COMIC: Top of the Stack - Red Robin #17 (Review)

Written by Fabian Nicieza
Pencils by Marcus To
Cover by Marcus To & Ray McCarthy

Publisher: DC Comics
Price: $2.99

The week had releases from several books that always contend for the top of the stack (Avengers: Children's Crusade, Batgirl) but they were no match this time around for Red Robin #17. Writer Fabian Nicieza continues to thrive playing in the Bat universe sandbox and I have taken notice making this issue his third Bat book to be Top of the Stack in the last three months. The transition from Christopher Yost's start on the book to Nicieza's run has been so smooth that I might say the book has never been better.

This issue's story wraps up the arc of Red Robin's hit list and his search for Bruce Wayne. Lynx is broken free from GCPD detainment by Red Robin, and the best thing is the mystery of the character and Tim's uncertainty to her loyalties is a wonderful aspect of Tim who is always so sure of things and he is not with her.

And the other parts of the issue can not be ignored as that was where the Bat Family reunions took place. One of my DC peeves is how Cassandra Cain dropped off the face of the DCU once RIP started so it was a welcome sight to get that surprise cameo and of course, Bruce and Tim together again. It is always fun when they are written well because their relationship feels like the second chance Bruce gets to do things the right way that he did not do with the first Robin, Dick Grayson.

The art team of Marcus To and Ray McCarthy have now been on the book for a year and just like the overall book, the art is better than ever. The cover with Lynx touching Red Robin was a perfect mirror of the events on the inside, I can almost see the two as a mirror image of a pose Batman and Catwoman have been put in before I am sure.

While other characters have had their ups and downs, for the most part Tim Drake/Wayne has been one that most writers just seem to get and keep his tales at a consistent level of quality. Outside of a few odd choices surrounding Tim's relationship with Stephanie and Chuck Dixon's brief return/immediate departure, the last few years have been a great step in bringing Tim out of the shadows of being a sidekick and into the light as a true hero to depend on and that makes this book a must read for any comic book fan.

Check out Geek Plate's Tumblr for today's Red Robin themed picspam.