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07/11/2003: Legends of the DCU #6
Today I got a copy of Legends of the DCU #6 (written by Kelley Puckett, pencils by Dave Taylor, inks by Kevin Nolan), a story about the first meeting between Dick (as Robin) and Superman, and it was fun to read. Not truly outstanding or anything, but certainly worth the €1 I paid. And it has some nice character bits.
The whole story is told from Dick's POV. Batman is out of town for the night (we aren't told the reason for that), and in the opening sequence Robin deals with a group of burglars, who underestimate him at first. Dick notes that if he had half of Batman's rep they'd scatter at the sight of him, but of course they don't. The only thing I found odd was that he lets them run rather than tying them up for the police. But anyway, that's not really central, since the Batsignal then goes on. It turns out that Gordon turned it on because Superman is in Gotham, tracking down a gang who has stolen an experimental e.m. pulse rifle from S.T.A.R. Labs, but Superman wants permission before he operates in Gotham (because, as Dick puts it "My permission? Oh right. Batman's got that... thing... about superman operating here."). So since Batman isn't there he asks Robin, who looks for Commissioner Gordon for reassurance. Then follows lots of action adventure stuff, and Robin clearly enjoys working with Superman. I liked Dick's reaction to Superman, he thinks Superman and his abilities are "cool" but he isn't intimidated. I also liked how Superman trusts Dick to be competent and goes with Dick's tactical suggestions.
Interwoven with the main story are flashbacks to the time when Robin hadn't met Superman yet, but heard about him on the news. I enjoyed those a lot. Like when Dick, after watching some news footage about Superman in Gotham, and clearly exited about Superman being there, asks Batman "I saw! On the news! He was here! So... was he... I mean... what's he like?" and Batman replies "Lightening. Thunder. He's not human, Dick. Never forget that." But still Dick stays up late reading Lois Lane's articles about Superman and actually sleeps with that article on his pillow (it's kind of cute, IMO). Especially since that flashback panel comes right after the current day panel in which Superman invites Robin to Metropolis.
And I have to say that Superman's costume looks really garish against the backdrop of Gotham, not at least because the colorist chose to make the red and yellow of Robin's costume darker and more subdued than the red and yellow of Superman's costume.
