Flop Goes the Joker

Plot[]

As the future seems bleak for our beloved Boy Wonder, Bruce blocks the mechanical works of the mobile with himself and his chair, long enough for Robin to work himself loose and use one of the knives to deactivate the mechanism.

Returning to see if the mobile has completed its diabolical duty, The Joker and his crooked cronies are jumped on by Bruce and the Boy Wonder. While they pin the henchmen to a wall with carefully thrown palette knives, Joker begs for Baby Jane's forgiveness. Feeling sorry for him, Baby Jane arranges for his freedom, much to Bruce and Robin's astonishment. She then takes him back home with her, where, during a chicken dinner, Joker covers her priceless antique table with paint and has his henchmen chop it up. He convinces the gullible heiress that he has turned her table into a work of art, and she lets him replace the priceless Renaissance art collection in her father's wing at the museum with the table's painted remains.

After snatching the collection, Joker goes back to his studio and puts through a call to Commissioner Gordon, demanding $10 million for the paintings to be returned or he would burn the entire collection. However, unknown to Joker, Batman replaced the stolen paintings with rather "childish" finger paintings by Alfred and when Joker removes the blankets from the paintings, he gets the shock of his life.

Joker stuck on Batpole — Joker having a frightening experience on the Batpole

Even more shocked by the sudden appearance of Batman and Robin who had been there the whole time while he was calling the Commissioner, Joker retreats with Baby Jane, while his men take a good thrashing from the Dynamic Duo. Planning to revenge himself against Bruce Wayne and hoping to swipe some loot, Joker arrives at Wayne Manor, where he loses a duel with Alfred and runs into Bruce's study where he trips the switch to the Batpoles, hidden in the bust of William Shakespeare. Mistaking it for a secret passage, he slides down one of the poles. Thinking fast, Alfred activates the Emergency Batpole Elevator controls, sending the Clown Prince of Crime crashing to the top of the shaft. After a couple of trips up and down the pole, Joker finally gives up and is imprisoned while Baby Jane is safely returned home.

Later, Alfred opens an exhibit of his "childish" paintings, with the proceeds donated to The Wayne Foundation Free Nursery.

NEXT WEEK[]

Eli Wallach as the frigid Mr Freeze!

Appearances[]

Individuals[]

Miscellanea[]

Behind the Scenes[]

This was the closest Joker ever came to discovering Batman's secret identity. Fortunately for Batman, this never came about for four reasons. Firstly, Joker didn't notice the Batphone next to the Shakespeare bust with the hidden switch to the Batpoles when he activated it. Secondly, the Batpole signs were not in their usual places as Alfred had taken them away to give the poles a new coat of paint. Thirdly, the automatic costume changer was turned off and Alfred had taken the other costumes away to be washed (otherwise Joker would be wearing one of the Dynamic Duo's costumes) and finally, Joker became so terrified of going up and down the Batpole that he didn't stop to look and see where he was going.

Batman Episodes

Season 1: Hi Diddle Riddle • Smack In The Middle • Fine Feathered Finks • The Penguin's a Jinx • The Joker Is Wild • Batman Is Riled • Instant Freeze • Rats Like Cheese • Zelda the Great • A Death Worse Than Fate • A Riddle a Day Keeps the Riddler Away • When the Rat's Away the Mice Will Play • The Thirteenth Hat • Batman Stands Pat • The Joker Goes to School • He Meets His Match, The Grisly Ghoul • True or False Face • Holy Rat Race • The Purr-Fect Crime • Better Luck Next Time • The Penguin Goes Straight • Not Yet, He Ain't • The Ring of Wax • Give 'Em the Axe • The Joker Trumps An Ace • Batman Sets the Pace • The Curse of Tut • The Pharaoh's in a Rut • The Bookworm Turns • While Gotham City Burns • Death In Slow Motion • The Riddler's False Notion • Fine Finny Fiends • Batman Makes the Scenes

Season 2: Shoot A Crooked Arrow • Walk the Straight and Narrow • Hot Off the Griddle • The Cat and the Fiddle • The Minstrel's Shakedown • Barbecued Batman? • The Spell of Tut • Tut's Case is Shut • The Greatest Mother of Them All • Ma Parker • The Clock King's Crazy Crimes • The Clock King Gets Crowned • An Egg Grows In Gotham • The Yegg Foes In Gotham • The Devil's Fingers • The Dead Ringers • Hizzonner the Penguin • Dizzoner the Penguin • Green Ice • Deep Freeze • The Impractical Joker • The Joker's Provokers • Marsha, Queen Of Diamonds • Marsha's Scheme of Diamonds • Come Back, Shame • It's How You Play the Game • The Penguin's Nest • The Bird's Last Jest • The Cat's Meow • The Bat's Kow Tow • The Puzzles Are Coming • The Duo is Slumming • The Sandman Cometh • The Catwoman Goeth (A Stitch in Time) • The Contaminated Cowl • The Mad Hatter Runs Afoul • The Zodiac Crimes • The Joker's Hard Times • The Penguin Declines • That Darn Catwoman • Scat! Darn Catwoman • Penguin is a Girl's Best Friend • Penguin Sets A Trend • Penguin's Disastrous End • Batman's Anniversary • A Riddling Controversy • The Joker's Last Laugh • The Joker's Epitaph • Catwoman Goes to College • Batman Displays His Knowledge • A Piece of the Action • Batman's Satisfaction • King Tut's Coup • Batman's Waterloo • Black Widow Strikes Again • Caught In The Spider's Den • Pop Goes the Joker • Flop Goes the Joker • Ice Spy • The Duo Defy

Season 3: Enter Batgirl, Exit Penguin • Ring Around the Riddler • The Wail of the Siren • The Sport of Penguins • A Horse of Another Color • The Unkindest Tut Of All • Louie, the Lilac • The Ogg and I • How To Hatch A Dinosaur • Surf's Up! Joker's Under! • The Londinium Larcenies • The Foggiest Notion • The Bloody Tower • Catwoman's Dressed to Kill • The Ogg Couple • The Funny Feline Felonies • The Joke's on Catwoman • Louie's Lethal Lilac Time • Nora Clavicle And The Ladies' Crime Club • Penguin's Clean Sweep • The Great Escape • The Great Train Robbery • I'll Be a Mummy's Uncle • The Joker's Flying Saucer • The Entrancing Dr. Cassandra • Minerva, Mayhem And Millionaires

Other/Tie-In Media: Batman: The Movie • Batman '66 • Batman: Return of the Caped Crusaders • Batman vs. Two-Face