Batman #329

Issue Details

Synopsis

TWICE DIES THE BATMAN!  Batman's attempts to track down more clues to the murder of Anton Karoselle at the file room of Dr. Ekhart and at the Gotham Morgue are foiled by bombs. However, he does manage to ascertain that Anton Karoselle was a patient of Ekhart's, and that he did not even exist as "Karoselle" until a year ago. Batman tells Alfred he is certain of the murderer's identity, and intends to bring him in.   Carl Ternion breaks off a dinner date with Gilda Stevens when his plastic surgery finally fails and he reverts to the countenance of his former identity-- Two-Face. Batman, finding clippings referring to Two-Face's origin, Harvey Dent's marriage to Gilda Gold, and the apparent death of "Boss" Moroni in Karoselle's files, enlists the help of a sorrowing Gilda in a plot to capture Two-Face. As part of his plan, he goes to the Batcave to prepare a special film.  Later, Two-Face sees a man who appears to be "Boss" Moroni "kidnap" Gilda Stevens and drive away with her. Following them in another car, Two-Face snarls that he killed Maroni twice already, and remembers how Maroni devised his "Anton Karoselle" identity with Ekhart's plastic surgery, after being paralyzed from the waist down in an encounter with Two-Face. Karoselle killed Gilda's second husband, Dave Stevens, to spite Two-Face; and the latter, who forced Ekhart to perform the surgery that enabled him to become "Carl Ternion," killed "Karoselle" in retribution.   Two-Face follows "Moroni" and Gilda into a courthouse, unmasks his foe as Batman and attacks him, chaining him to the ground. Batman tries to reason with Two-Face, but when this fails, Alfred projects the film of Two-Face's origin, throwing the double-visaged villain off balance. Batman tries to convince that Two-Face has not killed his good side or his love for Gilda, just as she appears and convinces him of her love, inducing him to return to Arkham Asylum for rehabilitation. Two-Face goes through a breakdown, but he agrees with the plan and he goes with the authorities, hoping to someday be cured and return to Gilda as a new man. The love and hope of Harvey and Gilda, reassures Batman's confidence on his mission. THE CASE OF THE HIJACKED HEART Gotham ganglord "Razor" Reynolds has checked into the Gotham General Hospital for a heart transplant, and Batman and Robin have to fight off rival crooks out to kill him. Batman swings off, and Robin checks on Mary Ann Warner, the bag lady previously beaten by Two-Face's hoods. Her doctor wonders why Batman has not checked on her in the two weeks since her beating.   The heart to be transplanted into Reynolds's body arrives later at the Gotham airport, but a number of thugs try to steal it and prevent its delivery. Batman and Robin have to fight them off and after they are defeated, one of the crooks tells who hired them. Robin returns to the hospital, hands the canister with the heart to the doctors, and has Reynolds's daughter, Pamela arrested. Pamela confesses that she wanted revenge for her mother, to whom Reynolds gave everything but love.   Once the situation is under control, the doctor and Robin are drawn away to Mary Ann's room by a nurse who tells them an alarm is going off there. They arrive just in time to see Batman swinging off, having deposited two boxes of candy and a large supply of flowers in the room.