damian's tender moment with Bruce, or the girl hug between Steph, Harper and Cass, or even the awesome bat allies cameos could save this.
This was just a disaster and a poor entry to the batfamily lore.
July 7, 2017
Nightwing is still ultimate, in my opinion. Although I enjoyed the story and the parallel between Batman and Mother, I thought the story went on just a tad bit too long. Ultimately, the ending scenes were definitely on point.
September 18, 2020
Very well done. This felt more like watching a movie than any other comic I've read.
August 2, 2016
You know what's confusing? How Bruce Wayne and EVERY. SINGLE. ROBIN. look exactly the fucking same. Like younger and slimmer versions of themselves. Seriously, what the fuck? Can we retcon some appearances? Please?! For the love of god, it's so hard to tell them apart. Yeah, Tim Drake is a little skinnier than the others, big fucking deal. His hair and face still screams mini-Bruce Wayne to me.
So, I know some people might not be into it, but I love these 14 issue paperbacks. It's nice to know that I'll get at least a solid couple hours of reading in, rather than burning through a 5 issue TBP in 40 minutes. The Batman Eternal (and B&R Eternal) books have about the same amount of story as a movie. It's like reading a new Christopher Nolan movie every time, albeit with a more compelling story thanks to Tim Seeley and Scott Snyder.
Also similar to Batman Eternal was the dramatic, high-as-fuck stakes conclusion. With literally the entire world under attack and the Batfam (including Damian, knew he would show up, disappointed with how little role he plays) plus a few extras like Midnighter (whom Cullen Row refers to as a gay Batman, ha) sweeping in to save the day. With your powers combined, we are... BATFAM.
The deeper theme of this series is one of choice. Did Batman use tragedy to shape the Robins in the same fashion that trauma shaped him? Or did they choose this path of their own free will? Oppression is literally the absence of choice, and our villain, Mother, is guilty of this in the extreme. She's gone to extreme measures to induce trauma in children and manipulate them into becoming soldiers of a "higher order". Batman sees the similarities in how he, himself, and the Robins have also been shaped by trauma, and it bothers him more than a little bit, even choosing to distance himself lest he unconsciously influence them... but even doing that is making a choice without their consent.
In this story, Batman is entirely absent, and our protagonists have to make hard decisions about how to deal with new revelations about themselves and the people they're fighting alongside. Will they let violence and revenge dictate their actions, or will they rise above the tragedy in their own lives to become something better? Something that they can't be made to be, but rather, have to choose for themselves...
A HERO.
Was that sufficiently melodramatic?
/end corny review
So, I know some people might not be into it, but I love these 14 issue paperbacks. It's nice to know that I'll get at least a solid couple hours of reading in, rather than burning through a 5 issue TBP in 40 minutes. The Batman Eternal (and B&R Eternal) books have about the same amount of story as a movie. It's like reading a new Christopher Nolan movie every time, albeit with a more compelling story thanks to Tim Seeley and Scott Snyder.
Also similar to Batman Eternal was the dramatic, high-as-fuck stakes conclusion. With literally the entire world under attack and the Batfam (including Damian, knew he would show up, disappointed with how little role he plays) plus a few extras like Midnighter (whom Cullen Row refers to as a gay Batman, ha) sweeping in to save the day. With your powers combined, we are... BATFAM.
The deeper theme of this series is one of choice. Did Batman use tragedy to shape the Robins in the same fashion that trauma shaped him? Or did they choose this path of their own free will? Oppression is literally the absence of choice, and our villain, Mother, is guilty of this in the extreme. She's gone to extreme measures to induce trauma in children and manipulate them into becoming soldiers of a "higher order". Batman sees the similarities in how he, himself, and the Robins have also been shaped by trauma, and it bothers him more than a little bit, even choosing to distance himself lest he unconsciously influence them... but even doing that is making a choice without their consent.
In this story, Batman is entirely absent, and our protagonists have to make hard decisions about how to deal with new revelations about themselves and the people they're fighting alongside. Will they let violence and revenge dictate their actions, or will they rise above the tragedy in their own lives to become something better? Something that they can't be made to be, but rather, have to choose for themselves...
A HERO.
Was that sufficiently melodramatic?
/end corny review
June 13, 2016
Batma y Robi eternal se centra sobre todo en los primeros tres robins Dick Grayso, Jason Todd y Tim Drake y forma parte del universo de los new 52 y debo decir que de todas las historia que yo e leido de este universo esta es la primera que en verdad me gusta. Amo ver a la batfamily junta (aunque Bruce no este) que todos se reunan juntos como hermanos y ademas amo a las invitadas especiales Blackcanary, Catwoman, Katana, etc.
SPOILERS
En serio amo que se reúnan los Robins, ame cuando llega Damian y les dice lo que Bruce pensaba de ellos.
Dick: una visión mas clara de lo que Batman debería ser.
Jason: hace lo que Batman no puede cuando el mundo lo necesita.
Tim: tiene un sentido estratégico que envidio, nunca le vi actuar demasiado deprisa.
Tu a veces lo haces pero eso puede salvarte algún día.
Quiero que ustedes decidan por ustedes mismos lo que hacen lo que son.
Amo que Bruce les haya enseñado a se mejores y no como el eso habla de lo que es ser un buen padre y es como los chicos dicen, fuero entrenados como soldados pero se convirtieron en algo más se convirtieron en familia. Creo que esa frase resume todo este comic.
Por ultimo y para no hacer esto muy largo solo hablare de lo mucho que me molesto lo poco que sacan a Stephani siendo que es mi robin y batgirl favorita, sin mencionar que la shipeo fuertemente con Tim amo su historia de amor, todo lo que han pasado juntos y odio que aquí ni se pelen.
SPOILERS
En serio amo que se reúnan los Robins, ame cuando llega Damian y les dice lo que Bruce pensaba de ellos.
Dick: una visión mas clara de lo que Batman debería ser.
Jason: hace lo que Batman no puede cuando el mundo lo necesita.
Tim: tiene un sentido estratégico que envidio, nunca le vi actuar demasiado deprisa.
Tu a veces lo haces pero eso puede salvarte algún día.
Quiero que ustedes decidan por ustedes mismos lo que hacen lo que son.
Amo que Bruce les haya enseñado a se mejores y no como el eso habla de lo que es ser un buen padre y es como los chicos dicen, fuero entrenados como soldados pero se convirtieron en algo más se convirtieron en familia. Creo que esa frase resume todo este comic.
Por ultimo y para no hacer esto muy largo solo hablare de lo mucho que me molesto lo poco que sacan a Stephani siendo que es mi robin y batgirl favorita, sin mencionar que la shipeo fuertemente con Tim amo su historia de amor, todo lo que han pasado juntos y odio que aquí ni se pelen.
July 23, 2016
Beware of Mother!!! Batman & Robin Eternal has shaped out to be a rewarding weekly comic series. Writers Scott Synder, Tim Seeley, and James Tynion IV have really collaborated well with this series because each issue perfectly builds on each very well. With that said I am still not a fan of collecting weekly series especially because it can hurt your pockets. But this series was definitely worth the wait to read in graphic novel collection format. Volume 2 picks up with the Batman family in dire circumstances. The children assassin training trafficker "Mother" is planning to use a sort of mind control to force all the kids of the world to kill all the adults. Dick Grayson the once further Robin must rally the other Batman allies to defeat Mother's plans or its the end of the world. The Batman man extended family are put through the ringer. Bruce is no longer capable of being Batman and he tried to defeat Mother years ago while Dick Grayson was still Robin. Yep, Bruce and his secrets have come back to bite Dick the other Robins and allies Harper Row and the new ally Cassandra Cain. The artwork is weak in a few issues but this does not distract from this intense thriller with heart. Through the kids that Batman train we get to see Bruce in another. Though it is hard for Bruce to trust others he has through his allies or these kids open his heart and guidance to them. There a lot of touching moments which hit you in the gut. This story does remind the reader why Robin is important and the one unspoken truth about the tragedy of Batman. Batman is a broken orphaned boy who may not notice but he has grown a extended family that includes not only his actual son but many gifted youngsters who care about his mission to protect the world but at times in their own way. This series was definitely worth the read,
June 25, 2016
[Read as single issues - this review covers both volumes]
Batman and Robin Eternal comes hot on the heels of the hugely successful (and very enjoyable) Batman Eternal. At half the size (only 26 issues compared to Eternal's 52), this one is a lot tighter and focuses a lot more on the characters involved.
The idea of this story is to look at the legacy of Robin, and how each of the different Robins has affected Batman. In a time where Batman himself is out of action (currently 'dead' at the hands of the Joker), Dick Grayson, Jason Todd, Tim Drake, and Damian Wayne have to step up to defeat Mother, a human trafficker who specializes in brainwashed children. Also in on the action are Stephanie Brown and, making their New 52 first appearances, Cassandra Cain and Azrael.
With only half as many issues, the pacing of this book is quite quick. We still get the smaller mini-arcs as in Eternal, but there are fewer of these and the action bounces around quite quickly. There aren't any lull issues or 'picking up the pieces before something else happens' issues like Eternal, and the character work is a lot more focused.
The artwork, despite having a lot of different artists involved, is fairly consistent overall, as is the writing. Some writers stick out more than others, such as series leader James Tynion IV, whilst Genevieve Valentine and Tim Seeley also turn in some of the better issues.
Batman and Robin Eternal is a worthy follow-up to Batman Eternal, and a story that could only be told at this point in time. With no Batman around, all the Robins have to prove just why they were given their title in the first place, and unravel the mystery of Mother at the same time.
[Also for fans of the Grayson series, there are quite a few big developments involving Spyral that are worth checking out here]
Batman and Robin Eternal comes hot on the heels of the hugely successful (and very enjoyable) Batman Eternal. At half the size (only 26 issues compared to Eternal's 52), this one is a lot tighter and focuses a lot more on the characters involved.
The idea of this story is to look at the legacy of Robin, and how each of the different Robins has affected Batman. In a time where Batman himself is out of action (currently 'dead' at the hands of the Joker), Dick Grayson, Jason Todd, Tim Drake, and Damian Wayne have to step up to defeat Mother, a human trafficker who specializes in brainwashed children. Also in on the action are Stephanie Brown and, making their New 52 first appearances, Cassandra Cain and Azrael.
With only half as many issues, the pacing of this book is quite quick. We still get the smaller mini-arcs as in Eternal, but there are fewer of these and the action bounces around quite quickly. There aren't any lull issues or 'picking up the pieces before something else happens' issues like Eternal, and the character work is a lot more focused.
The artwork, despite having a lot of different artists involved, is fairly consistent overall, as is the writing. Some writers stick out more than others, such as series leader James Tynion IV, whilst Genevieve Valentine and Tim Seeley also turn in some of the better issues.
Batman and Robin Eternal is a worthy follow-up to Batman Eternal, and a story that could only be told at this point in time. With no Batman around, all the Robins have to prove just why they were given their title in the first place, and unravel the mystery of Mother at the same time.
[Also for fans of the Grayson series, there are quite a few big developments involving Spyral that are worth checking out here]
April 9, 2016
My biggest criticism for both Batman Eternal arcs is that they are dragged out for so long. This one could have been reduced by ten comics, and it would have tightened the storyline into something much more cohesive. That doesn't mean I didn't enjoy the story; I just got a little bored in some subplots (the Dumas stuff, some of the angsty backstory, and the whole "who works for Mother?" debate).
I LOVED seeing my Batfam together again, especially the ladies. One of my big complaints of the Batman titles post New 52 is the lack of the female bat-characters (Stephanie and Cassandra mostly). I loved how they had a major role in this. Harper is teased out more, and her friendship with Cassandra is everything I wanted. I hope they continue this in other titles and don't let it disappear.
Having all the Robins together again was also a huge highlight. I love having all the boys in a comic together. They play off each other so well here. One of my favorite scenes is towards the end when Damian explains what the role of Robin means to Batman and how he envisioned each Robin filling that role. SO SPOT ON. There's this huge misconception of how Batman brings sidekicks under his wing and doesn't give a damn about them, and I really appreciated how Snyder took the time to refute that again.
Mother is a creepy addition to the cast of villains. She becomes a little washed out the longer the story drags on. However, she was an engaging antagonist, and I wouldn't be against seeing her cross paths with Batman again.
The big twist was a little predictable, and the last two issues could have been cut down and combined into one. I still enjoyed the story, if not purely because all of my favorite characters were heavily featured and so well done.
I LOVED seeing my Batfam together again, especially the ladies. One of my big complaints of the Batman titles post New 52 is the lack of the female bat-characters (Stephanie and Cassandra mostly). I loved how they had a major role in this. Harper is teased out more, and her friendship with Cassandra is everything I wanted. I hope they continue this in other titles and don't let it disappear.
Having all the Robins together again was also a huge highlight. I love having all the boys in a comic together. They play off each other so well here. One of my favorite scenes is towards the end when Damian explains what the role of Robin means to Batman and how he envisioned each Robin filling that role. SO SPOT ON. There's this huge misconception of how Batman brings sidekicks under his wing and doesn't give a damn about them, and I really appreciated how Snyder took the time to refute that again.
Mother is a creepy addition to the cast of villains. She becomes a little washed out the longer the story drags on. However, she was an engaging antagonist, and I wouldn't be against seeing her cross paths with Batman again.
The big twist was a little predictable, and the last two issues could have been cut down and combined into one. I still enjoyed the story, if not purely because all of my favorite characters were heavily featured and so well done.
August 8, 2016
Not 1000% sure on how I feel about this title. The art is sometimes good, sometimes 'eh.
Batman is almost non-existent in this Volume, but the Robins and Bat-ladies shine bright here. Harper (Bluebird) and Cassandra Cain have much of the storyline, but it was kind of predictable. The banter between the boys can be quite hilarious at times, and the fights are obviously epic in nature.
Mother is set as an excellent villain, but feels underdeveloped. I really missed having a standard Bat-villain, and think that would have added much to the tale.
Overall, this wasn't a horrible title, as it added to the depth of the Bat-family and their interactions, but could have been tighter story.
Recommend. (When don't I recommend something Batman related? LOL)
Batman is almost non-existent in this Volume, but the Robins and Bat-ladies shine bright here. Harper (Bluebird) and Cassandra Cain have much of the storyline, but it was kind of predictable. The banter between the boys can be quite hilarious at times, and the fights are obviously epic in nature.
Mother is set as an excellent villain, but feels underdeveloped. I really missed having a standard Bat-villain, and think that would have added much to the tale.
Overall, this wasn't a horrible title, as it added to the depth of the Bat-family and their interactions, but could have been tighter story.
Recommend. (When don't I recommend something Batman related? LOL)
July 19, 2016
The title should be Bat Family Eternal as this volume has a lot more Harper, Stephanie and Cassandra than Dick, Tim, Jason and Damian. Also Bunny Ears Batman aka Jim Gordon is absent.
I enjoyed this series. The whole first volume set up the mystery that was solved in this volume. There is a lot of action and a lot of Bat Family cameos.
After this one could easily start a new comic that would be a teen titan birds of pray so to speak with Blue Bird, The Spolier, and Cassandra Cain doing the dirty work while Cullen is there oracle back at the base.
I enjoyed this series. The whole first volume set up the mystery that was solved in this volume. There is a lot of action and a lot of Bat Family cameos.
After this one could easily start a new comic that would be a teen titan birds of pray so to speak with Blue Bird, The Spolier, and Cassandra Cain doing the dirty work while Cullen is there oracle back at the base.
July 8, 2017
Too drawn-out and stupid to finish. I skimmed the last half. It seemed to just keep spinning its wheels, killing time to pad out the volume. Instead of using the length they were provided to engage in some good character development or to have a well-paced long story, it's just a series of dumb, action-packed issues that go nowhere.
Mother is a terrible villain. Orphan is even worse.
Mother is a terrible villain. Orphan is even worse.
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