In this review of Batman and Robin #23, Batman and Lautrec continue their search for Robin, who’s trapped in the grasps of Memento.
Batman and Robin #23 main cover by Carmine Di Giandomenico (DC Comics)
BATMAN AND ROBIN #23
Written by PHILLIP KENNEDY JOHNSON
Art by MIGUEL MENDONÇA
Main Cover: CARMINE DI GIANDOMENICO
Variant Covers: JUAN FERREYRA, RAFAEL DE LATORRE, JAY ANACLETO, JOHN McCREA
Page Count: 32 pages
Release Date: July 9, 2025
This review contains spoilers
Batman and Robin #23 begins with Etrigan continuing to show Batman how Crowe’s ritual to summon Memento, who arrives originally in the form of a baby playing with snakes. Nicodemus implores the demon to enter him and give him his power, but instead Memento punishes the Crowe’s hubris by entering his adult son, also at the ritual. This is how Memento tortures his victims – by taking what they hold dearest. Etrigan tells Batman he should have everything he needs to find Robin, and transports Batman and Lautrec to an alley in Gotham.
Below Gotham, Memento is approaching and threatening the Gotham Irregulars who have finally found Robin, who jumps in to defend the kids. Memento says he can’t wait to enter Damian’s body and take his skin. Robin tells the kids to run, but they refuse as they have been tasked with finding Robin. The five of them try to escape.
After getting a call from the Gotham Irregulars’ friends, Batman deduces where Robin is being held. The monster, still following the kids, attacks one of them and Robin swoops in to save them. His inner monologue suggests that he may be accepting that Robin is part of who he is.
(DC Comics)
In the Batmobile, racing to the under-city, Batman is still struggling with his grave digger’s poppy exposure, and sees Alfred talking to him instead of Lautrec on the phone. Alfred asks Bruce what he needs to hear him say. Batman asks if Alfred thinks Damian is scared, dying, and wishing his father was there. Alfred tells him that his father will be there for him, coming to save him.
(DC Comics)
Damian continues to fend off Memento, but eventually, the grotesque monster ensnares him in his clutches. But when all seems lost, Batman explodes from above, diving down to knock Memento out. Batman and Robin have a heartfelt reunion. Memento manages to escape, and Robin shares that he believes he saw Atticus Blye alive. Just then Professor Blye’s voice carries throughout the city, telling “young jack”, Katherine, and the boys that they should have stayed away. Damian says he’ll get the Irregulars out and then come back to help.
Meanwhile, Katherine Lautrec is searching the alleys, and finds Eddie Burroughs, who is brain addled and calling Memento Mori. Batman, looking for Memento, finds Eddie over Katherine’s unconscious body, having hit her in the head with a sledge hammer. Batman is enraged and doesn’t notice Memento behind him. Batman and Robin #23 ends with Batman and Katherine waking up, tied to a lamppost with Memento claiming their dead bodies will be his gift to Robin before he claims him.
(DC Comics)
Summary
Let’s start with the positives. The reunion was fantastic. I loved it. The immediate apologies, the forgiveness, the embracing. I loved it. Batman acknowledges that he should have had faith and believed in Robin. I also enjoyed the creepiness of the backstory of Memento’s entry into the world. It’s not normally my cup of tea, but it was still interesting. I also appreciated that Damian is facing his fears (in the form of the flashbacks before saving one of the Irregulars from Memento) and embracing that Robin is part of who he is. I still am enjoying the Irregulars and their bravery. They’re pretty self sufficient kids. The art in this issue, while not amazing, is still very serviceable, and more or less consistent. Dead Alfred is a little creepy, but it’s nice seeing that even in nightmare form, Alfred is still the nurturing father figure.
The negatives. This is a a little rough, as the major complaints I have are from earlier issues. Batman’s lack of faith in Damian, the way he was speaking about him behind his back was deplorable. I’m glad Batman is apologizing, but that characterization of him is horrible. Batman and Robin also appear to be exposed to the Gravedigger’s Poppy, which in itself is fine, except we’ve recently had Ram V on Detective Comics where Batman spent almost the entire run on drugs there as well. And this “Robin doubting himself” plot line has been done to death, and we are reliving it right after finishing up the last such arc.
So all things considered, for the issue itself, I have to confess I did enjoy it, and overall the story is getting better, redeeming itself slightly from the unfortunate foundation it started from.
