It's been a long road back, but Damian Wayne has returned from the dead. He's not only back, he's brought some spanking new superpowers along with him too.
So how did he get those superpowers? How is he suddenly able to fly and withstand all damage?
The answers have yet to be detailed in the comic, but writer Peter Tomasi told Newsarama that it happened because of "Chaos Sliver and the Omega Beams, and also Batman's own hope and wishes that he's poured into the Chaos Shard." The specifics will probably drive the story arc going forward, as will figuring out just what powers Damian has.
In Batman & Robin #38, Damian is all too eager to use those powers against Gotham's baddies. But dear old dad is having none of it. So of course there's drama in Wayne Manor between father and son, who apparently need a little more time to get used each other again. After the incredible struggle Bruce endured to get Damian back amongst the living, it would've been nice for at least one issue to see them just enjoying each other's company. But those pesky superpowers get in the way right off the bat (no pun intended).
On the other hand, there's no hint of the next bad guy the dynamic duo will face just yet, and that's good. The issue focuses purely on father and son, making for a refreshing breather after all the heavy stuff that came before. Without giving too much away... #38 is a one-and-done story, neatly tying up a few loose ends from Damian's past as Bruce is forced to give his son some space to sort through some long-buried issues.
Tomasi's work reads like your standard comic book dialogue — neither overly bad nor overly good — but Patrick Gleason's stellar pencil work pops right off the page, really elevating the issue. Gleason does some truly gorgeous work, demonstrating an ability to do exciting and hyper-detailed art as well as simple and intimate scenes with equal ease. He gets extra credit for a couple of macabre story beats where he creates some imagery that's simultaneously disturbing and beautiful, in a Giger kind of way.
It's good to have the kid back, but don't get your hopes up about those superpowers sticking around for the long haul. As "death" so often proves, there are no permanent changes to characters or their storylines in comics. (Okay, okay: Bucky Barnes is the one exception to the rule.)
But don't forget: The universe-shattering-and-(presumably)-rebuilding event Convergence is only a few months away.
Story:
★★★★ ½☆
Art:
★★★★★
Overall:
★★★★☆
