Batman and Ra’s al Ghul #32 Review

Batman and Ra's al ghul
Batman and Ra’s al Ghul #32 Review

“The Hunt for Robin: Dark of the Sun”

Writer: Peter J. Tomasi
Pencils: Patrick Gleason
Inks: Mick Gray
Colors: John Kalisz
Letters: Carlos M. Mangual
Covers: Gleason, Gray, & Kalisz (regular cover) J.G. Jones & Alex Sinclair (Bombshells cover)

Review by Scott Keys

I’ve mentioned in previous reviews that Damian Wayne is one character that I couldn’t stand when he first arrived, but over time and especially at the moment of his heroic death, he redeemed himself and became one of my favorite characters. So, needless to say, The Hunt for Robin has been one of my favorite storylines in recent memory, as Batman tries to track down Ra’s al Ghul to recover the deceased body of his son. What will the outcome be? Will Batman prevail or will Ra’s get his revenge?

Let me start off by saying that Tomasi has crafted one of best story arcs in the Batman corner of the DCU with The Hunt for Robin! It’s always great to read a Batman story where the detective aspect is emphasized! Many writers forget that part of Batman, but Tomasi has utilized it to it’s fullest! It doesn’t hurt that Ra’s is the ultimate villain in this story either, since (in my opinion anyway) he is Batman’s greatest foe. I know, I know, “but what about the Joker?” you say. The Joker isn’t necessarily Batman’s intellectual and physical equal as Ra’s is. That’s why I enjoy stories featuring Ra’s much more, and Tomasi has Ra’s pegged! Only the maniacal “Demon’s Head” would use his own deceased daughter and grandson as pawns in his battle with the Detective. My favorite part of this issue is near the end, where Batman is absolutely fed up of Ra’s games, and actually threatens his life! Yeah! Don’t F*** with the Batman! Now, on to the art.

Gleason has been one of my favorite pencillers, period, but when he draws Batman, all bets are off! Along with Gray’s tight inks and Kalisz’s moody colors, Gleason’s pencils shine! I loved him on Aquaman back in the day (loved that team-up issue too, BTW), but his talents are much better served on the Dark Knight Detective! It’s tought to evoke so much emotion when the lead character spends most of his time in a mask in the shadows, but this art team is FANTASTIC! But not only are they great at conveying emotion and mood, but they illustrate some pretty kick-@$$ action sequences, too! The final battle between Ra’s and Batman felt like an action movie! Batman and Robin has one of the best art teams in comics, in my humble opinion!

If you missed out on The Hunt for Robin, go back and read it from the beginning! Tomasi, Gleason, Gray, and Kalisz have given us one of the best Batman arcs, showcasing the many aspects of the Dark Knight: detective, super-hero, and most importantly, father. After the last page reveal in this issue, you don’t want to miss out much longer, so go pick this title up and add it to your pull list! Seriously! Do it NOW, before you miss out on more awesomeness!

Story: 5 / 5
Art: 5 / 5
Overall: 5 / 5

Scott Keys is a father, Butler University grad, pharmacist, and full-time comic nerd. You can follow his adventures around the spinner-rack and his Incoherent Comic Book Ramblings on:

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