"The Bird's Last Jest" finds machine gun fire assailing the Dynamic Duo, while Chief O'Hara risks either drowning or electrocution in a swimming pool. Such magnificent mayhem earns The Penguin (Burgess Meredith) his day in court, but his eloquent self defense only results in the plaintiffs withdrawing all charges. Still at a loss as to how to get himself arrested, the avian adversary spies Alfred in disguise, posing as British forger Quill-Pen Quertch (complete with fake fingerprints), but the wily bird recognizes Alfred from his previous brainwashing encounter, making his way to Wayne Manor to demand a million dollar ransom. Once again, the bird is foiled by Batman and Robin, though defeat gets snatched from the jaws of victory; he's on his way back to his reserved cell, but that meddling Bruce Wayne has sprung Ballpoint Baxter (writer Stanley Ralph Ross), to work with underprivileged children on penmanship! Lorenzo Semple Jr. knew better than anyone how to build tension amidst the camp, but had only one Joker still to come. The Penguin's next appearance would be for two of a three part team up with Cesar Romero's Joker.
Review of The Bird's Last Jest
