After sleeping for eight weeks since his tussle with the villainous Insomnia, Batman wakes up to find a changed Gotham City, courtesy of Selina Kyle. As his own family sides with Catwoman's attempt at organizing and redirecting the flow of crime, Batman makes his stand loud and clear. The only one who seems to agree with him is Damian, who has reconciled with his father since the Lazarus Planet event. DC presents a father-son tale for a new age as Batman and his sidekick, Robin, prowl the streets together again. Written by Joshua Williamson with art from Simone Di Meo and letters from Steve Wands, Batman and Robin #1 alludes to new beginnings, new enemies, and new adventures.
Catwoman may have taken all the henchmen away with her, but crime still finds a way to rear its head in Gotham City. Batman and Robin #1 opens with a hostage situation, as White Rabbit holds people at gunpoint on a zeppelin ride. It does not take long for the two crimefighters to take down their enemy and reach home just in time for a nap. As a new day begins, father and son reminisce about the old days and finding new ways to reconnect with the world. With Damian having made a breakthrough in last night's case, Batman and Robin jump into action only to find Killer Croc and Orca waiting for their arrival.
Although it branches out from the ongoing Gotham War arc, Batman and Robin #1 is its own thing. Williamson's story structure is formulaic. It starts with a hook and slows down enough for the protagonists to find their rhythm until the book punches the gas in the last mile. Neither the villains nor the mystery stand out much, but the father-son dynamic is charming. Williamson's Bruce is more open to parenting now, showing genuine concern for his son's wellbeing, even though it still needs some work. The dialogue is the cornerstone of the issue, as mannerisms can only convey so much. Damian's struggle to find his groove in his civilian identity, as he has in his cowl, serves an emotional angle but is not enough to make the book especially engaging.
Simone Di Meo's low-angle shots of the hovering figures of Batman and Robin against the flare of lights give the feel of a stage show, with the spotlight aiming at the Dynamic Duo, who punch and jump their way through the comic. His line strokes are artistically detailed and heavily stylized. In tandem with the erratic panel work, they set the swashbuckling tone of the book. The blur around the characters makes everything seem lively despite not much one-on-one fighting happening in the issue. Di Meo's colors affect the lighting in the pages. There is a marked difference between the lighting in the day and night, even though the color palette remains the same throughout. From small fist bumps to crashing through glasses, letterer Steve Wands makes a note of every little sound through his onomatopoeia. They are colorful and big for all to enjoy.
Batman and Robin #1 is surprisingly light-hearted despite the ominous off-screen voice that bookends the issue. The heart of the plot revolves around Bruce and Damian's dynamic. Williamson intentionally goes a markedly opposite route from his Shadow War event. Bruce is more open about feedback and respects boundaries. The debut issue may not seem like much, but the ending warrants some attention to the heroes' ordeal, which is about to get much worse by the look of things. To its credit, despite accelerating through the heated moments, Batman and Robin #1 still finds time to stop and smell the roses.