Robin Issue 7 Review: “The Final Four”

Robin issue 7 finally starts to answer some of the questions risen earlier in the series. Who is Mother Soul and why is she running the Lazarus Tournament? What is so special about Lazarus Island? What is the true prize for the person who wins?

There will be some spoilers below.

Robin issue 7 begins immediately where the previous issue left off with Respawn coming for Robin after Damian had used him to get closer to the Book of Lazarus. Respawn, however, is not impressed and throws his hook and chain into Robin’s back. Robin though is in no mood to be deterred. He fights back, attempts (and fails) to unmask Respawn, and ultimately ends up throwing him off a cliff to end the fight.

After that, Damian confronts Mother Soul and tells her that he was able to read enough of the Book of Lazarus to know who she really is. He tells her that he knows what Lazarus Island wants and what the ultimate goal is. But what he is still unsure of is what the prize actually is for winning the tournament. Mother Soul confirms that it is in fact eternal life for the winner.

Now that Damian knows at least some of the truth, he tries to get Rose (Ravager) and Flatline to leave, making it obvious that he does care about them both. But Rose wants answers. She wants to know who Respawn is and why his costume looks so much like her father’s (Deathstroke). Flatline is also not interested in leaving. She’s come to the Death Tournament to live. Plus, she doesn’t really buy into Damian’s warnings anyway.

Fighting continues and ultimately, we are left with the final two left to finish the tournament. Who will Damian be facing in the final standoff? Can he win the tournament? You’ll have to read this issue to answer the first question!

Robin issue 7 continues to be a ton of high-action fun. I appreciate Joshua Williamson writing this comic with a mix of action and mystery that fits so well with a character like Damian Wayne. He’s at the age where he’s still figuring out who he is and how he fits into the world. But you know, while also being the son of Batman and Talia Al Ghul. That child is constantly surrounded by danger and mystery. (And also Alfred Pennyworth’s ghost, apparently.) My only complaint is that we never did get to learn more about the ballerina fighter!

Once again, Gleb Melnikov’s art is a constant highlight in this series. I love that he was playing around with the panels a bit. Pages 2-3 read across from one page to the other rather than one page down and then the next page down. I think these kinds of things can help to keep the reader engaged because it’s something a little different from the norm. I’m also really enjoying Flatline’s design in this issue especially. If you follow Melnikov on Twitter, you know that he excels in drawing goth girls. Luis Guerrero’s colors and Troy Peteri’s lettering always set the right mood for the comic as well.

As I’ve mentioned in prior issue reviews for this series, this Robin solo comic is very reminiscent of manga without actually being manga. At the same time, I feel like each issue gets more manga reminiscent as it goes. The cover for this issue by Simone Di Meo especially reminds me of shojo manga. And once again, we get another panel from the manga that Damian has been reading. I think this issue cements that the manga doesn’t just reflect what Damian is going through, but Flatline as well. It will be interesting to see how their relationship plays out through the rest of the series.

Robin issue 7 ends with anticipation for the next installment. I think it’s going to be huge, not only with the action, but with the emotion as well. This series is Damian’s growing up journey after all. I’m excited to see what happens next!

Author: Jessica Rae

Jessica has a BA in music with an emphasis in voice and spends her day typesetting, editing, writing, and moderating webinars. Jessica primarily reviews anime and comic book series. She also offers insights on various movies, books, games, and other geeky topics.

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