Favourite Comics #001 - Batman 615

[jayeinacross]

Part 8 of Batman: Hush

This is actually smack bang in the middle of the Hush storyline (one of the first comics I ever read, and it remains one of my all time favourites), but the general gist of what's happened so far is that there's been a series of events/crimes/whatever involving a number different enemies and associates of Batman's, and Bruce is trying to figure out the connection.



The previous issue, the Joker has seemingly murdered Bruce's childhood friend, Tommy Elliot, and this issue opens with his funeral. Dick has come to Gotham from Bludhaven for the funeral and to lend a hand with the investigation.

I'll be honest. The reason I love this issue is pretty much solely because of Dick. This is when I fell in love with him. And more specifically, I love what this issue shows about his character and his relationship with Bruce.

They can mix banter in with the serious stuff; they're comfortable enough with each other to be able to tease. We see that Bruce really does consider Dick an equal, and he believes that Dick has earned the right to speak to him without fear, expressing his own opinions and advice, appreciated or not.

He acknowledges that Dick was never meant to stay as Robin; he had to move on and become someone for himself, and Bruce accepts and approves of that and knows that this is who Dick was always meant to be, that he's excellent, and that Bruce is proud of him.

I love that Dick is so confident here. If you compare how he is in Hush to the early issue of his Nightwing series, the difference is so clear. You can't see any of his inferiority complex or his insecurity at all. I think that here, he's finally come to terms with that Bruce won't say a lot of things. He won't say that he respects Dick and approves of what he's doing and is proud of him and that he loves him, but Dick has finally realized that though Bruce doesn't say those things, he still feels that way.

And of course, I can't not mention the art. Jim Lee's pencils are, as always, beautiful. I love the way that he draws Nightwing. And Jeph Loeb has all my love. I'll probably do a post on another issue of Hush later, and probably quite a few of Loeb's Superman/Batman issues.