Mia
06-05-2005, 05:21 PM
The story involves Batman and Robin (I) first encounter with the Scarecrow.
I normally do not have much sympathy for Batman’s rogue gallery. But Jones wrote Scarecrow in such a way to make you feel sorry for him and understand why he is so twisted and demented. And of course it does not excuse his actions as an adult. But having read about some really horrific child abuse cases, I felt that Scarecrow really is a tragic person. This book is much different from Moench’s take on the character in the TPB Batman: Terror. In that it looks at Scarecrow’s childhood experience and the abuse he went through. As opposed to Terror where Scarecrow is portrayed as a put upon looser who snaps.
I’ve never understood the point of Robin beyond grabbing in younger readers. But in this book I could really see the point of him. He was more along the lines of a guy who is there to keep his thuggish friend/older brother in check. He is the sane & controlled part of the dynamic duo.
When Batman ‘clears a bar’ for information. It’s Robin who hands the owner money for his damages. When Batman breaks into the house of a drug dealer to get information—at night while he is in bed sleeping, it’s Robin who passes his girlfriend clothes to get dressed.
Jones is a great writer and I would really like to see him permanently on one of the Bat books.
I normally do not have much sympathy for Batman’s rogue gallery. But Jones wrote Scarecrow in such a way to make you feel sorry for him and understand why he is so twisted and demented. And of course it does not excuse his actions as an adult. But having read about some really horrific child abuse cases, I felt that Scarecrow really is a tragic person. This book is much different from Moench’s take on the character in the TPB Batman: Terror. In that it looks at Scarecrow’s childhood experience and the abuse he went through. As opposed to Terror where Scarecrow is portrayed as a put upon looser who snaps.
I’ve never understood the point of Robin beyond grabbing in younger readers. But in this book I could really see the point of him. He was more along the lines of a guy who is there to keep his thuggish friend/older brother in check. He is the sane & controlled part of the dynamic duo.
When Batman ‘clears a bar’ for information. It’s Robin who hands the owner money for his damages. When Batman breaks into the house of a drug dealer to get information—at night while he is in bed sleeping, it’s Robin who passes his girlfriend clothes to get dressed.
Jones is a great writer and I would really like to see him permanently on one of the Bat books.