Writer Mark Waid and artist Mahmud Asra's Batman vs. Robin five-issue limited series is leading to big things - the DC event Lazarus Planet, specifically - but before that, it still has some of its own story to tell.
In a preview of Tuesday, November 8's Batman vs. Robin #3 with additional art by Scott Godlewski, colors by Jordie Bellaire, and letters by Steve Wands, the former Robins, under the corupting magical influence of Damian's great-grandmother Mother Soul and the Devil Nezha and under the command of Damian (now donning his own "birthright" Batman costume and also under corrupting mystical influence) start to hunt Batman and Alfred on Lazarus Island, intending to kill the Dark Knight.
"By sunrise, father will be dead," declares bad son Damian.
But leaving nothing to chance, each of the former Batman sidekicks - Dick, Jason, Stephanie, and Tim - is given a mystical DC weapon, the Sword of Sin, the Trident of Posideon, the Coup-Stick of Black Bison, and the Cloak of Cagliostro, respectively, giving Waid a chance to show off his DCU magical history bona fides.
The preview also continues to hint that Alfred's 'return' from the dead in the series' first issue may not be all that it seems as he too seems to be under some sort of mystical influence. Whether he's really alive, alive but also corrupted by the Devil Nezha, or something in-between remains to be seen.
Batman vs. Robin #3 is on sale November 8.
Damian ranks highly on Newsarama's list of Batman's best Robins of all time.
