Writer: Joshua Williamson

Artist: Simone Di Meo

Color Artist: Giovanna Niro

Cover Artist: Simone Di Meo

Publisher: DC Comics

Price: $4.99

Reviewer: StoryBabbler

Batman and Robin have been investigating the latest activity from the new villainess Shush and the return of Man-Bat as a super-villain. However, Man-Bat has greater ambitions than ever before, and he’s been making moves to retake the symbol of the Bat. But as his cultists tried to stage a riot, the dynamic duo find unexpected help in the arrival of Flatline. Read Batman and Robin #7 to see the next phase of the case and learn what Flatline is doing in Gotham City.

If you’re interested in this comic, series, related trades, or any of the others mentioned, then simply click on the title/link to snag a copy through Amazon as you read the Batman and Robin #6 Review.

Review:

Alright, so things pick up steam a little in this issue. After Batman and Robin stop a misguided youth from breaking Victor Zsazz free from a prison transfer, the dynamic duo had hit a wall in the case. It didn’t help that they didn’t get much results from Damian’s continued investigation of his school’s principle, Ms. Stone, and Batman’s got fewer leads on Man-Bat. Until now.

Last issue, the heroes put a stop to a riot caused by the newly formed Cult of Man-Bat, and as they were beating the cultists out of nowhere Damian’s new girlfriend, Flatline showed up to help. Once the fighting was over, Flatline introduced herself properly to Batman and explains that she’s in Gotham to help tracked down her older sister who’s hooked up with the wrong crowd. Of course, Batman says she and Damian can go find her, and lets Flatline know there’s no killing and just like the teenage duo were gone. The two catch up and eventually follow a trail to Penguin’s Iceberg Lounge. Meanwhile Batman interrogates one of the cultists and discovers more of Man-Bat’s horrifying plan for Gotham.

So, it’s great to have Simone Di Meo back on the interior art for the series. It felt a little off without him and his art style. Getting to see the characters in the dynamic style was great and we get some cool images and poses for the teenage duo of Robin and Flatline as well as Batman, of course. Speaking of which, Flatline’s intro here is okay. While I didn’t read the series she was introduced in, I’m caught up on who she is, so seeing Williamson bring the character into the series is not too unexpected. However, it’s clear he’s got something in store with the character once you see who she’s talking to in the comic.

On the other hand, there’s Man-Bat and his new cult. So, I’m not a big fan of this direction for Kirk Langstrom, aka Man-Bat, but I realize that we’re stuck with this new form of him so I’m just rolling with it. The dynamic between Man-Bat and his cult is pretty by the numbers, nothing too distinctive, even his followers aren’t anything to get excited for since they’re just regular people and no threat to Batman, Robin or Flatline. The only thing of interest is that Man-Bat specifically compared them to a “family” to directly mirror Batman and his Bat-family, and that the cultists have been given a weird formula to take.

However, what’s more underwhelming is the idea shown at the end where, SPOILER, Shush encounters Batman on a rooftop and proposes they team up against Man-Bat because he’s going against some deal he made with her. Look, Shush is not a bad villainess but she’s not a great one either. She had some potential at first, but at this point she’s feeling more and more like a pointless Hush-derivative since Williamson isn’t doing much with her, nor is she even threatening at this point. If there’s any hope of re-energizing interest in the character, the next issue needs to do it.

Final Thoughts:

Batman and Robin #7 sees the return of Simone Di Meo as the main interior artist as well as the return of Flatline. Naturally, Damian and Flatline do a little catching up, which is wholesome, as well as fighting criminals together, which is cool. And there’s clearly more going on with her, so we got an interesting mystery there for a B-plot. Meanwhile Batman sees that Man-Bat’s got something big cooking, and he’s approached by Shush of all people for a team-up. While Shush hasn’t been the most impressive new character, this temporary team-up could make things interesting.

8/10