Robin War #2 (HERE BE SPOILERS!)

I can't tell if the resolution of "Robin War" is clever or eye-roll inducing.

Damian reveals that he agreed to become the Gray Son to prevent the Court from releasing its squad of elite Talons on Gotham.  (Lincoln explains to Dick that these Talons aren't assassins, but beserkers, created to lay waste to Gotham in case the Court ever lost control of it.)  However, Duke isn't buying it.  He tells Damian that he recognizes that he's Bruce's son so he's doing what Bruce did:  he's not thinking of his family or responsibilities, just sacrificing everything to save Gotham.  (It results in possibly the best scripted moment of the series, with Damian telling Duke that he doesn't know him, and Duke responding, "Kid, I don't think you know you."  Truer words, Duke.)  Duke tells Damian that he'd do the same thing, sacrifice his family to suffer alone.  But, he reminds Damian that the difference between them is that he, Duke, isn't Robin.  Damian looks at the Robins fighting together -- the Robins that Duke reminds him that he inspired -- and realizes that he's not Batman:  he doesn't have to do it alone.

As Damian helps the Robins take down the elite Talons, Lincoln plays his final card:  they've sewn something into Damian's costume that can kill him.  Lincoln convinced the Court to release him to put into action exactly this plan:  convince Damian (or at least one of the Robins) to become the Gray Son in order to inspire Dick to take that responsibility off his shoulders.  Lincoln pledges to disassemble the elite Talons, repeal the Robin laws, and allow Damian to live:  all Dick has to do is join them.

We then flash-forward a few hours.  Dick informs the other Robins at the Batcave that Noctua is going to prison due to the information that he and Jim collected on her.  (The Powers That Be believe that she has gone crazy, because no one believes in the Court of Owls.)  Later that night, Damian approaches Duke to hang (even though he can't admit it), giving Damian possibly his first friend and showing us that he's accepted Duke's call to be a Robin (not the Batman).  Conversely, the issue ends with Dick taking the oath to become the Gray Son, turning his back on Robin and becoming more like Batman.

As I said, I'm conflicted about this conclusion.  One of the modus operandi of the Bat-family is that it's exactly this sort of trap that they see coming and have a plan to escape.  The fact that Dick is manipulated into becoming the Gray Son should mean that it's only part of his larger plan to defeat the Court.  King actually hints that it may be, based on Dick's conversation with the Robins in the Batcave.  It's similar to the coded messages that he left them in "Grayson" #12, when he rallied them to his side.  If King is telling that story, color me intrigues.  But, if Dick has embraced Bruce's solitary nature, as King seems to want us to believe, then maybe he doesn't have a plan.  That said, if he really has become the Gray Son, then consider my eyes rolling.  It's too quick and easy of a fall for a character like Dick Grayson.  It's not like Damian doesn't have many enemies all ready:  is he really that worried that the Court will kill him to submit to it?  Hopefully, he isn't, and the "to be continued in 'Grayson'" promise at the end of the issue will show us that it's all part of Dick's plan to take down the Court.  If it isn't, though, I'm not going to be a happy camper.

*** (three of five stars)

Robin War #1 (HERE BE SPOILERS!)

King tells a really well paced story here, taking his time to let the story unfurl on its own power.

We start with one of the teenage Robin imitators gloating over the fact that he's managed to disarm a guy in the process of holding up a liquor store.  When a cop appears on the scene, "Robin" tries to get the cop to see him as an ally.  The cop hesitates (since, after all, "Robin" is holding a gun), allowing the would-be thief time to steal his gun.  "Robin" panics and opens fire, killing the cop and the thief.

In the ensuing outrage, the City Council, under the leadership of Councilwoman Noctua, passes a law banning Robins and the wearing of any Robin-related paraphernalia.  This initiative results in a jack-booted crackdown, forcing Duke and his cohorts go to ground.  Noctua is revealed to be working on behalf of the Court of Owls, giving them the war that they apparently want (more on that later) so that she can become a member.  (She's apparently the daughter of a prostitute, and the Court is balking at giving her membership.  But, she has realized that they're the real power in Gotham, so she'll stop at nothing to get it.)  Duke gathers the Robins at one of Gotham's many abandoned warehouses and tells the anonymous perpetrator of the shooting that he has to reveal himself so that the Robins can win back their reputation.

At that moment, Damian arrives, telling the Robins to disperse.  It goes as well as you'd think it would go.  Damian takes on the Robins, and Noctua sends Batman to diffuse the situation.  (King really shines at this part of the story.  Noctua isn't portrayed as an overwhelmingly evil figure.  Jim complains about getting sent into the fray, since he disagrees with her "Robin Law."  But, she says that she wants him to do so specifically because he'd be gentle, since her other options wouldn't be as understanding.)  Damian is infuriated by the appearance of this new Batman, and he makes short work of Jim.  (During the fight, he hilariously talks about what Batman and Robin really mean.  Let's just say, he's clearly not impressed by the idea that it's currently a guy in a robot suit and a bunch of untrained kids.)  Jason and Tim arrive on the scene to try to calm down Damian, and they call in Dick to help handle the situation, hoping (likely correctly) that the other Robins will respond to him.

At this point, King really kicks up the drama, just when you think that the story is ending.  The Robin from the liquor store admits to Duke that he committed the crime, revealing that he was inspired after Dick saved him when he was a kid.  Duke convinces him to turn himself into the police, and he agrees to do so.  But, before he can, Talon kills him, under orders from the Court.  Moreover, we learn that they planned this situation to attract Dick -- the "Gray Son" -- to Gotham.  King hasn't told us exactly what the Court is planning (and why it wants Dick in Gotham), but it's clearly nothing good for our guys!

*** (three of five stars)