Batman #254

Issue Details

Synopsis

KING OF THE GOTHAM JUNGLE! Batman is on the lookout of Roy Reynolds aka, The Getaway Genius, who has managed to escape after every crime he has commited, making a fool of Batman and the Gotham City Police Department. Aware of the trouble that the law enforcers of Gotham are facing, Robert Langstrom decides to provide help in the only way he can.  The Getaway Genius has managed to fool Batman once more and he is currently "getting away" with the loot from one of his recent crimes when he suddenly spots the shadow of a bat in a nearby rooftop. Reynolds and his gang use a helicopter to escape and they believe that they have reached a safe place from Batman, but much to their surprise, it is Man-Bat who is after them. The flying creature is able to reach the helicopter and force it to descent to the ground, where the thugs are finally captured by Batman. After this unexpected team-up, Batman learns that Langstrom has managed to control the transformation into Man-Bat and they realize that their team-work could be unstoppable if they continue training and working together. THE WITCH AND THE MANUSCRIPT OF DOOM! While James Gordon and Bruce Wayne are having a conversation, they are informed about a recent murder. When they arrive at the place, the butler informs them that his master, Eric Dorne was killed by a witch. Dorne was a famous writer and he left a manuscript about a witch, which was going to be part of his next story. At the crime scene, several people become involved including Dorne's aunt, Dorne's wife and Dorne's publishers.   Pitting their "physiques of breathktaking symmetry" against this sinister mystery, Batman and Robin investigate. He suspects both Dorne's aunt and wife since they both had some connection with witches. However, after examining the evidence, Batman deduces the identity of the killer and prepares a trap for him. Dorne's publisher, who was the real killer disguised as a witch falls for Batman's trap and he gives away his whole plot of publishing Dorne's next story without giving the man any credit. The case is solved and the dynamic duo settle after another achievement. BULLET-HOLE CLUB The Bullet-Hole Club in Gotham City is formed by law enforcers who have survived a bullet wound. Private detective Joe Flint applies to become a member, but is turned down because he was merely grazed: club rules hold that the bullet has to lodge in the body. Once it is surgically removed the bullet becomes his initiation fee and is put on display. Annoyed at being rejected, Flint starts deliberately exposing himself to gunfire, but Batman and Robin become suspicious after he is involved in a shootout with some crooks trapped in a boxcar who later escape--but there are no bullet holes where Flint supposedly fired. It transpires that Flint is a criminal who shot and wounded G-man Terry Collins, who still carries the bullet in his body until the scar tissue has formed sufficiently for it to be safely removed. Flint needs to kill Collins and dispose of his corpse to prevent the bullet being traced back to him, and membership of the club is the only way he can get at the agent. He has one of his henchmen shoot him in the fleshy part of his calf, but Batman becomes suspicious when he sees the trousers that Flint was wearing: the bullet hole is too high up, showing that he was sitting down when he was shot. He realises that Flint is desperate to join the club and allows his plan to proceed to find out what the man is up to. When Flint tries to kill Collins, Batman steps in and stops him. Flint's mind snaps and he is committed to a mental hospital, but his babblings enable the police to put all the pieces together. THE MAN WHO STOLE FROM BATMAN! When trying to stop the costumed criminal known as the Grasshopper from escaping with loot stolen from a bank, the crook tricks Batman and Robin into scaling the wall of a building while he makes a quick getaway by stealing the Batmobile.   Later at an auction aboard a boat where Batman is to sell off one of his Batarangs for charity, it is stolen by the Grasshopper who manages to slip out of Batman's grasp. Robin spots the Grasshopper on the deck of the ship from the Batboat and makes way to aid Batman. However, when Robin arrives, the Grasshopper steals the Batboat and kidnaps Robin, sending Batman back his Batarang with taunts about what he will steal next.   Deducing that the Grasshopper would be hiding out in the docks, Batman sees through their trap which uses a recording of Robin to call for help. Batman rounds up the crooks and turns them over to the police. Batman frees Robin, and as they go home in the Batmobile, they are startled by a recorded warning by a crook called the Outsider, who reveals that he hired the Grasshoppers to act on his behalf, and he states that next time he will defeat Batman and Robin. THE PHENOMENAL MEMORY OF LUKE GRAHAM! Robin is unable to help one of his college classmates when he is attacked by a gang of thieves, but he knows that he his classmate has a prolific memory. Robin shakes his classmate a little to make him recall the events of the night when he was attacked and when he reveals almost every detail of the encounter, Robin is able to capture the criminals. THE SON OF THE JOKER For his third "imaginary tale" about the future Batman and Robin, Alfred Pennyworth writes of their encounter with the Joker and a criminal who poses as his son. When Bruce pays a visit to the old time criminal, he denies having any connection to this new thug, but when Batman and Robin II are captured by the Joker's Son, it is revealed that the mastermind behind it all is the Joker, who is using a young thug to carry on his legacy of crime. Unfortunately for Joker, Batman I has deduced the truth and he rescues his young counterpart and his son, before the three of them overcome the criminals and capture the Joker and his "son". THE GUARDIAN OF THE BAT-SIGNAL! When veteran cop, Harvey Hainer, proves to be unfit for duty, Batman has him appointed as guardian of the Bat-Signal. Batman and Robin soon find themselves in pursuit of a gang of parachuting thieves. When the Bat-Signal is not activated on time, they are too slow to catch the crooks. Hainer claims he never received notification to turn on the signal, but everything appears to work fine. Batman investigates and learns Hainer is blind.   Rather than have the cop fired, Batman helps him activate the signal without sight. When the crooks strike again, a technical malfunction prevents Hainer from activating the signal. This time, he comes up with an alternate way of alerting Batman. When Batman gets the timely alert, he and Robin are able to apprehend the gang.