With the tensions between Bruce and Damian at an all-time high, it all came down to this issue to see if Peter Tomasi – and Damian, for that matter – would pull the trigger. Of course, the outcome is rather expected, but nonetheless it proves why Damian is truly a chip off the ol' block. As engaging as Robin's teeter-totter on Bruce's "unbreakable line" is, the impact of Nobody on Damian's psyche is somewhat lessened by Tomasi using flashbacks in these last couple of issues to explore the relationship of Bruce and the Ducards.
Within issue #6, we see an event that Nobody later repeats to Robin, much to Robin's own disbelief. The payoff of that reveal could have been much more powerful and foreboding had we not already known the truth behind it all. Additionally, the flashback sequence enlists a fairly overwrought series of narrative captions that drag down the tension and pacing of the book. In some ways, I can see this issue working better without Batman's presence at all (were it not for the stellar art he invokes, which I'll get to in a minute) and focused solely on Damian. Regardless, as we rocket to the conclusion of this story arc, it's clear that Tomasi has no intentions of leaving the Bruce/Damian relationship in anything resembling a healthy state.
As endearing as the spotlight on Robin is, it's artist Patrick Gleason that steals the show. While I'm not particularly fond of the flashback sequences – finished with much lighter inks and a subdued, faded color palette – the rest of the book is an accomplishment in setting the mood of this story through dynamic angles and heavy, heavy shadows. Gleason's present-day work colored by John Kalisz is worth the price of admission alone, offering a multitude of stellar panels that not only stand alone as a fine piece of Batman art, but lend to their overall pages in terms of sheer storytelling and page construction.
Within issue #6, we see an event that Nobody later repeats to Robin, much to Robin's own disbelief. The payoff of that reveal could have been much more powerful and foreboding had we not already known the truth behind it all. Additionally, the flashback sequence enlists a fairly overwrought series of narrative captions that drag down the tension and pacing of the book. In some ways, I can see this issue working better without Batman's presence at all (were it not for the stellar art he invokes, which I'll get to in a minute) and focused solely on Damian. Regardless, as we rocket to the conclusion of this story arc, it's clear that Tomasi has no intentions of leaving the Bruce/Damian relationship in anything resembling a healthy state.
As endearing as the spotlight on Robin is, it's artist Patrick Gleason that steals the show. While I'm not particularly fond of the flashback sequences – finished with much lighter inks and a subdued, faded color palette – the rest of the book is an accomplishment in setting the mood of this story through dynamic angles and heavy, heavy shadows. Gleason's present-day work colored by John Kalisz is worth the price of admission alone, offering a multitude of stellar panels that not only stand alone as a fine piece of Batman art, but lend to their overall pages in terms of sheer storytelling and page construction.
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