“Tree of Knowledge”
Cover Price: $1.50
Bargain Price: $0.50
Cover Date: Late November 1994
Here we have another great teaming of Batgirl and Robin, once again by Puckett and Parobeck. What sets this issue apart from #18 is that Puckett stages this story so that Dick and Babs spend as much time working on the mystery out of costume as in, resulting a better dichotomy of the duo’s love/hate relationship (they love each other in costume but hate each other’s guts in civvies) that evokes more of a classic screwball comedy dynamic than the somewhat straightforward flirtation of the previous issue. This extra layer, previously only hinted at in a single page, really takes the dynamic to the next level. Kelly’s story isn’t the only thing firing on all cylinders here, though, as the always amazing Mike Parobeck turns in an absolute masterpiece. Parobeck is definitely an underappreciated master and his cartoony style fits this book so well. It would be easy to assume that books like The Justice Society of American, El Diablo, and Impact’s The Fly, where he wasn’t restricted by an established look and model sheets, would be better showcases, but, as I said before, Parobeck perfectly evokes the feel of the Batman cartoon while always keeping his art his own and this issue is really top notch. His dynamic storytelling, the fluidity of motion he effortlessly brings to his figures, and the retro, minimalist sensibility he brings to his design work combine to create just as much substance as style, easily placing him on par with Cooke, Allred, and Timm.
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