Reading this arc–I know, I know, the circus stuff makes it perfectly suited for Dick Grayson–I can’t help but think of Batman Returns and the evil circus in it.
Again, this issue is Morrison decompressed. Seeing Quitely do an extended action sequence–the issue is basically just the action scene, with some bookends with Dick and Alfred discussing the state of things (after the first night out)–is odd. I only know him from his Superman work with Morrison and that book, while it did have a lot of action, was also heavy on the iconography. Batman and Robin is not. It’s a mix of a lot of things and there’s something magical about seeing someone with Quitely’s deliberate, realistic to the point of it being unattractive, lines do a superhero book.
Morrison’s staying pretty mainstream here. No metaphors, no real homage (past the cover). Just good writing.
