Batman Year 3: The Deluxe Edition by Marv Wolfman, Pat Broderick, John Beatty and Adrienne Roy (graphic novel review)
In many respects, ‘Batman Year 3’ should be called is ‘Batman Year 13’. Yes, it goes back to the time Dick Grayson became Robin, but it goes to the current events after Jason Todd died and before Tim Drake and Grayson is Nightwing all part of the 4-part Batman # 436-440 in 1989. Having read the interview with Pat Broderick in Comic Book Creator # 42, this is really my first sampling of his work at DC Comics. I thought his work on ‘The Micronauts’ for Marvel was outstanding. Here, I’m less sure. The Batman’s thigh muscles could crack walnuts and there are some awkward poses.
This version of the Batman is still grieving after Todd’s death, not wanting another sidekick unless the same fate befalls him, too. Nightwing thinks back to his own time as Robin after his parents were killed by the gangster Anthony Zucco and becoming a ward to Bruce Wayne. I don’t know who was responsible for the Graysons’ acrobat costumes to be similar to what would become Robin’s outfit but it was a terrible idea. I mean, it’s bad enough that Robin only has a small mask which hardly conceals his identity but it’s a clear clue back to his real identity which would surely identify that Bruce Wayne chap as the Batman. That’s only a good idea if you want to give up crime-fighting.
Much of this story is spoiler. Anthony Zucco is also getting released from jail and has a book concealed with all the crimes that had been going on when he was out and is now arranging for the assassinations of some of crime lords and blackmailing the rest in Gotham. Batman also ends up helping them stop this.
I don’t know if it was intentional or not, but in civies Grayson wears the same clothes as Wayne. Grayson might profess to Alfred Pennyworth that he isn’t the same as his mentor but really?
Too much time has passed for this to have much bearing today but you would have thought its editor, Dennis O’Neil, would have spotted these flaws at the time. Treat this book as a curio as much as anything.
GF Willmetts
April 2026
(pub: DC Comics, 1989 reprint in 2025. 112 page hardback graphic novel. Price: varies. ISBN: 978-1-79950-243-2)
check out website: www.dc.com
