Robin II: The Joker's Wild #2

Issue Details

Synopsis

TOMORROW A TRAGEDY Robin develops a plan to project holograms of Batman around Gotham City in order to convince the underworld that he is still around, and to draw the Joker out of hiding.  All the late nights are wearing on Tim, though, and his studies in school are suffering. Thanks to the help of his friend Ives, he escapes embarrassment in class. Later, Ives notices that Tim is obviously wealthy enough to afford a private school, but Tim suggests that the public school was chosen to build character.   Somewhere in Gotham, the Joker is drugging a kidnapped Dr. Osgood Pellinger, forcing him to work on a project that will involve commandeering the technology and computers of the city. Later, he holds an audition for a struggling actress, wherein all that he requires of her is that she be able to scream convincingly.   Tim and Alfred struggle with all the equipment they need to make their holographic projections work. While they are loading up a van, they receive a call on the shielded line, which they assume is Batman, but it's just static. Later, they set up the equipment in a location that will allow them to project the image on about half a dozen rooftops. When Robin hears about a suicide attempt on his police radio, he runs off.   The suicide attempt is the same actress that the Joker has hired, and she is meant as a distraction. Joker is put out that Batman and Robin have appeared, but he moves his plan forward anyway. He and his men follow Dr. Pellinger's plans, confounding the city's telephone systems to be controlled at their whim.   Outside, the actress slips, and Robin is forced to tie a Batarang around her ankle, and support all her weight by himself. Fortunately, she is saved. As the Joker escapes, he sees the Batman hologram and opens fire on it, revealing the illusion. With the Joker distracted, Robin drops down, knocking the villain to the ground. The Joker is unphased, however, and soon beats Robin into submission - noticing that this is a different Robin than the one he had already killed.   When the police arrive on the scene, Joker releases some gas, and escapes as Robin struggles to get away from the lethal poison. Back at his hideout, the Joker celebrates his success, and eventually comes to the realization that Batman is not in Gotham, and Robin is protecting the city by himself.