I was super bummed when I heard about one of the casualties of the New 52 reboot, Tim Drake’s solo adventures as the Red Robin. Red Robin was a definitely underrated book, and had a great plot as Tim fell further and further down the Batman path. (Lonely, dark, brooding, suspicious of everyone.)
With the reboot, they de-aged Tim to maybe about 15-16 or so, and redid his costume as Red Robin to look just like Marvel’s the Falcon.
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The book sets up the premise, that teen superheroes seem to be a menace, with a Kid Flash (who claims no relation or connection to Barry Allen) causing a backdraft and a major explosion, setting off the media. It flashes over to Tim Drake, who asks someone (Batman?) “Seriously what were you thinking?” as a clandestine organization called N.O.W.H.E.R.E. tries to recruit him to their operation. Drake of course refuses, and sets off an action sequence to escape which leads into him going off to recruit Wonder Girl to fight this mysterious organization. The issue ends with a reveal of a Clone *cough*Superboy*cough* that is being activated by N.O.W.H.E.R.E.
The plot is serviceable , however, it all feels a little like a retread of the beginning of Civil War. Substitute Speedball for Kid Flash, and voila, we are in Connecticut. The art is average, and doesn’t feel special or notable. The plot needs some work, and hopefully as the issues go on we can get some more answers, and move beyond the Teen Superheroes are a Menace motif that the book seems to be running with so far. After three other reboots you think DC would finally get it right, it’s shortcomings are really noticeable especially when you compare it to Christos Gage run on Avengers Academy.
Story: 4/10
Art: 4/10
