Robin III Part 18: Detective Comics #620 (Late August, 1990)

Tim solves his first case, and gets some terrible news.

I have this issue in the Robin: Tragedy & Triumph Trade Paperback.

After some deep meditation, Tim’s back on the Moneyspider case. He discovers that the stolen money is going to peasants in third world countries – meaning Moneyspider has a conscience. Using his computer skills, Tim follows the trail to a phone number belonging to the Gotham Juvenile Correction Hall.

Tim visits the facility and convinces the Headmaster that one of his charges is responsible. It’s revealed that Moneyspider is actually Anarky - who makes a run for it, but Tim stops him.

Proud of himself for solving the case, Tim returns to the cave…only to fall into despair as a wounded Bruce comes down from the manor with Alfred close behind.

Notes of Interest:

1) This is Tim’s first encounter with Anarky.

2) Tim has learned some of Bruce’s meditation skills to focus his thoughts.

3) Apparently, Bruce also taught him some fighting techniques.

4) Tim knows that death is part of Batman’s world, but sees past it to the true motivation behind Bruce’s actions.

WTF? Moment: So…Anarky owns V for Vendetta…Nice!

WTF? Moment #2: Tim defeats his first super-villain, if Anarky can be considered one, by himself. Sure, he had Bruce’s cave, the Bat-computer, and all the skills learned thus far (you could argue that Batman helped with the initial tracking and the discovery of the culprit’s name), but Tim did the leg work and stopped the guy. Further proof of Tim’s awesomeness.

WTF? Moment #3: I must have missed the part where Tim read Bruce’s files about Batman’s foes. How else could he have known Anarky’s real name; the fact that Anarky was even in the GJCH; and that Anarky was the only one in the GJCH with the skills to do the job?