Summary

• Robin is finally getting a chance to avenge Alfred's death at the hands of Bane after years of waiting.
• Batman is wary of Robin's impulsiveness and new revenge mission against the ruthless Bane on Dinosaur Island.
• Defeating Bane will be Robin's greatest challenge yet, as he faces a cold, calculating adversary with a history of victories.

Alfred Pennyworth's untimely death is about to be avenged by none other than after Alfred Pennyworth was murdered by one of the Dark Knight's most brutal and unforgiving foes, Bane.

No one took the death harder than Bruce's son Damian and it had a lasting impact on his relationship with his father. Considerable time has ed and the Dynamic Duo is finally in a good place. But when the opportunity to get revenge on Bane presents itself, will the young hero avenge Alfred?

Robin is Finally Getting Revenge on Bane for Killing Alfred

It won’t be long before summer is here and DC Comics is giving fans a sneak peek at what lies ahead later this year with its batch of August solicitations. The month is jam-packed with epic adventures for DC Comics fans. Not only will the month see the Absolute Power and its various spin-off and tie-in titles, but new series will begin, such as DC vs. Vampires: World War V and Jenny Sparks, not to mention the special Gotham City Sirens miniseries DC has lined up for August.

The Boy Wonder wants nothing more than to get revenge on his father’s infamous nemesis...

But that’s not all the excitement lined up for August 2024. Batman and Robin #12 will come from Joshua Williamson and Juan Ferreyra, with a cover by Simone Di Meo. Ferreyra, along with Vasco Georgiev and Travis Mercer will provide variant covers for the issue. The Dynamic Duo is heading out to Dinosaur Island later this year in a new, multi-part arc, but this isn’t going to be all fun and games for the father and son duo, as Robin encounters a grim face from the past.

According to the solicitation, Bane is also on Dinosaur Island and Damian is seeing red. The Boy Wonder wants nothing more than to get revenge on his father’s infamous nemesis and Batman is the only thing standing in the way of Damian getting his pound of flesh (along with dinosaurs). Di Meo’s cover shows Robin tearing up at the sight of Bane, no doubt recalling the intense trauma the villain put Damian through. Georgiev’s cover takes a more humorous bend on their reunion, showing Damian discovering Bane’s face during an archaeological dig.

Robin and the Death of a Beloved Bat-Family Member

For years, Alfred Pennyworth was one of the most valued of the Bat-Family. Not just a faithful butler, Alfred was the team’s heart and soul who provided medical treatment, training, and counsel to those in the family who needed him. However, things changed in the Bat-Family forever when Bane, working with a time-displaced variant of Thomas Wayne, invaded Gotham and took Alfred hostage, warning that Alfred would die if the Bat-Family returned to Gotham. Believing he could save Alfred, Robin came to his mentor’s aid, only for Bane to snap Alfred’s neck and kill him.

Alfred Pennyworth's heartbreaking death can be seen in Batman #77 (2019)!

The death shook Batman’s family to its core. Everyone grieved in their own way, but Damian struggled the most in the weeks and months following Alfred’s murder. The young hero blamed himself for Alfred dying and on top of other stressful events in Damian’s life, he officially hung up his role as Robin and departed from Gotham City. Damian took his time away from Gotham to travel the world. During his adventure, Robin briefly came into possession of Lazarus Resin, and briefly considered using it to revive Alfred.

Robin chose instead to let Alfred go. He also made the decision to return to Gotham (although it to several huge conflicts to get him and Batman on speaking again). But after one of the most trying periods of their lives, Bruce and Damian finally began the process of healing together. Damian moved back in with his father and the two resumed their lives as the Dynamic Duo. Though there have been a few hiccups, Batman and Robin’s relationship is stronger than ever.

Robin Wants to Make Bane Pay for His Crimes

With Robin back in his life, Batman has been pushing Damian to live more like an average teenager as much as possible. He enrolled him in high school and began taking a more active role in Damian’s scholastic activities. Sure, they were still operating as Gotham’s heroic duo, but Bruce was ensuring that Damian was getting the touch of normalcy Bruce felt his son deserved. Aside from a few bumps in the road (namely Man-Bat’s scheme to turn Gotham into animal hybrids), things have been working out well for Batman and Robin.

...this story is the moment both Robin and fans have been waiting for.

But Batman knows his son well enough to know that seeing Bane again is going to be seriously triggering for Robin. Though Damian has made considerable strides since his days with the League of Assassins, he’s still very much an impulsive youth. The moment Robin senses Bane in his presence, Damian is almost certainly going to try and get even with Bane to avenge Alfred’s untimely death. Robin has a history of rushing into things and he's not going to up a chance to make Bane pay for taking a member of the Bat-Family away.

After Bane broke Batman, the Dark Knight came back stronger than ever for a rematch that ended in Bruce’s favor. One could see Damian witnessing Alfred’s death as his breaking moment. Robin is just like his father and won’t stop until he triumphs over evil. Damian never got to settle the score with Bane and this story is the moment both Robin and fans have been waiting for. But when it comes down to it, does Robin have the skills needed to beat Bane?

Defeating Bane is Going to be Robin's Greatest Challenge

There’s no doubt that Robin is a force unto himself. But Bane isn’t the Scarecrow or Killer Croc. He’s a cold, calculating brute who has masterminded some of the Bat-Family’s greatest losses. It’s not impossible to think that Damian could defeat Bane and get the revenge he desires. But Bane has gone toe-to-toe with Batman and won numerous times. While Robin may be getting the opportunity to avenge Alfred’s death, it’s not going to be easy for the Boy Wonder.

Batman and Robin #12 is available on August 14th from DC Comics.