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by Dave Scrimgeour and Kevin McCluskey   Writer- Marv Wolfman Penciler- Pat Broderick Inker- John Beatty Letterer- John Costanza Colourist- Adrienne Roy Associate Editor- Dan Raspler Editor- Denny O'Neil Creator(s)- Bob Kane (with Bill Finger) Published- August 1989 by DC Comics Inc. SynopsisBatman leaves a trail of broken bodies in the wake of his unorthodox investigation into the slaying of yet another of Gotham's crime families, and Nightwing has to save him from the aftermath of the most recent hit. Alfred is wracked with guilt over his failure to keep Anthony Zucco locked up using due process and fears the extent of an already unhinged Bruce's reprisals, causing him to reminisce of how the orphaned Richard Grayson came into their lives, and contemplate taking measures into his own hands regarding Dick's parents' murderer. Dave So, Part 2. Another likeable cover to this issue, I have to say. Again, it gives a clear representation of who the focus of this issue is, with the Bat looming over Robin like a parental figure. In fact, he is literally the Lord of his manor. I like the colour contrast of this page; the shades of a young Dick trapped in the darkness and coming into the light with his emergence as Robin. And a rather cheerful looking one as well. But there’s a rather mournful looking Alfred there. It's a good cover for this issue. And, it's actually the first Batman story we have reviewed that has Robin in it as well. Kev Really!?!? This can't the first Batman story we've reviewed that's had Robin in it? Dave Yeah it is. Kev That's nuts. Over 8 years in, and this is the first time we've covered a Robin. Crazy. Yeh, Dick Grason looks pretty cheery on the cover. He seems to have gotten over the murder of his parents pretty quickly. All it took was a rich (albeit creepy) benefactor, a nice big house, and a questionable new outfit. Bruce seems pretty proud of himself. Alfred, on the other hand, looks significantly less proud of him. He looks like he has some concerns. Legitimate ones too. Dave True, Bruce Wayne is probably not the most stable of benefactors to be living with, but I’m sure Dick liked the Batcave. Kev Oh, also, that direct market box with the batlogo celebrating the 50th anniversary of the character just made it hit home even harder that this as over 35 years ago now, and that we’re old as dirt. It's an excellent cover though. I like Bat's computer set-up. Particularly the images on the monitors. Dave Another splash page for an opening on page 1. And again, page 2 has some great colours on it. That mixture of reds is superb.  "My dad used to say - Always fight fire with fire. Which is probably why he was thrown out of the fire brigade." Kev Yeh, the dusky night skies that are the backdrop to the helicopter attack are gorgeous. Excellent work from Adrienne Roy. Dave Especially that contrast on page 3, in the dingy seedy bar, as Nightwing enters. Ditch the shoulder pads, please. Kev That's true. It's very dark and gloomy and cold. With lots of blues. That Nightwing costume is awful as well. It looks like it hadn’t been updated in over a decade. It's so ‘70’s. Dave It's definitely got a 70's glam rock look to it, yeah. Kev That Stevie Wonder line, "Batman's gotten sloppy. He's left a trail Stevie Wonder could follow," is a cliched joke at this point. I don’t like Stevie being used as a punchline. Dave Oh yeah, the era of Stevie Wonder jokes. The mid-80’s. Kev Stevie Wonder is blind!?!? Who knew? Dave Batman has done some damage in that bar, for sure. Kev No doubt. To that dude’s nose as well. Bruce is becoming more rage-filled and violent. Which Dick feels is making him “sloppy.” Dave Interesting choice of word. It's hardly like Batman just gave people a slap before, and that was it. He used to go pretty hard on his opponents. It's not like there are any hospitalisations on this one. Well, maybe that guy slumped on the floor. Actually, that entrance by Nightwing on top of page 3 is meant to look dramatic, but he looks like he's turned up to do a Gary Glitter tribute act and realised it's the wrong pub. Kev Ha, ha! True. Dave And the age of payphones in a pub. Kev Jeez. Yeh, that takes me back. Smoking in pubs as well. Your Gary Glitter reference is interesting, and foreshadows something I touch upon in a bit. Dave In saying that; the first panel on page 4, of Nightwing on the bike, is a good panel.  (Dick Grayson)...he don't need gimmick like big collar or pens in top pocket. He don't need to be post-modern!" Kev Yeh. That is a good panel. It’s a really "modern" looking bike as well, which contrasts with his '70's fit. The fact that Batman almost refers to Nightwing as Robin is telling. This is clearly a man, a father figure, lashing out in grief at his "son," over the loss of his other “son.” Dave It is the ‘80s. It was an era of obsession over technology in movies. And the Cold War. Kev Yeh, it reminds me of Sarah Connor's bike in 'The Terminator.' Just a little bit. You're right, there was a proper explosion of technology, particularly computer technology in the '80s, wasn't there? Dave Yeah, a bit of a verbal slip with Batman on that one. Kev Bruce and Dick’s relationship is really fractured at this point, and Bruce is obviously not very good at admitting when he needs, or indeed asking for, help. “The yellow brick road was stained with blood.” I like that line. That’s funny. Dave This is probably the first scene that has been given the time to play out in this issue, as the transitions from scene to scene have been really quick and snappy. Oh yeah, Batman and Nightwing are in a less than good communicative state. That's a good panel of Batman emerging from the rubble. I like that one as well. Again, the focus on detail and the colours work well together.  "Not really, of course - the power of suggestion!" Kev Yeh, Bruce is not in a good way at this point. I’m now starting to think that this story represented a bit of a meta-commentary by Wolfman on the state of Batman as a character in general, and not just the one in this particular story. We’re three years removed from ‘The Dark Knight Returns’ by this point; so is Wolfman maybe somewhat dismayed by the direction that the character is going in, and that the fans seem to be almost demanding (through their spending power) that he goes in? A direction that the character is arguably still going in to this day. A direction that has seen the character become increasingly dark, increasingly brooding, violent, and less of a detective, less of a caper. The recent, massive success of ‘Absolute Batman’ would certainly seem to suggest so. “When we first got together you talked about investigation, observation, and deduction. You kept saying that we had to think with our heads, not with our fists.” This is not the Batman we have here, and is arguably not the Batman we are presented with today either. In a lot of cases at least. Dave Yeah, possibly. That is a good line from Nightwing. And very poignant too, getting across the point that Bruce is falling into the darkness quickly. Page 6 is also a good page. There’s very little dialogue, but it clearly shows the distance between these two, in how Batman goes off on his own way, leaving Nightwing behind. I suppose at this point there had to be some tension in the Batman /Robin dynamic to keep readers enticed. Kev Agreed. And using the classic six panel grid as a way to highlight the emotional distance between them. That’s also a nice use of the voiceover dialogue, "It did not go well. The parole board is going to release Anthony Zucco," to overlap, and bring the two scenes together. Very cleverly done. Ah, I just assumed that Alfred was concerned about “Richard’s” reaction to Tony Zucco’s release, but it’s Bruce that he’s been worried about. These two plot points are starting to interweave more and more. Dave Nice lead into the Bruce/Dick backstory, as the panels zoom in on the photo of them together. That's good storytelling there. Kev Yep, particularly with Alfred's voiceover in the caption boxes. Dave Of course, being Wayne Manor, it isn't a photo in a picture frame, it’s a wall mounted photo. Kev Oh, of course. Only the best for Mr. Wayne. The problem with looking at this story through a 2025 lens, as opposed to a 1989 lens, and certainly a 1940 lens, is that events over the last few years can’t help but make you think that there's a fair chance that a billionaire playboy would be guilty of using his vast wealth and influence for nefarious means. Such as to traffic young boys through some underground paedophile ring to his mansion on the outskirts of the city, with his massive sex/bondage dungeon underneath it, a la Epstein Island or some sort. Not to mention the abuse a young boy probably would have already suffered under the “care” of the Catholic Church. It would probably all be part of the same ring. Fucking depressing. Dave The story of young Dick picking up with him and leaving to go Wayne Manor with Alfred is reminiscent of the Zucco backstory, but obviously highlighting the differences in how Dick and Zucco felt about their tragedies. I suppose, for a young Dick to come to such a prestigious place like Wayne Manor, it would distract him from his thoughts, and he would find some source of fascination in that. Kev Definitely. This is all about choices. One of them chose a righteous path, whereas the other chose a life of crime. Which is also a testament to the influence of their father figures. Dave And speaking of being a father figure; is it really wise to drop your new adopted child into the thick of it on day one? He could have at least given him a chance to use the swimming pool at Wayne Manor first. It is very rushed, this scene, and doesn't quite fit right. It paints a picture of Bruce as an impulsive, reckless person who would knowingly coerce someone into his world. Plus, he's only spoken to him for a few minutes, judging by the meeting time. Kev I think that's exactly what Marv Wolfman was going for here though. Dave "Sir, is this wise?" aka "Sir, are you a lunatic?" Kev Ha, ha! Indeed. “Why does Mr. Wayne want me? He could have any kid?” Jesus! I think Bruce has had Dick Grayson selected from the minute his parents were killed at the circus. He saw the similarities between himself and the youngster, and thought, he'll understand it too. He's the one. Dave Again, it would have benefited from a few more pages before it jumps into this page, but to be fair, Bruce is obsessive, so he’d probably just drop the bombshell straight away. Kev He's certainly obsessive, yeh.  "You like the lining though, it dazzles, it excites!" Dave It's almost like a Jesus Christ, biblical, moment on page 12, as Dick comes down the stairs to the Batcave and is blinded by the lights. Kev “Mr. Wayne’s got to be great.” Young Dick Grayson is like so many of us in 2024. Worshipping at the feet of, and all aspiring to be like, false idol multi-billionaires like Elon Musk. Dave At least Alfred is the voice of reason in this story, for all the good it did him. But, to be fair, that is a great panel on page 13 of the Batman reveal.  "What are the chances of that happening?" Kev Definitely. Alfred is not 100% onboard with this, is he? “It is wrong, Sir.” Although, he does need to stop speaking in quotations. “.....virtue and riches seldom settle on one man.” Jeez, Bruce is like Emperor Palpatine here, and Alfred is appalled. Dick Grayson has every right to be concerned, and to be asking questions. That bottom panel of page 13, the reveal one with Bruce stood with his hands on his hips, in full Bat regalia is not doing anything to dissuade my reading of this as a metaphor for child abuse. Particularly considering the placement of young Master Grayson’s head. It’s a really well executed panel by all involved, but I can’t lie, it’s made me uncomfortable. It's only the first real meeting between him and Dick, and already Bruce is taking him to The Cave, which Alfred refers to as “.....the road to hell.” “Alfred believes what I do is foolhardy.” You can kind-of see where he’s coming from though, right, Bruce? It does come off that way. Dave For the full Batman pose on page 13, I was thinking that myself. The way Dick’s head (pun intended) is uncomfortably placed in front of Batman’s crotch. I don't remember reading this as a kid, but I'm pretty sure we would have made jokes about that even back then. Kev Yeh. Although, in light of more recent events, it's an even darker joke than it would have been 35 years ago. This is why they needed Aunt Harriott in the ‘60’s TV show. Dave Well yeah, I mean, the Aunt Harriott gimmick was to give a wholesome family value to it. I remember the 1949 ‘Batman and Robin’ movie serial that they showed over the Christmas holidays either in 1988/89 or 89/90, in light of the Tim Burton movie, and that had Vicki Vale as Bruce's potential love interest in it. Kev Ah, apparently the character of Vicki Vale was developed for that serial. I did not know that. Although they made sure that she debuted in the comics first. Probably for rights retention issues. I remember her suddenly reappearing in the comics around '89 as well. Dave Anyway, the first panel on page 14 turns into a quick Rocky training montage, so our fears have finally been put to rest. Haha. And those three panels show how Bruce is training him to be his new protoge.  "Canteloupe melon - very tasty; honeydew melon - very tasty; water melon - not so tasty ........ but refreshing." Kev Yeh, that's a good montage panel at the top of page 14, of Dick training and Alfred looking on disapprovingly. And I do like that Wolfman has Bruce aware enough to realise that he’s going to have to embrace technology if he wants to stay ahead of the game, and the criminals who play it. Dave For the life of me, I cannot figure out on the bottom panel of page 14. What is on those two computer monitors? A giant game of Connect 4?  "Cadburys cream egg, Mystic Meg. You've got to have a system." Kev Maybe it's Breakout. Or Tetris. I also like that this conversation on page 15, between Alfred and Dick, about Bruce and Jason, could be in any drama about grief. Except one of them just so happens to be wearing a seriously outdated, unfashionable, god awful superhero costume. Oooffttt! That last panel on page 15 contains elements from two different points in time in it as a transitional panel, just separated by the fore and the background. That works really well. Dave Yeah. Again, the transitions from present to past are so cleverly done. It's kind-of been a trademark for this story so far. Going back quickly to page 14; the training montage was very 80's. It’s so reminiscent of Rocky being trained by Mickey and Apollo (Mickey’s training was more Rocky 1 and 2 which were '76 and '79 respectively), but also the John G. Avildsen ‘Karate Kid’ features, with a young Daniel being trained by mentor/father figure Mr. Miyagi. How could anyone stand there in an outfit like that and have a conversation and expect to be taken seriously? In fact, if this outfit went in the washing machine, I would be hoping it would get shrunk, just so those collars could shrink. Kev Ha, ha! There's not a hope in hell that you're being treated seriously dressed in that get-up. Good shout with the ‘Rocky’/’Karate Kid’ montages, and the father figures they feature. Nightwing is the Harry Hill of superheroes with those oversized collars. “My war has been a lonely one. At times I’ve felt swallowed up by it. Wallow in mud, you wind up dirty.” And that’s exactly where Bruce finds himself in the present moment, following Jason’s death. Dave It is "The Dark Knight" after all, so there has to be darkness in the story. I suppose, at this stage, they were trying to escape the famous 60's image from the TV series, which I did love, but bring Batman to a more mature place for the reader. Kev Yeh. I'm wondering if this is a bit of a critique by Wolfman, that after the dark and gritty 'Dark Knight Returns,' that character had strayed a bit too far into the "mud," and would perhaps be better served to come back into the light a bit. A bit more detective work, and a few more capers. Less thinking with his fists maybe. I do like the Caped Crusaders vibe of the panels with Batman and Robin. It's an excellent juxtaposition to where Bruce finds himself in the present. Dave At least on page 16, the splash panel of Batman and Robin together, the Batcape is of a reasonable size, and has not gone completely OTT, like McFarlane did with it in ‘Year Two.’  "That's it, Stouffer, you help!" Kev Maybe it's the cape that's shrunk in the wash over the last year or so, and not Nightwing's collars. Dave Haha! Maybe. It's quite an interesting panel of the two together, with the cherry red sky backdrop. And then we are into their first outing on page 17. Kev Yeh, and Dick Grason definitely brings a lightness to Batman as Robin. His in-fight quippage is up there with Peter Parker’s as Spidey. Dave Yep, Robin was certainly more full of the youthful gibes in his fights. It is a good juxtaposition for the moody Bat. Kev Absolutely. Dave Again, going back to timescales, it doesn't give us any idea of how long he took to train Dick before giving him the Robin outfit. Kev Yeh. It must have been a while though. Dave I do like that panel where Dick stands victorious and celebrates after kicking ass on page 18. "Winner and still champion!" Then we're straight back into the present again. At least he has not become overly jaded in the years from his first crime fight as Robin until now. Kev Ha, ha! Yeh, I liked that too. It shows the exuberant youth of Master Grayson. Again, the transitions between timelines in this are excellent, and Adrienne Roy’s use of simple, one tone, primary colours to denote this is great. Dave Dick Grayson still reflects on his early training years that have shaped his approach to doing his crime fighting, and the one tone background allows the full focus to be on Dick.  "Sorted, respect due." Kev Indeed. Training, and a philosophy that Bruce, his teacher, seems to have abandoned himself. It's very cleverly done. Dave Yeah, there’s definitely a bit of a role reversal here. It's not the student going off the rails and the all-knowing, older, wiser teacher trying to get him back on track. It’s a nice twist in the relationship dynamic, and of storytelling. On page 19, that sudden jump from Dick realising Bruce isn't in Wayne Manor, straight to the gangland scene, is so sudden and, again, it's such a quick change in the narrative. Kev I couldn't help but feel that it should have been across a page break though. Dave Nice pad Mr. Ventura has. I’m getting Punisher, gangland vibes here, a bit. And the round table of criminals/gangsters is an interesting touch. Like ‘The Knights of the Round Table’ from King Arthur. Or they probably just pulled a few tables together. Kev Ha, ha! Totally. Lots of glass and lots of windows. Including a lovely skylight. This looks like a very intimate gathering. They're all sitting very closely together. It’s all very cosy. Dave This is where Frank Castle and Bruce Wayne are kind-of similar; they both go undercover to get to the crutch of the enemy. Kev True. And I do appreciate a good bit of undercover, spy work. Dave I like, on page 20, the reveal that one of the waiters is Bruce, as he pulls the mask out from under the food plate cover. Just as well as none of the patrons were off to the bathroom at that point and wandered past. Also, the last panel of Mr Ventura on page 20, it looks like he's got the classic rough and ready broken nose look. Kev Ah, a good old boxer's nose, eh? Ha, ha! That cowl probably had a whiff of food on it, and I hate food smells on clothes. And now Alfred is thinking maybe he should be the one to take out Tony Zucco. Dave That cut from Batman in Venturas place, to Zucco, is another well placed transition. Zucco’s got the dirt on everyone it seems, and yeah, Alfred is starting to feel a bit desperate. He’s probably wracked with guilt about what's transpired. That's a good end panel, as he gazes down upon the gun.  "Apparently you can tell a lot about someone's personality from what they're like." Kev Yeh, the cutting between scenes is great. These two story threads are starting to weave together, and they're on a collision course. Dave This issue, again, is about giving us the necessary backstories in conjunction with the present build up of events and, like you said, a collision is definitely on the cards here. Kev Yeh, Zucco's a force to be reckoned with, and this has all been exceptionally well done. Dave I just noticed that on page 22, in the panel where Zucco tells his lawyer about knowing everyone's secrets, that he's got the boxer’s nose look as well. Kev Yeh, all these guys look like they've been in a few scraps in their time. They all came from the streets, I suppose. Dave So, no doubt with the backstories out of the way, things will start to heat up in Gotham, and tensions will rise even more now. Kev And even more gangland families will be taken out. Dave That's the thing with these stories, there has to be a build up, then the explosion. Kev Oh, definitely. The structure and the pacing are crucial. Dave It's establishing the character relationships all around, and this story has done it so well so far, along with consistently good artwork and colour palette. Kev Yeh, I've really enjoyed this issue. Despite it (and my 2025 sensibilities) making my reading of it a little uncomfortable. I think it's better than part 1, which had a lot to do in terms of setting the table, and so now it feels like we’re getting into the meat of this story. No complaints whatsoever from me. It’s cracking stuff. Dave Yep, I think the past two issues have, so far, been really good. I’m actually glad the backstories are out of the way, so now we can get things moving along, but I've never felt that this story has lagged in any way, and those backstories are crucial. It's been good to finally cover Robin as well. After all, he is such an integral part of the Batman lore. I can't believe this is our first review of him in a story. Kev Definitely. I can't get over the fact that we've never covered a story with Robin in it before. This, much like its predecessor, ‘Year Two,’ is shaping up to be a bit of an underrated gem. Such is the long shadow that 'Year One' casts, I suppose. I had it in my head that there was definitely an element of diminishing returns with the “Years,” and whereas that take might still hold-up to a certain extent, the decline is nowhere near as noticeable, or as sharp, for this one as I remembered it being. In fact, it has been pleasantly surprising, just how good this has been, so far. It’s been an absolute joy to revisit. Dave I was thinking that, surely this “Year” would not be able to keep up with the standard set by the first two “Years,” but I can gladly say that I am wrong, as this has been a very easy read, and it doesn't drag one bit. Kev Not at all. So far, I think this has been a severely underrated Bat story. I don't think that it's ever been released as a trade either, which is an absolute crime. And Wolfman's handling of Robin's place in the Bat Family, particularly in this issue, has been a revelation to me. (D) & (K) Next: 'Turnabout (Fair Play)'  "Bad Boy! Dirty Boy! In your BED!"
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