COMIC BOOK OF THE WEEK – “Robin II” # 4 (December 1991)

This week’s “Comic Book of the Week” is “Robin II” # 4, which was published by DC Comics in December 1991. This issue was the last installment in a four-issue miniseries that began in October of that year. The title of this particular issue is “Chill Factor” and the creative team included Chuck Dixon, writer; Tom Lyle, pencils; Bob Smith, inks; Tim Harkins, letters; Adrienne Roy, colors; Denny O’Neil, editor; and Kelley Puckett, assistant editor. Kevin Maguire was the cover artist for this issue, which sold for a $1 on newsstands.

The main character of this comic is Tim Drake, aka, the third young man to serve as Batman’s trusty sidekick, Robin. (Many of you will remember that Drake replaced Jason Todd, who died after replacing the very first Robin, Dick Grayson.) Other good guys that appear in this issue include Bruce Wayne’s butler, Alfred Pennyworth; Gotham police commissioner, Jim Gordon; and Batman, who’s been out of town and appears only on the next to last page of the issue.

Throughout the series, Robin has been on his own against Batman’s biggest nemesis, the Joker. The Joker’s cooked up a scheme in which he plans to unleash a devastating computer virus on the city unless the city officials pay him a $1 billion ransom. Again, Batman’s out of town, but the Joker doesn’t know it, and he also doesn’t know that the Boy Wonder is the only person standing in his way.

As part of his crazy scheme, the Joker has demanded that the Batman drive a red 18-wheeler loaded with Gotham’s ransom onto a bridge at an appointed time. Gordon knows that Robin’s on his own, so Gotham officials have loaded the truck with newsprint instead of money and have turned it over to Robin. With the help of Alfred the butler and one of Batman’s extra costumes, Robin, using a remote control, maneuvers the red-painted big rig to the right place at the right time only to have the Joker blow up the bridge during a huge snowstorm.

At first, the Joker believes that he’s killed Batman, but then Robin lowers the hammer on the Joker and his gang of goons. While that beat-down is taking place, Alfred’s used some of Batman’s high tech tools to track down the Joker’s lair and has helped the police find the source of the computer threat. Armed with this knowledge, a Gotham Police SWAT team kicks in the doors of the Jack of All Trades Employment Agency and a hail of bullets brings all of that to an end.

The book ends with Alfred and Robin licking their wounds at Wayne Manor, and Batman appears just in time to hear all about their encounter with the Joker. The final page of the issue shows the Joker wearing a straightjacket within the not-so-friendly confines of Arkham Asylum alongside the Riddler and Two Face. The last panel of the issue shows the Joker telling the other inmates to keep their hands of Robin because he has plans for revenge “and next time he’ll stay dead.”

This comic (unless I’ve sold it) and others are available for purchase through Peacock’s Books on Amazon.com. Search for it there by title, issue number and date of publication.