It’s pretty good. Visuals are crisp and the style is interesting. I don’t know about Damian’s dialogue, but I am giving this the benefit of the doubt, considering he’s pretty transparently being controlled. Batman is written excellently here. Alfred’s portrayal is perfectly executed. Nezha is girthy and I love it. The dude’s thicker than a truck! I can’t wait to see where this goes.

This is, once again, a really good issue. Incredible action scenes. Big Gleb has outdone himself once more, and Dunbar doesn’t let down, either. The issue briskly moves the plot along, too! Satisfying read, though also feels really short, due to the extensive action taking up a significant chunk of the chapter. And that ending! I feel much better about the end of chapter 1, now. I have a feeling that this Robin book, when it comes out as a volume, will be a must-have among recent bat-related titles. One small nitpick. I understand but don’t particularly like the ‘I’ve been taking abuse my whole life. Why stop now?’ line from Damian. It seems a little bit too vulnerable for Damian in such a public environment, and honestly, edgy. On the other hand, it is good character progression, so… emotional intelligence, ho? Considering Damian’s been loathe to admit he has any feelings of his own, the introspection is a sign of definite improvement. And I don’t think anybody can assert that Damian has not been edgy at times in the past, either. Overall, 9/10.

Absolutely loved the issue. Would love to see Damian reconcile with his Al Ghul family side without compromising on his heroic qualities. I think that finally, it’s possible, even with all the Shadow War stuff coming; at least if they survive the ordeal. The character development is earned and sincere, wrestling with Damian’s internalised loathing of himself. It’s a bit overplayed at this point, but it matters that he won that struggle in the end, rather than devolving as he has many times in the past. I think this is all leading up to Damian being crowned the new Demon’s Head after Shadow War, just one that is also unambiguously a hero at his core. I would love to see that being developed, and could see it as a strong starting position for a new superhero identity.

Okay, this was a great one! Art was pretty good. I think the artist got to grips with drawing Damian, so it’s much better than before. It’s that or I just got used to the artist’s style. The story has some unforeseen elements to it, but overall the issue acts mostly just to shift the plot of the story along, as most do. It’s not bad though - just doesn’t draw attention as much as the headliners. Not all issues can be the fulcrum of the stroy. Where this issue shines, and really shines, is the character work. It tackles multiple interactions that I saw as weird in previous issues or believed were one-time and would never be mentioned again, and resolves or builds upon them. Damian’s relationships with Flatline and Hawke are the spotlights here. Lord Death Man is also a surprising highlight for me, with the final page making me roll my eyes (in a good way). Also, Mara! Holy shit, Mara’s back! It is a miracle! Damian’s character cast is growing and I am living for it. Overall, a really solid issue. Damian’s my boy, and I dearly hope that Waid at least matches this level of coherence in the upcoming miniseries. More close to home, issue 17 promises to be a predictable but extremely fun end to this stellar run.