Robin III Part 24: Robin #2 (of 5) (February, 1991)

For Tim, it’s “another day, another teacher”…

I have this issue in the Robin: A Hero Reborn Trade Paperback.

Tim and new-found friend Clyde Rawlins manage to fight their way through a gang’s hideout. Tim tries to go after Ling, the girl he met last issue that was taken by the gang and got him into this mess, when Clyde almost passes out. Tim wants to take him to a hospital, but Clyde refuses, leaving Tim with only one option… the Hotel St. Germain.

After Clyde wakes up, Tim learns he’s a rogue DEA agent with a personal vendetta against the Ghost Dragons – the gang Ling’s involved with. Clyde tries to leave, but before Tim can convince him otherwise a woman appears at the window telling them they’re both in danger. The trio makes it outside as the gang shoots their way into the room. Clyde’s hurt too badly to follow the woman onto the roof, so Tim uses a bat-line to get them both to the street and escape.

Tim accesses the mighty Wayne checkbook once more and rents a farmhouse outside the city to lay low. While Clyde recuperates Tim accesses his DEA file and learns that he’s been after the Ghost Dragons for two years, but stopped once they killed his wife and two children. They’ve been untouchable ever since because the Ghost Dragon’s leader is a well-connected Englishman.

He offers Clyde a deal: help Tim develop his street smarts, and he’ll help Clyde find the Englishman. Clyde accepts, and Tim gets a brand new teacher with brand new lessons in pain. Tim fights back, and re-opens almost every wound Clyde has, when the woman reappears…offering Tim her tutelage.

Notes of Interest:

1) Obviously, this issue takes place immediately after Robin #1.

2) As of the beginning of this issue, Tim has been in Paris for three weeks.

3) The woman he meets here for the first time is Lady Shiva…but Tim doesn’t know that yet.

WTF? Moment: Okay…Tim is in civvies and Clyde’s in his underwear at the hotel when Lady Shiva shows up and the Ghost Dragons come running up the stairs. I can see Clyde taking the three seconds to put on some pants, but Tim gets into full Robin gear in the same amount of time? Maybe he’s practiced quick changes in the all of four weeks he’s had the suit.

WTF? Moment #2: I’m not exactly sure when Tim was given access to Wayne’s finances. Legally, he’s a student at a (still unnamed) boarding school staying at Wayne Manor over (Spring break?). Bruce must be aware that Tim’s spending money, and would totally be fine with it, but is it even possible for a bank to let an underage boy spend that much money overseas without making so much as a “WTF?” phone call?

I’m gonna assume it isn’t, they did, and Bruce (or Alfred) gave the bank the official “ok”.