Batman #434 – “How Many Times Can a Batman Die?” – John Byrne/Jim Aparo/Mike DeCarlo
This is the second part of the “Many Deaths of the Batman” storyline. Last issue, a couple of people dressed as Batman were killed in Gotham, but neither of them were the genuine article. This issue starts with Batman (?) chasing someone in a red cape over the roofs of Paris. He plunges into the river after his quarry and the French police recover his cape and cowl from the water. Back in Gotham, another corpse dressed like Batman is pulled from the harbour. This time, it’s a guy named Jenner, a famous stock car racer.
Commissioner Gordon tells the pathologist that this is the fourth dead Batman who’s turned up in the past twelve hours. All of them were outstanding in their respective fields: Jenner in auto racing, Stone in demolitions, Kingsley in chemistry, and LaSalle in bodybuilding. The pathologist lets Gordon know that Jenner’s lungs contained tap water, so he didn’t drown in the harbour. The next day, a famous gymnast named Peter Allison arrives at a local gym to work out. The patrons go crazy over Allison and the gym’s owner (Jones) is thrilled to have him there. Allison dons a Batman costume to work out and mentions receiving a 
letter from Allison promising him a lot of money to come there and work out wearing the costume. But Jones says he got a letter from Allison asking if he could work out there to give the gym some free publicity. While they’re trying to sort things out, someone shoots Allison with a poisoned crossbow bolt, making it five dead Batmans. Gordon investigates, finding the murder weapon and the vent the killer used to get in and out of the gym. Jones mentions that a well-known crossbow champion (Raphael DiGiorda) just arrived in Gotham the previous night. In Paris, Batman (who I’m assuming is the real one) drops the red-caped felon (who turns out to be a woman) off at the
local police station and is shown a newspaper mentioning his supposed death back in Gotham. While Gordon and the pathologist are on the way to see DiGiorda, she wonders if all the dead men could be Batman, pointing out that it would be almost impossible for one man to do everything Batman has done. Gordon assures her that he knows Batman and that he’s one of a kind. When they get to DiGiorda’s place, they find him already wearing a Batman costume. DiGiorda claims it was sent to him by Bruce Wayne, who invited him to a costume party at his house. The pathologist wonders if Bruce might be the one 
killing everybody as a way to relieve the boredom of his rich lifestyle. Gordon defends Bruce, but while they’re arguing, DiGiorda keels over dead. Turns out the costume was coated with a poison that was activated by DiGiorda’s sweat. Gordon thinks Bruce Wayne might be the killer’s next target, since Allison’s death pointed to DiGiorda, whose death points to Bruce. They go to see Bruce to let him know about the string of murders. Bruce did receive a package in the mail that morning and when he unwraps it, it is a Batman costume. Luckily he doesn’t put it on, because a cop accidentally triggers the booby trap while messing around with the belt, activating acid that melts the entire costume.
Bruce wonders who could be trying to kill him and who might be next. We get the answer to that question when we see another guy dressed as Batman (apparently with a hooker) getting killed by what looks like a poisonous snake.
Detective #601 – “Monster Maker” – Alan Grant/Norm Breyfogle/Steve Mitchell
This is the first part of a story entitled “Tulpa”, which makes me think we’re in for a bunch of Tibetan mysticism, since a Tulpa is a being created through mental powers and figures prominently in Tibetan lore. This story starts with some weirdo in a Ferrari challenging Batman to a street race. Batman incapacitates the car but gets a shock when the driver crumbles into dust in his hands. The car is also full of stolen money. Elsewhere, a guy named Tenzin ponders his time in Tibet (told you!) and wishes he could go back there. A loan shark (Kellogg)
shows up with a couple of thugs to collect the money Tenzin owes him, but Tenzin says the money’s on its way, being brought by a friend. Kellogg decides to wait, but it’ll be a long wait since I’m assuming the money in question was the loot Batman found in the Ferrari. Speaking of which, Batman talks to the Ferrari’s owner, from whom the money was also stolen. Strangely, the thief took only $5,000 even though there was more money in the safe and the room was full of priceless antiques. By dawn, Kellogg is tired of waiting for his money and has his thugs pound Tenzin, promising they’ll be back tonight to collect 
again. Tenzin knows he has to find the money somewhere, so he starts meditating. Meanwhile, Batman has checked every possibility on the disintegrating man and gotten nowhere, but hopes he can figure something out later with more evidence. Tenzin has created another “friend”, again instructing him (or it) to steal only $5,000 and not to engage in violence. Tenzin has chosen Wayne Manor for this robbery, but Alfred interrupts the thief, who knocks him out before fleeing … without the money. Alfred calls Batman (who’s pounding some muggers) to let him know what happened, and that he planted a tracker on the thief before he took off. The
simulacrum returns to Tenzin to report his failure and Tenzin dissolves him into dust, feeling guilty when his creation expresses reluctance at being “deactivated”. Tenzin finds the tracker in the pile of dust and realizes Batman is onto him. He destroys the bug, which pisses Batman off since he was just starting to home in on its location. Tenzin knows Kellogg will be back soon, so he decides to go further this time, creating not just a mindless Tulpa from inside himself, but summoning a demon from hell.