Paul Dini's Detective Comics #826 Review

It's Christmas time once again and DC would be remiss if they didn't acknowledge the arrival of the holiday season in any of their titles. Having realized this, this month's issue of Detective Comics is set during the Christmas period. With his run nearly approaching six months, Paul Dini has been finding success in his one-shot format that focuses more on Batman as a detective. This month represents a slight departure from this theme, as Dini places the spotlight on two other main characters in Gotham City: Robin and the Joker.

A night out fighting crime turns ugly for Batman's young sidekick, as he answers someone calling him from a nearby car. It turns out to be the Joker, who gasses Robin and leads him on a wilder ride than any that Mr. Toad can provide. The issue is filled with random acts of madness that have made Joker such an interesting case study throughout the years. Is he a cold, calculating mastermind who has devised a plan to undo Robin psychologically? Or is he simply an insane lunatic who gets his kicks through random homicides? Fans have wondered for years what makes Joker tick. This issue doesn't provide any answers to those questions, but it provides yet another example of the brand of wanton madness that leads to those questions in the first place.

Dini, whose credits include the acclaimed Batman: The Animated Series, successfully veers down a path that many writers wouldn't consider taking. He manages to write an interesting story with minimal use of Batman, the main character. Batman only appears at the end of the issue, but the issue is still a solid read. Not enough focus is given to other characters in the Batman mythos and while Robin does have his own solo title, this issue provides an insight into Robin's mind in the context of his role within the Bat-family. Could he survive without Batman? Does he have what it takes to subdue Batman's greatest foe by himself? Can he even figure out what Joker's intentions are? These are the questions that the reader thinks about as this harrowing tale progresses.