Breaking it all Down

Last time, AzBat faced his government created opposite number.

We’re continuing with Knightfall: The Crusade – with the continuation of Gotham’s mob power struggles.

Now that we’ve dealt with Mekros, it’s time to return to the Trigger Twins.

Last time we introduced another new villain.

We’re returning to AzBats, but not to continue with the Trigger Twins plot.

Robin started his solo book with AzBat’s claws around his throat, and ended his first issue with a shotgun pointed at his head.

Robin #2

Story by Chuck Dixon
Pencils by Tom Grummett
Inks by Ray Kryssing
Colors by Adrianne Roy
Letters by Tim Harkins
Edited by Jordan B. Gorfinkel & Denny O’Neil.

Robin tries to talk down Shotgun, but as this is Shotgun’s first appearance post-Crisis so he has no previous experience with Batman, and because we have the “Batman as Urban Legend” thing going on,  he doesn’t know who Batman & Robin are – or is at least feigning ignorance.

So, Robin hits Shotty with CS gas and bails in the Redbird.

At Blackgate, Dr. Simpson, the psychologist, provides guns for Cluemaster’s crew, and they make their escape, leaving him sitting in a chair in the therapy room singing.

At home, Tim is talking to Ariana on the phone when a call comes in from Alfred, so he has to end the call. Ariana’s working class parents are very disappointed with their daughter’s boyfriend – I feel like he could have just said “My dad’s calling on the other line, I have to take this,” and Ariana’s parents would have understood.

Tim lays out what’s going on with Jean-Paul mostly straight to Alfred – he omits AzBat nearly killing him – but insists things will be fine, before heading out on patrol.

In the basement of Blackgate, Cluemaster’s crew is continuing their escape, planning to use floats made from plastic milk cartons to help them swim to shore. However, before they go, they kill Cypher to keep them from mind-whammying them.

Robin’s hunt for the Speedboyz is moving to plan B – finding their chop shop. He traces them down to a disused oil terminal and goes to scout it out.

As he snoops around, someone tries to break into the Redbird but gets zapped by its security. This alerts the rest of the goons. Tim sets the car to autopilot as a distraction, sneaks down to their computer to check their electronic books, only to be grabbed by a large angry goon. Robin calls the Redbird to help him take the big guy down, before he takes down the rest on his own.

Robin then calls it in to the sherrif, along with a little shot at Shotgun.

At the docks, Bullock & Montoya are checking out the escapee’s discarded milk-carton floats. And elsewhere in Gotham – The Spoiler is preparing.

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We move from Detective Comics to the first two issues of Robin’s ongoing solo book.

Last time AzBats did something really stupid like driving a subway Jet Car without checking the schedule first.

We’ve seen what Bruce Wayne has been up to, with the search for Shondra Kinsolving and Jack Drake – now it’s time to return to AzBats.