Batman vs. Robin #3: Fathers and Sons

Between Batman vs. Robin and Batman/Superman: World’s Finest, Mark Waid has been busy with the Caped Crusader. World’s Finest’s first arc was a lot of fun and leaned into the earlier lighthearted adventures of Batman and Superman, but it also set up a lot for Batman vs. Robin. Batman vs. Robin #3 really should be called Batman vs. Robins because that is exactly what we get. Almost like a trial, Batman fights his way through the jungles of Lazarus Island by taking on his former Robins, Tim Drake, Jason Todd, Stephanie Brown, and Dick Grayson, one at a time. Under Nezha’s control and armed with magical weapons, the former Robins give Batman a run for his money, but the fights are brief and no match for Batman. Each Robin unleashes their anger at Batman for his actions in life, so while Batman is physically winning each fight, the guilt is getting to him. It isn’t until he fights Nightwing that he realizes that he is wielding Azrael’s Sword of Sin, amplifying and weaponizing the guilt. 

Mahmud Asar is joined by Scott Godlewski on this issue. Both artists do an incredible job and display their talents, especially in the action, and this is an action-packed issue. The fight between Batman and Nightwing is exciting and beautifully colored. Jordie Bellaire is a fantastic artist and her coloring on this series has been a standout for me. Steve Wands’ lettering is always strong and the backbone of the issue, but by the end of the issue, it is especially powerful. 

Batman vs. Robin #3 sheds more light on what Nezha is up to and why he is using Damian. According to Zhu Bajie, Nezha’s son, King Fire Bull, is on Earth and a major threat to Nezha. While things are starting to make sense, I’m not too sure what Batman has to do with all of this, but Nezha is certainly putting Batman through the wringer. Not only is he pitted against Damian, his biological son, but he also had to take down his other “children” and unfortunately the closest thing he had to a father, Alfred. We learned the last issue that this Alfred is actually Nezha, but it turns out that a tiny piece was actually Alfred, leading to a heartbreaking sequence between the two as Batman must say goodbye again. Before he is gone, he gives Batman some fatherly advice on dealing with Damian.