Sometimes the Sky is Painted by Amateurs Wielding Knives and Rain is Razor Blades

I waited too long. Powr Mastrs vol. 1 and Storeyville are no longer offered as signed first editions. I didn't want them anyway, I've decided, so everything is peachy!

Robin #168

If there's one thing Milligan gets across that Morrison didn't get to in the first part, it's the emotions running through the characters as they all experience successive anxiety. Unfortunately, it isn't simply gotten across, but beaten by repetitive panels and captions. Tim Drake stares out the window as Bruce has on so many occasions, and then reflects on five murders that he hasn't had the ability to prevent. "Five murders. Someone's loved ones. Maybe someone's father. Or son."Then Tim experiences suspicion over the person usurping his position, and insecurity after letting Damian escape. There is no subtlety in this comic: emotions are painted with frank narration.

Even Batman doesn't escape the sinkhole of frank discussion, and suffers Talia's invective: "Why is facing psychopathic super-villains so much easier than facing your emotions?" To which batman responds by raising his shoulders, lowering his head, and turning his back to Talia, who has assumed a morally righteous pose, hands on hip, staring at the morally inferior being before her.

Damian doesn't fare much better, but he stays in the background for most of the issue. After capturing Alfred's heart with sympathy, he declares, after smashing Robin with a no-doubt priceless painting, he responds to Alfred's pleas of peace with "So what? It'll be all mine one day, anyway!" And they fight, shouting death threats at each other. Thankfully, ninjas come and end the issue on a cliffhanger, with the promise of the next issue in the crossover being dedicated solely to a fight (Fabian Nicieza is writing that one, after all).

The entire issue feels like Peter Milligan is taking stage directions from Morrison. Have the two Robins fight. They feel this way. Batman feels this way about his son (which is important because Damian is the one most changing himself in order to gain acceptance), and Alfred is starting to feel this way about Damian. Milligan is jaunted by purpose at every turn, as if nothing here lacks the prescription of Morrison. Which is fitting for a story about the attempted mental and physical possession of a younger successor, about taking control of another when the limitations of self prevent the desired action, despite the fact that the comic produced isn't all that great.