Damian Wayne pulls off his kid gloves and gets deadly when pitted against a host of fighters in Robin #6, the latest issue of the Boy Wonder's saga to infiltrate the deadly Lazarus Tournament.
CBR has an exclusive preview of Robin #6 by writer Joshua Williamson and artist Gleb Melnikov. The issue opens with Damian facing a horde of combatants -- ranging from the Deathstroke wannabe Respawn to Nightwing villains Double Dare -- as the Lazarus Tournament kicks off. Without batting an eye, Robin unleashes his violent side by going toe-to-toe with the Teen Titans villain Tengu, a matchup that ends with a katana firmly embedded in the bird assassin's throat.
While Robin's willingness to kill might seem like a step back for Damian Wayne -- who abandoned lethal violence in order to take his place as the partner of his father Batman -- the Lazarus Tournament is actually a carefully curated affair that requires fighters to battle to the death, while also being resurrected afterward. Previous issues of the series revealed a massive Lazarus Pit exists beneath the tournament's island location, with this pit being used to revive dead combatants.
According to the tournament's rules, each combatant will be resurrected up to three times, and the last man or woman standing will be awarded the gift of immortality. The actual competition didn't kick off until all participants died at least once, and Robin met a grisly end at the end of Issue #1 after his heart was ripped out by Flatline, the sidekick of Lord Death Man. She is also a potential love interest who may go on to mangle the Boy Wonder's heart emotionally.
Damian's reasons for competing in the tournament have yet to be revealed, but the fifth Robin is currently on poor terms with his father and has denied assistance from Dick Grayson and the other Robins. Since the first issue, Robin's mental monologue has hinted at him grieving over the loss of beloved Bat-Family patriarch Alfred Pennyworth, whose head was snapped by Bane in 2019's Batman #77. The issue was part of the "City of Bane" storyline, which concluded writer Tom King's 85-issue run on Batman and saw Gotham City placed under the control of the villain who once broke the Dark Knight's back.
Robin #6 goes on sale Sept. 28. An exclusive preview of the issue can be found below.
ROBIN #6
- Writer: JOSHUA WILLIAMSON
- Artist: GLEB MELNIKOV
- Cover: GLEB MELNIKOV
- Variant Cover: FRANCIS MANAPUL
- $3.99 US | 32 PGS | $4.99 US VARIANT (Card Stock)
- ON SALE 9/28//21
- Ding ding ding! Let the tournament begin! The most ruthless fighters in the DCU compete for the ultimate prize: eternal life. To win his first round, Damian Wayne faces two times the danger and two times the trouble: it’s Ravager and Flatline versus Robin!
Source: DC