"And this is to prove what exactly?"
"That I am the best Robin, of course."
The 'War of the Robins' is a sort of mini-event that began in issue "Batman & Robin #10," where young Damian declares that he is the best Robin. He promises to best Nightwing, Red Robin, and the Red Hood at their own game by taking something precious of theirs. The current Robin has some major shoes to fill, having his father as Batman and three prior Robins, but Damian, the tough assassin, ends up outsmarting both Tim Drake and the Red Hood; however, at the end of issue #12, Nightwing is no match for Damian. Instead of fighting him, Nightwing merely gives Damian his Escrima Stick and a few words, essentially stopping Damian in his tracks, making him rethink his purpose of defeating the Robins at all--as Nightwing implies Damian is already apart of the legacy.
This is incredibly understandable when considering that Nightwing used to be Batman and Damian was his Robin. Even in the new DC continuity, their relationship is unique, and represents one of the few instances that falls outside of the Wayne legacy. The respect that these two share for one another straddles that line between father and son, as well as brothers. Nightwing inevitably puts Damian in his place, but what Damian failed to realize beforehand is that he had already come into his own--he is a Robin.
I really enjoyed Patrick Gleason's panel in #12 (above), featuring the four Robins looking to the left in a "40's Aviation, Howard Hughes, looking to the future" sort of way. It was what sprouted my excitement to do this post, and show a few of my other favorite panels.
Along with the art, writer Peter Tomasi does a great job of bringing the four Robins together, without disconnecting the reader from the primary plot. I would have preferred more focus on the Robins, but if the rumor mill holds true, we may just be seeing a glimpse into the plans for a new reoccurring series titled, "The Robins."
WATCH Batman & Robin: War of the Robins FULL MOVIE ONLINE STREAMING
