The Dark Knight of DC Comics, Batman, has more than a few transportation options to help get him across Gotham in the blink of an eye, with his iconic Batmobile being one of his most famous and reliable creations. But in an epic story from a few years back, Tim Drake’s Robin reveals that not only does he have something faster than the Batmobile, but, according to his calculations, it’s twenty times more so.
An integral vehicle that’s been a staple of Batman’s various adventures almost since his debut in 1939, the Batmobile has gone through its fair share of iterations, whether they be cosmetic, tech-based, or more focused on making this monster of a car even more powerful on the road than before. And while it’s true that it can’t always unleash its full potential on the packed streets of Gotham, it still manages to outrun nearly any other mode of transportation it goes against, except, that is, for Tim Drake’s super secret bullet train network he built underneath the city.
Tim Drake's Robin Made a Bullet Train That's Faster Than the Batmobile
A new kind of ride shown in Detective Comics #937, by James Tynion IV and Alvaro Martinez, this issue proves to fans just how much of a genius Tim is when he puts his mind to it. Looking to help streamline the commute of Gotham’s vigilantes, Tim, still going by the Red Robin moniker at the time, brings his colleagues, consisting of team leader Batwoman, Stephanie Brown’s Spoiler, Cassandra Cain’s Orphan, and the temporarily reformed bat-villain, Clayface, to an abandoned set of subway tunnels which he’s repurposed for his own means. Saying there’s “no need” for Batmobiles when they can “be everywhere in an instant,” Tim reveals an underground lair complete with a set of bullet trains that can travel about “twenty times as fast as the top speed of the Batmobile.” Talk about some serious speed.
Topping out at 230 miles per hour in ideal conditions and over 300 when its turbo boosters are engaged, the Batmobile’s quickness is nothing to sniff at, and considering Tim is confident his pods can go twenty times past this level is an insane accomplishment that very few people, let alone a teenager, can pull off. Granted, Tim mentions that he still needs to “nail” the braking system, but having the capabilities and know-how to create a secret network that, in all actuality, could be repurposed even further as a quick mode of transportation for Gotham’s citizens, spotlights Tim’s smarts, despite him probably needing to slow these bat-trains down a bit as to not break the sound barrier every couple of minutes.
Robin's Underground Train Network Can Outrun the Batmobile Easily
So while this bullet train isn’t always the most convenient thing to ride in on a nightly basis, especially when trying to get into the underground lair in the first place, the idea that Tim was able to invent, build, and then effectively implement it for any member of the Bat-Family to use as they see fit is an incredibly impressive feat that only Tim can bring to fruition. Tim Drake’s Robin out-built Batman’s iconic Batmobile by a considerable margin, so who knows what else he might get up to if given the chance.