Batman #438 – “Turnabout” – Marv Wolfman/Pat Broderick/John Beatty
This continues the Year Three storyline that shows how Dick Grayson became the first Robin twelve years ago. Dick (who’s now Nightwing) is worried about Batman’s behaviour since Dick’s successor as Robin (Jason Todd) was killed by the Joker. Batman has become more brutal and emotionless, throwing out all reminders of Jason as if he was trying to pretend he never existed. Meanwhile, Batman has been investigating a series of murders of various
mob bosses, and Alfred has been trying to convince the parole board not to let mobster Anthony Zucco (who killed Dick’s parents when he was a kid) out of prison. At the end of last issue, Alfred was contemplating killing Zucco himself, but he can’t go through with it. Nightwing shows up at the latest murder scene and finds a couple of clues (a fingerprint and a piece of thread), which he shares with the cops. Batman has interrupted a conclave of leading mobsters, who are discussing how to protect themselves from whoever’s been knocking them off. Batman suggests they work together, since he wants the killing to stop too. But one of the mobsters can’t let go of old grudges and pulls a gun 
on Batman. At the prison, Alfred offers to pay Zucco to leave Gotham after his release, but Zucco already has plans and they don’t include leaving town. In the Batcave, Dick uses the computer to trace the fingerprint he found, which leads to a labyrinth of fake companies. Batman takes out his attacker and convinces the mobsters they’re better of cooperating. He points out that the killings are obviously an attempt to take over all of Gotham’s criminal activity. The other bosses deny any knowledge, but mention that Anthony Zucco has a book full of info on their crimes that he’s used to blackmail them for years … and that Zucco is being released from prison tomorrow. In the Batcave, Dick finds out that the fingerprint leads to a shell company owned by Zucco, and Alfred finally tells him about Zucco’s imminent release. Nightwing and
Batman both show up outside the prison just before Zucco’s release. Nightwing wants to show the cops proof that Zucco is behind the killings, but Batman insists they wait until Zucco is outside so he can taste freedom before they snatch it away from him. Zucco comes out with Taft, a member of the parole board that Zucco’s been blackmailing. Zucco wants to get his book of info back so he can take over the city’s mobs, but as soon as he steps outside, he’s shot down by some guys in a helicopter. Nightwing is horrified and accuses Batman of knowing it was going to happen.
Batman #439 – “Resolutions” – Marv Wolfman/Pat Broderick/Mchael Bair
Continuing directly from the above issue, Batman denies knowing that Zucco would be killed. Nightwing points out his uncompromising attitude and lack of emotion lately and Batman comes close to opening up, almost admitting that he wanted to kill Zucco for making Dick an orphan. But he can’t let himself be that vulnerable and takes off, followed closely by Nightwing. Now that Zucco is dead, every mobster in town is looking for his ledger, not just to protect themselves but to get info on their rivals. Taft gives a press conference where he mentions the ledger and Batman realizes that Taft wants it found,
probably because he’s in it for something illegal he did. Batman leaves, telling Nightwing he doesn’t want any more partners. Alfred points out that Batman is afraid of losing someone else like he did Jason. Dick recalls when Bruce took him in after his parents were killed, and tells Alfred that as much as he hated Zucco, he never seriously considered killing him because he was raised—by Bruce and Alfred—to put love ahead of hate. But Bruce seems to have forgotten that and Dick figures it’s up to him to remind him. Batman is pounding some mobsters to get to one of Zucco’s old associates (Drexler), 
who says he doesn’t know where the ledger is. Drexler does mention that Zucco used to threaten people with the ledger, saying that his beginning would be their end. Batman leaves, but Nightwing shows up later to interrogate Drexler, who tells him the same thing he told Batman. After Nightwing leaves, Taft shows up and kills Drexler. Nightwing figures out what Zucco meant about his beginnings: he hid the ledger in the orphanage where he went after his parents died … the same orphanage Dick was at years later when Zucco killed his parents. At Wayne Manor, Alfred fills Batman in on Zucco’s past and he figures out the clue too. Nightwing talks to a nun at the orphanage (who recognizes him under the mask) and realizes Zucco hid the ledger in the bell tower. He finds it, but Taft attacks him with a pipe and
starts pounding him. Batman shows up and sees Taft beating Nightwing, which brings back bad memories of Jason’s death. When Taft says he wants to take over where Zucco left off, Nightwing rallies and kicks his ass. Taft tries to jump him from behind, but thanks to Batman’s warning, Nightwing dodges and Taft falls out of the bell tower. The ledger falls apart and scatters, its pages full of info getting ruined by the rain. Later, Bruce admits to Alfred that he’s proud of Dick, who goes to the cemetery to tell his parents what happened to Zucco.
Detective #604 – “Men of Clay” – Alan Grant/Norm Breyfogle/Steve Mitchell
This is the first chapter of the famous Mudpack storyline that brings together the various versions of Clayface. We start with Clayface III (Preston Payne, last seen in Batman Annual 11), who’s still in Arkham Asylum with his “wife”, Helena (who’s really a department store mannequin). Payne has gotten tired of the domestic life and wants to “divorce” Helena, but when she doesn’t respond he gets mad and accidentally knocks her head off. That kinda shatters the illusion and he freaks, busting out of his cell and killing a guard with his deadly melting
touch. Elsewhere, Batman pounds some muggers and leaves them for the cops. As he takes off, we see a guy wrapped up in a trenchcoat carrying a sack over his shoulder (which he addresses as “Matthew”) deploring the state of modern horror movies. Going by his invective, and the way he considers himself a master of the horror genre, I assume this is Basil Karlo, the original Clayface. Some punks follow Basil to his hideout (an abandoned theatre, of course) to see what’s in his sack. They’re disappointed to find it’s full of dirt, and even more disappointed when Basil pulls a knife and stabs them to 
death. Batman gets a call about Payne’s escape and heads for Arkham. Guards are searching the woods for Payne, who’s been shot with several tranquilizer darts, but is so strong they haven’t affected him yet. When the darts finally knock him out, the guards catch up but are surprised to find someone else there too. Looker (Batman’s old teammate from the Outsiders) uses her powers to force the guards to tranquilize each other, then she takes the sleeping Payne with her (after unceremoniously kicking Helena’s head into the woods). In the old theatre, Basil recalls the career of the second Clayface (Matt Hagen, who died in the Crisis) and tries to resurrect him from the clay he’s been carrying. It … doesn’t work. Batman searches the woods near
Arkham and finds the unconscious guards, realizing that a woman was on the scene too. He views a security tape of Looker visiting Payne (and never saying a word to him) and wonders why she’d be there. Meanwhile, Looker takes Payne (moving him telekinetically) to the old theatre and we see she’s not Looker at all, she’s really the Lady Clayface who was part of Strike Force Kobra. Apparently, Karlo wants to bring all the Clayfaces together and, other than Hagen, he seems to have managed it. Karlo’s plan is to gain wealth and power and … oh, what was the third thing? Oh, yeah, to kill Batman.
Noticeable Things:
- I thought Basil Karlo died in Detective 496, but that was pre-Crisis so maybe this story supersedes that one. Next issue, Batman mentions that Karlo went to prison after killing his castmates, so I guess that’s the official post-Crisis version of the story.
Detective #605 – “Heart of Steel, Feet of Clay” – Alan Grant/Norm Breyfogle/Steve Mitchell
This one starts with Looker (the real Looker, who Batman hasn’t seen since the Outsiders broke up) having a nightmare about being pulled into a pool of clay. A call from Batman wakes her and he asks why she was at Arkham to see Preston Payne. Looker denies being there and reminds Batman that Lady Clay can take her form and use her powers. Batman accepts that, but wonders why Lady Clay would bother busting Payne out of Arkham. At the old theatre, Basil Karlo and Lady Clay plan their revenge on Batman, which Karlo says has to be done methodically
to make it hurt more. Lady Clay tells him how she used her powers to become a famous movie star, but got tired of having to pretend all the time, wanting only to be accepted as her true self instead of having to live as someone else. That’s why she joined Karlo, because he’s an outcast too, as is Payne. Speaking of Payne, he wakes up and isn’t in a great mood, but Lady Clay changes into Looker again and uses her powers to mesmerize Payne. Karlo knows Payne is essential to his plans, but worries about Payne’s instability. Batman reviews info on the various Clayfaces and finds out that Basil Karlo was recently released 
from prison. Later, Payne attacks an armoured car outside a bank, but onlookers get a shock when Batman shows up and starts helping Payne instead of stopping him. Luckily, the real Batman is at police headquarters at that moment, explaining his multiple Clayface theory to Commissioner Gordon. They quickly realize the “Batman” who helped Payne must be Lady Clay n disguise. Batman tells Gordon not to exonerate him so they can figure out what the Clayfaces’ overall plan is. At the old theatre, Lady Clay and Payne bring back the loot from the robbery, but Lady Clay is forced to turn back to Looker to pacify Payne when her earlier mind conditioning starts to wear off. She warns Karlo that screwing with Payne’s head might eventually make him uncontrollable, so Karlo decides to accelerate his plans. Batman sees an ad
in the paper about a charity function that will have a big pile of cash on hand and figures that’ll be the Clayfaces’ next target. He’s right and when Payne and Lady Clay (once more pretending to be Batman) show up to rob the event, the real Batman tackles them. He blinds his doppelganger with a magnesium flare and is preparing to rip Payne’s power pack off (to diminish his superhuman strength), when someone calls out to him. We don’t see who it is (I’m assuming it’s Karlo), but the very sight horrifies Batman so he’s probably threatening a hostage or something. We’ll see next issue.