Review by Frank Plowright

When DC introduced their All-Star reboots of Batman and Superman in 2005 the greater advance enthusiasm was for Frank Miller’s return to Batman, writing a story for Jim Lee. In the event Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely’s All-Star Superman ranks among the best Superman ever produced, while All-Star Batman and Robin was plagued by delays meaning only five chapters saw publication over two years, and the story was never finished. The final chapter published was the cause of creative differences, and isn’t included here. After wading through the remaining nine, you’ll be grateful.

The tone is set early with four pages of journalist Vicki Vale pondering Superman’s arrival in Metropolis via double entendres while slagging Batman’s appearance and parading around her apartment in her Victoria’s Secret skimpies. While the exploitation is subsequently toned down, young acrobat Dick Grayson’s parents being murdered at the circus as seen by Bruce Wayne and Vicki Vale doesn’t improve matters. The opening chapter’s final page is a pin-up of Batman holding a grieving Dick up in the air via gripping his shirt at the throat and informing him he’s just been drafted in a war. Oh dear. And worse still, Batman holding Dick may be intended as a cheap joke as it fits the overall tone.

There’s no improvement in the second chapter as Vicki faints in theatrical fashion and Batman kidnaps Dick noting he’s the goddamn Batman after calling him dense and retarded. Yup, just the way to treat a twelve year old who saw his parents shot an hour previously. This macho nonsense carries on and on and on through Miller’s noir explanatory captions. The intention is satirical, but as there’s little beyond brutal posturing it’s lumpen and ineffective. And so, so repetitive.

Lee’s the better half of the creative partnership, but you have to overlook his objectifying every woman who appears to arrive at that conclusion. If forgetting the story, Lee’s imagery is stunning, his Batman morphing between the chunky Miller version of years previously and that of Neal Adams from even earlier. Every page has a full environment, while the action is incredibly kinetic because Lee treats this as if he’s actually drawing something worthwhile.

All-Star Batman and Robin reads as if Miller’s playing a game of coasting on his reputation and seeing how far he can provoke DC before they call him on the rubbish he’s submitting. A hilariously exaggerated Wonder Woman passes them by, and Batman revelling in brutality is okay, as is Dick battering the man who murdered his parents. The editors let him have another couple of issues even after he revives the Joker;s henchwoman from The Dark Knight Returns, naked from the waist up other than nipples covered by swastikas and Batman shagging another superhero on a pier.

Morrison took the opportunity to create magic with All-Star Superman, but there’s bad Batman and there’s All-Star Batman and Robin.