Tim's first visit to Hong Kong - pt. 2

[whitesycamore]

In part 1 Tim travelled to Paris to study with the Rahul Lama, met a girl called Ling, and ended up rescuing Clyde Rawlins from Ling's gang, the Ghost Dragons.



It turns out that Clyde Rawlins is an undercover cop who was working to take down the Ghost Dragons. And for some reason Tim has no problem unmasking in front of him! Strange, considering how he later became so protective of his secret identity.



Wow, I wonder why Clyde hates Dorrance so much? I'm sure it will be a long time before we get to the bottom of this mystery... Hah, no, it's because Dorrance murdered his family. This peaceful interlude is quickly interrupted by Lady Shiva, who's come to warn them that they are about to be attacked by the Ghost Dragons.



A quick recap of some pages I didn't include: we see a meeting between the Ghost Dragons and Dorrance, their employer. We learn that Ling is actually Lynx (mk II), and that Dorrance is a formidable fighter but also blind. He's not too impressed that Billy allowed Rawlins to get away, so he promotes Lynx as the new leader of the Ghost Dragons. She vows to recapture Rawlins and kill Tim (and as a complete aside, we also learn that Lady Shiva wears jasmine perfume).

Now that they have safely relocated to a cottage in the countryside, Tim is able to concentrate again on the real reason he came to France - to learn how to be "street tough"! Clyde tries to teach him a thing or two about finding his inner Jason rage.



Shiva's not impressed. She thinks Tim could do with "a woman's touch". Yeah. We still don't know exactly what Shiva's motives are here, but she seems to have allied herself with Tim and Clyde for the time being. Could it be that she also bears a grudge against Dorrance?



Shiva explains why she's gunning for Dorrance. Also, from here on out, pretty much any time Tim and Shiva are on panel together she is touching, stroking or petting him in some manner. Seriously, she's all over him. He's supposed to be about 13/14 here btw.



We find out a little more about Dorrance's diabolical plans, if not his motives (his motive is really just pure assholery, actually).



Being the nifty little fellow that he is, Tim manages to scout out the location of the secret nazi weapons bunker. The trio travel to Auxille (by moonlight? Sunset?) and gain access via a ventillation shaft. Clyde calls Shiva Tim's "girlfirend", because he is very mature that way.



But they are once again intercepted by the Ghost Dragons. Tim finally learns that the "innocent" Ling is actually the gang leader Lynx!



Lovestruck fool, Lynx? Really? He like, talked to you one time. After YOU hit on him. But I digress...

In the meantime, Shiva managed to at least prevent the Ghost Dragons from loading one of the containers. They still have the other one though. Where are they taking it?



Tim's tracks their flight plans to Hong Kong. Lady Shiva decides that the best course of action is to fly there too and ambush the Ghost Dragons when they land. While Shiva relaxes by herself in first class, Tim and Clyde make a horrible discovery.



In part 3 we will learn more about Dorrance's plan and see Shiva take Tim further under her wing. Also, the uncomfortable topic of Tim's virginity surfaces yet again!

Comments

[icon_uk]

Out of curiosity, you've referred to Ling throughout these posts as Lynx II, who was the first?

[whitesycamore]

Wikipedia tells me the first one was a henchman of Dr Dome, but I don't have any personal knowledge of her.

I know that Tim's current Lynx is the third one.

[icon_uk]

I'd never heard of Dr Dome, a former pre-Crisis Plastic Man villain... one lives and one learns...

And the current Lynx is the fourth I think, Lynx was killed in the Gang War, and then a Lynx was also killed (or the second one killed AGAIN thanks to editorial oversight) in the first part of the OYL Robin story.

[zechs80]

It was the second again killed due to editorial oversight. Even further proving how little of Cassandra Cain's book Beechen read since that's when the second Lynx met her end.

[jarodrussell]

I'm glad to see Tim found his plug.

...

That came out wrong.

[nezchan]

And yet...so right.

[sherkahn]

and THAT came out wrong.

[randyripoff]

One of the things I really enjoyed about this mini--heck, about all the early Robin minis--was how much Dixon emphasised the cerebral over the physical with Tim. There was a strong effort to show that what Tim really brings to the table is intelligence and wisdom--not that he can't kick ass when necessary, but that his real strength lies in figuring things out.

[benicio127]

Man, look at Tim get ANGRY.

Heheh... speaking of older women trying to seduce Tim...



(This is a Gotham Knights cover, btw)

[whitesycamore]

Batman looks very shocked and discomfited.

[psychopathicus_rex]

Ah, Shiva - back when she was cool. If nobody beats her in single combat for the next five-to-ten years, she might possibly regain that quality - but I'm not holding my breath.

[whitesycamore]

I miss badass Lady Shiva too. I love how much she enjoys being badass. Also how she's so focused on the fight for the sake of the fight, but incredibly materialistic as well. She loves jasmine perfume and driving porsches and travelling first class and eating fancy chocolates. She has this real girly-girl streak that is surprising but amusing.

[psychopathicus_rex]

Exactly - she keeps herself in fierce training and lives to fight all comers, but she does it while driving fancy cars and staying in posh hotels. She has two sides to her nature, but she doesn't let them contradict each other.

[jarodrussell]

Careful, you'll wake up the "But characters without (obvious, glaring, plot-induced-stupidity) flaws are booooooooring" Whine Brigade.

[whitesycamore]

Eh? Sorry, I'm not sure exactly what you're referring to here. Did I miss some earlier Shiva-related drama?

I definitely think this incarnation of Shiva is flawed in obvious glaring ways too, even though she's strangely likeable.

[jarodrussell]

I'm being kind of sarcastic...and probably should have replied to psychopathicus_rex directly...but I've found when you say you miss a version of a character who was badass and, in Shiva's case, wasn't made to lose in the majority of her recent appearances to prop up another character, you get a vocal set of fandom who argues that those kinds of characters are "too powerful" and "people preferred flawed characters."

Yes, exactly, Shiva is flawed in a lot of ways, they're unique and interesting ways her, and her fighting skill isn't one of them. However, in my experience, a chunk of fandom and writers would be all to happy to knock her down a few tiers in the fighting arena and dial-up her emo/angst/humanity so she'd be more relatable to readers.

tl;dr: "Dude, what if we made Shiva to DC what Wolverine and Deadpool are to Marvel?" is a bad, bad, bad, bad idea.

[shadowpsykie]

would love for Shiva to gain interest in Tim again. Tim might make up for his lack of fighting skills (though his skills are still above most) but he is still not even in the top 10 fighters. would be nice for him to be interested in developing that side of his skillset. plus more awkward sensei flirting :)

[jogadoresesquecidos.blogspot.com]

So, Shiva has the hots for the young 'uns?

Not too kosher in my book, but I admit it can be an interesting aspect.