In Batman & Robin #6, Zach’s connection to Victor Zsasz is revealed, and an old friend of Damian Wayne’s resurfaces.
Title: Batman & Robin #6
Writer: Joshua Williamson
Artist: Nikola Čižmešija
Color Artist: Rex Lokus
Letterer: Steve Wands
Cover Artist: Simone Di Meo
Variant Cover Artists: Yasmin Putri and Kael Ngu, Dustin Nguyen, Nikola Čižmešija
Release Date: February 13, 2024
This comic book review contains spoilers.
Damian Wayne reviews what he knows about Zach, ending with the latter’s obsession with Victor Zsasz. Sweeping through Gotham City, the Dynamic Duo discusses the fact that Zach was absent from school today, the same day that Zsasz is due in court for an appeal.
An explosion occurs outside the courthouse. A masked rogue swoops in and delivers to Zsasz the latter’s favorite blade. They battle Batman and Robin. Zsasz distracts and incapacitates Batman, but Robin jumps in just as Zsasz takes the masked rogue – who we see is Zach – hostage. Robin gains the upper hand against Zsasz and contemplates using the latter’s own blade against him, but Zach rushes up and pleads for his life. He discloses that Zsasz is his father but Zsasz denies it and cruelly mocks him.
Batman comes to and knocks Zsasz out. He explains that Zsasz murdered Zach’s parents, the trauma of which and Zach’s ensuing journey as a ward of the state led him to develop a trauma narrative. In this narrative, Zsasz killed Zach’s parents to save Zach. Robin remains unsatisfied because someone plainly trained Zach, and he thinks that person is Principal Stone.
Damian confronts Principal Stone as Mistress Harsh or Shush but she expresses confusion and denies the accusations. As Bruce and he turn to leave, some of Damian’s bullies mock him and call him “Art Boy.” Damian tenses to respond physically, but Bruce prevents him. Later, in the brownstone, Bruce knocks on Damian’s door and asks him why the bullies named him “Art Boy.” Damian obliges and shows Bruce his notebook. Bruce responds with praise and enthusiasm and then acknowledges that in asking him to attend high school, he may have asked Damian to be someone other than himself. He indicates that Damian need not continue if he wishes not to do so.
Damian’s response is interrupted by a signal that indicates a possible Man-Bat presence at the latter’s old lab. On the scene, a crowd of Man-Bat’s henchmen are gathered. Just as the Dynamic Duo prepares to intervene, bodies begin flying everywhere. It is Flatline, who is seemingly quite happy to see Robin. Batman is intrigued.
(Image courtesy of DC Comics)
While the punch and vitality of the Batman & Robin 2024 Annual are missing in this book, that is perhaps understandably in a series, where the arcs unfold over time rather than being wholly contained in a single compact book. The mystery of Zach is wrapped up a bit too neatly for my liking, with the denouement of Zach’s identity and relationship to Zsasz feeling rather more tragic and pathetic than exciting. Zsasz himself is treated merely as a means to the end of the narrative here, a plot device and little to us. True, Zsasz is maybe a “B” Rogue at best, but as someone who is at least as interested in the Rogues as the heroes, I tend to think the former should be regarded with more care and depth than shown here (see, e.g., Tynion IV’s work with Clayface in Detective Comics or Scarecrow in Batman).
That said, I find myself enjoying the character development of both Batman and Robin individually and their collective relationship as well. As I remarked in the review of the Annual, writer Joshua Williamson is showing a deft touch in his portrayal of Damian Wayne. Williamson shows Damian’s youth, impetuousness, and even at times his naivete without reducing Damian to the petulant child he often appears to be in less-skilled writers’ hands. Damian appears to be what he is: An advanced, heroic, remarkable teenager, but a teenager nevertheless. Like many teenagers, he is at once capable of startling insights and maturity and juvenile, peevish behavior. Williamson represents the full complexity of Damian’s character in an authentic, engaging way, neither degrading and insulting Damian nor disingenuously implying Damian is somehow above the constraints and difficulties of adolescence.
Some of the relationship-building scenes between Bruce and Damian seem at first to be saccharine and cloying, but given the utter darkness of Batman, I cannot help but smile at how tenderly and kindly he relates to Damian. It reminds me of the significance of the character of Robin, who, more than any character other than Alfred, is most needed to prevent Batman from being consumed by his darkness. It’s a father and his son, and both of them are trying hard to make their relationship work. It feels difficult and lovely all at once and is nothing if not authentic.
Artist Nikola Čižmešija’s cartoonish style works less well in portraying Zsasz, who is simply not scary at all in the chosen representation. That said, the youthful style does fit the tone of the book and so while it is not my preferred aesthetic, nor is it jarring for the book as a whole.
Editor’s Note: DC Comics provided TBU with an advanced copy of this comic for review purposes. You can find this comic and help support TBU in the process by purchasing this issue digitally on Amazon or a physical copy of the title through Things From Another World.
