Review: Robin 174

I may have to offer Dan Didio, DC's Editor-in-chief, an apology.

Let me explain.

I am among the many proponents of consistency in portraying characters, no matter who happens to be the writer, and no matter what the editorial fiat might lie behind continuity changes. This consistency stand of mine is one of the primary reasons behind my emotional and near-violent reactions to the Joe Quesada (Marvel's EIC) monstrosity known as One More Day.

Before OMD, I was among many who savagely criticized Dan Didio's decision not to have a memorial in the Batcave for Stephanie Brown, also known as the Spoiler. Even if you don't know who she is, suffice it to say that she was the latest member of the Bat family, had a friendship with Batgirl (Cassandra Cain), had a romance with Robin (Tim Drake), and even became the first mainstream continuity female Robin after Tim Drake quit for a time. She had a short term as Robin, since soon after she became the girl wonder, she was captured, beaten, tortured and shot by Black Mask. She was brought to the hospital of Dr. Leslie Thompkins to be treated for her injuries, but died. Among the first seemingly out-of-character decisions attributed at least in part to Didio was when the normally kindly and caring Dr. Thompkins was discovered by the Batman to have deliberately mistreated Stephanie, in order to teach the Batman an example. Then, even though she was Robin for a time, the Batman deigned to put up a memorial for her in the Batcave, an action many felt was akin to him dismissing her importance, value or sacrifice offhand.

For years after that, people were clamoring for her memorial. Dan Didio just smiled knowingly and kept saying no.

Fans, and myself, generally labeled him as a jerk for that.

Then the latest Robin story arc has a stalker dressed as the Spoiler following Robin around. Was it a deliberate insult? A tease? Clearly this wasn't the real Spoiler. Surely it was someone else dressed up as her. As the story arc wore on, there was anticipation for the big reveal of who this person was, along with the dreaded anxiety that came with the threat of a Superboy-Prime-Reality-Punch-resurrection, like they did with Jason Todd.

The grand unmasking came in Robin 174:


When the big reveal happens toward the end of this issue, we find to our surprise that it IS Stephanie Brown, alive, and briefly bringing to life the worries of a reality-retcon revival. Batman's expression here is priceless.


Of course, Robin has a much better reaction, after he'd gotten over his initial shock:

Yeah. Go Boy Wonder. Almost enough to make you forget that he also has existing hookups with two other girls. Still, excellent response.

She later explains that Leslie talked to her and together they faked her death, after which she stayed with Leslie when the doctor exiled herself in Africa. Batman of course states that he was suspecting this, which is why there was no memorial in the Cave. Good enough an explanation for me, at least for now. A faked death is so much easier to swallow than the various other back-from-the-dead garbage we've had to swallow recently.

So in one issue, Batman isn't more of a heartless bastard than he already is, Leslie isn't a vindictive witch, and Dan Didio redeems himself.

Did the DC EIC plan all of this from the start? Perhaps. It doesn't matter. Spoiler's back. Can't wait to see Batgirl's reaction.

Until we wait for that particular reunion, we have this to look forward to: