Broken Frontier

Perhaps the most cryptic and puzzling of the "Batman and Robin Must Die" story arc, Grant Morrison and Frazer Irving's Batman and Robin #15 is the final installment in what most readers will agree is the strongest storyline since the title's inception. 

Although the "Return of Bruce Wayne" theme has been interwoven throughout the past several issues, it has never been more in the foreground than in the current Batman and Robin #15.  There is an obvious and intended reading order to Morrison's Batman and Robin and Batman: The Return of Bruce Wayne, but events in this week's #15 and last week's BROBW #5 may leave some audiences wondering if DC shipping has altered the sequence of story revelations.  Some diehard DC fans may repeatedly chant to themselves the mantra of the Blue Lantern Corps "All Will be Well" as they try to wrap their collective heads around this issue.  Batman and Robin definitely know more about the evolving mystery of Simon Hurt's identity, the significance of the casket, and the Joker's intentions than the readers do.  And, while one of the greatest pleasures of Morrison's run on all the Bat titles has been the connection between the reader and the text itself in deciphering the clues and rereading past stories for hints, the parallel structures created by these two back-to-back weekly books leaves the majority of story revelations for future releases.

Audience conjecture aside as to the identity of the icy-dialogued Bat God at the conclusion of the issue, Batman and Robin #15 mirrors the pacing of Final Crisis in certain aspects in how Morrison transitions from panel to panel as well as the sequencing of time throughout.  Yet, the visual collaboration by Frazer Irving differentiates this issue by making the experience far less disjointing.  This is due in large part to Irving's strengths as a story artist.  There is a rhythmic like progression to the entire story established from the onset by Irving's disturbing danse macabre of the Joker and his corpse bride that moves the issue along quite well.  Furthermore, Irving's color palette in this issue is far more evocative in the colder blue, turquoise, and gray tones utilized throughout.  These contrast quite nicely with the magenta-esque features of the Joker's glasses, Pyg's mask, and Robin's vest and short-lived clown nose. 

Fortunately, readers will not have to wait very long to witness the two stories' mutually shared conclusions as DC has slated (but not yet officially confirmed) the release of the final issues for the first two weeks in November.  Sadly, however, this issue marks the end of Irving's contributions to the series and brings audiences one step closer to Morrison's own finale as writer.  Regardless, Batman and Robin #15 concludes an arc that equals and, in some ways, may rival others in a series that has witnessed some of the most innovative and original narratives in Batman lore.