Batman and Robin #39

Issue Details

Synopsis

SUPERPOWER  PART 2 - BOY WONDER Robin corrals a group of some of Batman's enemies in a darkened room and responds to their doubts by demonstrating his new-found powers, tying them up speedily and dragging them out into the atmosphere. He carries them thirty-thousand feet into the troposphere, to the Karman Line - which represents the difference between being an earthling and an astronaut. He warns that if they cross the line between petty crime and murder of the innocent, he will see to it that they cross this line. As he brings them back down, he loses control of the cable he is dangling them from, and accidentally drops his prisoners. Fortunately, the Batplane swoops out from nowhere and catches them safely. Unfortunately, Damian's father is not happy with him.   Later, at Alfred Pennyworth's urging, Bruce takes Damian out fishing and demands to know just what he thought he was doing - making a point in that way could costs lives. Damian admits that he experienced a hiccup in his powers, but Bruce worries that it was more. Bruce supposes that the Apokoliptian Chaos Sliver that Talia used to power the embryonic chambers on her island must have provided energy that Damian absorbed over the years - and somehow remained dormant until Bruce stabbed him with that sliver. He worries about the visions he saw when he touched the sliver himself, the ones that showed him exactly how to revive his son. In any case, though, the wish he had - to have his son back - was granted by that sliver of chaos. Damian comments that he'd like to go home, and Bruce warns that Alfred had assured him he would not come to pick them up until they'd caught at least one fish. Amused, Damian tosses his fishing pole into the water and skewers a fish before carrying the boat back to Wayne Manor. Alfred is unimpressed.   Afterwards, Bruce returns to testing the limits of his son's abilities, worrying at how erratic the boy's control has been. From these tests, he and Alfred discover with some consternation that part of what makes Damian so invincible is that he only feels invincible. His nervous system is not responding to physical stimuli - but it is receiving them. And that means that Damian might believe he can behave more recklessly than his body can actually handle.   Several nights later, on patrol, Batman warns that Damian shouldn't put all of his trust in his powers. They can and will betray him. Natural instincts and training must be depended upon first. Despite coming back from death, Damian needs to learn that dying in the first place was proof that he is not invincible - that death can't be beaten - only cheated. Ignoring him, Damian leaps out of the car and goes to town on a gang trying to steal military prototypes. Frustrated, Batman confronts him and warns that Damian's inability to feel anything is not a good thing. He is interrupted by a call indicating that his presence is required on the Justice League Satellite. He insists that Damian remain behind to turn in the crooks and go home in the car while he's away. After dumping the thugs on the roof of the GCPD Headquarters, Damian hears some more thugs in the alley below and grabs the Bat-Signal up over his head, warning that if he catches them threatening innocents again, he'll see that their night ends very painfully. He is surprised, though, when the bat-signal's light shines on Batman, who instructs him to put the light back and to come with him to the Satellite.   On the satellite, Bruce warns Damian not to break anything, before re-introducing him to Superman - with whom Damian is unimpressed. He then has his first meeting with Shazam, with whom he is also unimpressed. Leaving Damian with Billy, Batman receives briefing on a creature attacking cargo ships off the coast of Japan. Refusing to be saddled with Shazam, Damian interrupts the briefing to add that the island on which the creature is located is empty thanks to the shuttering of the coal mines thereupon. It's been nicknamed Ghost Island. Despite its emptiness, it is only ten miles from Nagasaki, which has a relatively high population. Amused, Superman supposes that Damian is meant to observe from the Satellite. Batman responds that he actually intends to bring Damian on the mission. Grinning, his son leads the way.