Synopsis: An ancient foe that Batman once fought years ago has managed to get his clutches on Damian, upsetting the balance of magic and the mundane. 
Vowing to gain domination of the earth, using Robin as his avatar, causes all sorts of chaos that puts Batman in the crosshairs. In the midst of it all, a familiar face appears, but is he friend or foe?
Writing/Plot: When I first heard the title, I was not big on the idea because 1) We had something similar to that idea before during Morrison’s Batman run between Grayson and Damian during their tenure as Batman and Robin, and there had been a few instances here and there that have happened. So it didn’t seem like a concept that garnered much enthusiasm as a “been there, done that” idea. As of Late, Mark Waid has been writing Worlds FInest which has been a fun book focusing on the early years of the Man of Steel and the Caped Crusader as they have adventures with a whole slew of DC characters. So naturally, I decided to give this book the ol college try despite skepticism.
Thankfully the book is written with an interesting premise that is far beyond the surface of what the title suggests. Something has happened to Damian that has caused him to go on a spree that has affected the world of magic and upset the balance of both the natural and supernatural. All of this leads to Batman getting caught in the crossfire in an organic way that is justifiable of the title both contextually and conceptually. Waid uses some deep-cut characters to amplify the action and introduces a couple of surprises that garner investment for the kind of story that he is writing. He’s no stranger to Batman and his handle on the character and how he approaches situations is satisfying and suitable to the character.
Art/Verdict: What makes the book so satisfying aside from the story is the stupendous artwork of Mahmud Asrar, who really sells this book with the right kind of mystery, atmosphere and cinematic tone. His artwork is fantastic with stylistic action, emotional beats, and wicked eeriness, which is further enhanced by Jordie Bellaire’s wonderful color palette and Steve Wands’ lettering. I wasn’t convinced from the title alone, but after giving it a chance, and seeing how it might affect the DCU at large, it’s worth adding to your pull list for new comic book day.
Newsdesk