So…as you may have heard in today’s episode of Funnybooks, I loved Pete Tomasi and Patrick Gleason’s first issue on Batman and Robin, issue #20.  Patrick Gleason also wrote one of my favorite post-Final Crisis Batman moments, with Alfred saying goodbye to Bruce Wayne in the Batman and the Outsiders Special.  It was an emotional moment rarely seen in Bat-comics, and definitely welcome.

Batman and Robin #20 had another of these awesome emotional moments (I won’t ruin it for you here, but I’m sure it’s on the internet somewhere).  Not only that, Gleason gets Dick Grayson.  One of the biggest complaints I’ve had about the Dick Grayson Batman is that, when he’s in the costume, he’s written the same as Bruce Wayne.  Definitely not so with Gleason’s Batman, who paints Grayson as the Batman we’d expect the former Nightwing to be.  Coupled with absolutely gorgeous Patrick Gleason art and a $2.99 price tag, Batman and Robin is a definite must-own.

Buuuuutt…something odd popped up in DC’s May solicits for the Bat-titles.

BATMAN & ROBIN #23
Written by JUDD WINICK
Art and cover by GUILLEM MARCH
1:10 Variant cover by GENE HA
Jason Todd – Batman’s one-time sidekick, currently the anti-hero known as Red Hood – has been imprisoned in Arkham Asylum for the past several months. But after a period of good behavior, will a transfer to a lower-security prison mean reformation for Jason Todd . . . or is trouble waiting in the wings for Batman and Robin? Don’t miss “The Streets Run Red” part one of three!
On sale MAY 11 • 32 pg, FC $2.99 US • RATED T

So…Tomasi and Gleason’s run, which was actually delayed due to their work on Brightest Day by three issues (it was originally scheduled to start with issue #17) is either taking another break, or is actually over after three issues?  Ummm….what the hell?

Of course DC doesn’t have to answer for changes in schedules and all that, but this is the latest in a series of issues with the Batman titles (unannounced fill-ins, changes in creative teams, delays), with very little reasoning or answers as to why, as well as no real explanation as to whether changes are temporary or permanent.  It’s a shame, as this run is off to a great start, and while I think Judd Winick and Guillem March are a fantastic team, I’ve got to admit…damn.  I was really hyped for this current run, and three days after the first issue of it came out, we’re already getting announcement of a fill-in?  Hopefully we get some more news on the creative team change, and its permanence, in the coming weeks.