Book of the Week 8/15/07 Robin #165

Written by Adam Beechen
Pencils by Freddie Williams II
Colors by Guy Major
Letters by John J. Hill

I've been mentioning lately how good this book is and this week fate has dropped it into my lap for a review. With a week of several strong contenders, this was still the book that I had the most fun with. Nothing spectacular happened in this book, which isn't a bad thing. It' s just a continuation of the great level of work that I've come to expect from this team. Ever since "one year later", this book has been on a continuing level of greatness much to my joy.

I've always been a fan of Tim Drake. It's been interesting to watch him grow from the plucky twelve year old from when we first met him, and follow him along the tragic path his life has taken, bringing him to the competent, moody, seventeen year old he is now. Within the last several issues, Beechen has crafted a rogues gallery hellbent on Tim's destruction. This issue starts us out with Tim abiding by the villains rules and facing them alone in a hospital full of hostages. The lone hero facing the madhouse of villains is a common concept in Batman books. This isn't a new storytelling device but it is one that I really love. Tim's confidence as he starts to take them down is equally brilliant (Remember the scene in "Raiders of the Lost Ark" with the swordsman and Indy? That's pretty much the beginning of this issue). As the stakes gradually rise, we watch our hero gradually start to wear down. Needless to say, the fight scenes were excellent.

I cannot say enough good things about Freddie Williams II. His animated style suits this book perfectly. The energy is intense, fast paced, at sometimes shocking, and Tim Drake has never looked so badass! I strongly recommend this book to anyone thinking of trying it. Thanks to a few flashback scenes, this issue can be picked up without the reader having to collect previous issues. On the verge of big event burnout, this book is the perfect antidote.