Batman And Robin #9
Let me begin my review of this issue by letting you know that this is the conclusion of the “Blackest Knight” storyline. What that means is, while you can read this issue on it’s own and still enjoy it it would be best if you read the whole storyline. If you choose to read this issue on it’s own, by the end you should be able to piece together the majority of what happened in the first two parts of the story. I say why put yourself in such a situation, read the whole storyline, it’s well worth it.
SPOILER WARNING The story is about Dick making use of, one of the biggest outs in the whole DC universe, a Lazarus Pit. Personally, I think DC abuses Lazarus Pit’s almost as much as Marvel abuses Wolverine’s healing factor but that’s a discussion for another day. What I liked about this storyline is the fact that, Dick’s attempts to resurrect Bruce Wayne makes perfect sense, given the information he has. While we the readers knowing the truth, that Bruce is not really dead at all, see that this attempt is a disaster in the making. I, also, liked Grant Morrison’s use of various story threads leftover from different series. The charred body Dick tries to resurrect is a leftover from Final Crisis the “Crime Bible” and the dawning of an “Age of Crime” came from the series 52. END SPOILER WARNING Morrison’s use of these story threads is masterful because while they add depth and continuity to the story you don’t have to have read the source material to understand them.
I, also, think this storyline and most especially this final issue is well worth reading not only in it’s own right but also because of the major reveal we get at the very end. SPOILER WARNING Dick’s attempt to resurrect Bruce fails for the simple reason that the body he used was not Bruce’s. This leads him to the conclusion that Tim Drake was right all along. Bruce Wayne is alive and they have to find him. END SPOILER WARNING So, go out and pickup not only this issue but also the whole “Blackest Knight” story it’s well worth it.