Reviewer: Tim Sheridan
Story Title: Alamo High
Written by: Bill Willingham
Penciled by: Giuseppe Camuncoli
Inked by: Loranzo Ruggiero
Colored by: Guy Major
Lettered by:Phil Balisman
Editor: Michael Wright
Publisher: DC Comics
This was the best issue of Robin that I have read in a long time. It was exactly what I wanted from this comic. This was a story that both was a natural progression of the way the book was heading, and it was a intergal part of War Games. So that makes anyone who picks up this book a winner. Even alone from the two stories this comic is continuting, it’s just a compelling issue.
See, there is no Robin. Tim Drake gave it up a few months ago, and his replacement, now back to wearing her Spoiler digs, was fired not too long ago. But this issue focused once again on Tim Drake, and even without having him in the costume, we see just what makes him such a great character.
One of Tim’s schoolmates, Darla Aquista is on her way to school as we begin. Darla is the daughter of a gangster, so in these heightened security times of War Games, there is more security on her. But even with that, she finds herself in the middle of a shootout between gangs.
Thankfully, Tim is on his way to school, so he just happens (hey, I’m willing to suspend my disbelief, why don’t you?) to witness the shootout. Tim can’t hide behind the Robin costume, but he springs into action nonetheless, saving the day…for a little while.
The action eventually shifts to the high school, where, apparently, today every gangster is hanging around to either oogle or kill Darla.
We end with a particullary chilling sequence, which, while not completle surprising, still payed off emotionally.
I had left Robin for a while after Chuck Dixon stopped his run at issue #100. But I was lured back when Bill Willingham started earlier this year. And his run has been pretty decent up until now. This was by far the best issue he has done for Robin, and really got me jazzed for more of War Games, and more Robin in general. The whole book really conveyed the sense of chaos in Gotham, and that was something. Really felt like an episode of the Shield, in the way you were pulled into it. Sure, Tim will more than likley put on the costume again soon, but it still cool to see him kick some butt all on his own.
