Exclusive DC preview: Batman And Robin Eternal #4 invites Bruce Wayne to a deadly dinner

The first three issues of the weekly series Batman And Robin Eternal largely focused on the members of the Batman family that aren’t Bruce Wayne, reintroducing former Batgirl Cassandra Cain to the DC Universe by pitting her against Gotham’s non-Batman vigilantes. Now that Cassandra is back, it’s time to check in with what amnesiac Bruce Wayne is up to, and he’s learning the hard way that even though he may not wear a costume anymore, that doesn’t keep him away from danger. Writer Steve Orlando (working from a story by James Tynion IV and Scott Snyder) makes his Eternal debut with this week’s issue #4, and this preview highlights Orlando’s passion for restaurant-based action as Bruce finds himself attacked by patrons and employees of Gotham’s Beacon Tower.

Orlando’s first issue of Midnighter began with the title character beating up terrorists in a restaurant, and now the writer gets the opportunity to stage a similar scene with the character that inspired Midnighter. Bruce Wayne isn’t a crime fighter anymore, though, so Dick Grayson swings in to save the day with a delightfully silly opening line: “Wayne! Drop the amuse-bouche! Go limp!” The sequence is dynamically staged by artist Scot Eaton, and the creative team doesn’t take itself too seriously as it shows Dick Grayson beating people up with a block of cheese. That light-hearted tone is very welcome, and bringing more fun to the story has helped Batman And Robin Eternal stand out from last year’s Batman Eternal weekly series.