He made me do it! The Quakemaster is crazy! 
Robin (Volume 2) #53 is an issue of the series Robin (Volume 2) with a cover date of May, 1998.
Synopsis for "Cataclysm, Conclusion: Flattened"
Quakemaster holds Mackenzie Bock as a hostage when Renee Montoya, Harvey Bullock and Robin discover his hiding place. Quakemaster's henchmen point their guns to Bock and demand that the cops drop theirs. Robin talks to Quakemaster and dares him to call him by his name. Quakemaster refuses to say the words "Robin" and "Batman" and he tells his henchmen to kill them all. Mackenzie Bock uses his chair to knock his captors out and gives the opportunity for Bullock and Montoya to shoot them. Montoya and Bullock free Bock and they decide to search for Jolene Relazzo while Robin and Bock go to find Quakemaster. Bullock and Montoya find Relazzo and she is glad to see that someone came to rescue her. Robin and Bock find Quakemaster and discover that he is just a puppet controlled by Arnold Wesker, the Ventriloquist. When he finds himself cornered, Wesker drops Quakemaster and takes Scarface from a chest. Wesker attacks Robin and Bock with a gun and he runs away. Bock and Robin follow the madman across some electric lines. Wesker's henchmen try to stop them but are shocked by the high voltage of the lines. Wesker is getting away and Bock decides to use his gun to stop him. Robin is afraid that Bock might kill Wesker but when Bock shoots, the bullet hits right through Scarface's head. Wesker falls to the ground and asks for a doctor to care for Scarface while Bock and Robin catch up with him.
Batman finds a dog on the street that leads him to a place where many people are trapped. Batman does his best and risks his own life to save the people. All the people are saved and the ambulances arrive later to help them, while a hurt Batman overlooks the scene.
Nightwing arrives at Gotham City Hall in time to stop Wesker's henchmen from harming Mayor Grange and Commissioner Gordon. He struggles with them for a while but when there is just one of them remaining, the building starts to collapse and Nightwing manages to escape from the falling building saving one of the thug's life.
Oracle contacts Alfred at the remains of Wayne Manor to know what news is of their friends. Alfred tells her that they are done and that Quakemaster is in police custody.
Batman, Robin and Nightwing contemplate the devastation caused by the earthquake and they are just relieved that the worst part was over, at least for that moment.
Appearing in "Cataclysm, Conclusion: Flattened"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
Antagonists:
- Quakemaster (revealed as Ventriloquist)
Other Characters:
Locations:
Items:
Vehicles:
Notes
- This Batman: Cataclysm crossover continues from Arkham Asylum: Tales of Madness #1.
- This issue is reprinted in the Batman: Cataclysm collection, as well as the 2015 edition.
- Storywise, the events of this issue continues from Detective Comics #721.
See Also
Recommended Reading
- Robin Recommended Reading
- Batman: A Lonely Place of Dying
- Batman: Dark Victory
- "Batman: Year Three"
- Batman and Robin (Volume 1)
- Batman and Robin (Volume 2)
- Batman & Robin Eternal
- New Teen Titans (Volume 1)
- Robin: A Hero Reborn
- Robin II: The Joker's Wild!
- Robin III: Cry of the Huntress
- Robin (Volume 2)
- Robin (Volume 3)
- Robin: Son of Batman
- Robin: Year One
- Robins (Volume 1)
- Teen Titans (Volume 3)
- We Are Robin
- Young Justice (Volume 1)
- Young Justice (Volume 2)
Links and References
  This issue is a part of the Cataclysm crossover that swept through all Batman Family Titles during 1998. Gotham City was almost completely destroyed by a massive earthquake. This story led into the events that would eventually create No Man's Land. Cataclysm
Detective Comics #719 • Shadow of the Bat #73 • Nightwing #19 • Batman #553 • Azrael #40 • Detective Comics #720 • Catwoman #56 • Robin #52 • Blackgate: Isle of Men #1 • Shadow of the Bat #74 • Batman Chronicles #12 • Nightwing #20 • Batman #554 • Huntress/Spoiler #1 • Detective Comics #721 • Catwoman #57 • Arkham Asylum: Tales of Madness #1 • Robin #53 Aftershock
Shadow of the Bat #75 • Batman #555 • Detective Comics #722 • Shadow of the Bat #76 • Robin #54 • Batman #556 • Shadow of the Bat #77 • Batman #557 • Detective Comics #724 • Shadow of the Bat #78 • Shadow of the Bat #79 • Batman Chronicles #14 • Batman #558 • Batman #559 • Detective Comics #725 • Detective Comics #726 |