Warning: Contains potential spoilers for Boy Wonder #3!Tim Drake Robin reveals that one of the most important lessons he learned about investigations was taught to him not by Batman, but rather by Bruce Wayne's other alter ego, Matches Malone - a New Jersey gangster and arsenic persona who has become a fan favorite And Bruce's own Robin. .
June Ba's Black Label series continues The Boy Wonder #3, focusing on the relationship between Batman's two youngest sons, Damian Wayne and Tim Drake. During the issue, Damian and Tim attend the Penguin's gala as Wayne family representatives.
Tensions arise when Damian misunderstands Tim's interactions with Gotham's elite, accusing him of exploiting "Their father's trust to enrich himself."The disagreement causes Damian to rage in frustration. Later, during a fight against one of Ra's al Ghul's demons, Red Robin reveals that Instead of making deals with Gotham's elite, he was gathering critical intelligence using a method taught to him by Matches Malone.
"Be what they want you to be": Red Robin Learned 1 Crucial Lesson from Matches Malone
While fighting the demon named Rok, Damian discovers that despite Tim seemingly cozying up to Gotham's corrupt elite, he was actually conducting his own investigation into the Penguin's potential involvement in a series of kidnappings linked to Damian's grandfather, Ra's al Ghul. While using his skills to hack into Penguin's security system, Tim pretended to negotiate with Oswald's associates in order to extract critical information, secretly recording all incriminating evidence. Damian was stunned by his misunderstanding of Tim's actions, exclaiming, “Was this all an act?!" Tim confirms this, explaining that it was a strategy taught to him by Batman, specifically by Matches Malone.
Tim then explained to Damian that Bruce's New Jersey gangster persona taught him the crucial intelligence-gathering lesson: "... become what they want you to be." This approach allows one to mirror those being investigated, tricking them into devaluing secrets. Matches Malone taught Tim the importance of adopting alter egos that seamlessly blend with the criminal world, facilitating access to otherwise inaccessible information. In this case, Tim used his billionaire persona to convince others that he possessed desirable assets—like cash and business deals—that he would be willing to strike a deal on (ie, finding corruption to extract valuable intelligence).
Who is Bruce Wayne's alter ego Match Malone, and why is he critical to Batman's mission?
Before becoming Batman's criminal alter ego, Matches Malone was a New Jersey gangster and notorious arsonist. Upon Malone's death, Bruce assumed his identity to infiltrate the underground criminal world, leveraging Malone's established street credibility. This allowed Batman to gather intelligence on criminal organizations that would otherwise be inaccessible, making the Matches persona crucial to Gotham's protection. Matches Malone debuted in Batman #242 (1972) by Dennis O'Neil and Irv Novick, becomes a recurring character throughout various storylines, including his unexpected but welcome cameo in June Ba's Robin-centric series.
The Boy Wonder #3 is available now from DC Comics.