ROBIN RISES: Parts 1 and 2 reviewed

ROBIN RISES OMEGA #1: As we may remember, Batman was once chosen to replace The Demon's Head. He refused that role, but had a child with Talia, who she raised to become the leader of the League of Assassins. When he finally got to meet him and attempt to raise him in his own way, Batman died and Dick Grayson stepped in. Bruce returned and they work at fighting together until they faced Talia and her return eventually cost Damian his life, along with that of his mother. Ra's al Ghul stole both bodies and now Batman, Frankenstein and Ra's al Ghul are facing Glorious Godfrey, who wants a Chaos Shard he believes Batman has. Ra’s tells Bruce that the shard is in Damian's sarcophagus and the pair fight together to defend the corpses. During the battle, the casket opens and Batman retrieves the Shard, but that allows his mind to be filled with his first encounter with Earth 2.Godfrey grabs the coffin and prepares to take it back to Apokolips. The Justice League arrives, but too late to stop Godfrey from escaping in a Boom Tube. Batman tells them he knows of a way to bring Damian back to life. But he needs to go to Apokolips to do it.

Peter J. Tomasi and Andy Kubert throw down the first chapter in what may be the rebirth of Damian Wayne. Or it could result in one of the other contenders to the throne ending up in the suit. Either way, this is a great place to start, as Tomasi and Kubert gives us the history of Damian Wayne, followed by the fight to return him to Wayne Manor. Seeing Ra’s and Bruce side by side was cool and Kubert is at his best on this. I cannot wait to see where we go from here!

BATMAN AND ROBIN #33: Part 2 of Robin Rises. The Justice League forbids Batman from heading off planet on the personal mission to retrieve his son's sarcophagus. But he uses Cyborg’s suit to short out the League's transportation devices. Then he heads to the Justice League Satellite and attempts to get his hands on a special Batsuit called the Hellbat. But the League has already returned and locked him out of the computer. After a battle, he gives his resignation. On Apokolips, Godfrey gives the Chaos Shard to Kalibak, who decides to use the sarcophagus as fuel for the Chaos Cannon. Back at Wayne Manor, Bruce smashes Damian’s gravestone with a shovel. Superman watches and feels sorry for his friend. Batman explains that they were right and he knows he was being selfish. When Superman leaves, Bruce calls the Bat Family together and explains they have a mission.

Peter J. Tomasi and Patrick Gleason keeps this tale rolling along as Batman goes from the dark place to the desperate place and now has progressed to the rebellious place in his life. It’s obvious Bruce wants his son back and the loss of Damian’s life has truly left him in an extremely dark place. But now, by putting together the ‘Bat Squad’ to achieve those means, shows he is a desperate man and, unfortunately, may find that the apparent introduction of the Anti Life Equation into the NEW 52 (just guessing here) could spell a more zombified Damien Wayne than he would like.