BATMAN AND ROBIN: FUTURES END #1 Review

Is this really the Heretic that Batman faces five years in the future? Read on to find out.

The official description from DC Comics:

Bruce continues to feel the fallout from his extreme new crime fighting methods — is he ready to face the might of Heretic?

It’s been almost a year and a half since Damian Wayne died (which is longer than most comic book characters as of late) in the pages of Batman Incorporated #8, with his death still having a residual effect on Bat-verse. So when Batman and Robin: Futures End #1 teased an appearance from the Heretic, Damian’s killer, it was obvious that I was going to be excited.

Ray Fawkes has really grasped the one-shot aspect of these Future End issues, as much like last weeks Batman: Futures End #1, Fawkes delivers a focused standalone entry to the Batman mythos. Introducing a new Robin (Duke Thomas, the young lad who helped Batman during Zero Year), Fawkes shows that Batman will always need a Robin, with Duke’s desire to help being strongly put across. Despite this, I did feel that the story ended a little too suddenly, leaving some unanswered questions.

Dustin Nguyen always impresses me with his work on Batman, with his solid pencils, and smooth layouts being as impressive as ever. Bar designing a new Robin, Nguyen also helps improve Batman’s Futures End look, working of the established designs, and making it more gritty, and armour like. Nguyen is also joined by regular collaborators, inker Derek Fridolfs and colourist John Kalisz, who give a dark, toned finish to these wonderful visuals.

Batman and Robin: Futures End #1 gives a brilliant look into the Dynamic Duo’s future, introducing a new Robin, and re-introducing a deadly foe. Highly recommended.