Batman, Robin and Howard, a fun, friendship driven all-age graphic novel

Jeffrey Brown has one of the most distinctive styles in graphic novels that are of interest to young readers. His presentation is also well known to elementary school students via his work in Jedi Academy and Space-Time. This is one reason why Batman Robin and Howard will immediately resonate with ages eight and up. The art has that familiar vibe due to Brown’s other works, plus readers will already know Batman and Robin, and be curious as to how Howard plays into the story.

Suffice it to say that Batman, Robin and Howard is not a graphic novel that plays the superhero narrative to the letter. If you weren’t sure about that, then all it will take is one look at the back cover to drive that home. It’s on the back cover where we see the Batmobile and in the next panel Howard, Damian, and Batman in a room. Damian (who is actually Robin), is introducing Howard to Batman and immediately tell Bats that “he knows”, with him looking exasperated. After all, what good is an underground lair with a giant penny, dinosaur statue, and loads of cool vehicles to a superhero with an alias when your son, and superhero partner, lets the cat out of the bag so easily?

That’s part of the fun, as well as, the rope-a-dope that Batman, Robin and Howard manage to pull off in the graphic novel. The reveal of the secret identity doesn’t happen until the second half of the book, even though the front and back cover alludes to that being a main plot point. Comic books fans can testify to the fact that the all-action image that’s on the cover is rarely part of the main story. Similar to that, Batman is never watching Robin, who is in costume, jealously looking at Howard while they’re in school.

If anything, the graphic novel is 95% costume-free. The story’s focus is on getting along with your peers, being a good friend, and doing the right thing. Having said that, don’t change the channel, there’s no need to avoid the book if you’re thinking that it’s preachy or forced. Batman, Robin and Howard is a patient, all-ages graphic novel that takes its time in telling the story. In doing so it’s more a character-driven story, as opposed to a book that needs set pieces in order to move forward.

Essentially Damian does something bad while on assignment and Batman has to punish him. Part of this punishment is that he’s being sent to a new school, one in which Howard is asked to show him around and tell him about all of the activities. The two boys are quite similar and it’s obvious that some degree of competition will develop between the two. Their rivalry is further complicated when Batman goes missing.  Of course, not only is Batman not around, Damian’s father isn’t there. Could this be the humanizing issue that allows Damian and Howard to realize that they have more in common than their differences?

The illustrations in the graphic novel are drawn soft and friendly. If readers aren’t familiar with Brown’s style then be prepared to be comforted in a way that will appeal to elementary-aged students, but won’t alienate those lower grade middle school readers. It’s not smarmy stuff that your school counselor wants you to read ‘comforting’. It’s the lessons that illustrate the things that you know and that you should do all of the time, but probably don’t. This is fun, easy-going stuff that ages that grades three through seven will enjoy. The vocabulary for those younger readers will be just a bit challenging, but they’ll manage. The humor, like the really smelly socks and wry looks, will keep those older readers in the fold as they witness the growing friendship between the two.

Batman, Robin and Howard is by Jeffrey Brown and available on DC Graphic Novels for Kids, an imprint of DC Comics.

There are affiliate links in this book.