Consume All Media! Batman and Robin: "Chapter Eleven: Robin's Ruse"

Joe Heath is a big fan of comic books and watching things in order. So they made this spreadsheet containing every serial, short, film, television episode, commercial, motion comic, and web series based on a comic book. Now they're watching them all. Previously, Joe watched the tenth chapter of Batman and Robin. This time, they continue with the eleventh chapter.

Batman and Robin: “Chapter Eleven: Robin's Ruse” - 16:50 (Available on Amazon)

Bruce rushes out of the building in Jimmy's clothes (including his hat) and talks to an unmasked Robin IN FRONT OF THE DEAD BODY THAT PEOPLE ARE SWARMING TOWARDS.

They have a very casual conversation about what just happened. While pretending to be passed out, Batman let Jimmy change their clothes. Which sounds incredibly creepy. But that means it was Jimmy who died, not Bruce. They are briefly concerned for Vicki, since Jimmy was her brother after all. Will we see Vicki having any emotional response to the death of her brother? Nope! He will not be mentioned by the heroes of this story ever again!

Though he is briefly mentioned by the henchmen, as they think that Jimmy must have been Batman. The Wizard points out how that's a stupid idea, so someone else posits that Batman could be Bruce Wayne. Oh no! The henchmen are getting smarter!

The henchmen kidnap Bruce and take him to yet another hideout. Bruce secretly presses a button that broadcasts his position to Dick.

Robin gets there and shines the Bat Signal into the hideout.

Most of the henchmen go outside and see Batman running away. As they chase Batman, Robin sneaks back to the window and throws his cape around the henchman who stayed behind to watch Bruce. He pulls the henchman to the ground and Bruce proceeds to put literally every object in the room on top of him.

Bruce asks who that other Batman was and Robin explains his ruse. It was Alfred. So that's the second person in as many chapters who has pretended to be Batman.

They see the Wizard talking to his henchmen. They follow him as he leaves. The Wizard soon realizes he's being followed, but luckily his car has one of those nifty smokescreen buttons. Robin can't see to drive and crashes.

Should you watch it, though? It's frustrating how Jimmy's plotline is completely dropped. It was a very interesting tangent that seems to have been designed solely to get out of a cliffhanger and then never mentioned again. The Alfred-Batman ploy is good, but we never see Alfred's point of view during this scene. Seems like a missed opportunity for a character moment or some comedy. It just kind of happens and then the serial moves on. On the plus side, this episode has three people dressed as Batman in it! That's so many Batmen! I also love Bruce stacking chairs, a mattress, and a table on top of a dude. It's the kind of move I would make in a panic and I respect that.

Tune in next time for Batman and Robin: "Chapter Twelve: Robin Rides the Wind" (Available on Amazon.)

A version of this article was previously published on The Dipp.

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