Grant Morrison’s “Batman and Robin” gives heroes new roles

Former Robin (and Nightwing) Dick Grayson took over for his mentor in “Batman and Robin” 1-16 by Grant Morrison.   The dynamic of the Batman and Robin team is flipped from the traditional: Batman is the more upbeat hero, while young Damian Wayne, the 10-year-old son of Bruce Wayne, is a grim and determined (if bratty) avenger.
It makes for great Batman-Robin interplay in a way we haven’t seen before.  Add a new flying Batmobile, a new Batcave and some new, creepy villains, and you have the makings of a classic run.

Morrison teams up with his “All-Star Superman” and “New X-Men” collaborator, artist Frank Quitely, for the first three issues of “Batman and Robin.”   Other artists on the run included Philip Tan, Cameron Stewart, Andy Clarke and Frazer Irving.

Other recently read Batman issues.
Batman Adventures 1-2 (1992)
The Joker manipulates the Penguin and Catwoman into being his pawns in these two issues, based on the award-winning animated series.

Tales of the Batman: Gene Colan Vol. 1
DC Comics recently collected the atmospheric art of Gene Colan’s Batman into this volume.  It’s not comprehensive, but it does provide a good snapshot of Colan’s work in the early 1980s.   This volume contains Batman 340, 343-345 and 348-351 and Detective Comics 517, 520, 528 and 529.  The storylines bounce around from book to book, and occasionally some story beats are resolved in uncollected issues, but it still makes for a nice, readable volume with amazing artwork.  Roy Thomas, Gerry Conway and Doug Moench are among the writers in this volume — the Moench stories are probably the standouts.