Arkham Manor #3

Issue Details

Synopsis

COLD COMFORT After nearly unmasking the killer in Arkham Manor, Bruce Wayne - disguised as Jack Shaw - was knocked unconscious, and now has a concussion which requires him to spend the night in the infirmary, though he doesn't want to.   The following morning, Dr. Arkham concedes that they may have to call Det. Harvey Bullock for help, while Seth Wickham is prepared for transport to hospital after taking a drill to the skull.   Bruce believes that the killer is Victor Zsasz, who escaped his cell recently, and seeks to find him in Wickham's cell - but he is beginning to second-guess that assumption. He had seen Wickham attacked in his room after he was locked in. The windows were sealed. After shining a light over the room, he catches sight of a faint glint sparkling through the wall. He kicks hard against that wall, and it collapses to reveal a crawlspace, sure that Zsasz is hiding on the asylum grounds, rather than simply escaping for some reason. Bruce discovers evidence all over the interior passages and crawlspaces of the house he grew up in, indicating that Zsasz is living there and committing murders without ever being noticed.   Meanwhile, as Eric Border and another orderly carry Seth Wickham to the waiting ambulance through the snow, they are surprised when the ground beneath his gurney falls away, and he drops into a sinkhole. Despite the danger, Eric crawls down after him and helps him back out.   While crawling in the dark, Bruce senses his enemy's presence, and takes a knife in the arm. He is sure he has never fought this man before - but he can predict the man's actions. Dodging the brightness of the lamps attached to his helmet, Bruce takes his feet out from under him before punching one of the lamps out. Unfortunately, he uses his remaining lamp to blind Bruce and escape. When he regains his composure, he is surprised by what his flashlight illuminates.   Victor Zsasz is a victim of the killer - having been boarded up in the wall, and subjected to the drill. Bruce realizes, seeing this, that he has underestimates the killer. He is further surprised, though, when he realizes that somehow, Zsasz is still alive. He decides to dump Zsasz' body on Dr. Arkham's desk, for safekeeping.   Elsewhere, at Gotham General Hospital, the ambulance carrying Seth Wickham crashes straight through the front door and the doctors see that both the drivers have had their throats cut, and Wickham is gone.   Eric Border, having been instructed by Batman to look into an older patient for him, returns to his patient throws him from his wheelchair, revealing that he has been the Joker the whole time, and intends to ensure that Batman realizes this. Before that, though, he decides to remind the old man of who he really is: Clayface. Sticking his Joker Venom soaked hands into the old man's eye sockets, the Joker transforms this portion of Clayface into an entirely separate entity - who he calls Clownface.