Batman #454 – “Dark Knight, Dark City Part III” – Peter Milligan/Kieron Dwyer/Dennis Janke
Last issue, Riddler (who’s been acting much more homicidal than usual) kidnapped a bunch of babies and has been leaving clues for Batman to find them. He found the latest one in the sewers, choking on a ping-pong ball, so he had to perform an emergency tracheotomy with a knife he picked up in a bar. Batman performs the operation and gets the baby to hospital, but isn’t sure if he’ll live or not. Riddler left another puzzle to solve, so Batman heads to he Batcave to analyze it. By joining all of Riddler’s recent crimes on a map, Batman sees a
pattern: an unfinished question mark. The last two spots correspond to Circusland and Stockman’s Square, a run-down part of the city that’s quite old. But as we saw last issue, a man named Jacob Stockman was involved in summoning a daemon and sacrificing a girl several hundred years ago. He and his associates (including Thomas Jefferson) left the girl trapped in a cellar with the daemon and the place was eventually built over until it became Stockman’s Square. Batman figures out Riddler’s clue and goes to the Hall of Mirrors at Circusland. He finds the last baby, along with a goat. As he tries to figure out what Riddler is up to, he’s attacked by a thug with a 
flamethrower and has to do some fancy acrobatics to save himself. He gets the baby out and heads for Stockman’s Square, anticipating a final showdown with Riddler. While fighting some henchmen, a stupid accident gets Batman caught, but Riddler won’t allow the thugs to kill him. Riddler found Stockman’s diary (and was apparently possessed by it) and knows about the daemon. Now he figures he can gain control of the daemon if he completes the sacrifice, using Batman as the victim since the daemon is Barbathos, the devil-bat. But Batman had to be prepared for the sacrifice, like the original girl was, so all Riddler’s weird tests were just a way to have Batman get ready for the sacrifice. But a demonic voice starts speaking through Riddler, who freaks out when he realizes he’s been used to bring Batman there. The voice claims
to be the Spirit of Gotham itself, grown from the summoned daemon and insinuated into every part of the city, brick by brick, street by street, over centuries. Riddler takes off and locks the trap door, lighting the building on fire. The voice tells Batman he has to save the original sacrifice and a girl miraculously appears with him. He figures they’re trapped for good, but Alfred shows up to open the trap door. They get out and Batman finds the “girl” is just a skeleton. Batman later places her bones in the Wayne family mausoleum.
Detective #621 – “Trial By Fire” – Alan Grant/Norm Breyfogle/Steve Mitchell
Most of this story is technically told in flashback, as Bruce tells Tim Drake about his trip to Haiti to save Tim’s parents. Last issue, Bruce headed to Haiti, following the guys who picked up the ransom money for the Drakes. Batman already suspects an obeah connection and keeps an eye on the money men (Louis Dange and his friend Malicien). Louis’s son Pierre is curious about the money, and still wants to see the Baka spirit his father has locked in the cupboard, but Louis
tells him to get lost. They deliver the money to the Obeah Man, who tells the Drakes he has no intention of releasing them … they were always meant to be sacrificed. Before the Drakes can be tossed into the hot coals surrounding them, Batman attacks. He pounds the obeah cultists and frees te Drakes, who grab a handy pitcher of water to rehydrate. But the water was poisoned and they both keel over. The Obeah Man tells Batman they were fated to die and he freaks out, pounding the shit out of the cultists. It’s too late for the Drakes though; Tim’s mom 
is dead and his dad is paralyzed and comatose. Obviously, Tim doesn’t take it well and Bruce wonders if Tim will turn all bitter and cynical like he did when he lost his own parents. Back in Haiti, Pierre finally satisfies his curiosity by breaking into the cupboard, but instead of a Baka he just finds a fetish of bones and chicken feathers. He’s so disappointed he throws it in the fire and wonders why his father is so late, not knowing that his father died in the fight with Batman.
Legends of the Dark Knight #11 – “Prey Part 1” – Doug Moench/Paul Gulacy/Terry Austin
This story takes place very early in Batman’s career, probably still during Year One since Jim Gordon is still a Captain. The cops are doing an undercover bust on some street dealers, hoping they’ll lead them to the supplier. Batman has the same idea and grabs the dealer before the cops can, scaring him into naming his supplier. The cops still consider Batman a criminal at this point, but Batman takes note of one particular cop (Sgt. Cort), who seems to be willing to skirt the edges of the law … like Batman himself. Later, Cort complains to Gordon about Batman, who reminds him the vigilante is on their side. Gordon takes part in a panel
discussion about Batman on TV, with Mayor Klass and Dr. Hugo Strange. Strange gives his analysis of Batman, speculating that his vigilantism is to avenge some personal tragedy (which is true), and also suggesting that Batman’s ego keeps him from going through normal channels and makes him dress up in a costume. Gordon points out the obvious—that Batman needs anonymity to be effective and uses the costume to scare criminals—but has to back off when it seems like he’s supporting a vigilante. Mayor Klass makes a surprise announcement about a new Task Force meant to apprehend Batman and 
puts Gordon in charge … with Strange as a special consultant. Batman works on the prototype Batmobile and wonders if Strange is right about his ego preventing him from working with anyone. Gordon asks Cort to join the Batman Task Force, thinking he’ll be motivated but not too successful (since Gordon doesn’t really want Batman off the streets). Strange asks for files on Batman’s activities and on muggings or murders going back five years, hoping to find a clue about Batman’s identity. Gordon (who has his own ideas about who might be under the mask) agrees because he knows five years isn’t long enough for someone to become what Batman is now. Meanwhile, the drug
supplier (Fish) isn’t worried about Batman or the cops, but we see Batman is on his way to take Fish down. Cort takes the men he’s selected for the Task Force out for a dry run, planning to hit Fish’s hideout to see how they handle themselves before taking on Batman. The cops and Batman arrive at Fish’s warehouse at the same time, but some of the guys on Cort’s Task Force are in Fish’s pocket and warn him just before the raid. Batman gets there first and pounds the drug dealers, but Cort busts in (minus the crooked cops that were with him) 
and tries to arrest Batman. In the confusion, Fish escapes and Batman almost gets shot by Cort, who’s now pissed off and seems obsessed with catching Batman. Speaking of obsessed, Hugo Strange is wearing a Batman costume and ranting about how much he both hates and envies the Dark Knight.
Noticeable Things:
- We get a couple glimpses of Catwoman robbing some apartments, but I’m not sure how she’ll figure into the main story yet.
- This is canonically the first appearance of Hugo Strange, but that may be superseded later by the Batman and the Monster Men mini-series from 2006. That series features Strange prominently, but the ending could theoretically lead into this story, so maybe both of them are canon.